EOCHS girls' hoops lose in State semis to end great year

By Joe Ragozzino
Sports Editor
The East Orange Campus High School girls’ varsity basketball team’s sensational season came to an end.
The Jaguars lost to a solid North Hunterdon team, 67-44, in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 4 semifinals on March 10 in Union, falling two wins shy of capturing a State championship.
Junior guard Delisha Thompson scored 12 points, and junior center Linda Hamilton and freshman guard Teana Muldrow each had eight points for the Jaguars, who finished the season with an 18-11 record.
North Hunterdon, which stunned Columbia in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 final, beat Eastern, 50-36, this past Sunday to win the NJSIAA Group 4 championship to improve to 25-3.
The Jaguars won the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 title as the No. 11 seed in the 16-team field.
Thompson proved to be a inspirational leader this season, averaging 11.4 points and 4.2 rebounds.
“She is a special girl,” said EOCHS head coach Derrick Johnson. “She is our team leader. She lets her play do the talking. She is a calm and collective individual. She plays hard for 32 minutes a game, and I am proud of her for that. She gives her all for the team. She will sacrifice whatever, especially on defense. She is a great defender.”
Hamilton also stepped up her efforts during the Jaguars’ State tournament drive, noted Johnson. Hamilton averaged 10.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season.
Senior guard Domonique Herring, like Hamilton, elevated her game in helping the Jaguars during the postseason, much to Johnson’s delight. “Domonique is our best defender,” said Johnson. “When the playoffs started, she just stepped it up, even in practice. We can tell she just put her whole attitude and work ethic to a whole another level. As soon as we made the State tournament, in every practice, she was going hard. She was pushing everybody. She shocked me.”
Box score
N. Hunterdon 18 12 27 10 - 67
EOCHS 13 8 9 14 - 44
Raven Bass 0-0-0-0, Ava Burke 0-0-3-3, Krystal Gardner 1-0-2-4, Linda Hamilton 4-0-0-8, Domonique Herring 3-0-0-6, Teana Muldrow 1-2-0-8, Precious Osagie-Erese 1-0-3-5, Delisha Thompson 4-0-4-12.

Worrall Community Newspapers

2009-10 All-Area Girls' Basketball

Name School Pos. Ht. Year
Brianna Thomas Columbia PG 5-5 Senior
Gabby Jackson Columbia F 5-8 Junior
Shaina Earle Columbia G 5-6 Senior
Jade Johnson-Walker Columbia C 5-11 Freshman
Linda Hamilton EO Campus C 6-0 Junior
Delisha Thompson EO Campus G 5-8 Junior
Domonique Herring EO Campus G 5-6 Senior
Ashley Morris West Orange C 5-11 Senior
Anna Fucci West Orange PG 5-0 Senior
Alnisa Hernaiz Irvington F 5-8 Senior
Natasha Walker Irvington PG 5-6 Soph.
Andrea Fraser Glen Ridge C 6-1 Senior
Mary Alati Glen Ridge G 5-2 Soph.
Tahirah Matthews Bloomfield C 6-0 Senior
Nicole Velardi Belleville PG 5-6 Senior
Chassity Sousa Belleville F 5-9 Freshman
Khayriyyah Dawson Bloomfield Tech G 5-7 Junior
Qyidirah Williams Orange G 5-8 Senior
Alissa Tucci Nutley G 5-2 Senior

Players of the Year: Brianna Thomas, Columbia; Delisha Thompson, East Orange Campus
Coaches of the Year: Derrick Johnson, East Orange Campus; Johanna Wright, Columbia
Editor’s note: The All-Area is selected by the Essex County sports staff of Worrall Community Newspapers and consists of schools in the WCN publishing area of Belleville, Bloomfield, East Orange, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Maplewood, Nutley, Orange, South Orange, West Orange and Vailsburg. The athletes chosen also must reside in those municipalities.