Young Mountaineers Improved Throughout Season

West Orange High School's girls basketball team has much to look forward.

The Mountaineers recently finished the season with a 12-12 record, losing to Passaic Tech in a North Jersey, Section 1, Group IV playoff game.

The Mountaineers got to the playoffs after starting the season 4-7, scoring just 17 points in a season-opening loss to Glen Ridge.

"We had a pretty strong finish; to finish 12-12 was quite an accomplishment especially after that first game when we scored 17 points," Wilson said. "The kids are good friends and they are good basketball players. Although I'm disappointed for them that the season is over, they are a special group of young ladies."

The Mountaineers beat every team in the Super Essex Conference at least once and with four starters back, the Mountaineers should be even better next season.

"I think we're looking forward to it without putting pressure on the team," said Wilson, whose team was 14-11 last year. "I would think that would be the expectation because they are no longer new at it. The expectation for us will be to take the next step. That's what coaching is all about. You play with what you have. This year, we had great kids who tried hard every single day."

The versatile senior forward Kim Reitmeyer, an outstanding shortstop in the spring with the Mountaineer softball team, will be missed along with senior forward Bianca Garrett.

Reitmeyer had 74 rebounds, 35 assists, 26 steals and 118 points.

"One of the things about Kim wasn't her stats, it was about contributions that can't be measured by stats, her contributions — you feel with the heart, you see the kid diving on the floor," Wilson said. "My players wear knee pads. That's one of the things we've done for years. You play all out and she is a player that exemplified that. And Bianca was a very, very good teammate. She never allowed time in the game factor in how she cheered. She practiced hard. It was all about the team with her."

Sophomore center Chisom Amaefuna averaged a double-double throughout the season — 14 points per game, 11 rebounds per game.  

"We're going to have some people coming in that might fill in the four and five (forward positions) to allow Chisom to play her position," said Wilson. 

Junior guard Alyssa Almario (6.47 points per game) will return along with point guard Allison Mejia. Mejia averaged 6.27 points, over two rebounds and nearly four assists per game.

"Allison did a wonderful job growing into the position of point guard, the ball was in her hand 80 percent of the time," Wilson said. "As the season progressed, everybody grew into their role."

Junior Zakiya Watson and sophomores Jazz Randall and Illissa Blackshear will play bigger roles. Blackshear, the goal keeper for the soccer team in the fall, scored 4.60 points per game and added 25 rebounds and 22 steals for the year.