While Westchester County will return to its regular-season schedule a bit later than those in the big city. The 914 area again features a torrent of talent, which outside of the CHSAA teams, tends to get overlooked.
This season, with several of the area's top-tier players returning following breakout campaigns, along with a young core having improved vastly from last season, the options are again plentiful.
Here is a look at several noteworthy under the radar,, guys who could cement their next level appeal during the 2023-24 campaign:
Hassan Koureissi (Archbishop Stepinac HS, NY '25) the 6-foot-3 guard brings length and a scoring drive to a high wired Stepinac offense featuring layered depth across the sophomore class. With a handful of options beyond Kentucky-signee and prized Class of 2024 point guard Johnuel "Boogie" Fland and highly coveted Class of 2025 point guard Danny Carbuccia.
Kouressi has a smooth perimeter stroke and gets his shot off quicker than most. As he showed during numerous games last season. With his length and shiftiness, he's developed a knack for using the angles on thorough drives, floaters, and mid-range pull-ups. A positional versatility is evidenced by his motor on the offensive and defensive glass.
After an AAU season in which he was employed at the 1-4 with the PSA Cardinals and guarded nearly every position on the floor, Koureissi will embrace a multi-faceted role. He has the potential to turn in games of double digit rebounds. Koureissi has a habit of being a bit too introverted at times. If he develops a vocal presence and grows in confidence with all components of his game, Koureissi has the chance to be a vital two-way presence this season. He's a taming influence with the ball in his hands and also a significant shot-maker, employed both on and off the ball. With Fland and several supporting cast members receiving ramped up defensive coverage, expect Koureissi to discover a meaningful niche as a high pressure scorer. During the AAU circuit, he personified poise in numerous games down the stretch.
Jasiah Jervis (Archbishop Stepinac HS, NY ‘26)s a 6-foot-5 guard-wing who has added athleticism and thunderous above rim finishing to his evolving arsenal. Jervis is powerfully built and a long source on whom Stepinac will look to for supplemental scoring, with multi-dimensional defensive aptitude. An open court finisher with a growing long range shooting touch. Jervis possesses polish and upside to his game.
Of course, there is plenty of room for continued development for Jervis, who is a rather young sophomore at just 15 years old. He's been a notable playmaker in the half court set, drawing attention on drives and whizzing passes to jarringly open teammates. Jervis has also incorporated a nifty floater into his arsenal. He's able to elude defenders with his powerful handle and carve out space in between defenders. An area where Jervis differentiates himself is with his pull-up 3-pointer and transition 3-pointer. Both ready-made tools in his arsenal. These facets of his game came alive during the Pangos freshman and sophomore game this past season.
Jervis oozes of long term upside, possessing the look of a big guard with a blossoming downhill game. He has already accumulated offers from Manhattan, Fordham, St. Bonaventure, St. John's, Iona, Hofstra, Saint Louis, and others. Jervis propelled his collegiate stock with his play during the CHSAA Team Camp, with his reliability as an ambidextrous finisher and shot maker garnering notice.
Andrew Violante (Somers HS, NY ‘24)The bigger the stage, the bigger he plays. Violante erupted during a monumental time for Somers last season, with a commendable performance both in the Section 1 Class A quarterfinal and also during the semifinal victory on the elevated stage at the Westchester County Center.
Violante scored a game-best 27 points, leading the Tuskers to a 62-47 win over Lakeland, with his flair for the big shot steering the team during critical stretches. Violante stuck a loud 3-pointer with 6:56 remaining in the third quarter and later glided in for a left-handed layup as Somers closed out the quarter in convincing fashion. A multi-sport athlete with veteran readiness and know-how in the backcourt, expect the Class of 2024 Violante to provide leadership and poised shot-making as he inherits the leadership reins this season.
Keith Capuano (Hastings on the Hudson, NY '24) few players across Section 1 possess the type of wealth of experience as the bulldozing, hard-finishing, and versatile Capuano. The Class 2024 forward was among the County's leaders in scoring and rebounding last season. With myriad games of 25+ points and 10+ rebounds and a handful of games in which he shot 10 free throws or more. Capuano is a major power source on which the offense runs through, barreling his way to the rim and finishing through hard contact.
He has a natural fluid mobile style, running the floor and finishing in the fast paced transition attack. Capuano won a Section 1 title as an eighth grader on a 23-2 team under current coach Bob Delle Bovi, supplying hustle points off the bench. Each year since, he has maximized his role while his production rate has grown incrementally. Of course, his true freshman season was cut to just a few games, Covid results eliminated much of the schedule. Hastings and Capuano will look to make up for some lost time this year, extinguishing derailing demons of the past. The Yellow Jackets put up forgettable dud of a performance at the Westchester County Center, mired in a stagnant first quarter funk that they were never able to climb back out from en route to a flameout against Byram Hills in the semifinal.
Alex Bryant (Iona Prep HS, NY ‘24) with AJ Rodriguez and Blaise New gone, Iona Prep will look to several new sources to pioneer the offense. Defensively, the 6-foot-8 Bryant brings an inimitable rim protection presence, as he emerged into a true fly-swatter during several games this past season. Bryant is known for his prodigious vertical and ability to put his head on the rim. He's become a lob finisher, stick-back finisher, and has leaned on a nifty turnaround jumper as he continues to refine his offensive skill set.
Really, it is his defensive fortitude that anchors this Gaels team. With his timing, tenacity, and pterodactyl-like wingspan, he's able to swat and manipulate shots and steer the driving lanes clear.
