Bragging rights on the line at Westchester County Double Header

On Friday, the highly anticipated double header did not disappoint the sold out crowd at the Westchester County Center (NY). The PSAL AA South Shore Vikings Brooklyn squad would face CHSAA AA Cardinal Hayes from the Bronx. Later, two CHSAA cross town rivals Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders and Iona Prep Gaels both played in front of their hometown crowd for bragging rights.

Cardinal Hayes Julien Soumaoro (22pts) hit a quick three-pointer off the corner in the opening quarter. The Cardinals would ride a steady lead until Vikings Marcus Burnett (20pts) would knot the score at five apiece. The tough Vikings squad would apply pressure capturing an early lead 18-11, after Zaire Wells (23pts) scored a basket.

Cardinal Shemani Fuller (35pts) the engine of his team would draw a foul with shooting (1-2) at the line. The Hayes team would score one more basket but it would be the Vikings who controlled the lead, 20-14.

Way too many costly turn overs by the Cardinals while face with the defensive juggernaut of the Vikings left little room for them to get ahead. South Shore closed the half with a ten point lead 41-31.

Wells inside scoring in the third quarter proved to be too much pushing the Vikings to a 57-39 lead with 2:13 mins remaining in the quarter. Fuller would score off the glass in the final minutes but the Vikings would answer back closing out the quarter with their strongest lead 61-44.

The Cardinals were not going away easy with a 1:09 mins remaining in the fourth the Vikings would hold onto a ten point lead, 73-63. In the closing minutes a technical foul call on The Vikings bench would send the Cardinals to the line to score three final points. South Shore kept their composure and closed out the game 73-68.

The rivalry match-up of Stepinac and Iona Prep had all the bells and whistles of a big game in the opening ceremony. Pre-game Stepinac star UNC-bound RJ Davis (22pts) was presented with his 2,000th career point ball.

Stepinac’s Luke Fizulich (13pts) energized the team with a three-point basket at the opening of the quarter. Aidan Hilderbrand (13pts) would score Iona Prep first basket. Iona would turn the ball over and Duke-bound A.J. Griffin (8pts, 5ast, 4rbs) quickly made a nice pass to Fizulich to score a 10-4 lead. But Hilderbrand answer back with another three. As the quarter came to a close Davis and Fizulich pushed Stepinac lead to a 16-8.

After a third personal foul on Griffin in the second quarter Iona Issacs Gonzales hit a three making it a two point game. Fizulich pushed Stepinac lead 28-23 with 2:15mins remaining in the quarter. Stepinac close out the second quarter with a 31-25 lead.

Stepinac Malcolm Chimezie (9pts, 13rbs, 5blks) look more college ready as he steps in for a two ham jam pushing the Crusaders lead, 36-25. After an Iona basket Chimezie delivered two more points off a nice bounce pass from Griffin. Davis would hit a jumper on the buzzer to close out the third quarter.

Early into the fourth quarter Griffin would check out for the rest of the game with a left knee injury Griffin absence did not affect Stepinac lead. RJ hit a beautiful floater pushing them to a 58-46 with 3:46 mins remaining. Iona never giving up a fight scored eight more points in the final minutes ending the game but falling short 62-54.