![\"Squaring](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/JL3TBJTHABEO5ASOQOGXFDFBMA.jpg\")
McKee\/Staten Island Tech senior Nizayah Jordan is averaging 16.1 ppg. (Advance\/SILive.com | Jason Paderon)<\/p>\nIt\u2019s not wise to jump to conclusions at the start of any basketball tournament, but that\u2019s particularly true of this year\u2019s Borough President Vito Fossella SIHSL Tournament, which starts Wednesday with two games.<\/p>\n
It has been a season when PSAL teams near the bottom of the standings made a habit of ambushing teams at the top, when the top three CHSAA teams could not be separated and when the lone private school did not lose to any Island teams.<\/p>\n
Therefore, this 32nd edition of the borough\u2019s most popular sporting event contains the potential for genuine mayhem … which means agita for the coaches and fun for us.<\/p>\n
However, there are some eternal basketball truths that seem to guide the whole show. For one, excellent guard play atones for a lot of sins. Take care of the ball and watch good things happen. Second, make your free throws. Three \u2014 don\u2019t give up any easy baskets. Four \u2014 and this is the biggie \u2014 it\u2019s better to have good players than good plays.<\/p>\n
Who are some of those players? As we head into the best week of the year for our borough\u2019s true hoop believers, here\u2019s a checklist of players to watch.<\/p>\n
The teams were listed in alphabetical order:<\/p>\n
CSI\/McCOWN<\/p>\n
Danny O\u2019Connor: The senior is averaging 10.1 points per game with a team-leading 42 three-pointers. He had a career-high 20 points in a non-league win over Telecom. The sharp-shooting O\u2019Connor has buried multiple treys in a game 14 times with a season-high four on two different occasions. The two-year varsity player is always among the Dragons\u2019 top assist guys as well.<\/p>\n
Patrick Tucker: The two-year varsity player has stepped up in scoring and actually leads the Dragons with a 10.8 ppg average, including a career-high 22 points on two different occasions against McKee\/Staten Island Tech. Tucker has scored in double digits 14 times after doing the same only three times a year ago. He too is dangerous from behind the arc as he\u2019s knocked down 29 treys this season, including a career-high five in a win over MSIT. The senior is no stranger to producing defensively as he often leads the Dragons in steals and drawing charges.<\/p>\n
CURTIS<\/p>\n
Jayden Faulkner: The sophomore is averaging 12.6 ppg, but has played his best ball scoring wise in recent games. In fact, in the Warriors\u2019 last six contests, the 6-foot-5 power forward is averaging 20.2 ppg, including a career-high 27 during a loss to Stevenson last week. Faulkner is long and athletic with the ability to grab rebounds and block shots in bunches. <\/p>\n
Makhiye Washington: The flashy guard has stepped up his game after going from sophomore role player to junior go-to-guy this season. Standing 6-1, Washington is averaging 17.4 ppg. this year with the ability to get to the basket and free-throw line, yet keeps defenses honest with his ability to connect from behind the arc. The two-year varsity player has buried 29 of his career 85 three-pointers this season.<\/p>\n
EAGLE ACADEMY S.I.<\/p>\n
Armani Perez: The senior is Eagle\u2019s leading scorer with a 14.1 ppg average that includes a career-high 29 against Tottenville. Perez, in fact, has scored 20-or-more points six times and in double digits 14 times. He\u2019s also developed an outside touch as he\u2019s buried 21 three-pointers so far this season \u2014 18 more than what he had a year ago. The 6-3 Perez is more often than not among Eagle\u2019s leading rebounders and shot blockers as well.<\/p>\n
Anthony Riley: The senior\u2019s numbers aren\u2019t flashy, in part, because he\u2019s played out of position while manning the point for Eagle a good deal of the time. But the three-year varsity player is a glue guy who does a little bit of everything, including rebounding and, of course, scoring (8.1 ppg.). He has connected for double digits nine times, including a season-high 21 points in an overtime win over Petrides on Thanksgiving Eve.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
McKee\/Staten Island Tech senior Nizayah Jordan is averaging 16.1 ppg. (Advance\/SILive.com | Jason Paderon)<\/p>\n
McKEE\/STATEN ISLAND TECH<\/p>\n
Ray Guerriero: When the senior joined MSIT during the holiday break, the Gulls were 5-5 overall and in desperate need to find a third scorer. It\u2019s no coincidence that since he\u2019s joined the Seagulls, they\u2019re 16-8 overall, including 10-4 in league play. The 6-foot Guerriero is not only averaging 14.8 ppg, but he\u2019s another versatile scorer with the ability to get to the rim or hit from downtown (14 treys in 13 games). The senior is also an exceptional rebounder who gives the Gulls toughness.<\/p>\n
Nizayah Jordan: The three-year varsity player missed three games early this season because of an ankle injury and still wasn\u2019t 100% when he returned just before the holiday break. But Jordan, who recently joined the Island\u2019s 1,000-point club, is still averaging 16.1 ppg with 46 treys this season. The 6-foot guard, who scored a career-high 42 points earlier this year, can score in a variety of ways, including in transition and making trips to the free-throw line. He\u2019s scored 20-or-more six times.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
MONSIGNOR FARRELL<\/p>\n
Matt Scalisi: The senior point guard not only runs Farrell\u2019s offense efficiently, but helps keep the Lions\u2019 turnovers-per-game totals down each game. The three-year varsity player does a little bit of everything, include contribute 9.9 points per game with 24 three-pointers. Scalisi, who scored a career-high 21 in Farrell\u2019s overtime win over Monsignor McClancy this past Sunday, more often than not draws the opposition\u2019s top offensive player and does a solid job containing him as well.<\/p>\n
JJ Yates: The three-year varsity player possesses a picture-perfect perimeter shot that has enabled him to be among the Island\u2019s top three-point shooters with 39. The senior also leads the Lions with a 12.8 ppg in 19 games, including a season-high 22 in a contest against Xavier. Yates has connected for double digits on 14 occasions and is practically automatic whenever he steps to the free-throw line.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
MOORE CATHOLIC<\/p>\n
Nick DeGrado: The senior point guard has been through the wars in each of the last three seasons and is averaging 10.6 ppg. this season, including a season-high 20 in a win over St. Edmund\u2019s earlier this season. DeGrado, who possesses a strong handle, is capable of putting the ball in the basket in a variety of ways, including drives to the basket and the free-throw line. But the three-year starter has buried 21 treys and always looks to set up teammates on the break or in a half-court set.<\/p>\n
Eenej Vinson: The three-year varsity player is a natural scorer who averages 14.8 ppg. He\u2019s terrific in transition and scores the majority of his points by driving to the basket and making trips to the free-throw line. He\u2019s connected for double digits 15 times in 18 games, including a career-high 25 markers against Monsignor McClancy earlier this season. Vinson is also solid on mid-range jumpers and also has nine treys to his credit as well.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
![\"Move](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/55KW2MR7D5CXNFXMB36R2NFDLM.jpg\")
New Dorp’s Sergio Batista, right, and McKee\/Staten Island Tech’s Ray Guerriero are both among their teams’ leading scorers this season. (Advance\/SILIve.com | Charlie De Biase Jr.)<\/p>\n
NEW DORP<\/p>\n
Sergio Batista: The junior guard might be a first-year varsity player, but he\u2019s been playing like a seasoned veteran and currently leads the Centrals in scoring. Batista, in fact, is averaging 15.0 ppg. with a career-high 33 markers in a win over Macchiarola. He\u2019s dangerous in transition and from behind the arc as evidenced by his 35 treys. The JV graduate averaged 9.9 after 10 games, but has averaged 20.2 ppg in New Dorp\u2019s last 10 contests. Batista, who has a solid handle, is streaky, but head coach Pat Hopkins is willing to live with it knowing he\u2019ll contribute points in bunches. ND is 11-1 when Batista scored 15 or more points. <\/p>\n
Omari Onwe: Just like he was a year ago, the left-handed Onwe is a steady scorer who is capable of putting the ball in the basket in a variety of ways. The two-year starter is averaging 13.4 ppg with a season-high 29 in a win over Grady earlier this season. The southpaw makes frequent trips to the charity stripe and although he wouldn\u2019t be classified as a three-point shooter, he still has 19 to his credit this season. Onwe, who played a big role in the Centrals\u2019 run to the PSAL 3A Staten Island division regular-season title, is not afraid to take a big shot when New Dorp needs it most.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
PETRIDES<\/p>\n
Kareem Nesbitt: The three-year varsity player is one half of the Island\u2019s highest scoring duo as he\u2019s averaging 17.2 ppg in 22 contests this season. The junior has scored 20-or-more points seven times with a career-high 32 markers during a non-league loss against Thomas Edison. He\u2019s hit for double digits in points in 17 games Nesbitt isn\u2019t a three-point shooter per se, but keeps defenses honest with 14 shots from behind the arc. <\/p>\n
Daynell Rowland: The junior is a natural scorer who leads Staten Island with a 21.2 ppg average after scoring 402 points in 19 games this season. Among the two-year varsity player\u2019s high games is a 42-point performance against Tottenville, as well as games of 37, 34, 31, 39 and 35. Rowland\u2019s scoring prowess is, in part, because of his ability to connect from downtown (55), but he\u2019s also able to get to the basket and makes frequent trips to the charity stripe. He can be streaky, but when he\u2019s on, watch out! He\u2019s a solid rebounder for a guard.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
PORT RICHMOND<\/p>\n
Aaron Bramble: The 6-2 senior was averaging 13.7 ppg with a high of 20 markers when he suffered an injury during a league game against Petrides early this season. He wound up missing 11 games before returning recently. Although he\u2019s still shaking off the rust, he scored a career-high 22 points in a win over Eagle SI, as well as 15 markers in a victory over Washington Irving. Bramble is averaging 11.0 ppg in eight games overall. Head coach Jeremy Smalls is hoping his two-year varsity player will get hot with the tourney set to begin.<\/p>\n
Mekhi Hines: The senior forward, who is averaging 11.9 ppg, has hit for double digits in points in nine of the 14 games he\u2019s played so far. He had a career-high 24 against Tottenville early in the season. Hines is the Raiders\u2019 leading rebounder as well. <\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
ST. JOSEPH BY-THE-SEA<\/p>\n
Joey Moran: The junior not only provides an abundance of energy to his teammates, but produces stat-wise as well. The two-sport athlete plays much bigger than his 6-foot frame, which is why he is among Sea\u2019s top rebounders and he scores the majority of his points from inside the paint. He averages 7.6 points per game, but recently scored a career-high 20 points in an overtime victory over host Moore Catholic. The Vikings are 6-1 when Moran scored eight-or-more points in a game this season.<\/p>\n
Nick Rebracca: The three-year varsity player is one of the Island\u2019s most prolific scorers as evidenced by his 19.1 ppg average. Rebracca has scored in double digits in each of Sea\u2019s 19 games, including a career-high 28 on two different occasions against Xavier and Salesian. The junior, who can put the ball in the basket in various ways, has scored 20-or-more nine times and is among the Island leaders in three-point field goals with 42, including six in one game. Rebracca can also get to the rim and makes frequent trips to the free-throw line as well.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
![\"Senior](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6NWBSR3VCFBD5KDLL7WM6WTDAQ.jpg\")
St. Peter’s senior Nico Parlanti (1) recently scored a career-high 24 points. Kara Buzga for the Advance\/SILive.com<\/p>\n
ST. PETER\u2019S<\/p>\n
Nico Parlanti: The Eagles\u2019 lone senior has been tasked with filling the stat sheet while guiding a roster that\u2019s littered with first-year varsity players. The forward leads SP with a 10.6 ppg. average that includes a career-high 24 points and 11 games when he connected for double digits. In addition, he\u2019s also developed a three-point shot (20) and has no qualms taking important shots during crunch time. Parlanti is also a solid defender who helps out on the backboard for the Eagles.<\/p>\n
Aaron Vazquez: The power forward had to wait a year before playing his first varsity game and he\u2019s been a consistent interior presence for the Eagles as a scorer and rebounder. The 6-4 bruiser is averaging 8.5 ppg. with a career-high 15 and the game-winning basket in a CHSAA AA contest against Bishop Loughlin.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
STATEN ISLAND ACADEMY<\/p>\n
Luke DeVito: The four-year varsity player always plays with energy that inspires teammates and helps fill the stat sheet each time the Tigers play. The forward is second on the Tigers with a 14.6 ppg average, including a career-high 28 markers in a win over St. Ann\u2019s earlier this season. DeVito has also displayed the ability to connected from downtown (24) and has done a steady job grabbing rebounds and playing defense for the Tigers.<\/p>\n
Danny Nowak: The senior point guard recently joined Staten Island\u2019s 1,000-point club and currently leads the Tigers in scoring with an 18.6 ppg. The three-year varsity player has connected for double digits in 18 games \u2014 including a career-high 30 in a win over Dwight. Nowak can score in different ways, including drives, mid-range jumpers and frequent trips to the charity stripe. He is capable of connecting from behind the arc (12) as well and he rebounds well for a point guard.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
SUSAN WAGNER<\/p>\n
Chris Albano: The three-year varsity player has turned in an exceptional season so far against stiff competition. The senior is averaging 20.8 ppg. in 24 contests with a career-high 41 in a PSAL 4A division victory over Erasmus Hall. Albano has hit for 20-or-more points a whopping 15 times, including three games of 30-or-more. Albano, who is a superb ball-handler, has also been exceptional from behind the arc as evidenced by his 51 three-pointers. The 6-2 point guard is a strong defender who isn\u2019t afraid to put up a shot with the game on the line.<\/p>\n
Charles Gambino: The senior is a jack-of-all-trades who contributes a little bit of everything, including scoring. Gambino has complemented Albano nicely as he\u2019s averaging 10.8 ppg and has hit in double figures in 16 of SW\u2019s 24 games, including a career-high 16 points three different times. Although he only stands 6-2, he is one of the Falcons\u2019 top rebounders, including on the offensive glass where he\u2019s kept many a possession alive with hustle plays. The two-year varsity player has often drawn defensive assignments against opponents bigger and, more often then not, has held his own.<\/p>\n
****<\/p>\n
TOTTENVILLE<\/p>\n
Danny Garcia: The senior appears to be returning to form after missing five games around the holiday break. The sharp-shooting guard currently averages 13.1 ppg in 18 games overall, but in the first seven games he returned he was only averaging 6.4. However, in his last three contests, he scored 19, 22 and 17 points (19.3 ppg) with 12 treys. The two-year varsity player, who had a season-high 30 in a win over McKee\/Staten Island Tech, has 34 threes overall. Garcia won\u2019t shy away from taking the big shot as evidenced by his game-winning driving layup for a one-point win over AP Randolph last Saturday.<\/p>\n
Elias Souleidis: The 6-foot-4 power forward missed his entire junior season because of a knee injury, but he\u2019s been playing like he\u2019s making up for lost time. Souleidis is averaging 11.3 ppg in 23 contests \u2014 second best on the Pirates \u2014 with a career-high 23 in a win over Port Richmond. The senior also has a knack for rebounding and often scores off put backs and cuts to the basket. He also makes frequent trips to the charity stripe. The Pirates are 6-2 this season when Souleidis scores 14-or-more points.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s not wise to jump to conclusions at the start of any basketball tournament, but that\u2019s particularly true…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":122164,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":{"0":"post-122163","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-staten-island","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-staten-island","12":"tag-staten-island-headlines","13":"tag-staten-island-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122163\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/122164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}