On Tuesday, January 14, Edison High School’s girls basketball team secured a comeback victory against JP Stevens, winning 42-30. The team’s determination and teamwork shone through, especially in a dominant fourth quarter where Edison outscored John P. Stevens 14-1 to seal the win.
The game was neck to neck through the first 3 quarters, with Edison trailing 28-29 heading into the final quarter. However, the team’s defensive pressure and offense led to a decisive turnaround, with Carmela Arana ‘28, Olivia Smart ‘25, Isabella Charles ‘25 and Angelisa Kearns ‘26 scoring to lead Edison to a win.
“Throughout the game we had to have many of our team members step up,” Head Coach Mr. Francis Eckert. “Their belief in one another is a key attribute to the overall success of the team. It’s a ‘We over Me’ mentality and it definitely shows in how they play.”
Arana continues her first season with Edison, scoring 14 points to be the lead scorer of the game. Arana has scored 174 points, 35 assists, and 41 steals across her 16 appearances this season.
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Olivia Smart ’25 jumps to reach for the ball as she marks the start of the game.
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Olivia Smart ’25 prepares to shoot from the free throw line to gain another point for her team.
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Coach Mr. Francis Eckert discusses a game plan with his players during a time-out as they aim to win.
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Smart contributed with 4 points, including going 4-for-4 on free throws. Smart has had a consistent presence on the court in her final season with Edison, tallying 161 points and 13 blocks in her 15 appearances.
Charles scored the 2nd most points in the game against JP, scoring 13 points, including five free throws. She led the game in rebounds with 11 and in steals with 4, which contributed greatly to Edison’s win.
Kearns added 11 points to the scoreboard and has been a reliable playmaker this season, with 93 points and 60 assists in 16 games.
The team showcased their resilience in a strong fourth-quarter performance, securing the win. Going into the quarter, down with 28 points to Edison and 29 to JP, the girls went on to score 14 points to give them a big win.
“Our team has been outstanding when pressure hits,” said Eckert. “I was not worried about the 3rd quarter score because I knew we would end up going on a run [to win]. We outscored JP 14-1 to win the game.”
The team came victorious scoring 42 points, beating the 30 points JP girls scored. With key contributions from seniors and rising underclassmen, the Edison girls basketball team continues strong in their competitions.
“I thought we played well collectively,” said Eckert. “We needed the win to maintain a strong position in the county and state tournament. Our team knows the importance of each game and this was just another obstacle that we had to overcome.”