East Brunswick Girls Basketball Routs Hightstown in State Tournament Opener

The Bears advance to the quarterfinal round with a 70-30 victory.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The East Brunswick girls basketball team defeated Hightstown 70-30 in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 4 tournament on Thursday. Ava Catanho led the Bears with 29 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and three steals, while Sophia Tannura added 13 points, five rebounds, four steals, and three assists. East Brunswick outscored Hightstown 19-10 in the second quarter to take a 40-17 lead at halftime.

Why it matters

This win advances East Brunswick, the second seed, to the quarterfinal round of the state tournament where they will host seventh-seeded Marlboro on Saturday. The Bears are looking to make a deep run in the tournament after a strong 22-5 regular season.

The details

Ava Krzywdzinski paced East Brunswick in assists with 10, and Mia Figueroa had nine points and six rebounds in the win. East Brunswick's defense held Hightstown to just 30 points in the game.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 27, 2026.
  • East Brunswick will host Marlboro in the quarterfinal round on Saturday.

The players

Ava Catanho

The leading scorer for East Brunswick with 29 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

Sophia Tannura

Scored 13 points with five rebounds, four steals, and three assists for East Brunswick.

Ava Krzywdzinski

Paced East Brunswick in assists with 10.

Mia Figueroa

Scored nine points and had six rebounds for East Brunswick.

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What’s next

East Brunswick, the second seed, will host seventh-seeded Marlboro in the quarterfinal round on Saturday.

The takeaway

This decisive victory advances East Brunswick to the quarterfinal round of the state tournament, where they will look to continue their strong postseason run after a successful 22-5 regular season.