Arts Wins Its First State Crown
Boosted By Talented Point Guard

It could be a decade or more from now, when Arts senior Nilah Rivera might be working with a top law firm, or perhaps involved in some aspect of government when she might take a moment to think back with fondness on her stellar high school basketball career in which she joined Jaguars teammate Niaja Troutman in achieving a very rare feat indeed.

Already, the fact that they have now helped lead two different teams in Arts and Immaculate Conception to NJSIAA state championships in back-to-back trips to the March finals at Rutgers’ Jersey Mike’s Arena, is certainly enough to produce smile all around, including for one of the state’s premier point guards during the 2025-2026 New Jersey hoops season.

“I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve been with two different teams that won state championships, and to do it back-to-back years is just amazing,” said Rivera. “The first person I hugged after Sunday’s win was Niaja because she’s been such a huge part of this incredible journey we’ve made together, and I know we’ll both look back on this all someday and just appreciate all the great moments we’ve had with two tremendous teams we were part of together.”

Rivera produced one of her typical virtuoso performances in this past Sunday’s (March 15th) Group 1 state final to boost a 15th-ranked Arts team (27-4) that had a superb all-around showing from a number of players in defeating the defending state champions and No. 8 ranked New Providence Pioneers, 57-45, to give the Newark magnet high school its first-ever state title.

For her superlative efforts, which included a team-high 19 points to go along with 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals, the ever-present Rivera is the latest Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week.

“Our coaches did a great job of preparing us, including watching a lot of film; we stuck to our game plan, made the defensive stops we had to, and my teammates came through big-time!” said the Arts standout point guard.

"Everyone contributed to our state championship win, and I just fed off the energy of my teammates while being back in an arena I already had some fine memories in.”

Rivera and Troutman hugged immediately after the final seconds ticked off on a convincing win against a New Providence team which has gone 59-4 during the past two seasons, and the Jaguars celebration could begin on C. Vivien Stringer Court.

The two close friends had transferred together to Arts from Immaculate after the Montclair Catholic school was forced to close its doors last June due to financial constraints, but not before they had helped lead coach Jimmy Kreie’s Lions (21-9) to a 41-30 win over Gloucester Catholic in the Non-Public B state final, also on the same Rutgers hardwood.

Arts third-year head coach Tarik Brown knew that he had gained a couple of ultra-valuable missing parts when Rivera came into his program to take hold of the point guard duties, and Troutman, who had been a key substitute for Immaculate as a junior, stepped into a much more primetime role this season with the Jaguars.

“Nilah and Niaja provided amazing leadership for our team this season, and I believe we would have been at Rutgers (on state championship weekend) if we had them last year,” said the third-year head mentor and former men’s coach at  Essex County College and also with the Science Park boys team.

"Nilah is a stat stuffer with all her points, rebounds, assists and steals, plus she makes everyone on our team that much better with the way she helps lead our team along with Niaja, who had been a role player at Immaculate, but played very consistent minutes for us this season and was another huge contributor to our success.”

While Arts sophomore Harmoni Burgess was sensational down the stretch, scoring 11 of her 16 points in the fourth quarter, and juniors Iyannah LaFontant, Nicole Rai Bogan and Morgan Hair were superb at both ends of the court including providing strong defense throughout, Rivera was making timely plays of her own, including hitting key baskets both at the end of the second quarter to give her team a 25-22 halftime edge, and at the conclusion of the third quarter, as New Providence (29-2) was just starting to close the gap at 37-33 behind its standout senior guard Annie Conover (game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds), who had a 3-pointer during that stretch for the resilient Pioneers.

Rivera’s 3-pointer from the top of the key gave Arts a 41-33 lead just as the third quarter was coming to a close and Burgess then took over with hard drives to the basket and strong and persistent play in the lane as the Jaguars built up an insurmountable 54-42 lead in the closing minutes.

“New Providence is a very well coached team with experienced players who have achieved a great deal, and we definitely had to spend some serious time preparing for them,” said Brown. “With the young ladies on our team, all of whom have 4.0 gpa’s (grade point averages) or better, they were all fully engaged in paying very close attention to film study and scouting reports, and they then executed our game plan on Sunday.”

For Rivera it’s been quite the senior year at Arts, a school where curriculums such as music and acting are among the key areas of study, and with success for many alums; and she has taken full note of that, including learning to play the piano, while also enjoying her other classes such as Spanish.

Former Arts High basketball and track and field standout Michael B. Jordan (Class of 2005) just won the Oscar for Best Actor for his work in the film, ‘Sinners.’

“I loved my time at Immaculate, which was a nice family and a very small school,” said Rivera. “Arts is a little bigger and I’ve tried to really take hold of the opportunities in music, including learning the piano since I’ve come here, and with great teachers.

“It’s a school community where everyone loves to be here, and it feels like family, including on our basketball team this season.”   

A bright future appears to include a high-academic college on the horizon for the multi-talented veteran point guard and top student, who has already drawn interest from a variety of different colleges, including Brown University from the Ivy League along with Wagner, Indiana State and Merrimack, with more schools very likely to emerge now that the season is complete.

“I’m open to all my options as far as college, and I definitely want to play basketball and study political science,” said Rivera. “Maybe one day I will work as an attorney or in government. We’ll see what happens.

“Whatever I wind up doing I know that I already have some incredible memories from great experiences at two different high schools that I can always look back on and smile!”

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