Troi Melton. (Kendall Rodriguez)
Players of the year
BOYS — Jeffrey Short, John F. Kennedy
In one year, Jeffrey Short transformed himself, from a spot-up shooter to an aggressive, do-it-all swingman. He attacked the basket with abandon and sank 3-pointers from absurdly long distances most guards wouldn’t even consider taking.
He was second in the PSAL in scoring during the regular season, averaging 28 points per game. The 6-foot-4 senior also grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out more than five assists, carrying the Knights when star guard Naquan Pierce was out for two weeks because of disciplinary reasons.
“I had to get better,” he said. “It was my time to step up and lead the team.”
He did a fine job of that. Even when Kennedy’s season came to a shocking halt in a 68-67 second round loss to Transit Tech, Short did all he could to keep the Knights’ season alive, scoring 30 points in defeat.
GIRLS — Troi Melton,
Cardinal Spellman
Troi Melton’s game grows more complete with each passing day.
The Cardinal Spellman junior is a tireless worker — in and out of season — and that showed throughout the year. Melton improved her play on the perimeter tremendously. Her jumper became feathery and consistent and she began taking defenders off the dribble more and attacking in transition.
“Her confidence playing the three spot got a little higher and she has more confidence in her guard skills,” Spellman coach Jane Morris said.
Melton, who scored her 1,000th point this season, was the 21-6 Pilots’ most consistent scorer and a presence on the boards and the defensive end. She led Spellman to a CHSAA Bronx/Westchester title and to the Archdiocesan ‘A’ finals. Melton had 19 points in an Archdiocesan semifinal win over Notre Dame Academy.
“Everyone loves Troi,” senior Julia Blasl said. “She just adds such character to this team.”
Coaches of the year
BOYS — Oliver Antigua,
St. Raymond
Few teams survive losing four potential Division I players, including one forward heading to the University of Arizona. But St. Raymond’s not only survived, it thrived this season. Despite the mass exodus, the Ravens advanced to the CHSAA Class AA intersectional semifinals, one step further than it did with its previous players.
Oliver Antigua didn’t throw up his hands and use the transfers as an excuse. Instead he played, and won, with what he had. These Ravens became a tight-knit group, embracing its underdog role. The eighth-year coach might have had more talented teams, but it is hard to imagine he had a closer group.
“I think the sky is the limit for some of the guys we have talent-wise,” Antigua said after a semifinal loss to Christ the King. “I think we are only going to get better. We got to the final four with the youngest team in the league.”
GIRLS — O’Neil Glenn, John F. Kennedy
Glenn has taken a team to the PSAL city championship game at Madison Square Garden before. Three years ago, he had one of the top teams on the East Coast, rife with Division I players, that made an appearance at MSG.
But this year’s group was very different. Glenn played five sophomores and might not have had a single Division I player on his roster, but did perhaps put forth his best coaching job yet. With an emphasis on defense and toughness – he is, after all, a former NFL player for the New England Patriots – Glenn took the Knights from early-season mediocrity to being one of the city’s best teams. In the end, they earned another berth in the title game.
“Thinking about Glenn, all that yelling and screaming, but what he says works — he’s a genius,” junior guard Shaquaya Daniels said. “If you think about what he says and do it, it works.”
THE TEAMS
— BOYS
By ZACH BRAZILLER and DYLAN BUTLER
The Bronx wasn’t home to any championships this year, but that doesn’t mean the borough was devoid of talent. All Hallows guard Michael Alvarado was one of the top players in the CHSAA, sophomores Daniel Dingle and Kerwin Okoro guided St. Raymond’s to a surprising appearance in the Class AA intersectional semifinals and Wings Academy enjoyed a memorable run to The Bronx borough crown and PSAL Class AA semifinals.
First Team
G Jordan Aaron, Wings Academy
After three nondescript, albeit productive seasons at Bronx Leadership, the electric 6-foot guard made a name for himself at Wings Academy by finishing third in PSAL Bronx AA in scoring. He carried Wings offensively at times, lightning up the scoreboard from the perimeter, where he hit a team-high 51 3-pointers.
G Peter Aguilar, Mount St. Michael
The 6-foot-2 junior was a scoring machine, leading the CHSAA by averaging 26.4 points per game. When his 3-point shot was on, he was unstoppable, but he was also wise enough to find other ways to score when it was off. Already a 1,000-point scorer, Aguilar is arguably the top returning player in the CHSAA ‘A’ next year.
G Michael Alvarado, All Hallows
The 6-foot-2 shooting guard could score in a variety of ways, on drives to the basket, from beyond the arc and inside the paint. The Manhattan-bound senior was fourth in the CHSAA ‘AA’ in scoring.
F Krystian Foriest, Wings Academy
A versatile 6-foot-5 forward, the Queens College-bound Foriest finally was healthy after battling nagging knee problems, and he produced for the Wings, leading The Bronx school to the PSAL Class AA semifinals. He was at his best in February and March; his postseason numbers – 16 points and eight rebounds per game — dwarfing his regular season stats.
G Naquan Pierce, JFK
Pierce emerged his junior year and became a full-fledged star as a senior. If not for missing two weeks for disciplinary reasons he would’ve been in the running for Player of the Year. One of the top unsigned guards in the city, the sharp-shooting Pierce, nicknamed “AI” for his uncanny scoring ability, averaged more than 22 points per game.
Second Team
F Daniel Dingle, St. Raymond
G Carlos Galan, Gompers
G Dashawn Joyner, South Bronx
F Chris Manhertz, Cardinal Spellman
F Kerwin Okoro, St. Raymond
Third team
F Gary Acquah, Mount St. Michael
F Stedman Allen, Eagle Academy
G Nay-Quan Bloomer, Cardinal Hayes
G Deonte Houston, Wings Academy
F Omar Kellman, All Hallows
Honorable mention
G Aaron Barnes, Lehman
G Devin Brooks, St. Raymond
G James Blue, Wings Academy
F Brandon Goode, Monroe
G Brandon Hill, Monsignor Scanlan
Girls
THE TEAMS– GIRLS
By MARC RAIMONDI & JOSEPH STASZEWSKI
The story of Bronx girls basketball was John F. Kennedy’s unlikely ride to the PSAL Class A city championship game. The Knights were counted out early in the season, but somehow turned things around late using coach O’Neil Glenn’s defensive principles to surprise the city.
Over in the CHSAA, Cardinal Spellman won Bronx/Westchester and finished second behind Moore Catholic in the Archdiocesan ‘A’ playoffs. The Pilots advanced to the CHSAA Class A state quarterfinals.
First Team
G Jazzarae Campbell, John F. Kennedy
Early in the season, coach O’Neil Glenn was looking for leadership and the senior answered the bell. Kennedy’s run to the PSAL city title game was marked by her fearless drives to the basket.
G Sade Jackson, Aquinas
The phrase “coach on the court” epitomizes Jackson. She could have tried to score 20 points per game, but instead worked to improve her teammates. She is a Division I talent who is as good a passer as she is a scorer.
G Jacqueline Schoninger, Fieldston
If there was a junk defense invented, Schoninger, who had a 49-point game this year, saw it. The Brown-bound guard is a superb shooter and passer who helped keep a young Eagles team at the top of the Ivy League.
G Tia Scott, Cardinal Spellman
Scott rebounded from Achilles tendonitis last season to become one of the city’s rising juniors. The pass-first and penetrating point guard raised the level of play of her teammates and can score in bunches.
G Latasia Ward, Wings Academy
Wings advanced to its first PSAL Class A title game and Ward, a senior, was the biggest reason why. She could have scored much more than she did this year, but sacrificed for the greater good.
Second team
G Deaisia Acklin, John F. Kennedy
F Amber Griffin, Cardinal Spellman
G Aquillin Hayes, Wings Academy
F Leshauna Phinazee, John F. Kennedy
F Sara Smith, DeWitt Clinton
Third team
F Chelsea Baez, Riverdale
F Chelsea Custodio, John F. Kennedy
G Maddy Gordon, Horace Mann
F Taylor Murtaugh, Bronx Science
F Asia Wheeler, Columbus
Honorable mention
G Shaquaya Daniels, John F. Kennedy
F Rykema Stone, Wings Academy
F Kalijah Terilli, Fieldston
F Nijah Townsend, Truman
G Unique Williams, Truman
All-City Schedule
Tomorrow:
All-Queens boys,
All-Queens girls
Thursday:
All-Manhattan boys,
All-Manhattan girls
Friday:
All-Brooklyn boys,
All-Brooklyn girls
Sunday, April 25:
All-City boys,
All-City girls