As the regular season winds down, with championship season right around the corner, the Columbia boys basketball team finds itself in a similar position to the Cougar squad a year ago.
At 12-3, the Cougars are playing as well as just about anyone in Essex County, which is a good thing, considering the County tournament is already underway.
They've been led by a stingy defense, which has allowed just under 47 points per game. Their high ball pressure defense has been the key, leading to a transition game which is a large part of Columbia's offensive identity.
"Defense has been the key to victory," said second year Cougar head coach Eddie Turner. "We put a lot of pressure on the man on the ball. Everyone else mans up and it forces the ball controller to either make a tough pass or to beat our guy one-on-one."
Evans Osuji, a second year varsity player, has been a big surprise for the Cougars this winter and is probably the team's best scoring option, according to Turner. Osuji's production coupled with Maxim Michel off of the bench has been Columbia's best offensive options outside of transition baskets.
Another key to a follow up great season for the locals has been the play at point guard. Justin Martin, one the team's leading three-point shooters and its starting point guard actually began the season on the injured list and was unable to play.
That injury opened the door for freshman Michael Runcie, who did not let that door close on him. He impressed Turner immediately and has been a mainstay on the roster since early this winter. Turner said that the play of Runcie has elevated the play of the entire team.
Other key players this winter have included Robert Gordon as a three-point threat, Jordan Davis as an interior presence and Justin Osuji, also as an inside force. But since there is no true go-to player on the roster and the boys move the ball so well in half court sets and on fast-breaks, any player can step up and have a big game. While Michel and Evans Osuji have been the team's top scorers and only players averaging double figures, several others have led the team in scoring on a given night.
Perhaps what's most impressive about the Cougar's record this season is their performances in close games. Columbia is 4-0 in games decided by three points or less. Meaning that their 12-3 record could easily be 8-7, which does not sound nearly as good and wouldn't warrant them the No. 4 seed they've earned in the county tournament. Last year, they made a run to the county semifinals before being upset by Irvington.
The boys are currently tied with Bloomfield for second place in the Super Essex Conference Liberty Division, with both teams suffering two division losses. Newark Tech has a sizable lead at this point of the season, with no division losses, two games in hand against Bloomfield and one against Columbia. Of course, the Cougars can put a dent into that lead with a win on Thursday on the road against Newark Tech.
A year ago, the Cougars started off hot, but cooled off down the stretch, capped by a second round loss in the North II Group 4 state sectional playoffs to rival school, East Orange. While Turner is certainly not making any proclamations, guarantees or predictions about his team's postseason success this time around, he isn't backing down either.
"When I first started this job, I knew that we were going to be young and we were going to be talented," Turner said. "Basically, we can lose to anybody and we can beat anybody."
