The day started with a wild one between Brewster and Mamaroneck that was probably the second best game of the week. It was pretty chippy at the end. Mamaroneck senior Matt Mezansky – a player who has emerged as one of the top guards in Westchester – was whistled for two technicals in the final three minutes. That means he will serve a mandatory suspension in the team’s next game. When’s that? Wednesday afternoon at White Plains, a game that has suddenly become very winnable for the 4-1 Tigers. Ouch.
You can read more below about the challenge game. Here’s what’s on tap today:
Wednesday’s schedule
At the County Center:
Challenge game: Mamaroneck 52, Brewster 43
Jamestown 79, Kennedy 72
Kingston 57, New Rochelle 55
GAME RECAPS
Mamaroneck 52, Brewster 43: At the County Center, Matt Mezansky had 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals for the Tigers, who played their first game in the arena since they played Mount Vernon in the 1971 Section 1 tournament. (That Knights team boasted four players who went to the NBA and was ranked by The Journal News as the “Team of the Decade.”) Alex Lanni added 10 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks to earn MVP honors for Mamaroneck.
The Tigers led by double digits in the second quarter but Brewster rallied late. The Bears’ leading scorer in the game, Ryan Mahoney (15 points), tied the score 40-40 midway through the final period. But Mamaroneck closed the game on a 12-3 run behind the play of Mezansky and Gerry McMullin, who finished with nine points, eight rebounds and five steals.
Mezansky and Brewster’s Mike Bonilla was whistled for a technical foul after he took exception to a foul by Jack Dignan with 2:53 remaining. After another brief altercation about two minutes later, Mezansky and Mahoney were whistled for a double technical. The second technical ejected Mezansky from the game and will lead to an automatic one-game suspension.
Brian McNeil added 10 points for Brewster, which was outrebounded 42-21. Bonilla scored four points and led the team with five rebounds.
Jamestown 79, Kennedy 72: At the County Center, Adam Cecchini scored 24 points and Kevin Dias added 20 off the bench for last year’s Class AA state runner-up. Diaz hit 6 of 11 from 3-point land and Jamestown went 11 for 26 from 3 for the game. The defending Section 6 champ finished 30 for 56 from the field.
Thiago Randazzo led Kennedy with 24 points, seven rebounds and three steals. He shot 10 for 18 from the floor and played 31 minutes.
The Gaels remained close throughout, trailing just 38-36 at halftime and 59-54 after three quarters. After falling behind by 10 in the fourth, Mike DeMello (10 points, 3 assists, 3 steals) and Billy Kelly hit back to back 3’s in the fourth quarter to cut their deficit to four points at 68-64. Jordan Hardy late hit a pair of free throws to cut it to 72-68 but Kennedy was never any closer.
Mike Ennis added 12 points and three assists for the Gaels. Jordan Hardy, the team’s only returning starter, had 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals on 6-of-10 shooting.
Kingston 57, New Rochelle 55: At the County Center, Justin Robinson hit two free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining after a costly New Rochelle turnover to break a 55-55 tie.
Robinson had hit an off-balance jumper as he fell to the ground with 15 seconds remaining to tie the game. New Rochelle then called timeout with 7.5 on the clock and drew up a two-man offensive set with Kirkland Ottey and Joe Clarke. When Ottey was unable to enter the ball into the post from the left corner, he tried to swing it back out to the left wing. The ball was thrown away and in the direction of halfcourt and was grabbed by Robinson on the run. He was fouled on a layup attempt with 0.4 seconds left and calmly sank the winning free throws.
Robinson led Kingston with 22 points and had seven steals. Joe Clarke led New Ro with 22 points and 15 rebounds off the bench. He scored on a short jumper with 35 seconds remaining to tie the score 53-53.
Clarke was fouled with under 40 seconds remaining but missed both at the line. On the second, Ottey grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on a put back to help New Rochelle regain the lead.
The game was closely contested throughout. New Ro led 28-25 at the break and neither team led by more than four points the entire second half.
Jordan DeCiddio (12), Michah Riddick (10) and Jovan Coffey (10) all scored double digits for Kingston. Riddick led the Tigers with seven rebounds.
Malik Burts had seven points, nine rebounds and three steals for New Rochelle.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Thursday
At the County Center:
Consolation: Kennedy vs. New Rochelle, 6 p.m.
Championship: Jamestown vs. Kingston, 8 p.m.
40 Comments
Josh –
Any scouting report on Jamestown? I think they were the AA finalists last year – is the team strong again?
Coach Reeves… Jaysean Paige was Jamestown’s best player last year. From what I remember, it was by a pretty wide margin. He was a junior and an absolutely electric dunker. I’d say he had at least four or five vs. Mount Vernon in the state final. But Paige has since transferred to a school in Kentucky, so he is no longer on the roster. Some of the guards return, but the team is not overly big. There are only three guys on the roster over 6-2 and two are sophomores and one’s a freshman.
Haywood,
Were you on that 1971 team
?!
Thanks Josh – looking forward to Jamestown v. JFK.
MV Down 24-17 at the break.
Rye loses 62-42 in Beach Ball Classic to Socastee Braves, the host of the Beach Ball Classic.
Socastee (7-2; Myrtle Beach, SC) was led by Travis Frye with 18 of his game-high 22 points coming in the opening 16-minute half.
Rye was led by Max Twyman’s 14 points and five rebounds.
Playland,
Not a bad showing… They get one more game, right?
Just like that it’s 31-30 MV Down with about 3 mins left in the 3rd. Sounds like your boys pulled out the press, wood.
MV Down 39-38 after 3. This 4th Quarter sounds like it is going to be amazing.
Mount Vernon lost 65-61 to Neumann-Goretti.
Kennedy’s transfer? Was he approved by Section 1? Sounds like they did a great recruiting job. Another reason JFK needs to be kicked out of Section 1 nysphaa and put into the catholic league. These catholic schools operate under their own rules. It is a joke. Nothing wrong with a good catholic education but they should not be in the public league.
couldn’t agree more on Kennedy/Magnus/Ursuline/Lourdes etc… there is nothing against these schools or the kids that go there. Loved the way Magnus played last night, tough, great basketball players. If you decide to send your kid to a private school for whatever reason, that is your right. If they want to play Section 1 teams based on lack of local competition or an unwillingness to join a private school league, they should be allowed to as an independent. However, they should not be able to claim league or sectional titles from local schools that play with the same group of kids from a geographical boundary. I cannot stand that there are kids that deserve to taste league and sectional titles, but cannot becasue a group of kids from different geographical areas take their PUBLIC school title. It’s time for a change and I just don’t understand how those in power do not see the common sense and injustice in this.
Well said pick and roll… could not agree more…
The lohud should investigate the catholic school issue more. Give me a break. If Kennedy wins a Section 1 title their will be a lot of A schools looking at the transfer from Brazil. Do you really think he would be living with his uncle if he was a 5’6 non-basketball player. Just because he wants a catholic education? Come on people give me a break. Probably a nice kid but fair is fair. The real article should have asked the tough questions not the feel good kid shows up out of the blue to get an American education. lol
what?... You realize it’s legal by Section 1 rules to change your residence and live with a relative? Also, since Kennedy is a Catholic school, and since he moved from Brazil, there are no district-to-district rules that would preclude this.
Section 1 has to review every case of a transfer and/or player who moved to allow that player to play sports. If a player plays, he/she has been approved.
If you want to debate the legitimacy of Catholic schools competing against Section 1 publics, that’s fine. But there’s nothing to investigate about the transfer. To be honest, there are probably many fishier ones every year.
There is your article then. Write an article that clearly states the transfer rules. Allow JFK to answer under which criteria this transfer falls under. There is more that needs to be proved then residence with relative. Moving in with a relative because of “safety concerns” is one. Another is giving up guardianship due to financial reasons. I wonder if the JFK AD sits on the review committee. I am sure their are fishier ones but this one impacts the public vs. private issue. Don’t make it sound so simple because it isn’t. Section 1 is governed by nysphaa transfer rules.
Hey What??? You have way to much time on your hands, you should worry about beating Mamaroneck then issues over at JFK
december
Just stating the facts Lou.
Bunch of babies…taste winning a league title????????? Really??? That’s what you think these kids want??? They could care less about league titles, nobody cares. Go beat good teams, that what good teams want.
Can’t speak to JFK but ask the rockland teams if they want to play albertus? Stop being baby parents bc your kid plays for a bad teams or your team was no good. Never heard guys from Peekskill,pok,white plains complain.
what?... I wrote about this in 2006. Here’s the article:
Changing schools has to be by rules
High school transfers must sit a year unless moves meet criteria
Josh Thomson The Journal News
After splitting three years between two schools, Jamal Lightbourne needed a final destination. No more rules that say he can’t play ball. No more problems, period.
The 6-foot-3 senior had spent his first year-plus of high school at Iona Prep, then nearly two years at Stepinac, where he played varsity basketball last season after sitting out as a sophomore. Now, Lightbourne has transferred to Hamilton for his last year.
For Lightbourne, who lives in Elmsford, this transfer should be smooth. He’s headed back to his home school district, where his parents own a home and pay taxes. If that sounds oversimplified, it is.
But in the world of high school transfers, student-athletes need to keep their reasons as straightforward as possible. If not, they often can’t play for a year – which, as the Lightbournes can tell you, feels like an eternity.
“I lost sleep over it,” Les Lightbourne said when asked about his son’s first transfer. “That’s the difficulty about making a move. Basketball’s been a big part of Jamal’s life since he was a little boy.”
Jamal Lightbourne, of course, is happy he won’t have to sit out this year. But the rules aren’t in place to punish the innocent. The CHSAA sits transfers to prevent teams from recruiting players off the rosters of the opposition.
Greg Ransom, director of Section 1 athletics, said public schools abide by their rules to serve the same purpose. Guarding against illegal transfers is the only way to prevent a free-for-all for the cream of the crop.
Such freedom would turn fielding varsity teams into something akin to the college-recruitment process.
“What you’re really trying to do is prevent athlete shopping,” Ransom said.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA), which establishes the transfer rules for all 11 sections in the state, has qualifications for each potential transfer. If the transfer can’t meet them, it takes extenuating circumstances for the student-athlete to gain approval.
No approval means no sports for one school year – unless the student-athlete chooses to play a different sport at his or her new school. For example, a football player can play soccer and wrestling immediately upon transferring, but not football.
According to Ransom, the most popular reasons to petition for transfers are the obvious: Either a student-athlete has moved from one district to another or is returning to the home district, as is the case with Lightbourne.
Three other reasons are considered hardship cases: to gain an academic advantage; to enroll elsewhere based on religious grounds; or because of financial reasons.
If the family of a student-athlete wants to submit a request to transfer, or believes it faces a hardship, the new school puts the petition up to a Section 1 committee, which decides whether or not to approve the transfer. If it’s not approved, the school can file an appeal with the NYSPHSAA.
There are a few additional hardship cases that are far less common – and far more difficult to prove.
“There have been documented cases where a student has been harassed mentally or physically somewhere,” Ransom said. “But there has to be a lot of corroboration that this is not a story. There have to be facts.”
In the past, transfer rules didn’t allow a student-athlete to transfer from one public school back to his or her home district without sitting out for a year, but the NYSPHSAA changed that last year. For instance, if someone paid tuition to attend a public school outside his or her district, that person can now transfer back home without any sanction.
Doug Lugbauer, whose son, Myckie, was a two-time Journal News all-star at Mahopac, didn’t have that opportunity. He went to Kennedy as a freshman in 1978 because Mahopac had adopted a contingency budget, but couldn’t return to his home district without sitting out.
“If I had to sit out, it would’ve been so disappointing,” he said.
A similar budget situation faces student-athletes from Mahopac today as practices for the fall season begin, but it will be difficult for them to transfer. According to Ransom, a school district adopting a contingency budget is not considered a hardship.
“If somebody from Mahopac would try to (transfer) now, the red flag would go up,” Ransom said.
Outside of something like a budget being voted down, Ransom has the most hesitance about basketball transfers. In basketball, one great player can change a team’s outlook, unlike almost any other sport.
Briarcliff has added a potential difference maker in 6-foot-6 center Brendan Holland, a senior transfer from Kennedy. However, because the move was made for an appropriate reason, Holland’s case was approved.
Briarcliff athletic director Chris Drosopoulos said he went through two steps in Holland’s case. He contacted Ransom, then filled out three forms. On one of the forms, the athletic director must declare that his school didn’t recruit the transfer.
For Drosopoulos, who coaches the varsity boys basketball team as well, Section 1’s policy is a sound one.
“We don’t have many transfers coming into this place,” Drosopoulos said. “But if you just follow the exact protocol, you’ll have no problems.”
Sounds like “what?” and “Sec 1 Fan” know each other? Brewster guys perhaps?
I think this Kennedy Catholic problem has been played out here before on the baseball and basketball blogs. I must agree that it makes no sense to let a Catholic HS that knows no residential bounds to play against public schools with strict residency requirements for enrollment. I think of the recent baseball success Kennedy had at the expense of legitimate small class b teams? That was a travesty to all the runner-ups , who played with neighborhood friends to try to win the section?
Now that Kennedy is in class A it will be more difficult to win a section title by pilfering a few players, but when you add disgruntled talent from nearby school districts , or real talent, willing to travel looking to win a chip they otherwise could not by staying home, anything is possible.
Stepinac is 20 minutes from Kennedy and they compete all over NYC. There is no reason not to force Kennedy into the Catholic League that has no residential boundaries. It only takes aggressive baseball and basketball coaches like they have had recently to make a joke of the “geographic problem to find opponents” excuse, that Kennedy used to solicit the NYSPHSAA for admission years ago.
Some Dobbs Ferry fans still a little bitter over last year I see. The same garbage gets brought up every year and it’s getting tiring responding to these people. News flash folks, it’s never going to change so stop complaining and go out and beat the teams that you think shouldn’t be allowed in the section. Dobbs has a great team this year and has more then a good shot to knock off AM so why don’t we just enjoy the hoops and see how everything shakes out.
And by the way when a team like AM loses it’s two star players to graduation this year is any one going to complain when they aren’t contending next year? I don’t think so. Some people just need to complain about something.
It took AM 15 years to be contenders again and it will last for 2 years bc the ad’s son and another very good player are there. Next year they will not be good again, has nothing to do with recruiting. Recruiting hurts am more than any other school, they lose all the kids that would have went there to nj and the money. Also, kids move districts and it benefits public schools also. several public schools have unexpected transfers from time to time. Nyack use to do kit all the time, just Meant you wanted to beat them more. Stop crying.
my question is what does n.y. state gain by allowing the catholic or private schools to play in the public!!.... money under the table??..... just asking b/c i dn’t see the purpose of them playing in the public league!!!.... maybe the public schools should refuse to play them forfeit the games to them!! would the catholic league allow the public school to play in there league!!!!
If people don’t voice their opinions on things that they believe are unjust, (or crying as some say) then nothing will change. No one is denying that that private schools can have bad seasons, players, coaches or programs at times, but it doesn’t change the reality that they do play by different rules then other public schools. Even if Magnus is great every two out of 10/15 even 30 years, those two years they may possibly take a sectional title from a team that is playing within town boundaries. I hear you about Magnus. I love the way they play and coach. They always play smart, hard-nosed hoops without the best talent. I root for them. Let all privates play the best teams that they want to during the season, let them play 30 games if they want, but do not let them compete for sectional or even league titles. I don’t know why the reply usually from most private school advocates is that people only cry when they are good. That is not the argument. It is not a fair system whether they are good or not. People just notice more when they see the good ones. Things are not correct just because its the way that we have done things before. What do you think of the situation Josh? Not just that it is what it is… or its the rules… or the situation exists in other sections (it does in some)... do you think its fair/right for privates to play in sectionals?
Like I have said… I have nothing against a kid wanting to go to a catholic school but I have a huge problem that these teams are in the public leagues and championships. NYSPHAA needs to either remove all private institutions like catholic schools or charge them a large fee to stay. That would eliminate them as a whole because none of them would pay. That way if a kid wants to go there it does not conflict with the public schools that cannot recruit (do not tell me they don’t) and offer sponsors for them to attend. A parent wanting their child to receive a catholic education is okay by me just do not get in the way of the public school kid’s successes and possible championships.
Josh: I recall the article from above. However, the issue has resurfaced and should be revisited. Jen Simmons is (I think) in charge now and she needs to take a stand. Kennedy and Magnus should have to play in AA for sectionals. They probably would do well anyway. Then they either compete there year after year of they go to the catholic league and play similar recruiting schools like Iona Prep and Stepinac.
Prince,
One of my Christmas wishes was to see you on the hoops blog for once. Welcome to the dark side!
In the case of Section 1 Hoops Bloggers v JFK H.S. and Thiago Randazzo I would rule in favor of the defendant.
Watching him play last night you can see a lot of potential but he’s not Fab Melo. Great frame for hoops and very athletic, strong and finishes the break well, also good offensive rebounder. His defense is far from intimidating – he wasn’t able to control the paint against players who were giving away a lot of size to him. His outside shot and foul shooting are not smooth either. He’ll continue to get better and should do very well in league play.
This is not a 6’9 player on Jim Calhoun’s radar who is on his 5th school in 4 years.
Ultimately, what would be the ultimate upside for JFK? Randazzo is a senior, he’s not a finished product and will be gone next year. Does JFK really have the clout and bankroll to recruit a player from Brazil for the purpose of improving their chances of winning a Section 1 league title for just this year? This is JFK High School not the NY Yankees.
Don’t forget that in Josh’s article he said Randazzo has a 97 average so I think it’s safe to say that academics are his priority.
Some more recent transfers in the NYSPHSAA that on the surface would appear to be more basketball related than this could ever be were Watts to Peekskill, McMillan to NFA and Stephens to MV. That’s not to say there was anything wrong with those transfers – they were all deemed legit by the people whose opinion matters. Just saying that on the surface they did appear to be basketball driven.
I just wonder how recruiting isnt allowed but following your father to a whole different district is. One example that comes to mind is threw the years of 91-94. Dave Martino, Section 1’s Mr. Basketball his senior year and the all-time leading scorer in Bears boys basketball history with 1,758 points and a school-record 248 3-pointers, followed his father to Brewster, where they made the final four twice in 4 years. I wonder what a difference he would have made by playing in Pawling that town that he was from. I understand the fact of following your father but at the expense of the districts taxpayers is ridiculous. This is only a slice of stories that have happened. I’m not saying its wrong with what he did, just saying if people are gonna compare a family paying tuition to play at either AM or Kennedy it falls in the same realm. Everyone should get over this topic and start talking about the good in High school basketball instead of all the negative. Let the “boys” play.
For those who are questioning Thiago Randazzo being recruited, you should get your facts straight. First of all Lou DeMello and his family were all born in Brazil and arrived in this country in the mid-60’s. If you guys knew Lou’s tremendous connection in the tri-state area, any desire to recruit players could have easily been done this past season given the closure at Rice HS, the program that he helped build. He could have gone there and recruited 2 to 3 high level players that would have been eligible to play at Kennedy immediately due to the school closing. For the record, the worse schools in terms of recruiting are in deed in Section 1 Public Schools with a number of Gold Balls that have been won. MV winning a State championship with 2 kids with a legal residence in the Bronx bordering MV, Peekskill HS transfer player from Lakeland HS who never moved, Portchester HS with 2 players from Manhattan living in a rental apartment, Woodlands HS with 2 players from the Bronx living with a resident who was not a legal guardian for both players, Dobbs Ferry 6’10” transfer from Oak Hill who went on to play in the NBA for 1 year and lived with an Agent whose residence was in Yonkers. If need be, I could list close to 50 more of these scenarios. These are facts not comments.
We wont even get into Catholic/Public recruiting in other sports. Time will fail us if we make railing accusations, comments or facts all day. Nothing was done about it when I was in school and nothing is going to joke. Any sort of recruiting is a joke. Winning is all that matters at most places. I understand the thrill of competing, but if it isn’t done right it shouldn’t be done at all. All this does is breed corruption at every level of competition and taint the experience for the kids who are the true victims.
Kudos to Lakeland for being very good without Watts. I’d imagine Peeky would be out of a chip or two without him.
and nothing is ever going to happen so it’s a joke… sorry
Does anyone hear what I am saying?? I do not have anything against the youngman, Lou DeMello, and JFK as a whole. I have a problem WITH CATHOLIC SCHOOLS PLAYING IN THE NYSPHAA SECTIONAL AND STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS!. CATHOLIC SCHOOLS RECRUIT! PERIOD! WHETHER THIS KID WAS OR NOT I DO NOT KNOW. I DO KNOW THAT IF HE WAS NOT A 6’6 GOOD PLAYER HE WOULD NOT BE GOING THERE! STEPINAC, JFK, IONA PREP ALL RECRUIT! THEY CAN THEY ARE PRIVATE SCHOOLS. IF THEY ARE THEY SHOULD BE IN THE CATHOLIC LEAGUE AND NOT NYSPHAA.
How do you know they recruit. I know the AM program well and I know for a fact that they do not, nor have they ever recruited a player to come there.
And we’ve been stuck with Martino and his head games and bs ever since his kid left. Isn’t there some school looking for the ‘worlds greatest man, er coach’ that can take him off our hands???
What ? Brewster has no shot at section title at all. Coach Martino has no control of the kids the kids run the team. And section 1 fan couldn’t have placed it better you lost to Arlington and Mamaroneck . lol
Winnable??? why do people hype mamk like there the up and comming team there 4-1… But have played nobody special, look at wp’s schedule, look who theyve faced, albertus, uniondale, and chaminade… Mamk saunders, brewster hamilton, the schedule just proves that they cant really compete with an above average
Wait, I cannot fathom it being so striahtgforwrad.