Thursday, February 2, 2012
Cougar boys having fantastic follow up season
As the regular season winds down, with championship season right around the corner, the Columbia boys basketball team finds itself in a similar position to the Cougar squad a year ago. At 12-3, the Cougars are playing as well as just about anyone in Essex County, which is a good thing, considering the County tournament is already underway. They've been led by a stingy defense, which has allowed just under 47 points per game. Their high ball pressure defense has been the key, leading to a transition game which is a large part of Columbia's offensive identity. "Defense has been the key to victory," said second year Cougar head coach Eddie Turner. "We put a lot of pressure on the man on the ball. Everyone else mans up and it forces the ball …
Monday, February 28, 2011
Top seeded Cougars rout Watchung Hills
The Columbia boys basketball team overcame a slow start and some sloppy defense in the opening round of the North II Group 4 state sectional playoffs to defeat Watchung Hills, 70-53. The offense starred in this one for the Cougars, with three different players scoring in double figures, and the locals knocking down 54 percent of their shots in the game. Through the first five minutes of play, the 16th seeded Warriors were hanging with the top seeded Cougars step for step - they even had a brief lead. But following an illegal pick on Watchung Hills with 2:57 left in the first, Columbia mounted a 15-4 run over the next five minutes, turning an 11 all tie to a 26-15 lead for the Cougars. A Justin Martin buzzer beating three-pointer from the …
Guard play has sparked the locals this season
It’s hard not to get excited about the Columbia boys basketball team as they head into the North II Group 4 state sectional tournament. They’re a surprise 20-5 this season and are the number one overall seed in the tournament, meaning that the road to the state championship goes right through Parker Ave. They’ve got many quality wins, including two over East Orange, one over East Side, Seton Hall Prep, Montclair Kimberley Academy, Ewing and Roxbury. They’re loaded with 13 seniors, have a multitude of players who can score and they play good team defense. What’s not to like? With the county and conference titles now out of the question, the Cougars will turn all of their attention to winning a state title. “I think that’s a big motivation …
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Cougar basketball routs visiting Millburn girls in county tourney
The Columbia girls basketball team advanced to the second round of the Essex County Tournament on Saturday afternoon, destroying the visiting Millburn girls, 65-29 at South Orange Middle School. The fourth-seeded Cougars put on a defensive clinic at home, forcing 23 turnovers off of 11 steals and blocking six shots while holding the 13th seeded Millers to just 11 field goals on 27.5 percent shooting from the floor. Columbia essentially forced Millburn into being a jump shooting team, completely shutting down the paint. “You just defend. A lot of people try to run through the screens. We just meet and switch,” said Columbia head coach Johanna Wright. Millburn never led in this contest and were never really in the game. Columbia jumped out …
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Cougar Basketball remains tied atop American Division
The Columbia boys basketball team improved to 12-2 and 8-1 in the SEC American Division, with a 59-42 victory over Science park at CHS on Tuesday afternoon. The Cougars built up a 30-6 halftime lead and staved off a late push by Science to preserve the win. “I can’t feel too happy, we were up 30-6 at the half,” said Columbia head coach Eddie Turner. “They tried to make it close. …If they scored six points in the first half, they shouldn’t have had more than 20.” Up until the final minute of the first quarter, this looked like it could be a close game. Columbia had sank just two baskets and were up 5-2 over a Science squad which came in with a 2-9 record. But over the next nine plus minutes, the Cougars went on an 25-4 run and practically …
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Columbia basketball stifles late Jaguar rally for 11th win
Things got a little scary late in the fourth quarter for the Columbia boys basketball team. But the Cougars were able to hold off a late charge from the visiting East Orange Jaguars at CHS on Thursday night, 57-53. With 5:18 left to play, a pair of free throws by Justin Martin put the Cougars up by 13 points, and Columbia was looking like it was going to win in a rout. Columbia did not make another field goal until there was less than a minute left to play and did not even score another point till the 1:23 mark, off of a Dukens Germaine free throw. Meanwhile, East Orange had gone from being down 13 to down by six. East Orange was able to get the lead down to three points, but a steal by Martin with under 15 seconds to play and then a …
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
CHS boys basketball dealt first county loss of the season
In their highly anticipated home opener on Tuesday afternoon, the Columbia boys basketball team played its worst game of the season. The Irvington Blue Knights came into CHS with a 4-4 record and used their length to frustrate the Cougar shooters all game long, holding on for a 55-47 overtime win over Columbia. As poorly as the Cougars played in this game, they still had a chance to win it at the end of regulation and in overtime. “We just buckled under the pressure,” said Columbia head coach Eddie Turner. “We missed lay-ups, we didn’t execute, we didn’t run through our offenses properly because we didn’t see the full court today. …We just couldn’t find the person who was wide open.” Following a drive and lay-up by Antoine Vines of …
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
New head coach is shooting for the moon in his first year
After going 13-14 a season ago, the Columbia boys basketball team has a new coach, a new system, new expectations and a new beginning. Former CHS boys basketball standout and former junior varsity head coach Eddie Turner took over the reigns of his old program, following Jerry Hill stepping down from the position of varsity head coach a year ago. The '03 CHS grad has set his sights high immediately in a very difficult Super Essex Conference American Division, saying that he expects his squad to win a state and county championship this season. "Somebody asked me the other day 'what would be a good record?' And I said 29-0 or 30-0," Turner said. "I don't look down at the schedule and say 'well if we lose this game' or 'if we win that game.' …
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Columbia boys head basketball coach resigned, citing the rigors of extensive travel.
When members of Cougar Nation look back on the eight-year stay of Jerry Hill at the helm of the boys basketball team, they'll think of one word above all: consistency. After averaging 16 wins and eight losses per season for nearly a decade, Hill resigned as head basketball coach of the Cougar boys, citing extensive travel and the need to spend more time with his family. "I really had a great experience at Columbia High School. It eventually just took its toll on me," Hill said of the travel. Between teaching history at Northern Valley Demarest High School in Bergen County for over 20 years, residing in Rockland County, N.Y., and coaching in Essex County, something had to give. Hill said he was easily working 70 hours per week during the …
40.734997
-74.266716
Columbia High School
17 Parker Ave, Maplewood, NJ
/articles/coach-jerry-hill-moves-on-from-columbia
2997
/locations/333709
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Basketball runs in the Wright family's blood.
For as much history and tradition as the Columbia girls basketball program has, there may be just as much, if not more, sitting on the sidelines and in a small chair next to the basketball office in South Orange Middle School. The girls' program has been led by head coach Johanna Wright since the 1982-83 season, with the nationally-known coach amassing more than 700 career victories (more than 500 with the Cougars), and countless conference, county and state titles since then. Wright was also the coach of the very first McDonalds Girls' All-American East team in 2002. Add to that multiple coach of the year awards and several other honors, and Wright would be best described as a super-accomplished and established girls basketball coach. …
40.734997
-74.266716
Columbia High School
17 Parker Ave, Maplewood, NJ
/articles/a-family-of-ballers-3
2997
/locations/317789
40.74847
-74.26283
South Orange Middle School
70 N Ridgewood Rd, South Orange, NJ
/articles/a-family-of-ballers-3
4899
/locations/317790
