STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — It’s that time of year again and very few Staten Island sporting events, if any, generate the type of buzz the annual SIHSL Tournament does.
St. Joseph by-the-Sea and St. Peter’s will square off for all the marbles later this week. It’ll be the second time in four years the Vikings and Eagles will vie for the SIHSL crown.
For an inside look at both championship-bound squads, please scroll down.
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What: 32nd annual Borough President Vito Fossella SIHSL Tournament championship
Who: No. 4 St. Joseph by-the-Sea (14-8) vs. No. 2 St. Peter’s (11-11)
When: Thursday
Where: Petrides HS, Sunnyside
What time: 7 p.m.
How’d they get here: The Vikings defeated No. 5 Staten Island Academy (67-58) and top-seeded Susan Wagner (64-40) while the Eagles bested No. 7 McKee/Staten Island Tech (77-51) and No. 3 Monsignor Farrell 55-52.
Season Series: The Vikings and Eagles split two regular-season games. Sea won the first game, 43-38, in Huguenot on Dec. 5 while St. Peter’s captured the second contest, 57-56, in New Brighton on Jan. 15.
Tournament history: The Vikings and Eagles will square off in the SIHSL Tournament championship game for the third time in the tourney’s 32-year history. St. Peter’s won both contests, including a 51-47 victory in 2014-15 and a 39-34 triumph in 2022-23.
Tournament history, part II: The Eagles are looking to win their eighth consecutive SIHSL Tourney title, as well as their 10th in the last 11 seasons. A SP win will give the New Brighton school a SIHSL-leading 16th tourney crown. The Vikings, who were guided to their first two title game appearances under current head coach Mike Cortese, are looking to win the program’s first tourney crown. If Sea wins, they’ll become the sixth program to win it all.
St. Peter’s center Tyler Schoenberg (with ball) looks to make a move to the basket while being defended by St. Joseph by-the-Sea’s Joey Moran during a CHSAA Staten Island game in New Brighton earlier this season. (Kara Buzga for the Advance/SILive.com)
Sea’s probable starters:
G-John Paturzo (Jr., 7.3 ppg)
G—Nick Rebracca (Jr., 19.5 ppg)
G—Luca Mineo (Jr., 5.6 ppg)
G—Jack Boyle (Jr., 3.0 ppg)
F—Joey Moran (Jr., 8.3 ppg)
Sea’s top reserves
F—Peter Cruciata (Jr., 1.8 ppg)
F—Arne Mattsson (Jr., 1.1 ppg)
St. Peter’s probable starters:
G—Noah Scott (So., 3.9 ppg)
G—Victor Baez (Jr., 7.2 ppg)
G—Nico Parlanti (Sr., 11.7 ppg)
F—Aaron Vazquez (Jr., 8.9 ppg)
C—Tyler Schoenberg (So., 7.5 ppg)
St. Peter’s top reserves
F—Ryan Freeman (Jr., 5.2 ppg)
F—Sean Gannon (Jr., 2.1 ppg)
G—A.J. Troia (So., 2.1 ppg)
G—Ryan Christie (So., 1.9 ppg)
G—Christian Wiese (Jr., 1.4 ppg)
Sea’s top 3-point shooters: Nick Rebracca (50); Luca Mineo (23).
St. Peter’s top 3-point shooters: Nico Parlanti (29); Victor Baez (16).
Sea’s points for/against per game: 52.5/51.3
St. Peter’s points for/against per game: 53.0/56.5
Sea tidbits: The Vikings have played without starting point guard Nick Lee for the last six games because of an eye injury. The junior, who averaged 6.6 ppg with a career-high 15 vs. Moore earlier this season, is expected to miss the rest of the season … Junior Peter Cruciata has received solid minutes off the bench over the last two weeks or so and not only gives Sea some size, but a solid defensive player … The Vikings are 8-3 this season when Nick Rebracca scores 20-or-more points this season … Junior guard Jack Boyle is best known for his defense, hustle and decision-making, but the junior has scored five, eight and six points in three of Sea’s last four games. He has also nailed four treys in that same stretch … Sea is 8-1 this season when power forward Joey Moran scores eight-or-more points in a game.
St. Peter’s tidbits: After starting the season 2-7, the Eagles are 9-4 in their last 13 games … The Eagles are 6-2 when Parlanti hits two-or-more three-pointers. The senior is also averaging 14.7 ppg in the New Brighton school’s last 10 contests … St. Peter’s is 7-2 this season when junior big Aaron Vazquez scores in double digits and 5-1 when junior Ryan Freeman scores eight or more points … Sophomore Ryan Christie has 13 three-pointers in limited action and has served as a zone-buster coming off the bench … St. Peter’s hasn’t lost a SIHSL Tournament game since dropping a semifinal decision to Curtis during the 2015-16 season … The Eagles’ 10-man rotation is one of the biggest on the Island … St. Peter’s is 7-2 vs. Island competition this season.
Sea’s title-game X-factor: Joey Moran is an undersized power forward with second-to-none instincts. His scoring and ability to hit the offensive boards played a huge role during Sea’s 43-38 home win against the Eagles earlier this season. He was extremely active during Sea’s semifinal win against top-seeded Susan Wagner and if he turns in his typical game against SP, it’ll enhance Sea’s chances of winning.
St. Peter’s title-game X-factor: Junior Victor Baez will likely get a turn guarding Sea leading scorer Nick Rebracca on Thursday and needless to say, he’ll be tasked with limiting the sharp-shooter’s open looks. Easier said than done, but Baez has been strong defensively all season. In addition, the Eagles will benefit greatly if he scores in double digits (SP is 7-3 when he does) and if he gets hot from the perimeter.