Montgomery Advances to Group 4 State Final

Cougars defeat East to set up rematch with Plainfield

Mar. 11, 2026 at 5:42am

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Montgomery High School's boys basketball team defeated East High School 72-59 in the Group 4 state semifinal on Tuesday night. Montgomery built a 16-point halftime lead and never looked back, led by 28 points from sophomore Mike Simborski and 23 points off the bench from sophomore Shriyans Mallavarapu. Montgomery will face Plainfield in the Group 4 state final on Saturday at Rutgers, seeking revenge after losing to Plainfield in last year's championship game.

Why it matters

This victory puts Montgomery back in the Group 4 state final, where they will have a chance to win their first state championship since 2019. The Cougars are looking to avenge last year's loss to Plainfield and cement their status as one of the top programs in New Jersey high school basketball.

The details

Montgomery jumped out to a 16-point halftime lead and maintained control throughout the second half to secure the 72-59 victory over East. Sophomore Mike Simborski led all scorers with 28 points, while fellow sophomore Shriyans Mallavarapu added 23 points off the bench for the Cougars. Noahm Marciano scored a team-high 13 points for East in the losing effort.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
  • Montgomery will face Plainfield in the Group 4 state final on Saturday, March 15, 2026 at Rutgers University.

The players

Mike Simborski

A sophomore at Montgomery High School who scored a game-high 28 points in the state semifinal victory.

Shriyans Mallavarapu

A sophomore at Montgomery High School who came off the bench to score 23 points in the win.

Noahm Marciano

A player for East High School who scored a team-high 13 points in the losing effort.

Montgomery High School

The boys basketball team from Montgomery, New Jersey that defeated East High School to advance to the Group 4 state final.

East High School

The boys basketball team from an unspecified location that lost to Montgomery High School in the Group 4 state semifinal.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

Montgomery will face Plainfield in the Group 4 state final on Saturday, March 15, 2026 at Rutgers University.

The takeaway

This victory puts Montgomery back in the Group 4 state final, where they will have a chance to win their first state championship since 2019. The Cougars are looking to avenge last year's loss to Plainfield and cement their status as one of the top programs in New Jersey high school basketball.