BY ZACH SMART
QUEENS, NY–Following an irregular and lackluster first half, Roselle Catholic (NJ) came storming back from a double digit first half deficit, leaning on a weathered backcourt en route to a 67-65 OT victory over Forest Hills HS (NY) at St. Francis Prep during the Shooting Stars Showcase on Sunday.
Back in New York City, Class of 2026 guard Trey Lewis bucketed a difficult elbow jumper in the determining, waning moments of the extra session.
Class of 2027 guard Tyrease Hunter proceeded to bury a clutch turnaround jumper amid draping hands in traffic, catapulting Roselle Catholic to the pulsating win.
A high level shot maker with range and a knack for opportunistic 3-pointers, Class of 2028 guard Chase Bray was named Game MVP. It was the delicate touch of Bray which helped steer Roselle Catholic out of an early rut, as Forest Hills opened up the first quarter on a 13-2 surge.
“Coach (Todd Decker) just trusts us, he gives us the ability to play freely and of course with discipline to finish big games like that,” said Hunter, a 6-foot-3 guard who has been hearing from Ole Miss, Seton Hall, Marist and Boston University.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight. We just played with resilience. We were coming off a tough (72-62 loss to Bergen Catholic). We never wanted to quit. We just pushed through, fought through it overcame adversity, and got this win.”
Once a vertically explosive scoring threat alongside then sophomore Jermel Thomas (currently a senior at Our Savior Lutheran and headed to Saint Louis) at Cardinal Hayes HS, the 6-foot-4 Lewis splashed an immense corner three-pointer and soared in for a crucial interior block during the pressurized moments of overtime.
Hunter, who averaged 15.1 points last season and scored 18 points as the downhill attacking engine which propelled Roselle Catholic to a 43-35 Non Public North championship over Gil St. Bernard’s last season, was offered by Ole Miss in the fall.
“I love the program,” said Hunter of Ole Miss.
“It’s just a very good coaching staff, you know, with a great head coach in coach (Chris Beard). A very good conference. Really, (the SEC) is one of the toughest basketball conferences in the country. It’s just love, with how they are recruiting me. They are looking out. Telling me to keep working.”
Future Stag Prospers: With Fairfield assistant coach Glenn Braica on hand, Class of 2026 Fairfield-signee Oesoemana Sacko of St. Francis Prep (NY) played possessed during the Terriers’ wire to wire 79-64 throttling of Rutgers Prep (NJ) on Sunday.
The bullish 6-foot-7 forward scored a game-best 27 points and yanked in a monstrous 21 rebounds, also doling out four assists.
Sacko has emerged as a stabilizing defensive presence for SFP, steering the driving lanes clear with fly swatter esque shot-blocking and shot influencing tactics.
Terriers head coach Jimmy Lynch suddenly has a veritable youth movement unfolding in Fresh Meadows, as the CHSAA “AA” progeam has three freshmen playing significant minutes.
Class of 2029 Austin Dottin, a 6-foot point guard and New Heights product scored 16 points to go with four rebounds.
Fellow freshman Eli Murray added nine points and five rebounds.
Sharpshooting sophomore Justin DeSena, who toted the hot hand with his perimeter shooting during last year’s CHSAA playoffs, got SFP’s offense jump-started with consecutive deep 3-pointers during the first half.
DeSena finished with 12 points and four rebounds
.A critical aspect of DeSena’s growth, which Lynch was quick to note, is the 2028 6-foot-3 guard’s confrontational one on one defense.
During the last handful of games for SFP, DeSena has been tasked with neutralizing the opponent’s focal point.
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