NJ Middle School Basketball Kickoff

Beginning January 8, the 2018 middle school basketball season officially gets underway in cities across New Jersey.

60 teams from schools in Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Somerset, and Union Counties will all vie for the 2018 Middle School Boys and Girls Basketball Championships. 

The league got its start in Newark, New Jersey, with just five teams from charter and independent schools –  Greater Newark Charter School (now closed), Link Community School (converted to a charter school), North Star Academy, St. Philip’s Academy (converted to a charter school), and KIPP TEAM Academy – that, at the time, did not have facilities to begin interscholastic athletic programs. The NJ Education Consortium, through a series of partnerships with professional sports teams, community organizations and government, was able to procure and provide recreational facilities. Initially, all basketball games were played at the New Community Corporation (NCC) Neighborhood Center in Newark’s Central Ward.

Over the years the league expanded outside of Newark. Student enrollments at participating schools increased, as did the number of schools with gymnasiums. From five schools and one shared site, the league now includes sixty teams and fifteen host sites.

2018 is especially exciting as the league welcomes its first public school district members – Union Avenue Middle School and University Middle School of Irvington Public Schools. Perennial high school basketball powerhouse The Patrick School has a middle school team in the league, as does Sacred Heart of Jersey City.  Plainfield Public Schools also played a pre-season scrimmage with Learning Community Charter School of Jersey City. With emerging interest from public school districts as well as Parochial schools, interscholastic athletics looks to play an important role in unifying New Jersey’s education community and providing youth across New Jersey safe and healthy extracurricular activities.

Other league activities include Cheer, Step and Dance, Cross-Country Track, Flag-Football, Soccer, and Volleyball.

Click here to view a schedule of upcoming middle school basketball games. 

For more information, contact (732) 372-5815.