It’s going to be a fun season of boys basketball in the Brass City. That’s one easy take from watching the highlights of Sunday’s jamboree at Kennedy High School.
Sacred Heart again claimed the jamboree title with a 19-18 victory in the final over Crosby, which was made closer by Tyler Spears’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer. The Hearts are loaded, and Nate Tabor wasn’t even there. He was on an official visit to St. John’s, the home of former Heart superstar Mustapha Heron.
Sacred Heart used big contributions from Cheshire Academy transfer Jamaal Waters to grab the jamboree title, along with Omar Rowe. The Hearts were far from having the only talent on the floor.
Crosby’s Spears and Kerwin Prince will help make the Bulldogs a big problem in the Brass Division and NVL in general. At Kennedy, Jay Turner is a big name, but the contributions of two freshmen — Manny Beamon and Synciere Dozier — helped the Eagles outlast Waterbury Career Academy 17-14. Marquan Watson is poised for a huge senior season for the Spartans. At Holy Cross, Akili Evans and Jack Greene are among the returnees. It was Evans at the buzzer for the Crusaders in their victory over Kennedy. Sophomore Jahvon Myrthil was also a leading scorer. For Chase Collegiate, Rafael Mahario was the leading scorer in a 24-23 overtime win over Wilby that included a rainmaker of a game-winning buzzer beater from Stefanos Bilis. The Wildcats got big efforts from Jeremiah Tripp, and will need more with their young roster. Kaynor Tech mainstay Nashua Lovett, a senior, came up big for the Panthers in their overtime victory over Wilby.
We have to wait until after Christmas for the first city boys basketball clash (Kennedy at Holy Cross on Dec. 27), so that’s a bummer, but the competition is sure to heat up after that.
Go to the Hoop Zone and watch Joe Palladino’s video highlights from the jamboree. He’s got both buzzer-beaters and a whole lot more. Great stuff as always, Joe.
