Category: EVENT

  • CHS Athletic Hall of Fame Inducts Hometown Basketball Heroes

    CHS Athletic Hall of Fame Inducts Hometown Basketball Heroes

    On Thursday, May 7, SOMA Basketball attended the 19th Induction Ceremony for the Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club.

    The evening brought together familiar faces from across the SOMA and Columbia High School athletic community, including past and present athletes, families, coaches, and supporters, all connected by a shared love of sports and hometown pride.

    Jeffrey Kelly (Graduate Class of 1985’) of the CHS Boys Basketball program was honored for his role in helping lead the 1983-84 team to the best record in program history.

    In the “Team” division, The 2001 Columbia High School Girls Basketball Team was inducted in recognition of their Group 4 State Championship and ending the season ranked third in the state.


    In a nod to our current day athletes, current CHS senior basketball players Annabel MacGuire, Chioma Okafor, and Sara Marley were recognized for their contributions to basketball, academics and athletics.

    In attendance, representing SOMA Basketball were members of the SOMA Basketball Boosters, Erica Dagley Galea, Delia O’Donnell, George Ellis, and Taylor Valentine.

    They were joined by leaders from the broader basketball community, including: CHS Boys Basketball coaches TJ Whitaker and Tunde Adedoyin, CHS Girls Basketball coaches Aaron Breitman and Willy Sumner, MAPSO Basketball Director Mike Holloway Jr., and SOMA basketball parent Regina Eckert.

    Photo Credit: alexgoodmanphotography.com

  • Sold-Out SOMA Swish Raises Funds for All SOMSD Elementary Schools

    Sold-Out SOMA Swish Raises Funds for All SOMSD Elementary Schools

    The second Annual SOMA Swish fundraiser took place on Sunday, April 19 in the Columbia High School Gym, raising funds for elementary school PTAs across the South Orange-Maplewood School District.

    SOMA Swish is a district-wide elementary school basketball tournament jointly organized by the PTAs from all six elementary schools in the SOMSD with the shared goal of raising funds that directly benefit programming and initiatives at each school.

    Started in 2024 as a community-building event between Seth Boyden and Clinton Elementary, SOMA Swish expanded to include all six elementary schools in 2025. This year’s event was a sold-out triple header with over 2,500 people in attendance, bringing parents, caregivers, students, staff, and alumni together during three matches to strengthen our community and raise funds for student experiences.

    The success of this year’s event is a true testament to the strength of the unity in the SOMSD community and what we can accomplish when we all work together to support our schools.
  • Sponsors Hit The Gym For Appreciation Breakfast

    Sponsors Hit The Gym For Appreciation Breakfast

    On Saturday, January 10, an amazing group of SOMA Basketball’s 2025-26 business sponsors and donors gathered in the South Orange Middle School gym for a front row seat to youth basketball at its finest.

    As the 1st-grade girls honed their skills on the court, reps from local SOMA businesses enjoyed breakfast treats from Bakes by Izzy and Three Daughters Baking Co. and java from Village Coffee.

    SOMA Basketball Boosters leadership spoke about how they’re helping build a better community through basketball. Thanks to our sponsors and donor families for all your support!

  • SOMA Basketball Spirit Night at Seton Hall

    SOMA Basketball Spirit Night at Seton Hall

    The 2025 SOMA Basketball Spirit Night at Seton Hall was a tremendous success.

    For the first time, the event was open to all local basketball organizations, bringing our community together in a truly unified way. With more than 500 tickets sold, local youth players had the unforgettable opportunity to take the court with the Lady Pirates and cheer them on in person.

  • Local Knights of Columbus Council to Sponsor Youth Free Throw Championship

    Local Knights of Columbus Council to Sponsor Youth Free Throw Championship

    All boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition of the annual Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship. 

    The local competition is being run by Regina Pacis Council No. 4066 and will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026 in Our Lady of Sorrows School gym located at 172 Academy Street, South Orange, NJ.  Registration is between 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm, contest to follow.  The event will continue till winners are determined in each age category.  No cost to participate.

    WHAT: Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship

    WHO: Girls and Boys aged 9 to 14

    WHEN: Friday, January 9 at 6:30 pm

    WHERE: Our Lady of Sorrows School Gym, 172 Academy Street, South Orange

    The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district, and jurisdictional competitions.

    International champions are announced by the Knights of Columbus international headquarters in New Haven, CT, based on scores from the jurisdiction-level competitions.

    All boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are eligible to participate and will compete in their respective age divisions. Ages of contestants will be determined by their age as of January 1, 2026.

    For any questions, please contact: Council4066@gmail.com.

  • Basketball Information Sessions

    Basketball Information Sessions

    Interested in learning more about youth basketball in SOMA?

    The SOMA Basketball Boosters, in partnership with South Orange Recreation, Maplewood Recreation, the South Mountain YMCA, Columbia High School Athletics, and Ask Me About Girls Basketball, will be conducting three Information Sessions for parents of children interested in basketball in our towns.  

    The sessions will take place:

    Tuesday September 9th @ 8pm (Virtually)

    Thursday September 11th @ 8pm (Virtually)

    Saturday September 13th @ 10am (In-Person in SOMA TBD) 

    Questions in advance? Reach out to us at somabasketballboosters@gmail.com

    To be included, please register for information sessions here:

    Register for Information Sessions