Rumblings from The Bronx
In terms of character and personality, Johnuel “Boogie” Fland (Archbishop Stepinac HS, NY '24) is an accurate depiction of an old soul. You won't see him broadcasting himself on social media or drawing any attention to his exploits and decorated pedigree, which includes a recently attained 1,000-point milestone. He was able to reach this feat, of course, despite playing a Covid-truncated, slapdash schedule during his freshman season.
Fland isn't one to jockey for the spotlight. He maintains a humble approach to everything, both on the floor and off it. The Kentucky-signee and Class of 2024 point guard is known to sustain a professional profile, not allowing room for even the slightest tinge of distraction into his life. And so, in this old school style of his, Fland's objective was to approach the prospect of success at the college level the old fashioned way, without any coddling.
Fland did not wish for anything to be handed to him during the recruitment process. He was hesitant to walk into a situation in which he was given lip service, instant promises or guarantees. Instead, Fland opted for the path which would give him the steadiest, most consistent workload and sustained motivation throughout the process.
When Kentucky head coach John Calipari made it clear to Fland that everything he wanted would have to be earned and there were no givens, the message resonated with Fland significantly. "It was very important (in my decision)," Fland said.
"You've got to work for everything you've got. You want to go in and work for it. I want to come in, pave my own way, and you know, do what I do." A major part of what Fland does is shoot the ball from range.
It was established as a finer point of his hardwood trade following an eruptive sophomore summer. While playing for the PSA Cardinals on the AAU circuit, Fland proved he can knock down the outside shot with consistency and fire in from way-way, beyond the confines of the arc. It began with a 25-point, 8-for-10 performance, including 5-for-7 from 3-point land, en route to PSA's 53-50 victory over BABC during the EYBL Session II in Indiana. His adroit stroke translated instantly into his junior season, as Fland inherited a more substantial role as a prolific scorer and inimitable crunch time deliverer.
The shifty gear changing guard has taken an once question mark enveloped his game and converted it into a powerful, bedrock asset. "It was a big jump and a big part of my game," Fland said of developing his outside shot. "I mean shooting, that's what the NBA is coming to, and that's what everything is coming to."
Youth Movement: During Stepinac's 89-85 victory over Cardinal Hayes on Friday night, a glut of sophomores churned out commendable performances. Cardinal Hayes was led by the vertically explosive Trey Lewis, a 6-foot-4 underrated guard who scored 19 first-half points, stuck corner 3-pointers, scored via slick run-out buckets, and showed intriguing defensive versatility. Hayes was also bolstered by Malik Fields, a mutli-positional 6-foot-4 Class of 2026 guard with an interior game and a delicate touch from the perimeter.
Hayes' Jermel Thomas (Cardinal Hayes HS '26), a Class of 2026 guard with a proven scoring aptitude and a knack for play-creation with his timely dishing, turned in a near triple double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Thomas' game has evolved considerably during the quantum jump from his freshman to sophomore year. And while he still has a ways to go in his development and the end product is still quite far away, his start validated the attention he's received from high major programs.
Thomas has gotten longer, packed muscle onto a once leafy frame, developed natural awareness in his reads, and materialized as a timely shot-maker. As he showed during the loss to Stepinac and prior to this during a win over Molloy last weekend, Thomas is able to fire in from range and pick his spots effectively, employing a cerebral quality and poise in his game. He's also been a volume scorer, grasping the concept of a good shot, a component many at this level tend to encounter difficulty with. Thomas has been a product of the city's hoops craze since he was an elementary schooler, a known-about prodigal talent with proficiency in his handle and the integral ingredients of the next top-shelf New York City point guard. He was merely a cameo last year, playing sparingly while buried on a guard-heavy depth chart.
For Stepinac, with Fland mired in foul trouble and Danny Carbuccia entrenched in a quiet first half, Class of 2026 Hassan Koureissi upped his game with 16 points, six boards, and three assists. Koureissi's offensive uniqueness is translatable to the highest level of play. He possesses rare positional versatility as a 6-foot-5 guard who can stick transition 3-pointers, knock down the pull-up with regularity, and whip fireball assists in the half-court set. Still, just 15 years old, Koureissi has a wealth of upside, which he's still tapping into. The size, strength, and mismatch threat Koureissi creates with his imposing inside-outside game was a critical element en route Stepinac's win.
Guard-rich Hayes is dealing with a dearth of bigs. Its two tallest two players, Lewis and senior guard Adam Njie, are each listed at 6-foot-4. Stepinac was able to exploit the size differential by routinely attacking the post in the second half. As Koureissi and Braylan Ritvo (who scored a game-best 39 points) hit numerous vital shots down the stretch.