Freeholders Honor Shabazz Girls Basketball Team

The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored the young women of the Malcom X. Shabazz High School girls basketball team http://patch.com/A-0Vgw during its meeting last week.

The team, a perennial powerhouse,  won the 2013 Group 2 State Championship and the Tournament of Champions. The board’s commendation was sponsored by Freeholders Blonnie Watson of Newark, Rufus Johnson of Newark, D. Bilal Beasley of Irvington, Carol Clark of East Orange and Gerald Owens of South Orange.

Watson told the team how proud she was of them, adding, “although we consider you to be ‘Newark’s Team’ and ‘Essex County’s Team’, you truly are ‘New Jersey’s Team.’”  Watson also encouraged the seniors, as they get ready to head off to college, to  “always remember what you were taught by your parents and your coaches, and once you’ve accomplished your goals, come back to Newark to teach and nurture other young women such as yourselves.”

Speaking on behalf of her teammates, senior captain Naqaiyyah Teague (who will attend UNC-Wilmington in the fall on a full scholarship) thanked the board for taking the time to congratulate and honor the team saying, “We worked long hours to achieve our goals in the classroom and on the court, and being acknowledged by you has helped us to know that our hard work is appreciated.”
   
In state tournament competition, the Malcolm X Shabazz High School Girls Basketball Team first defeated Caldwell H.S. (61-42), Ridgefield Park H.S. (50-23) and then Lincoln H.S. of Jersey City (65-25) to win the North 2, Group 2 Sectional Championship, before going on to defeat Glen Rock H.S. (64-23) and then Willingboro H.S. (71-44) to capture the Group 2 State Championship on March 10th.   The team then went on to compete in the Tournament of Champions where it first defeated Point Pleasant Beach H.S. (65-50) and then Rancocas Valley Regional H.S. (66-54) to capture the Tournament of Champions title on March 19th.

The Lady Bulldogs finished their season with a record of 33-1, during which they also went undefeated (12-0) in the Super Essex Conference as its champion, won their 5th straight Essex County Tournament Championship (its 16th overall and 11th in the last 12 years), and also won the Newark Public Schools Holiday Tournament Championship.  They were also ranked by The Star-Ledger as the number one  team in New Jersey and its 2013 “Team of the Year”.

Coached by Head Coach Vanessa Watson and Assistant Coaches Jania Sims, Deborah Wilkerson and Simone Baskerville, the team is comprised of the following members: Seniors Naqaiyyah Teague and Mayowa Olubakinde; Juniors Doniyah Cliney, Zaire O’Neil, DeAshia Jones, Altiliyah Butler, Naquaisha Rattray, Syonah Williams and Briana Franklin; and Sophomores Acestra Robinson and Robin Engleman.