STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.— It’s always better when there’s history on the line, isn’t it?
After the final buzzer sounds Thursday evening at Petrides, one of two outcomes will unfold: If St. Peter’s emerges victorious, it would continue the Eagles’ unprecedented tournament run over the better part of the last decade, securing an eighth straight Borough President Vito Fossella SIHSL Tournament title.
If the Vikings win, St. Joseph by-the-Sea will match its sister program’s recent triumph and become the first school to capture both boys’ and girls’ borough tournament titles in the same season since the Borough President Cup began three years ago.
READ A FULL PREVIEW OF THE GAME HERE
Either way, it would mark a landmark victory for each program, and for Island hoops fans hoping for a classic, if the teams’ Jan. 15 CHSAA league meeting—a razor-thin 57–56 Eagles win—was any indication, the public is in for a treat.
That win for St. Peter’s couldn’t have been more storybook for the Eagles’ lone fourth-year program player, Nico Parlanti, who poured in a then-career-high 21 points, capped by the go-ahead bucket with 5.8 seconds remaining—on Senior Night, no less.
Parlanti has carried his stellar senior season into the SIHSL final, coming off a remarkably clutch performance against Monsignor Farrell in the semifinals.
After finishing the third quarter without making a field goal, he turned on the clutch factor once again, shaking off the slow start to score 12 of his 14 points in the fourth of an instant-classic win for the Eagles.
Now, the only thing standing between Parlanti—who has blossomed into a go-to scorer after serving as a sixth man last season—and a truly signature moment in his St. Peter’s career could very well be Sea’s John Paturzo.
Sure, Paturzo may not have been at his best defensively against Parlanti the last time these teams met, but after his SIHSL semifinal performance against Susan Wagner, there’s every reason to believe he’ll give the Eagles’ top scoring option everything he can handle this time around.
Paturzo recently wanted the assignment of guarding Jaques Award candidate Chris Albano—who was coming off a masterful 27-point performance against Curtis in the quarterfinals—and proceeded to hold the uber-gifted guard to just seven points, a total that might have been even lower had Albano not been sent to the foul line on a three-point attempt late in the contest.
Sea’s big fundamental player stuck to the Falcons guard like glue, as Paturzo consistently forced him to kick the ball out to the perimeter rather than allowing him to attack downhill the way he had done so effectively against the Warriors.
Granted, the Vikings have also run a healthy amount of zone defense all season and counted on stout help-defense to contain Albano. But, after a game in which their lockdown defender propelled Sea to the final, it’s hard to imagine head coach Mike Cortese won’t assign his top defender to shadow Parlanti from the tipoff.
Take it from Cortese himself when he was asked about Paturzo’s shutdown D against Wagner: “What he does on the court is unbelievable; he does it all…He defends the other team’s best player, he gets into the paint, he rebounds.”
It’s also safe to say STP bench boss Ryan Woods is just as confident in his fourth-year player: “He’s the only senior we have on the roster and we rely on him heavily…He’s taken on this leadership role and when times get difficult and we need a shot made, Nico steps up…” he said.
Staten Island HS Boys Hoops: St. Peters vs. St. Joseph By The Sea, at Peters, on Jan. 15, 2026. (Kara Buzga for the Advance/SILive.com).
With so much at stake for both teams, there are countless storylines that could define the game. Still, don’t be surprised if Parlanti finding a consistent scoring touch for four quarters spells glory for St. Peter’s once again.
Meanwhile, if Paturzo can maintain his lunch-pail style—locking down opponents and executing all the little things correctly—his impact might be just what the Vikings need to cross the finish line.