Washington leads Pope John to holiday consolation win

Mia Washington totaled 18 points, six rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block and Natalija Novkovic added 10 points, five assists, three steals and two rebounds to fuel the Pope John High girls basketball team to a 55-33 victory over Westwood in the consolation game of the Westwood Holiday Invitational on Tuesday, Dec. 30, in Westwood.

The Lady Lions got off to a fast start, racing to a 19-3 lead after the first quarter and held a 32-11 edge at the half.

Nia Fisher (nine points, five rebounds, one assist), Cailey Fitzmorris (nine points, five rebounds, six steals, two assists, two blocks), Leanne Racpan (four points), Rose Kraus (three points) and Rylee Mendryzycki two points) rounded out the Pope John offense.

Washington matched her career-high of 30 points along with six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal and Novkovic added 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks as Pope John defeated Fair Lawn, 55-39, in the first round of the tournament on Dec. 27.

Washington then scored 16 points as the Lady Lions bowed to Ridgewood, 35-25, in the semifinal round of the tournament on Dec. 28.

Washington, a senior forward/guard, is averaging 19.2 points this season, and has now scored 1,291 career points in 94 games, good for a 13.7 scoring average.

Pope John (4-2) will play at Randolph on Friday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. before playing at Paramus Catholic on Jan. 10 at Teaneck High at 1:30 p.m.

Pope John Boys Basketball

Jayden Crocker had 20 points along with four rebounds and four steals, Trent Houser added 17 points and seven rebounds and Quinn Klebez scored seven points to lead the Lions to a 59-40 victory over High Point in the consolation the Rally in the Valley Tournament on Dec. 30 at Wallkill Valley High School in Hamburg.

In the opening game of the tournament on Dec. 29, Tyler Rossi had a team-high 14 points followed by Klebez (eight points), Crocker (seven points), Houser (six points), Justin Lilley (four points), Prince Joshua (two points) and Patrick Black (two points) as the Lions bowed to Wallkill Valley, 57-43.

Pope John (3-3) will host Randolph on Friday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.

Sparta Boys Basketball

Senior Leshem Little scored a game-high 24 points and Shane Hoover added 16 points to lead Sparta to its first victory of the season - a 55-45 decision over Roxbury - in the consolation game of the Tri-County Holiday tournament on Tuesday, Dec. 30, in Roxbury.

Little had nine points, Nate Coleman dropped in eight points and Anthony Settembre and Tyler Ojeda each scored seven points as the Spartans bowed to Warren Hills, 67-46, in the first round of the tournament on Dec. 28.

Sparta (1-4) will host Wallkill Valley on Friday, Jan. 9 at 4 p.m.

Sparta Girls Basketball

Brooke Shust and Kaelyn Sabanosh each scored 11 points but the Lady Spartans came up just short in a 52-49 loss to Cranford in the third and final game of the Chatham Holiday Tournament on Dec. 30 in Chatham.

Sparta (3-3) went 1-2 in the round robin tournament with the lone win coming in overtime against Chatham, 59-52, on Dec. 27.

Kayla Barreau totaled 17 points and 13 rebounds, Sabanosh collected 16 points, six rebounds and five assists, Shust added 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists and Isabella Vanwinkle had 10 points to pace the decision.

The Lady Spartans will host West Morris on Friday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.