The Verona Hillbillies (Verona, NJ) basketball nipped the host West Essex Knights (North Caldwell, NJ), 47-43 in Saturday's non-league test.

The Hillbillies (12-4) will now prepare for their test against Livingston (Livingston, NJ). The Lancers go into the Super Essex - Colonial test with a 7-14 record. In their last test, Livingston was tipped by Kittatinny Regional (Newton, NJ), 33-32, in a non-league test.

The Knights now own a 12-8 record. They play next when they travel to Central for a Super Essex - Liberty test on Monday, February 5. West Essex will encounter a Blue Devils squad coming off a 62-35 non-league loss to West Orange (West Orange, NJ). The Blue Devils record now stands at 12-9.