OHS girls' hoops ousted from ECT on a buzzer-beater

By Joe Ragozzino
Sports editor
The 18th-seeded Orange High School girls’ varsity basketball team lost to 15th-seeded Central, 47-46, on a buzzer-beating layup in the second round preliminary of the Essex County Tournament last Saturday Jan. 28 in Newark.  Esther Adams gave Orange a 46-45 lead on mid-range jumper with 12.5 seconds remaining in regulation. But Central answered when Nijah McQueen took a halfcourt pass and delivered a heave to Zhane Robinson, who hit a layup at the buzzer for the game-winner.
The Tornadoes took a 25-14 halftime lead, but Central rallied in the second half, cutting the deficit to 36-35 at the end of the third quarter.
Aquiyah Williams led the Tornadoes with 16 points. Adams finished with 12 points and Sheereka Russell had 10 points for OHS, which fell to 7-8. Central improved to 11-2. The Tornadoes beat Central, 35-33, on Jan. 10 on a buzzer-beater by Russell in a Super Essex Conference game.
Williams scored a game-high 22 points and Russell had seven points but the Tornadoes lost to Montclair Kimberley Academy, 48-37, on Jan. 24 in Montclair in SEC play. Williams had 18 points with six assists and five steals and Russell had 16 points as the Tornadoes defeated Caldwell, 38-30, on Jan. 26 in SEC action at OHS. Ruth Adams had four points and six rebounds, Esther Adams grabbed 13 rebounds and had three assists and Alaska King had four rebounds for OHS, which avenged a 50-36 loss to Caldwell on Dec. 22.