A Quick 60
The Challenge
MSGVarsity.com Sports Talk
High School SportsDesk
Harborfields, Our Savior New American help sweep NJ
John Malone
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Three games, three victories for the Empire State during the NY-NJ Challenge.
Our Savior New American School, Harborfields, and New Rochelle each dispatched New Jersey teams with relative ease on Saturday afternoon at New Rochelle High School. New Rochelle (N.Y.) had the toughest matchup of the day during the nightcap but pulled away from Shabazz (Newark, N.J.) 70-61. New Rochelle’s Joe Clarke took home MVP honors with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Kirkland Ottey aided Clarke with 21 points for the Huguenots. Shabazz was led by senior guard Michael Reid who finished with a game and day high of 29 points.
“Before the game we were a little bit nervous because they’re unknown from a different state,” Clarke said of the Bulldogs. “But once the game started, we found our groove.”
Clarke scored 16 of his 26 in the second and third quarters when New Rochelle did its damage. The Huguenots led 17-15 after one quarter but increased their lead to 40-30 at the half.
“We didn’t change anything at halftime, we just kept our composure,” Clarke said. “We will always be alright if we just play ‘New Rochelle’ basketball.”
New Rochelle, which lost to St. Mary’s from Manhasset, Long Island in the Upstate-Downstate challenge, will now prepare for the Slam Dunk Challenge over the Christmas break.
“We’re a good team and we will play anybody,” Clarke said. “Our goal is to keep getting better as the season goes on.”
Harborfields 76, Newark Tech 44
Haborfields (Greenlawn, N.Y.) raced out to a 43-19 lead over Newark Tech (N.J.) and never looked back. The Tornadoes hit eight 3-pointers in the victory. Longwood University-bound point guard Lucas Woodhouse led the Tornadoes with 19 points and 10 assists. Harborfields, the Class A state finalist from a year ago, improve to 2-1 on the year. Jon Patron added 18 points. Dwaine Merrill scored 16 points in the loss for Newark Tech.
Our Savior New American 81, Blair Academy 65
In a battle of prep schools, it was OSNA who came out on top. Nick Lewis hit five 3-pointers and scored 20 points to lead Our Savior. OSNA held a 37-34 lead at half before outscoring Blair Academy 29-12 in the third quarter to pull away.
Four players from Our Savior scored in double figures including eighth-grader Devonte Green. Green is the brother of Danny Green, formerly of St. Mary’s and University of North Carolina. Chris Obekpa, a 6-foot-8, nationally-ranked recruit, finished with six points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks. His defensive presence will continue to be an X-factor for Our Savior’s success.
Blair Academy was led by 6-foot-10, University of Virginia-bound center Mike Tobey who scored 20 points. Alex Wolf, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, scored six points. His brother is Hackley football player, and duke-bound, AJ Wolf.
