Underclassmen Standout @ iS8/Nike (10/8)

SOUTH JAMAICA, NY - On Saturday, NYCHoops.net stopped by the iS8/Nike Tip Off Classic to check out three games during the final weekend of pool play. The day also highlighted some promising freshmen and a sophomore as well as solid senior talent.

A relentless and swarming defense along with active hands by Gus Williams All-stars a/k/a Mt. Vernon, kept the Debo All-stars on its heels for almost the entire game. Jayden Ferron ‘23 and Eli Morris ‘23 help power Gus Williams to a six-point halftime advantage.

In the third quarter, Debo rallied, spearheaded by the play of Tarik Hood, but they only managed to keep pace against the cohesive Mt. Vernon squad buoyed in the second half by the play of Dylan Colon. Ahead by eight to start the final quarter, the Gus Williams team tightened the screws completely unraveled the Deb Allstars.

Morris was high man for the Gus Williams All-stars with 25 points. Hood paced Debo with 18 points.

Castle Athletics was in a war from start to finish versus a potent B5 Elite squad propelled by dynamic freshman Hassan Koureissi (Stepinac ’26). Knotted at 46 at the half, Castle extended its lead to 9 points due to an offensive infusion from Prophet Fields (Salesian '23).

B5 surged back in the fourth quarter on the coattails of Koureissi, who was a terror on both ends of the court, along with teammate Johnny Floyd (Monroe ’23). Although it was a coming out party for the freshman Koureissi, who scored a game high 28 points for B5, it was ultimately Field’s 25 points that saved the day for the Castle.

Loaded with some of Long Island’s finest, Team L.I. was fully prepared and motivated to get the “W” against Kip Bay but the road to a win was not an easy one. Izaiah Millan (Mt. St. Michael '23) proved to be formidable, giving Kips Bay a four-point lead to begin the second quarter.

While Team Long Island was paced by Frank Wilson (Hills West ’23), its underpinnings were held together by the freshman and sophomore tandem of Dylan Mingo ’26 and Kayden Mingo ’25. The athletic brothers who attend L.I. Lutheran are fearless.

With only one pure offensive force in Millan, Kip Bay began to wear down over time. Tied at 41 at the half, Team Long Island began to dominate down the stretch and Kip Bay trailed by 4 to start the fourth quarter. Kips Bay’s dam was about to break as time expired.

K. Mingo led Team Long Island with 20 points. Millan was the high scorer for Kips Bay with 27 points.