Hoop Group Tip-Off: Short handed Teaneck gives a great effort in a loss to Newark Eastside

What looked like a tough game on paper for the Teaneck Highwaymen proved to be just that as Teaneck was without starters Leonandre Washington (transfer) and Jawaun James (unspecified reasons) against one of the top teams in NJ HS Basketball this year, Newark Eastside.

Elijah Olanyi looked to be too much for Teaneck in the early going with six points. Eastside led at the end of the first quarter 12-4.

In the 2nd quarter, after Eastside jumped out to a 12-4 lead, Teaneck charged back with 13 points but Eastside still maintained a 24-17 lead with 2:29 left in the half.

Jaquaye James, the flashy 5’8 senior, scored all 13 of Teaneck’s 17 2nd quarter points to lead the Highwaymen back to within five of the Red Raiders. James hit a pair of 3-pointers and a couple of other buckets with his quick and fancy ball handling to try and keep the shorthanded Highwaymen in the game.

Eastside led at the half 26-21, and was spurred on by Hassan Ceesay’s 12 points for the half.

Teaneck had cut the Eastside lead to two at 32-30, but couldn’t get any closer than six as Eastside would lead by as many as nine in the 3rd quarter. Eastside finished the quarter with a 40-33 lead as Shamir Naked Johnson with five points in the quarter. Jaquaye James tried to bring Teaneck back into the game during the 4th quarter as he scored five of his 21 points and really protected the ball well.

Eastside just had too much depth for Teaneck in the long run as Hassan Ceesay gave Eastside a 10 point lead with 1:40 to play. Teaneck just didn’t have the scoring power or the man power to hang with Eastside.

Jaquaye James led Teaneck with 21 points and was the MVP for the losing team, while Elijah Olaniyi, a Stony Brook commit, had 11 points and eight rebounds and took home the MVP for Newark Eastside.