NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — New York City has not one, but two teams into the quarterfinals of the prestigious Peach Jam.
Both the PSA Cardinals (4-1) and the NY Rens (4-1) advanced from the original field of 24 into the final eight that will begin quarterfinal play at noon on Saturday. Quarterfinals matchups have yet to be determined.
If both teams had not rested key players for their final pool play games on Friday night after starting out 4-0 respectively, they might have steamrolled to a combined 10-0 through the first three days.
Regardless, now both teams have a shot at the New York metropolitan area’s first Peach Jam title since Isaiah Briscoe led the NJ Playaz to the crown in 2014.
“The goal is to win Peach Jam,” Jordan Tucker, who scored 21 points in the Rens’ 67-66 loss to Team Final Friday night, told SNY.tv. “PSA is also in the Elite Eight. We just want to get one win at a time, hopefully win the Elite Eight and then hopefully meet PSA. That would be one hell of a game.”
For those doubting the strength of New York basketball, Rens coach Andy Borman said this accomplishment makes a strong statement.
“You look at it and you say, there’s eight teams in the best circuit in the country [Nike] and out of those eight two of them are New York City teams,” Borman said. “Now I’m not saying New York-area teams, New York City teams. And if that doesn’t say enough about the state of New York basketball, then I don’t want to talk to anybody about it because they don’t know what they’re talking about.”
Both teams are loaded with various levels of talent, from potential future pros on down. The Rens and the Cardinals have a combined six players in the latest 2017 ESPN 100: No. 3 Mohamed Bamba (PSA Cardinals); No. 12 Hamidou Diallo (NY Rens); No. 22 Quade Green (PSA Cardinals); No. 35 Tucker (NY Rens); No. 43 Brandon Randolph (PSA Cardinals); and No. 80 Deng Gak (PSA Cardinals).
That explains why a Who’s Who of college coaches are watching the teams this weekend, including Kentucky’s John Calipari, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, Kansas’ Bill Self, Arizona’s Sean Miller, UConn’s Kevin Ollie, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, Villanova’s Jay Wright and St. John’s Chris Mullin, among many others.
“There’s kids that are Division 1 players, there’s kids that are Ivy League players, there’s kids that are blue blood high-majors and there’s kids that are pros,” Borman said. “And two out of eight [are from New York], enough said in my opinion.”
“At some point the rest of the country will take some time and look up,” PSA Cardinals director Terrance “Munch” Williams said last month. “When they do, they will realize that New York City basketball is in a great space. Until then, please allow these young men to chase their destiny.”
Also, all the attention lavished on stars like Bamba, Diallo, Green, Tucker and Randolph trickles down and can only help other players like the Mount Vernon High School trio on the Rens: Gregory Calixte, Marco Morency and Noah Morgan.
“Always, whenever you have a player that can bring other coaches in,” said Rens assistant Dwayne Murray, also a Mount Vernon assistant. “Because coaches all speak and whether they need somebody or not, they may know somebody who does, and that always helps.”
Murray pointed out that the 6-foot-9 Calixte “has been the biggest beneficiary, adding offers from La Salle, DePaul, Iona, Hofstra and Bowling Green recently.
Led by Rawle Alkins and Mustapha Heron, Borman’s won the adidas Finals title last year, but then switched over to Nike this season when their team included Diallo, Tucker, Jordan Nwora and Jose Alvarado.
“That’s why we’re NIke because, man, it’s gonna be the best of the best,” Borman said.
Despite dropping their final pool play game, the Rens are rested and ready for the quarterfinals after Diallo and Alvarado sat out the final pool play game while Krzyzewski, Calipari, Miller, Ollie, Boeheim and Mullin all watched.
The PSA Cardinals rested four key players in Bamba, Green, Randolph and Hasahn French (much to the chagrin of the coaches who came to see them), but are revved up for the quarterfinals.
“I think it’s a good we got a loss,” Tucker said. “We got that under our belt. Now we can go out and get a ‘W’ now.”
