The Alternative Press

MAPLEWOOD, NJ -- Jumping out to a 21-point halftime lead, Columbia High School defeated Bloomfield Tech High School 63-42 to advance to the Final Four of the Essex County Tournament next weekend.

“(Bloomfield Tech) was really hot coming in here, beating good teams,” Columbia head coach Gerry Hill said.  “We played well today, advancing to the final four of county. One of our goals this season is to win county.”

Senior Justin Martin led the Cougars with 18 points, including 13 in the first half. Also scoring in double figures for Columbia were sophomore David Runcie, with 11 points, and junior Evans Osuji, with 10.

Bloomfield Tech got on the board first with a free throw before the Cougars took the lead for good. Freshman Michael Runcie made a layup, starting an 8-0 run that put Columbia up 8-1.

The Spartans cut the Columbia lead to 11-6 with a minute left in the first quarter, when Bloomfield Tech’s head coach, Nick Mariniello, got called for a technical foul for arguing with the referees over a lack of holding calls. On the ensuing free throws, Martin made both shots. Osuji made a basket in the paint to complete the four-point possession and put the Cougars up 15-6.

With a 15-10 lead after the first quarter, Columbia pulled away for good in the second quarter with a strong defensive effort. The Cougars started the quarter on a 12-0 run before the Spartans picked up their first point of the quarter on a free throw with 5:15 remaining. A minute later, with Columbia holding a 29-12 lead, Bloomfield Tech scored their first field goal of the quarter.

“Defense,” Hill said on taking the big lead. “We held them to seven points, which led to our transition. If they don’t score, they can’t get back and set up.”

David Runcie made a layup to end the half. The Cougars outscored the Spartans 23-7 in the second quarter to take the 38-17 halftime lead. Columbia came out of the half scoring the first five points before Bloomfield Tech scored the next six points. Continuing to extend their lead, the Cougars scored the final five points of the quarter to take a 53-27 lead going into the final quarter.

“It seemed like we were just taking jump shots,” Hill said. “We were playing like we were down 10 not up 20 near the end of the game.”

In the fourth quarter, holding a 25-point lead, Columbia started to work in their bench players into the game. The quarter was the first one of the game where the Spartans outscored the Cougars, 15-10. However, Columbia had built up a big enough lead through the first three quarters to where the game was never in doubt.

“We played really well on Thursday,” Hill said about coming back after losing to St. Anthony’s. “When we play our game, we can beat teams nine out of 10 times, but they have so much talent that they are one of the teams we can only beat one of 10 times.”

Columbia plays top-seeded Seton Hall Prep next Saturday in the Final Four of the Essex County Tournament.

Stephen Valenti is participating in a hyperlocal journalism partnership between The Alternative Press and Seton Hall University's Department of Communication & The Arts designed to give students real-world experience.