SPORTS WRAP – By William Hathaway, Jr.
The 2022 Essex County Tournament came to a conclusion at Essex County College this past weekend. Montclair Immaculate’s girls’ basketball team took the crown, thanks to a dominant 32 points and 18 rebounds from Tayla Thomas in a hard fought 67-59 win over the Lady Phoenix of University High School, who got 20 points from Mya Davis. This is the first ECT crown for Montclair Immaculate since 1990.
In the boys’ basketball championship game, Seton Hall Prep (20-3) won a record setting 17th title over Central High 60-55. Jackson Bleeker netted 12 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in the game, while teammate senior Nick Dunneman had 11 points and 5 rebounds for the champion Pirates.
The Annual NBA All Star Game was won 163-160 by Team LeBron over Team Durant. Stephen Curry won MVP honors thanks to hitting on a record 16 three-pointers, which made up 48 of his 50 points, two shy of Anthony Davis’ game high record 52 from a few years back.
In other All Star Weekend news, Team Cavs won the Skills Competition, New Jersey native and Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns won the Three Point Shootout, and Knicks forward Obi Toppin won a lackluster Slam Dunk Contest. The highlight of the whole weekend in Cleveland was a celebration of the 75 Greatest Players in NBA History, in commemoration of the league’s 75th Year.
In NASCAR, rookie driver Austin Cindric won the Daytona 500, while star African American driver Bubba Wallace finished second. Meanwhile, the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team won a $24 million settlement in their quest for equal pay with the men’s team. Finally, Yankees legend Paul O’Neill will have his #21 jersey retired this season (that is, if there is a season.)
