Freeholders Honor East Side Basketball Team

The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders recently honored the Newark East Side High School Boys Basketball Team for winning the 2013 Group 3 State Championship.  The Board’s commendation was sponsored and presented to the team by freeholders Rufus Johnson and Rolando Bobadilla, both of Newark.

The Red Raiders, finished their season with an overall record of 25-7, including a 10-3 record in Super Essex Conference competition.  The team also won the Newark Public Schools Christmas Tournament Championship and reached the finals of the Essex County Tournament.  They also finished the season ranked by The Star-Ledger as the #15 team in New Jersey, and by NJ Hoops as the state’s #13 team.

THe team’s Akbar Hoffman was named to the All-Essex and All-Conference first teams; Ismael Sanogo was named to the All-Essex and All-Conference 2nd teams, Abdul Lewis was named to the All-Essex 2nd team; and William Joyce received Conference Honorable Mention.

Head Coach Bryant Garvin commented that this team was a group of young men he really appreciated working with over the last 2-3 years, adding, “and I look forward to seeing you in college, or in the NBA, or as doctors and lawyers or whatever it might me, because I know you’ll be successful.”

Freeholder Bobadilla, who represents the East Ward of Newark as the District 1 Freeholder, also congratulated the team on its championship season, saying it was “a great job… an amazing feat.”