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  • In Transition: Tykei Greene


    Photo Credit: Nicole Sweet

    Sometimes a clean slate in a new setting is needed to help you get closer to your goals, and for LuHi Guard Tykei Greene, that new setting is 40 minutes away from Queens.

    At 6-4 Greene is one of the most athletic guards in the city. Not only does he use his 40 inch vertical to dunk effortlessly on defenders, but he also uses it to grab rebounds and block shots. Greene is also known to be a great shooter as well. Greene had a breakout junior season at Thomas Edison High School in the Queens A East division. Greene averaged 24 points and 7 rebounds per game and led his team to a regular season title with a 13-1 record.

    Tykei’s breakout year continued throughout the summer with Team AJ Price. Tykei took full advantage of his opportunity with Team AJ Price and performed very well against numerous division 1 coaches which led to numerous offers from Niagara, Towson, Tulane and central Connecticut State.

    East Coast Hoops
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    Tykei Greene AAU Mixtape ” Team Price”

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    Tykei Greene AAU Mixtape courtesy of East Coast Hoops

    Since Tykei has enrolled in Luhi in the fall, his game continues to evolve and he is now part of one of the top backcourts in the state with guards Tyson Etienne and Andre Curbelo. The offers for Greene haven’t stopped either. So far schools such as Robert Morris and Manhattan have offered him and more could be on the way.

    Checkout my latest interview with Tykei as he talks about his transition to LuHi, his breakout summer with Team AJ Price, and his goals for the rest of the season.

  • A Look Back at The 2019 Empire Invitational

    A Look Back at The 2019 Empire Invitational

    Ranney School’s Scottie Lewis was one of many standout players at Sunday’s Empire Invitational.

    In its third year, the Empire Invitational has become one of the most anticipated events of the High school basketball season. The game went through some significant changes as it moved from its original site Adelphi University in Long Island to Iona Prep in New Rochelle and Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx.

    The third year of this event founded and organized by Pat Lawless a scout and editor of Prep Circuit Magazine has expanded to games which include some of the best players in the tri-State area and in the nation.

    In Day one of the 2019 Empire invitational Lawrence Woodmere and Wings Academy came away with some hard-fought wins against John Bowne and Iona respectively.

    Day two of the Empire Invitational at Mount St. Michael Academy started with The Masters’ school (CT) dominating Blair Academy out of New Jersey 79-59. In that game, Cairo McCrory led a balanced Masters School team with 20 points 7 boards and five assists.

    The second game featured two National Prep powerhouses Westtown School (PA) and Brewster Academy (NH) out of the NEPSAC. The game remained close throughout until midway through the second half when the Moose pulled away behind a high performance from UConn Commit Jalen Gaffney who scored 26 points en route to a 79-72 win. Syracuse Commit Jon Bol Ajak and Sophomore big man Franck Kepang Had some big performances as well.

    UConn Commit Jalen Gaffney scored Earned MVP Honors after a 26 point performance against Brewster Academy.

    The third game featured the NY State champions Archbishop Stepinac high school against the NJ state champion Roselle Catholic. Led by 24 points and 11 boards by Kentucky Commit Khalil Whitney. The Lions were able to outlast Stepinac 70-60. Despite the loss, Stepinac junior guard RJ Davis scored 29 points and led a huge run against the Lions in the second half.

    Now for the game of the Day. The Macduffie Mustangs out of the NEPSAC are used to going up against the best prep teams on a nightly basis which prepared them for their battle against the Ranney School out of New Jersey. It was a homecoming for many of the players on both teams. Scottie Lewis, a Bronx Native, played in the Bronx with his high school team for the first time in his high school career. The Macduffie school features several players from the NYC area. UConn Commit James Bouknight along with Chad Venning and Richie Springs are from Brooklyn while Wake forest Commit Ishmael Massoud is from Harlem.

    Bryan Antoine going up for the two handed slam Photo Credit: Hector Martinez/Moving Pictures

    It was a tight battle back and forth throughout but thanks to some late-game execution from Macduffie and a big game from Ishmael Massoud, Macduffie was able to edge Ranney School 79-75. Massoud earned MVP honors by scoring 26 points. Massoud was having one of the biggest games of his high school career at Mount St. Michael brings back memories for the 6-7 forward. Back in 2016, Massoud helped led his old school Cardinal Hayes to the NY AA Archdiocesan championship in the same gym.

    Ishmael Massoud went off for 26 points in the big win over Ranney School

    Speaking of Hayes, the Cardinals has a significant test on their hands against one of the top offensive teams in the PSAL the Orange Wave of Thomas Jefferson High school. With Hayes leading 65-52 early in the fourth quarter, the Orange Wave would outscore Hayes 28-15 the rest of the way to tie the game at 80 and send it into overtime. Leading the comeback for the Orange Wave was Sophomore PG Jaquan Carlos who went on a test late and scored the game-tying layup with seconds remaining in regulation. Jefferson’s late-game heroics weren’t enough as Hayes went on to hang on and win 85-83 in Overtime. Jaquan Carlos went off for 36 points in the loss for Jefferson. MVP Honors went to Adam Cisse who scored 15 points grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked five shots in the win.

    To close out the Empire Invitational The host team Mount Saint Michael defeated Eagle Academy (Bronx) 59-48. Bryant University commit Mike Green III scored 23 points to lead the Mountaineers.

    Mike Green scored 23 points and earned MVP honors after the game. Photo Credit: Shayla Diaz

    Tons of College coaches from all levels and NYC basketball legend and Program Manager of the NBA G-league’s professional path program Rod Strickland were in attendance on Sunday. Year three of the Empire Invitational attracted a record amount of fans and has proved to be one of the best high school basketball events of the season.

  • Big East Press: A Look back at St. John’s and Seton Hall’s non-conference slate

    Big East Press: A Look back at St. John’s and Seton Hall’s non-conference slate

    Seton Hall celebrates after defeating in-state rival Rutgers on December 15th Photo Credit: Seton Hall Basketball

    Tomorrow’s St. John’s vs. Seton Hall game will be one of the best games to open Big East Play. Before we tune in from our homes or make the trip to the Prudential Center, let’s take a look back at how well they performed through nonconference play.

    The St. John’s Red Storm will come into tonight’s game as one of the few undefeated teams left In college basketball with a record of 12-0. Many believe that the Red Storm aren’t worthy of a top 25 ranking despite being undefeated, but that doesn’t mean there is plenty of growth in this team compared to last year. In many of their wins against Cal, VCU and Georgia Tech, the Red Storm had to fight back from being down to win those games. If this were last season, the Red Storm would have lost all of those games. We witnessed the Red Storm’s wins against VCU and Cal in the Legends Classic, and from there we learned that they are more mature an resilient as compared to last year teams. Shamorie Ponds is playing the best basketball of his career averaging 20 points, 4 rebounds and six assists per game.

    One weakness that could probably affect them tonight is their lack of defense. It’s a sure thing that the Red Storm can outscore their opponents, but they also tend to allow a lot of scoring as well, they have to keep Seton Hall in check from the jump if they want to continue this streak.

    St. John’s won the Legends classic back on November 20th with an 87-86 win over VCU in over time. Photo Credit: Legends Classic

    St. John’s is an NCAA tournament team in our eyes, but for them to make that a reality to everyone they have to have a strong start in Big East Play and that starts tonight against the Pirates. The Red Storm hasn’t won their 1st conference game since Chris Mullin’s second season in 2016-17 when they began conference play 2-0.

    As for Seton Hall, a 9-3 record in non-conference play with signatures wins against Kentucky and Maryland make up for a severe loss to Saint Louis at home, but one we learned about the Pirates is that they figured things out game after game and that should scare the rest of the conference. We all know what Myles Powell is going to bring to the table but one player who has impressed throughout the non-conference part of the season is Myles Cale. Let’s take a look at their signature wins over Maryland and Kentucky. Against Kentucky, Cale scored 17 points but hit the game-winner to beat the Wildcats at Madison Square Garden On December 8th. Two weeks later Myles Cale came up huge in the 78-74 win over Maryland with a career-high 23 points. Cale’s resurgence proves bar they are more offensive weapons on this Seton Hall team outside of Powell. Sandro Mamukelashilvi has shown his ability to shoot from outside in the 72-66 win over Rutgers. His improved shooting ability speaks volumes because he stretches the floor and makes the Pirates unguardable on the perimeter.

    Tonight, bragging rights, a 1-0 start to Conference play and a chance at entering the top 25 will be at stake for both teams. The questions remaIn Who wants it more and who is for real? We’ll find out when the final buzzer sounds tonight at 10:30 pm in Newark.

  • 25 Teams In 25 Days: Thomas Jefferson Orange Wave

    25 Teams In 25 Days: Thomas Jefferson Orange Wave

    The 2017-18 season at a Glance: 18-7 overall record 10-4 regular season record, reached PSAL final four


    Players to Watch: Jaquan Carlos, Marcus Burnett, Kareem Welsh
    The buzz continues to grow over in East New York as the Thomas Jefferson Orange Wave prepare for another title run in 2018-19. The Orange wave has one of the top sophomore guards in the city, and their supporting cast is one of the toughest in the city. The Orange wave may be young, but with one of the best coaching staffs in the city, they are prepared for anything that comes at them.

    The amount of depth that Jefferson has at the guard and wing position is astounding. We already know how deadly the combo of Jaquan Carlos and Marcus Barnett are on a nightly basis, but there are also some players who know their roles and will step up on a nightly basis when needed. Carlos can already shoot and run an offense with the best of them, and when he’s hot, he definitely plays a lot more like an upperclassman.


    The X-factor on this Orange wave squad is senior Kareem Welch, the 5-10 guard is scrappy can defend, score and has a great knack for rebounding getting loose balls. In many games, Welch is the much-needed boost that Jefferson needs to propel them to victory, and he will continue to do so this upcoming season. Other players that can step up on a nightly basis are Dashan Crittendon and Ramsey King. Both can be huge sparks off the bench

    Key Games to Watch


    January 3rd vs. South Shore


    The Orange wave will start 2019 with a big home game vs. defending PSAL city champion South Shore. The Orange wave went 1-1 against the Vikings, and if there is any game where they need to make a statement, this will be the game. Expect the game to be sold out before game day.

    January 15th at Brooklyn Collegiate High School

    In the first meeting between these two schools, Brooklyn Collegiate edged the orange Wave 86-85. The second and final meeting between the Orange Wave and the Lions will take place in Brownsville and stakes will be high as both teams will be playing for positioning in the Brooklyn AA standings.


    February 7th at Boys and Girls HS
    It’s always a high stakes battle when these two teams play each other. In this second meeting between both programs, the Orange Wave will travel over to Bed-Stuy to perform the Kangaroos. This game might be for positioning in the Brooklyn AA division as both squads are expected to finish within the top five of the division standings at the end of the regular season.

    Prediction for the 2018-19 season
    A few games into the season, the Orange Wave has proven to be one of the top scoring teams in the city. The orange was also had one of the top scorers in Kareem Welch who is averaging 41 points per game. Jaquan Carlos has taken more of a role of being a true point guard rather than a scorer, and so far its paying off. In many games, this season Carlos has had a triple-double. At this point, Carlos is averaging 18 point and none assists per game. Ramsey King a sophomore has had some big scoring outbursts so far this season for the Orange wave which shows that this team has a lot more depth than we think.

    Competing in the Brooklyn AA division will once again a huge challenge for the Orange wave, but it’s a sure thing that they will finish within the top three of the division. As for a playoff run expect the Orange wave to make a deep playoff run once again.

  • 25 Teams in 25 Days: Roselle Catholic Lions

    25 Teams in 25 Days: Roselle Catholic Lions

    Photo Credit: Ben Shot it / Ben Berry

    The 2017-18 season at a glance: 29-4 overall record. Union County Champions, New Jersey Group B Non-public Champions, New Jersey TOC Champions.

    Players to Watch Khalil Whitney, Josh Pierre-Louis, Colby Rogers, Corey Floyd Jr. Key additions: Cliff Omoruyi, Richie Greaves

    Last week we got out foster to see the Lions play at Barclays arena as they defeated Our Savior Lutheran 75-74. In that game, we saw what we expected from stars such as Khalil Whitney and Josh Pierre-Louis, but we also got introduced to some other players who will be making an impact this season.

    6-4 senior guard Colby Rogers went off for 25 points in the comeback win against OSL at the Kyrie Invitational on December 17th. Rogers is a player who can score at will and provide instant offense for his team when needed. Rogers performance proved that he is also one of the most critical players on this Roselle Catholic team.

    Khalil Whitney an ultra-athletic 6-7 wing who committed to the University of Kentucky put the team on his back in the win over OSL. To get back to the TOC, they will need a lot of big games from him as well as others. Josh Pierre-Louis, an athletic point guard who is a great on-ball defender, make the lions one of the most dangerous teams in New Jersey and the nation.

    Khalil Whitney had a big second half against OSL last Monday at the Kyrie Invitational. Photo Credit: Ben Berry/ Ben Shot it

    Cliff Omoruyi is one essential addition for the Lions after playing his sophomore year at Immaculate Conception High School. The 6-10 big man gives the Lions a much-needed presence in the frontcourt. Freshman Corey Floyd Jr. and junior Richie Greaves are some other players

    Key games to watch

    January 13th vs. Archbishop Stepinac at the Empire Invitational

    The Lions will make its return to NYC for the Empire Invitational on January 13th to go up against defending city and state champion, Archbishop Stepinac.

    January 17th vs. The Patrick School

    A rematch of the Union County championship game will bring out tons of fans the Celtics will look to avenge the loss to the Lions, but this game bragging rights for the best team in Jersey is at stake. If you know the history between both teams, you would want to be at this game

    Roselle Catholic beat the Patrick School in the 2018 Union County championship.

    January 19th vs. Norcross High School (GA) at the Spalding Hoophall Classic.

    Roselle Catholic will be put to the test as they go up against a Norcross squad out of Georgia which includes 4-star point guard Kyle Sturdivant and 5-star shooting guard Brandon Boston. Georgia right now is a basketball hotbed, and many believe Georgia high school basketball is the best in the nation, so does New Jersey. The Lions will look to make a statement at one of the countries prestigious tournaments during MLK weekend.

    January 30th vs. Ranney School @ TBD

    Ranney vs. Roselle will be a rematch of the Non-public B state title game. This game will also be a matchup between two teams who are ranked in the top 25 in the nation. Ranney ranked No.12 in USA Today’s top 25 rankings led by the duo of Scottie Lewis, and Bryan Antoine will look for revenge against the Lions. The Lions will seem to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with. Ranney vs. Roselle is one game that will be a sellout.

    February 9th vs. Montverde Academy at the Metro Classic.

    The last time these two teams played each other at the Metro Classic, the Lions almost pulled off the upset until RJ Barrett carried the Eagles back to victory. This year the Montverde vs. Roselle game will mark the return of Precious Achiuwa a former St. Benedict’s player who currently plays with Montverde Academy. The matchup between them and the Lions is a must see.

    Outlook

    The Lions are picking up from where they left off and are now the 12th best team in the nation with a record of 5-0. Getting back to the TOC is the Goal for the Lions, and at this point, there isn’t much that’s stopping them. There will be challenges ahead for the Lions, but with the roster they have, they are prepared for anything that comes their way.

  • Big East Press: Villanova Moving Forward after Dominant win over UConn

    Big East Press: Villanova Moving Forward after Dominant win over UConn

    Photo Credit: Villanova Basketball

    13:45 remaining in the game, Villanova leading UConn 41-36. Jahvon Quinerly gets the steal and bounce passes it to Phil booth for the layup to give the Wildcats their biggest lead of the game. From this point on, the Wildcats never looked back and they were able to dominate the Huskies for the rest of the game en route to an 81-58 victory at Madison Square Garden. Quinerly finished with 10 points and four assists on Saturday, but that one play proved that freshman guard Jahvon Quinerly stayed ready for this opportunity despite everything that has happened.

    With Sophomore guard Colin Gillespie out due to an injury, and playing in an arena close to his hometown of Hackensack, New Jersey, there was no question that Jahvon Quinerly was going to embrace the opportunity and play well. “It’s an opportunity like this that present itself and I’m just continuing to learn how to be a better Villanova basketball player and I’m going to keep getting better and better everyday”. Coach Jay Wright knew that the performance from Quinerly was going to happen and as he explained after the game it showed that he stayed ready. “He responded and he showed that he’s been working on what we do even though he hasn’t been playing, and it’s so rare. It’s just a great example of what college sports is all about as he grows into a young man. He’s continuing to grow as a player and I’m proud of him”.

    The combo of Quinerly and Senior Phil Booth along with Eric Paschall combined for 49 of Villanova’s 81 points in the win. It was a great end to a non-conference slate that had its ups and downs and the Wildcats continue to be confident in their abilities and improving everyday as Paschall described during the postgame press conference on Saturday, they are going to progress going forward. “We’re just trying to be the best team we can be by the end of the year, and today was a great step in that direction. Just being out there having each others back just being a collective group out there and having a group effort in terms of Villanova Basketball and it was a really great. I’m proud of this team and the direction that we are going”.

    Eric Paschall (21 points 6 Rebounds vs UConn) continues to believe in himself and the team after the win vs UConn in their non conference finale.

    Coach Jay Wright spoke about how what he tells his players about handling distractions from fans and media throughout the non conference part of the season and he set the record straight about his thoughts about the problems that happened. “We just taking it one day at a time. We are just trying to be the best Villanova basketball team that we can be by the end of the year, we really do that and I understand you guys have to ask the questions about losing but “ Jahvon hasn’t been here, Cremo hasn’t been here, Swilder hasn’t been here. Those guys haven’t experienced all of this. Half of them haven’t even played in the Garden. So I explain to them that everyone in the media has a job to do and fans are fans but you have to stay focused on this particular team which is getting better everyday and that’s all what we’re just trying to do”.

    The Wildcats win over UConn on Saturday was the ninth straight non-conference win for Big East Teams over the past two seasons at Madison Square Garden. It’s big for the conference that locked up an extension with the arena for its conference tournament through 2028. Now that the non-conference part of the season is over Villanova’s focus going forward will be continuing to be the best team they can be by March and still work towards contending for the big east regular season title and repeating as conference tournament champions.

  • Iron Sharpens Iron

    Iron Sharpens Iron

    Zion Williamson played well in his MSG debut with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Photo Credit: Nicole Sweet/USA Today Sports

    Aside from all of the blowout wins. Duke’s non-conference slate has come with many challenges that they had to face head on and last night was no different. What better way to end the large part of your non conference schedule than to go up against another defensive juggernaut like Texas Tech?

    A lot was at stake with the Red Raiders as they came into the garden undefeated, and they are the top defensive team in the nation with a scoring defense of 51.2 points per game and a No.1 ranking in defensive efficiency. The Blue Devils are No.2 in defensive efficiency and held teams to 36% shooting from the field, and 28% from three point range on a nightly basis.

    The Devils got out to a quick 8-0 start but that lead soon vanished when the Red Raiders outscored Duke 10-2 to tie the game at 10 with 13:21 remaining in the first half. Texas Tech would out score Duke 14- 7 to take a 24-17 lead with 8:17 remaining. Duke’s three point shooting in the first half was very poor but there was no panic as they used their ability to defend and attack the rim to close the gap. Duke finished the first half strong out scoring Texas Tech 11-5 but still trailed 29-28 going into the half.

    The Red Raiders picked up from where they left off in the second half as they extended their lead to seven with 17:04 remaining Duke would then answer with a run of their own to cut Texas Tech’s lead to two with 12:40 remaining behind the play of Freshmen Tre Jones and Zion Williamson on both ends. Tre often forced turnovers and attacked the rim while Williamson gave Texas tech defenders the fits in the paint by scoring inside and drawing fouls. Jarrett Culver answered with a three point shot to give the Red Raiders a 45-40 Duke would later get a 47-46 lead with 10:15 remaining off of a jump shot from RJ Barrett. It was a back and forth battle that had the sold out crowd at Madison Square in a frenzy.

    One of the turning points for the Duke Blue Devils came with 6:04 remaining in the game when Jack White hit Duke’s second three pointer to give the Blue Devils a 56-55 lead. From there the Blue Devils would out score Texas Tech 13-3 en route to a 69-58 victory. It was a hard fought win for the Blue Devils to end 2018 and go into ACC play with much confidence and awareness in their abilities to win games. As Jack white described focusing on playing well on the defensive end well helped them overcome their shooting woes throughout the game. ” it’s just the hunger…Obviously we didn’t shoot the ball as well as we usually do tonight and things weren’t really going our way , but putting an emphasis on our defense is a big part of our identity and really an emphasis that we could be one of, if not the, best defensive team in the country”.

    As a team Duke stole the ball 15 times and freshman point guard Tre Jones had six of those steals. Jones spoke about the team’s collective effort on defense. ” We talk all the time about pressuring the ball and Coach Krzyzewski has been on that since he has been recruiting me about my ball pressure and how I can defend, so I was kind of here but then it’s not only me, we have a lot of guys on our team that can defend and they make my job a lot easier.”

    Freshman guard Tre Jones proven to be the most important player on the floor in last nights win against No.12 Texas Tech Photo Credit: Sarah Stier/ Getty Images

    As for Texas tech what doomed them in this game was the 24 turnovers which was a credit to Duke’s defense but at the same time they have a lot of positives for their effort on holding Duke to 25 points less than their season average and fouling out Dynamic freshman forward Zion Williamson. Tre Jones described Texas Tech’s defense on them during the postgame press conference.” They were plugging the gaps a lot. They help a lot and they took a lot of charges which you guys saw and they fouled out Zion by doing that”. Guard Jarrett Culver remains confident about his team going forward despite the loss. ” this says a lot about our team. We have a lot of fight on our team, lot of great players that want to be coached. I just feel like we have a lot of fight on our team. We see what we can be. We’re not there yet, but we’re going to learn from tonight and try to reach our potential”.

    Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver went off for 25 points in last night against Duke Photo Credit: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

    When it’s all said and done Duke vs Texas Tech would rank as one of the top college games of the 2018-19 season. Both teams put their defense up against each other and in the end The Blue Devils showed that they wanted it more. Tre Jones showed how important he is to this Duke team, while Texas Tech guard Jarrett Culver May have impressed NBA scouts with his performance. This game could have been played at Cameron indoor stadium or at Texas Tech, but it was made to be played at a neutral court like Madison Square Garden.

  • A Look Back at the 1st annual Kyrie Invitational

    A Look Back at the 1st annual Kyrie Invitational

    The Patrick School’s Allon Johnson going up for the shot over an LuHi defender on Monday night. Photo Credit: Ben Berry/Ben Shot It

    Philanthropy is something that Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving is all about. From partnering with his God father Rod Strickland to start the Nike sponsored Kyrie Strickland youth league in the South Bronx, to paying for the tuition of a sick student who attends his alma mater, and funding a renovation of The Patrick school’s gym and weight room. Kyrie is always looking to do more for the youth.

    On Monday December 17th, Kyrie and Nike basketball held their first annual Kyrie Invitational at the Barclays Center. The purpose of the invitational was to give local high school players a chance to play on a NBA court as well as promote the Kyrie V. The event was free and open to the public which was Kyrie and Nike’s way of giving back. The event started with a game between two of the top girls programs in NYC, Bishop Loughlin out of the CHSAA and Murry Bergtraum out of the PSAL. It was a competitive game throughout, but Loughlin took the win in the end 41-34. It was a good win for a Loughlin squad who is in a bounce back season after being winless last season.

    The second game of that night was one of the most intriguing matchups as Our Savior Lutheran’s National team led by Seton Hall bound guard Dashawn Davis and 6-10 big man Bernard Kouma versus New Jersey State champion Roselle Catholic. Roselle featured players such as Kentucky bound forward Khalil Whitney and UNLV commit Josh Pierre Louis. The Falcons came into Barclays on a two game winning streak.

    The Falcons dominated from the jump as they took advantage of The Lions slow start and got out to a double digit lead. Dashawn Davis got everyone involved on offense especially Bernard Kouma who was a force inside throughout the game. Kouma used his size advantage by scoring over defenders with put backs and short range shots. Freshman guard Jaquan Sanders picked up from where he left off from the previous game with his hot three point shooting.

    The Falcons built up a 12 point lead at the half and at that point many people felt that they could easily run away with the game. Kahlil Whitney had a rough first half as he was shooting 1/13 from the field. The Lions continued to be out of sync well into the second half as OSL’s lead grew to 19. The bigger the lead the more trash talk between fans on both sides. If you never been to a game between an NYC and New Jersey team just know the trash talking gets different.

    Khalil Whitney shoots over an defender on Monday night’s 75-74 win over Our Savior Lutheran. Photo Credit: Ben Berry

    The second half proven to be big for senior guard Colby Rogers. The 6-4 guard was unstoppable for the Lions as they fought back hard to erase OSL’s lead. Rogers was dominant second half inspired Khalil Whitney and Josh Pierre-Louis to step their games up. Along with Rogers hot shooting, the Lions played very hard on the defensive end and forced turnovers which led to fast break dunks and layups by Whitney, and Pierre-Louis. OSL fought back hard to stop their run, but with just a few seconds remaining and the Falcons clinging to a one point lead, the Falcons were called for an offensive foul which set up the game winning tip in by Kahlil Whitney at the buzzer. The Lions won 75-74 and Khalil Whitney who finished with 25 points. Battled hard in front of his future coach John Calipari who sat courtside. Whitney who suffered a minor injury in the 2nd half, shot 7/9 from the field. Rogers who may have had one of the biggest games of his career also scored 25 points for the Lions. Josh Pierre Louis scored 15.

    Despite the loss, there were some big positives for OSL in that game. Dashawn Davis continues to look a lot more comfortable playing the Point Guard position in the absence of Posh Alexander who is out for the season with a broken arm. Davis scored 15 points and dished out eight assists. Big man Bernard Kouma May have earned more offers as well as interest from colleges after his 29 point and 17 rebound performance.

    In the last contest of the night Long Island Lutheran dominated The Patrick School regional team 74-52. The game was televised on the YES Network which was helpful to many people who weren’t able to attend the event. In that game the Crusaders had a balanced attack with five players scoring in double figures. Andre Curbelo led LuHi with 18 points, five rebounds and six assists. Zed Key scored 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

    Andre Curbelo dribbling past a defender during LuHi’s 74-52 win over The Patrick School regional team. Photo credit: Ben Berry

    The Kyrie Invitational was a great experience for those players who participated as well as the fans who attended. Kyrie Irving along with his dad Dedrick and god father Ron Strickland were in attendance throughout the event as well as D’Angelo Russel and Rondae Hollis Jefferson of the Brooklyn Nets were in attendance for the event. Coaches from Illinois, Rutgers, StonyBrook and others were also at the arena for the event.

    https://youtu.be/6ei61C1xkF8
    Replay of Roselle Catholic-OSL courtesy of Ball is Life
  • 25 Teams In 25 Days: Immaculate Conception Lions

    25 Teams In 25 Days: Immaculate Conception Lions

    2017-18 Season at a glance: 18-7 overall record, 3-5 league record

    Players to Watch: Amare Marshall, Elijah Hutchins-Everett, Zion Bethea

    The Immaculate Conception Lions boys basketball team made major strides in the NJ state playoffs when they defeated The Patrick School and Hudson Catholic. This year the Lions return a team with some of the top sophomores and juniors in the area as well as the country.

    6-10 big man Elijah Hutchins-Everett will be a major force in the paint for the Lions this season. The junior who has a plethora of offers from Rutgers, Villanova, Seton Hall, Penn State and others. With his ability to step out and hit mid-range jumpers, it’s known that he will be a matchup nightmare for other big men on a nightly basis. As for the guards, Bethea and Marshall will look to have another big year after playing aside Jalen Carey who is currently a freshman at Syracuse.

    Key games to watch

    12/18-12/22: City Of Palms Tournament (Fort Myers, FL)

    The Lions will be making the trip down to the sunshine state to go up against some of the top high school teams in the nation at the prestigious City of Palms tournament in Fort Myers, Florida. The Lions first opponent is Paul VI high school out of Fairfax, Virginia. Paul VI came into this season ranked No.15 in the country according to USA Today’s national preseason rankings. One intriguing matchup in this game will be between the guards Zion Bethea and top 2020 guard Jeremy Roach. The Lions will face a big test early, but they are one team that will accept any challenges.

    1/1/19 vs Roselle Catholic @ the Tim Thomas New Year’s Jumpoff

    The Lions will start off the new year going up against defending state champions Roselle Catholic, the same team that ended their season in dominant fashion. This will be a revenge game for the Lions who are already known for beating nationally ranked teams at this event. At the last New Year’s Jumpoff, the Lions upset The Ranney School a team led by Florida commit Scottie Lewis and Villanova commit Bryan Antoine.

    1/6/19 vs St. Benedict’s

    Five days after the game vs Roselle Catholic, the Lions will be playing St. Benedict’s at Kean University. This game will be part of an event called the Scholarship Festival.

    1/26/19 vs Imhotep Charter at the Philly vs NJ Collision

    The Lions will face another test as they go up against Philadelphia powerhouse Imhotep Charter at the Philly vs NJ Collision on January 26th. The Lions will be going up against a tough Imhotep team that features Xavier commit Dahmir Bishop.

    Outlook and prediction for 2018-19

    With a strong schedule the Lions will be prepared for another run towards the TOC in New Jersey in 2019. The team’s core might be sophomores and juniors but with the experience they have under their belts they should be considered favorites to win the SEC league as well as a state title contender.

  • 25 Teams In 25 Days: St. Raymond’s Ravens

    25 Teams In 25 Days: St. Raymond’s Ravens

    Photo Credit: Zalo Castillo Photography

    The 2018-19 St. Raymond’s ravens are one of the youngest teams in the CHSAA, they definitely have some players that are ready to make the jump into bigger roles this season. The ravens used summer tournaments and the preseason to prepare for the upcoming season and at times the ravens looked dangerous where at other times we easily seen that the team has a lot of growing up to do.
    One new addition to this year’s Ravens squad is Malachi Smith a 5-10 sophomore guard who made a huge leap to the varsity team after leading the freshman team to an undefeated season and city championship. One of many games where he proved that he was ready for varsity is the Dyckman Basketball 19U championship game. Smith Shined in that game against Team Skull gang which featured high major division 1 players, some of them who are older than him and some of his teammates. Smith making the jump to varsity from the Freshman team is something you don’t hear often but if you see how well he has played at times throughout the preseason, i’t s a sure thing that he fits in very well. Tahron Allen a 6-4 shooting guard got minutes a freshman last year but he is another sophomore to look out for on this St. Raymond’s squad.
    Two players on this St Raymond’s team that will definitely make an impact are juniors Louis Kortright and Gary Grant. Kortright a 6-4 athletic guard from the Lower East Side is a great competitor that can score, pass and jump out of the gym. Grant at 6-6 is one of the most versatile players at his size. Giving his ability to handle the ball and score from outside the paint he will create many matchup problems for opposing front courts on a nightly basis. A year after playing behind Dallas Watson and Darius Lee, Grant will take on a bigger role in 2018-19. Jalen Reneau one of three seniors on this team will continue to lead the way at the point guard position. Reneau is a very good on-ball defender and in a league where the ravens will be playing top guards night in and out, Reneau’s defense and leadership will be needed .

    Key Games to Watch:

    12/15/18 vs Wings Academy @ The City Legendz Classic
    St. Rays will be hosting this year’s City Legendz classic and they will face Wings academy in a PSAL vs CHSAA battle. Both teams are guard and wing heavy but a key matchup in this game we will like to see is one between Gary Grant and Wings Academy senior Tommy Thomas.

    12/16/18 vs Brooklyn Collegiate
    The Ravens will have a test when they go up against one of the top teams in the PSAL Brooklyn AA division in Brooklyn Collegiate. One potential matchup to look out for will be in the backcourt.

    12/21/18 vs Archbishop Stepinac at The Slam Dunk challenge
    The Ravens will get a chance to play defending city and state federation champion Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders. this will be the 1st of two meetings between the two teams.

    1/04/19 vs Cardinal Hayes
    The Ravens will start off 2019 with their second meeting of the season against rival Cardinal Hayes. This game will be a sell out so if you are in the area and need a ticket, start planning asap.

    Outlook for 2018-19
    Throughout the preseason this St. Raymond’s squad has proven they can compete with just about anyone despite being a young team and not having a lot of size but those are no excuses. The Ravens will make it back to the city playoffs but this seeding will depend on how well they do during the season and in the archdiocesan tournament. The 2018-19 archdiocesan tournament will be key because in the past two seasons the Ravens haven’t been able to get out of the quarterfinal round. If the ravens can do that they can most likely find themselves in a great position to go further in the playoffs. Regardless of how far they go this season one thing we know for sure is that the future is bright with their sophomore and junior class.