Before another standing room only crowd, Verona’s seventh grade girls Suburban basketball team defeated Nutley 35-26 for their third straight basketball championship earlier this month. Thanks to their accomplishments, they will be recognized at the April 25 Town Council meeting.
During their fifth grade Suburban season, the girls compiled a 14-0 record, finishing as the only undefeated Suburban team in Verona history. The girls answered their fifth grade season by going 12-2 in sixth grade and defeating Millburn in the championship game before a capacity Verona Community Center crowd. They erased a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to become the only Verona Suburban team to win back-to-back championships.
This season the girls went 13-1 during the Suburban regular season, winning their third straight title. Over their three years they have an amazing Suburban league record of 43-3 and a Verona Community Center home record of 23-1.
Team photo: (top row, l-r) Megan Moran, Cayla Okafor, Iviana Anderson, Brittany Alteeni, Sara Cole, Katie Hipp; (bottom, l-r) Olivia Garcia, Jacqui Devivo, Nia Chesney, Mel Naeris, Jordan Ferry, Karina Squilanti. Not pictured: Head Coach Jon Garcia and Assistant Coaches Scott Chesney and Dawn Mulligan.
