On January 13th, despite junior Jahi Whitney scoring 19 points, the Montclair Varsity Boys Basketball team suffered a hard-fought 70-65 loss away from home against 7-4 Columbia High School.
Montclair had a poor start to the game, trailing 20-8 in the opening quarter. The team was often put in uncomfortable situations by the Columbia defense. Furthermore, the team needed help to prevent shots in the paint. The Columbia players showed good ball movement across the court, creating multiple shooting opportunities.
However, Montclair showed intensity and energy in the second quarter of the game. The Mounties began to show their quality, scoring 20 points in the quarter. Senior Ben Price and junior Jahi Whitney had a great quarter, leading the team to get on the board. The quarter ended 37-28 in Columbia’s favor.
The Mounties continued the offensive success they had in the second quarter in the third quarter. Seniors Noah Hutchinson and Shawn Kirkley brought light to the team during the quarter. The duo did an excellent job creating shots for the team and played great defense, limiting Columbia to 18 points in the quarter. Montclair trailed 55-51 going into the final quarter of the game but looked a more motivated team to win the game.
The final quarter of the game saw offensive struggles for both teams. Montclair created good opportunities against the Columbia defense but failed to convert. Despite the Mounties' energetic response in the last three quarters, it wasn’t enough. Montclair suffered a heartbreaking 70-65 loss to put them at a 5-5 record. Jahi Whitney led the team in scoring with a team-high 19 points. Ben Price scored 13 points for Montclair; Noah Hutchinson had 11 points in the contest.
Montclair will hope to get back to winning ways in their matchup against 5-6 Newark Central on Sunday.