While they are the certifiable favorite to win a Non-Public B state title this season, Immaculate Conception (11-5 overall, 7-0 in the Super Essex Conference-American Division) also remains focused on another main goal before that quest as the 3-time defending champions and again the No. 1 seed in the 50th annual Essex County Tournament which seeded its field Monday night at James Caldwell High School.
“Winning the Essex County Tournament title is important for our program,” said coach Jimmy Kreie. “We are definitely aiming to capture another championship this year.”
As far as the ECT is concerned, the other top seeds are 2-West Orange (13-4, 4-2), 3-Glen Ridge (13-5, 5-2), 4-University (6-8, 2-4), 5-Caldwell (15-1, 7-0 in SEC-Liberty Division), 6-Mount St. Dominic (7-9, 1-5), 7-West Essex (9-5, 4-2 in SEC-Liberty) and 8-Verona (11-4, 6-0 in SEC-Colonial).
West Orange lost to IC, 43-41, in the Garden State New Year’s Ball on Jan. 4, but owns an early-season 53-44 victory over University.
Glen Ridge knocked off the Mountaineers, 57-44, on Tuesday (Jan. 28).
This year marks the first Essex Invitational Tournament intended for seeds 25-40 to start off in. The girls ECT has 36 teams entered.
Preliminary round games are Thursday (Jan. 30) with first round action on Saturday (Feb. 1). The quarterfinals are Feb. 8, also at the higher-seeded team’s home court and the semis are Feb. 15 at West Orange. The championship game returns to Essex County College on Feb. 22.
While Glen Ridge owns a regular season win vs. University, the Phoenix were without their star guard Paradise Fisher for that contest and the Newark school, which has reached the last four ECT finals - last winning it all in 2020 - is still ultra-dangerous in a tournament setting.
University has lost to IC in the past three ECT finals. Along with Fisher the Phoenix have size up front to wreak havoc led by 6-3 junior Briana Holt. The Phoenix finished 27-3 last winter while winning the Group 1 state championship.
West Orange, which is enjoying one of its best seasons to date, is led by its terrific trio of seniors Anaya Karriem (North Carolina A%T) and Kyley Gary-Garrison (Coppin State) along with talented sophomore Rhyan Watt.
IC had been playing the first month and a half of the season without its No. 1 player from last year, University of Albany-bound senior forward Nila Giraud, who had been spending time in physical therapy while letting a sprained ankle absorbed during a volleyball game properly heal.
She returned to the hardwood for the Lady Lions in their Jan. 23rd 51-47 win over University when IC needed a 16-8 fourth quarter surge to secure the victory.
The 2023-2024 Sideline Chatter Essex County Player of the Year then netted her 1,000th point while scoring 10 in IC's 66-39 division win vs. Newark Academy on Tuesday (Jan. 28).
As Giraud is still getting back to top form, IC continues to be led by the consistent efforts of juniors Jayah Curtis, Nilah Rivera, London Crawford, Daiya Anderson and Niaja Troutman along with veteran Long Island University-bound senior Camille Wiley.
Anderson missed all of last season with a leg fracture suffered in November of 2023 and is a welcome addition to this season’s squad.
Curtis has been a force for the Lady Lions with her all-around play including an ability to consistently connect from the perimeter.
“Right now, Jaya is the county Player of the Year,” said Kreie. ”She has been our most consistent player and a top scorer with her pull-up jumper and ability to go strong to the rim.”
Rivera, a veteran backcourt performer, has kept progressing as one of the top, young point guards in the state, while Crawford and Anderson have each raised their games as well this season.
“Nilah has been very solid and has taken her game to another level,” continued Kreie. “She is having an outstanding season for us.”
ECT Girls: Most Titles Won:
Shabazz 17
Columbia 6
Bloomfield 4
Clifford Scott 4
Immaculate 4
University 3
East Orange Campus 2
Newark Tech 2
Nutley 2
Most Appearances In Final:
Shabazz 21
University 11
Columbia 9
Clifford Scott 8
Bloomfield 6
Immaculate 6
East Orange Campus 4
West Side 3
Montclair 3
Newark Tech 3
The 49 ECT Girls Finals Year By Year:
2024: Immaculate 75 University 65
2023: Immaculate 60 University 54
2022: Immaculate 67 University 59
2021: no tourney due to covid-19
2020: University 61 Immaculate 34
2019: West Orange 36 Immaculate 25
2018: Newark Tech 71 University 62
2017: Newark Tech 55 West Orange 53 (in OT)
2016: East Orange Campus 42 Newark Tech 40
2015: East Orange Campus 51 Montclair 32
2014: Shabazz 54 Montclair 51
2013: Shabazz 61 East Orange Campus 46
2012: Shabazz 59 Montclair 33
2011: Shabazz 61 University 58
2010: Shabazz 67 Columbia 57
2009: Shabazz 61 University 50
2008: University 65 Shabazz 51
2007: Shabazz 64 University 58
2006: Shabazz 71 Bloomfield Tech 60
2005: Shabazz 70 Bloomfield Tech 55
2004: Shabazz 72 Orange 45
2003: Shabazz 81 East Orange Campus 45
2002: Shabazz 82 East Orange 31
2001: Columbia 59 Shabazz 55
2000: Bloomfield 41 West Side 26
1999: Columbia 57 Orange 45
1998: Columbia 64 Clifford Scott 52
1997: Bloomfield 53 Shabazz 47
1996: Columbia 49 Bloomfield 41
1995: Mount St. Dominic 57 Bloomfield 45
1994: Clifford Scott 59 Mount St. Dominic 53 (OT)
1993: Clifford Scott 46 Livingston 37
1992: Clifford Scott 55 West Side 36
1991: Shabazz 52 Clifford Scott 51
1990: Immaculate 51 University 48
1989: Bloomfield 58 Immaculate 46
1988: Bloomfield 65 University 50
1987: University 71 Shabazz 42
1986: Irvington 57 East Orange 50
1985: Shabazz 58 Irvington 57
1984: Shabazz 51 Belleville 46
1983: Shabazz 62 Clifford Scott 60
1982: Shabazz 61Clifford Scott 55
1981: Clifford Scott 51 East Orange 49
1980: East Orange 53 Barringer 45
1979: Columbia 38 Barringer 37
1978: Columbia 73 Glen Ridge 24
1977: Nutley 56 Columbia 34
1976: Nutley 55 Columbia 33
1975: West Side 55 West Essex 48
Follow Steve Tober on 'X' @Chattermeister
