Here is Nancy Haggerty’s story on Stepinac’s win over Iona Prep.
WHITE PLAINS The best laid plans of mice and basketball coaches sometimes work.
Before Friday night’s boys basketball game between rivals Stepinac and Iona Prep, Crusaders coach Tim Philp talked about his desire to never let the Gaels’ Matt Ryan feel comfortable.
That seemed like a tall order given the 6-foot-6 star’s inside game.
But, alternating coverage, James Decker (two points) and Andrew Murray (10), limited the super sophomore and future D-I recruit to two points each quarter as Stepinac strolled past the Gaels 57-37.
With the win — the second for the Crusaders over the Gaels this season — Stepinac claimed the Brother William Stoldt Trophy.
“Our defense was key and our conditioning played a big part, too, as we were able to play that (upbeat) tempo for four quarters,” Philp said.
Before the game, Iona Prep coach Vic Quirolo worried about just that — Stepinac’s “D” and speed.
Stepinac was strong on the boards, too, with Monmouth University-bound Josh James (pictured above) hauling in 10 rebounds and junior Walter King six. 
James, a recent Con Ed Award winner who was averaging 17 points per game, finished as high man with 16. King had 12.
The game was a marked departure from the last time the two teams met — a six-point Stepinac win.
Stepinac (11-3) got a big 10 points from junior guard Naim Thomas.
The Crusaders were up only 16-12 at the end of one but pulled ahead 31-21 at the half.
First-half highlights included two Thomas 3-pointers and a hustling offensive rebound by Stepinac’s Malik Omess, who then fed Murray for an inside two.
Omess was technically kept off the scoreboard but the little guard had a huge game, finding the open man.
“I like to be involved and to be unselfish,” Omess said. “It means a lot to get this second win against this team. It’s a rivalry every year. The coach told us to grind it out.”
Iona Prep (7-9) was led by Sheamus Grogan, who scored nine points. Besides Ryan’s eight, Brandon Williams and Isiah Ice had seven each.
Before the game, Philp said, “I told the seniors about every home game the seniors play, ‘It’s the last time you’ll ever play that team at home as a senior, so you’ve got to leave everything out on the floor.’ ”
The Crusaders’ fans tried to do their part, too, serenading missed Gaels layups and, of course, Ryan.
But the chant of the night came with less than two minutes to go when they broke into, “Drive home safely.”
Photos courtesy of John Meore/The Journal News. For the full gallery click here.
68 Comments
CHS GUY,
I went to All Hallows! Anytime you want to meet in my Bronx neighborhood let me know!
Boogie Dwn Bx,
Touchy touchy…dont steal my lines…All Hallows always had great cheerleading and spirit club. Did you participate in such? If you can read it..it said are you from throgs neck or riverdale? Not what hs did u go to? Just because the HS is located in a tough bronx neighborhood doesnt mean you are? I would love to see your BX neighborhood..and i am free ALL weekend?
Boogie Down,
I am going to Xaverian..to watch the game..not free all weekend.. enjoy yourself..have a safe weekend in the BX. Maybe me and you gobto jimmys cafe one night? Drinks on me? All Hallows should win the A this year?
I am a football guy but Stepinac hoops has been exceptional in preparing kids for the next level. Just look in the last 5 to 7 years where they have put kids and the seasons they have had.
Likewise in football they have done the same thing. Taps and Evans were both headed to Ivy League schools until Evans switched to Holy Cross.
Anyone with a realistic view knows that where Stepinac is in hoops Iona wants to be and where Iona is in Football, Stepinac wants to be.
Moving forward this rivalry will only get better.
I remember the days of the mighty public schools but that is quickly coming to and end. New Ro football is the last sport standing.
NEW ROCHELLE!!....HOME OF THE STATE FOOTBALL Champs!!...
G
Irrelevant?
Stepinac won the city chip in 2010. Same year iona/voelkel lost to xavier in first round. They have also won 2 slam dunk tourneys and have been to the chsaa semis twice in the past 4 yrs.
They have been power ranked higher then iona the past two years and last year it placed them in the aa where iona was in the chsaa a, a league that was way inferior.
And when you compare iona ans stepinacs basketball history over the long haul, iona is not even close.
Step Fan , such a wimp! I luv u kids from Mayberry. Come to 198th Street & University Ave. Wear your diapers! I know All Hallows has had more NBA players than Stepinac. We will have a player drafted in the MLB draft this year as well. Far better school today academically than Stepinac. Reality check for the small step fan. Wimp!
No one has said it better than Beast… Iona wants to be where Stepinac is in basketball, and Stepinac wants to be where Iona is in football.. Some years will be down years for both programs, as it is for Step Football and Iona Basketball this year It’s as simple as that.
Hows all hollows enjoying the a league?
Lets go new Ro football
Step Reality,
All Hallows is a great school and has had a very good basketball program, but now is not the time to be talking trash about basketball programs. While All Hallows is down in the A league and Step is 12-3 in the AA. Both Stepinac and All Hallows are good schools academically. As far as NBA players, who has All Hallows sent besides Shawnelle Scott? I can’t think of anyone.
Olden Polynice!!! You dont have my Basketball IQ! Get a clue!
Step Reality,
I don’t have your basketball IQ because I didn’t think of Olden Polynice from 30 years ago? You went to the school genius, you should know that. That has nothing to do with basketball IQ. But your comment does lead me to believe your actual IQ isn’t anywhere near where you’d like us to think it is. Let me guess, your superior basketball IQ makes you think All Hallows in the A league is a better team than Stepinac in the AA this year? You do realize All Hallows has lost to Spellman and Bishop Ford this year, right?
HOOPS
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE IN FOOTBALL!!.. I REMEMBER YOU DEFENDING STEPINAC FOOTBALL WHEN THEY WHERE PUTTING UP 50 POINTS ON THE SAME TEAMS FOOTBALL PROGRAMS OR TEAMS IN THAT LEAGUE WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF FOOTBALL AS BISHOP FORD AND SPELLMAN BASKETBALL
HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ALREADY!!!...
PPR,
You need to stop comparing football to basketball…it seems to be confusing you. Football in the the NYC area is a backwater as you know in comparison to TX, FL, CA, etc. NYC is the Mecca of basketball.
There is nothing wrong with all hallow playing in the A basketball league. But if all hallows is losing games to A teams and not beating any AA teams, then their fans should refrain from talking trash about a team that is 7-3 in the AA league. Coincidentally I think all hallows deserves to be in the AA and Fordham should be down in the A – all hallows has been a far better program than Fordham over the years. All hallows playing in the AA has a chance to be competitive every so often. Fordham can be a peaty opponent, but I’d be surprised if they see anywhere close to .500 in the AA. I think they won 1 AA games last year and have won 1 game so far this year in AA.
Hoops fan I agree. FP should be in the A. All Hallows’ is a great academic institution? When did we start putting All Hallows’ in the same sentence as Regis, FP, Xavier?
CHS,
I think the CHSAA AA Bx/Man league would be better if Fordham moved down to A and All Hallows moved up. Just by location, All Hallows can and has had talent walk in the door in years past. Now, that doesn’t look like it will happen next year because All Hallows has already lost to Spellman in the A league this year – All Hallows would have to win the A league Bx/Man division to have a good argument to move up. Fordham is a pesky, well coached team that will always manage to pull off an upset or put a scare into some good teams as they did last year with 1 win and this year with 1 win so far. I just don’t think Fordham will have the players to seriously compete in AA anytime soon. All Hallows has proved for decades they can compete in the AA – granted they usually were in the lower half of the AA, but they had some good seasons. Fordham looks like it naturally belongs in A with their rivals Xavier and Regis. Throw in Spellman and LaSalle and you have some good rivalries in that A league.
CHS,
As far as academics, All Hallows is a strong school, but I’m not sure its as good as Stepinac or Iona, etc. All are good schools though and no one should be taking shots at eachother about academics.