Basketball Recap: Columbia's Luck Changes for the Better on Friday

After only 29 points in their last match, Columbia made sure to put some points up on the board against Newark Central on Friday. The Columbia Cougars walked away with a 57-44 victory over the Newark Central Blue Devils. The win was some much needed relief for the Cougars as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak dating back to last season.

Despite the loss, Newark Central still got an impressive performance from Malachi Thomas, who dropped a double-double on 22 points and 11 rebounds. That's the most points Thomas has posted since back in January of 2024. Another player making a difference was Drean Aikins, who went 5 of 6 on his way to 10 points and seven rebounds.

The victory got Columbia back to even at 1-1.

Columbia didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 71-48 defeat against Seton Hall Prep on the 21st. As for Newark Central, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next contest, a 69-60 win against West Side on the 23rd.