2018-19 New York City boys basketball (through Feb. 9)
The weekly look at the New York City metro area's PSAL, CHSAA and AIS schools for the New York State Sportswriters Association is compiled by Mike Libert:
Class AA
1) St. Raymond (19-4)- In a pair of games this past week the Ravens once again
took care of business to run their winning games over St. Francis Prep and Iona
Prep with Gary Grant '20 leading way for St. Ray's in each of their matchups of
the seven day stretch. To close out the regular season the Ravens will head on
the road in looking to expand the winning streak to 15 when they take on a
Msgr. Scanlan team that while has a disappointing record, continues to give
many teams fits.
2) Cardinal Hayes (19-4)- Going on the road on Friday night saw the Cardinals
face off with Msgr. Scanlan, and while Hayes found themselves in a little bit
of trouble early on but behind 27 points from Jaylen Murray '20 it was the
Cardinals pulling away for a 71-58 victory. The win keeps Hayes in position to
possible claim the regular season CHSAA Archdiocese of NY title, though it will
be a non-league game to end Cardinal Hayes' regular season when on Sunday they
take on St. Benedict's in New Jersey at the Metro Classic.
3) South Shore (20-4)- Finishing out the regular season on a very high note,
South Shore thoroughly dominated Thomas Jefferson down the stretch on Thursday
in what was a 68-51 victory that allowed them to claim a share of the Brooklyn
AA title with the Orange Wave. Femi Odukale '19 had 20 points for the Vikings
who earned the #2 seed in the Brooklyn Borough Championships where they will
open up things in the quarterfinals on Tuesday against either Benjamin Banneker
or Uncommon Charter.
4) Bishop Loughlin (19-2)- It was a very odd week for the Lions whose only game
came on Tuesday against Iona Prep at home in Brooklyn. Loughlin though never
found a groove as they trailed for most of the way in what would be a 66-62 loss
to the Gaels. It was a surprising loss, but it's a loss that doesn't really hurt
the Lions in terms of positioning for the CHSAA B/Q playoffs. A pair of games
this week close out Bishop Loughlin's regular season when on Sunday they host
Xaverian, and then go to Holy Cross on Tuesday.
5) Christ the King (13-8)- Getting a season high 31 points from guard Ryan Myers
'20 allowed the Royals to move past Archbishop Molloy on the road this past Friday
67-57 as the defense was strong, with Myers controlling the offense and leading
Christ the King to the victory. Sunday will see the Royals go to New Jersey to
play in the Metro Classic against Rumsen-Fair Haven, before another non-league
matchup on Saturday ends Christ the King's regular season against PSAL Queens AA
foe Campus Magnet.
6) Thomas Jefferson (18-6)- Even though it didn't affect them into terms of
Brooklyn Borough Playoff Seeding purposes as the Orange Wave were rewarded with
the #1 seed for this coming weeks tournament it was a 68-51 defeat at South Shore
to end their regular season. Jaquan Carlos '21 had a fantastic outing with 33
points, but it wasn't enough to get Jefferson over the top. Tuesday will see the
Orange Wave open their borough playoff run when they get the winner of a game on
Monday between Transit Tech and Canarsie.
7) Xaverian (17-5)- Whenever the Clippers seem to be underestimated they come up
with massively huge performances as was demonstrated by their 72-54 victory at
Stepinac on Tuesday in a game that saw guard Nick Folk '21 paced Xaverian with 22
points. Saturday then saw a home win on senior night over Holy Cross by a 65-50
score with the Clippers looking as if they will finish the season strong. The
regular season closes this week with a Sunday road game at Bishop Loughlin, and
then it's a home game on Tuesday against Archbishop Molloy.
8) Thurgood Marshall Academy (19-4)- A no doubt impressive week for the Panthers
who went 3-0 over the past seven days in beating Manhattan Center, Truman, and
WHEELS to help them clinch the Manhattan AA regular season title. George Varmah
'19 had a big milestone this week for TMA as he scored his 1,000th career point,
though he has bigger things to come as he will get back on the court on Tuesday
as the #1 seed in the borough playoffs when they host either Seward Park or
Harlem Village to open their run.
9) Brooklyn Collegiate (16-8)- On senior night it was senior Charles Brown '19
who rose up and scored 32 points on Monday in an 84-47 victory over Truman. They
followed that up with a victory over George Westinghouse to close out Brooklyn
AA league play. Garnering the #3 seed in the Brooklyn Borough Playoffs, the Lions
will take on top Class A program Brooklyn Law and Tech at home on Tuesday in a
marquee quarterfinal matchup.
10) Curtis (18-6)- Without a game this past week, Curtis is now into the SIHSL
Tournament quarterfinals with Darnell Askew '19 and Adeleye Oyekanmi '19 leading
the way as it will be Tottenville next up for them on Sunday morning in a game to
be played at the College of Staten Island. A quarterfinal win would put the
Warriors more than likely into a matchup with McKee/Staten Island Tech in the
semifinals, with a title run definitely not out of the question for this talented
Curtis group.
11) Mount St. Michael (13-9)- Going into their game on Friday night against Step-
inac on the road confident as they were playing some of their best basketball of
the season, but against an improving Crusaders team it wasn't meant to be as even
with Mike Green '19 scoring 18 points it was an 83-63 loss. The regular season
will come to a close on Tuesday afternoon when the Mountaineers play host to Iona
Prep on their senior night where Mount will honor a talented group of impressive
seniors.
12) St. Peter's (15-6)- There were no games on the docket over the past seven
days for the Eagles who now will enter into the SIHSL Tournament in the quarter-
finals on Sunday as with Chris Clancy '19 playing some great basketball and put-
ting up phenomenal offensive numbers as of late, St. Peter's will take on St.
Joseph by the Sea with a date in Tuesday's semifinals up next if they can get
by a tricky and improving Vikings team.
13) McKee/Staten Island Tech (14-7)- Our third team from Staten Island in the
Top 15 this week, McKee was another team that had a bye into the SIHSL Tourna-
ment quarterfinals where it will be a date with Port Richmond for the Seagulls
as Kalique Mitchell '19 will look to help carry MSIT into a deep playoff run
before going into the PSAL Class AA Tournament in a couple weeks time.
14) Benjamin Cardozo (21-2)- Closing out the regular season with wins over Fran-
cis Lewis and John Bowne gave Cardozo yet another PSAL Queens AA regular season
championship, though it hasn't been a season without challenges despite their
21-2 record. Taj Anderson '19 recently returned to action and had 34 points in
the Judges win over Bowne, helping Cardozo to a #1 borough playoff seed where on
Tuesday they will get things going into the quarterfinals against either Flushing
or Far Rockaway.
15) Msgr. Scanlan (10-13)- A team full of talent and with major wins under their
belt this season without question, the Crusaders have lost too many games to re-
main a Top Ten team as this was a 1-3 week with defeats to Cardinal Hayes, Step-
inac, and Iona Prep. Their only win was a 101-97 victory over Archbishop Molloy
in a game that saw Matt Mayers '19 score 33 points and grab 17 rebounds. Hoping
to finish out the regular season strong will see Msgr. Scanlan host our #1 St.
Raymond team on Sunday, with a win for the Crusaders significantly boosting their
stock going into the postseason.
Class A
1) Brooklyn Law and Tech (21-3)- Finishing out the regular season with wins over
Midwood, Bedford Academy, and Millennium allowed the Jets to secure their spot
as the #1 team currently in Class A. Davonta Cook '19 had double-doubles in each
of the three games over the past seven days, though the competition will signif-
icantly step up this week as Brooklyn Law and Tech made the Brooklyn Borough
Playoffs where as the #6 seed will go on the road for the quarterfinals on Tues-
day to take on Class AA power Brooklyn Collegiate.
2) All Hallows (18-6)- Getting wins in league over Cardinal Spellman and Msgr.
McClancy this pasty week allowed the Gaels to take the CHSAA Class A North reg-
ular season title as Nick Johnson '19 put together a tremendous year to get All
Hallows into this position. Their non-league win over WHEELS on Monday, a strong
AA school in the PSAL also showed that competition level isn't an issue for them
either. The Gaels regular season is now complete and they will sit out this week
waiting for the start of the Class A playoffs to begin.
3) Nazareth (17-6)- Squeaking by LaSalle this past Tuesday 71-67 in a game that
saw guard Khalil Brantley '21 score a game high 22 points allowed Nazareth to
wrap up the CHSAA Class A South regular season championship, and then it was a
Saturday game in the Primetime Shootout in New Jersey that allowed the Kingsmen
to make another statement in a 62-47 win over Bishop Ahr of the Garden State.
Just one more game in the regular season for Nazareth as on Sunday they will host
their senior night against Msgr. McClancy.
4) Fordham Prep (19-5)- Closing out the regular season in style the Rams got
wins over Cardinal Spellman and Kennedy Catholic to assert themselves as a team
to beat this season in the upcoming CHSAA playoffs. Matt Filipowski '21 and Kyle
Filipowski '21 have been leading Fordham Prep in the paint while Avni Mustafaj
'19 has been great scoring from the perimeter for the Rams who are winners of 15
of their last 16 games. Off over the next seven days ahead, big things should be
heard from coming up for a very strong Rams team.
5) Msgr. Farrell (17-4)- It's a marquee duel upcoming here in the SIHSL Tourna-
ment quarterfinals as after having a first round bye it will be the Lions squar-
ing off on Sunday afternoon against our #6 New Dorp team. Anthony Clemenza '19
will need to bring his A game to the table as Farrell has been off waiting for
their opponent and will be looking to take the win and get themselves that much
closer to a coveted SIHSL title.
6) New Dorp (16-4)- Speaking of the Central Cougars, New Dorp had to work a
little bit to get to the SIHSL Tournament quarterfinals as on Friday evening
they downed CSI/McCown in the opening round of the playoffs setting up the
opportunity for a major New Dorp against Msgr. Farrell showdown on Sunday
afternoon in what will be a game where the winner has a strong chance to make
a deep run moving forward toward a championship on Staten Island.
7) Beacon (21-1)- Finishing up the regular season with a pair of tricky Man-
hattan A opponents, Beacon continued their fine play with wins over both MLK
Jr. and H.S. of Environmental Studies to get them in position to where not
only are the Bulldogs making the Manhattan Borough Playoffs, but they earned
the #4 seed and a quarterfinal home game on Tuesday where it will be a matchup
against fellow Class A team Louis Brandeis in their way to the semifinals.
8) Lehman (22-2)- Getting a 22 point and 15 rebound effort from Devonte Cheat-
ham '19 meant an easy 90-50 win for the Lions over Alfred E. Smith to end their
regular season and see them go undefeated in their Bronx A league this year.
That allowed them to get the #3 seed in the Bronx Borough Playoffs with an open-
ing round quarterfinal game set up for Tuesday against a Class B power in Fannie
Lou Hamer in a very intriguing showdown of two top programs.
9) Benjamin Banneker (19-3)- With Gabriel Holley '21 putting together one of his
better efforts of the season with a 13 point and 10 assist game it was Banneker
taking a 54-36 win over Sunset Park to finish out their regular season and earn
a berth in the upcoming Brooklyn Borough Playoffs. They will have to play in the
opening round on Monday against our top Class B team in Uncommon Charter, with
the winner coming back 24 hours later to take on top Class AA program South Shore.
10) Xavier (17-6)- Seemingly clicking on all cylinders leading up into Friday's
game against St. Joseph by the Sea of Staten Island, everything went opposite of
the way that the Knights wanted in a game that they lost 53-45. Joe McGrane '20
had 14 points to pace Xavier in a loss that pushes the Knights down the rankings
a bit though they have a chance for redemption before the playoffs begin when on
Tuesday they go on the road to take on St. Edmund Prep in what now has become a
near must win game leading into the postseason.
Class B
1) Uncommon Charter (20-1)- Never before has a Brooklyn Class B program made the
Brooklyn Borough Playoffs but that is now officially changed as after defeating
Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice with ease in the PSAL Class B Show-
case on Saturday 59-40, they were rewarded with the #10 and final seed in the
borough playoffs. On Monday they will take on Benjamin Banneker on the road, with
a possible date with Class AA power South Shore if they can get the opening win.
2) South Bronx Prep (23-2)- Another Class B program that will be playing in the
boroughs this week, South Bronx Prep didn't just make the Bronx Borough Playoffs,
they were rewarded with the #4 seed and will serve as a host in the quarterfinals
on Tuesday where they will square off with James Monroe just about 2 weeks after
defeating them in a non-league game on the road. With Jordan Agyemang '19 pacing
the way anything looks possible for this solid and complete Cougars squad.
3) Fannie Lou Hamer (21-3)- Our last Class B team to make the borough's, Fannie
Lou is in the Bronx Borough Playoffs yet again this season after closing out their
regular season with a 71-68 win on the road at Class A school Adlai Stevenson as
Anthony Rose '20 led the Panthers with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Fannie Lou Hamer
was given the #6 seed in the borough tournament and will square off with Class A
power Lehman in the quarterfinals upcoming this Tuesday.
4) Achievement First (21-4)- With their only losses this season coming against Un-
common Charter and a pair of Class A schools it's been proven that Achievement
First is a team that can compete and thrive against anyone as backed up by their
win over Wadleigh earlier this season, and by their win over Scholars Academy in
the PSAL Class B Showcase on Saturday 65-59. Not getting a bid in the Brooklyn
Borough Playoffs means that Achievement will have a bit of a break here before
suiting up again in the Class B PSAL Playoffs where they will surely be a top seed
and team to watch.
5) Poly Prep (16-5)- Coming in from beating unranked last week all the way into
the #5 spot, Poly Prep was able to down both Riverdale and Dalton this past week,
with the Riverdale win coming up in the Bronx to solidify themselves as the team
to beat in the Ivy League this season. Max Ragusa '22 is one of the top young
guards in the NYC area and he will have another chance to show that off this Wed-
nesday when the Blue Devils close out the regular season on the road at Dalton as
they play the Tigers for the second time in just over a weeks time.
6) Summit Academy (18-2)- Playing on the big stage in a non-league game this past
Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn against PSAL Queens Class A school Far
Rockaway, Summit didn't put together one of its better offensive efforts but were
strong and solid defensively in what was a 51-46 win that solidified the Eagles as
a team to beat in the upcoming PSAL Class B playoffs where the likes of Phil Grant
'22 will look to carry them to a deep postseason run.
7) Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice (18-2)- While hoping to compete
and give our #1 Uncommon Charter team a bit more of a test in the PSAL Class B
Showcase on Saturday it ended up being a 59-40 loss that pushed them a down a bit
in the rankings this week. Giving credit though to the Jaguars, they did go on the
road and defeat a previously ranked Bathgate team to close out league play on Wed-
nesday in a game that should build confidence for the upcoming Class B playoffs.
8) Regis (16-4)- Knocking off St. John's Prep and a CHSAA Class A school in Ken-
nedy Catholic on the road this week, everything was looking great for the Raid-
ers before their surprising 63-44 defeat to Salesian on Friday in a what was a
clash of the expected two favorites in the Class B side of the CHSAA. Joe Man-
fredi '20 paced Regis in each of their three games this past week, Regis will
have a trio of games over the next seven days as they will go to Cathedral Prep
on Monday, then it will be a home game on Tuesday with LaSalle, before finish-
ing up the regular season on Thursday with another road game at Cardinal Spellman.
9) Dalton (16-4)- With home wins over Fieldston and Collegiate it wasn't a
terrible week for the Tigers, though a tough 66-60 loss to Poly Prep meant that
it wasn't as good a week as it could've been for Dalton. Mark Engel '20 did have
26 points in the defeat to the Blue Devils, though revenge can come soon as on
Wednesday it will be Dalton playing host to Poly Prep with the winner claiming
the Ivy League regular season title, and then to close out the regular season it
will be a Friday senior night game at home against Riverdale.
10) Riverdale (16-3)- Much like Dalton it wasn't a truly port week for the Fal-
cons as they did get wins over Hackley, Horace Mann, and Berkeley Carroll, but
losing in the midweek at home to Poly Prep did take Riverdale out of contention
for an Ivy League regular season championship, Noah Seerherman '20 averaged over
22 points per game in the Falcons four games this past week and the junior guard
will look to keep that fine play going when Riverdale hosts Collegiate on Monday
before ending the regular season on Friday with a road date at our #9 Dalton team.
