Kennedy's Girls Basketball Defeats American History 39-31

Zahniya Castillo's double-double leads Kennedy to victory over American History.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Kennedy's girls basketball team defeated American History 39-31 on Thursday. Zahniya Castillo scored a team-high 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Knights, while Juliana Odum added 14 points. Ericka Lawson led American History with 14 points, seven rebounds, one assist, and four steals.

Why it matters

This game was an important matchup between two local high school basketball teams, showcasing the talent and competitiveness of girls' basketball in the Paterson, New Jersey area.

The details

Kennedy held a 19-18 halftime lead before outscoring American History 10-8 in the fourth quarter to secure the 39-31 victory. Castillo's double-double performance was crucial in leading Kennedy to the win, while Lawson was the top scorer for American History.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 21, 2026.

The players

Zahniya Castillo

A player for Kennedy's girls basketball team who scored a team-high 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Juliana Odum

A player for Kennedy's girls basketball team who scored 14 points.

Ericka Lawson

A player for American History's girls basketball team who scored a team-high 14 points, along with seven rebounds, one assist, and four steals.

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The takeaway

This game showcased the competitive nature of girls' high school basketball in Paterson, New Jersey, with Kennedy's balanced scoring and Castillo's dominant performance leading them to victory over American History.