Festival Preview: “Battle Tested” St. Rays Not Ducking Wreck
Ron Bailey, Publisher
November 20, 2007 – Few East Coast high school hoops enthusiasts have not heard of the Bronx, NY’s St. Raymond. Set on St. Raymond Avenue in what many consider the roughest borough in New York City, the school for years has taken on the “BX’s” persona by taking all comers not only in New York City’s Catholic High Schools Athletic Association (CHSAA), but nationally as well. This year is no different.
“We have a great schedule” shared the St. Raymond Raven’s head coach, Oliver Antigua, via telephone today. “We open up in the Catholic vs. Public School Challenge…There is Puerto Rico for Christmas, St. Pat’s (St. Patrick’s, a New Jersey-based national power) in Madison Square Garden, Taft from California in Springfield, MO, the Pittsburgh Hoops Classic” and Jersey’s Prime Time Shootout in February.
Additionally, Antigua noted “We play like six or seven nationally ranked teams”, which of course include Big Apple foes Brother Rice and Christ the King, who both should fit that bill (St. Raymond plays each twice). Other CHSAA opponents include Brooklyn’s always touch Xaverian, and Queen’s Archbishop Molloy.
Further giving Antigua’s claim “We come battle tested” credence, are the Ravens’ preseason tournament victories over arguably one of the best public school programs in New York, Lincoln, and St. Patrick’s. One must also add their December 8th tilt with Washington Catholic Athletic Conference stalwart, Archbishop Carroll (DC), in the National High School Hoops Festival to that list.
“We don’t play a cupcake schedule, that’s what gets us ready for the playoffs” said Antigua, returning to his desire to take on all comers. Later, the 6th year St. Ray’s head coach, whose team went 16-11 last season before losing in the City Championship, added “That’s why we wanted to come down there. We knew we would get a good team from DC”.
Leading the Ravens is 6’1 senior guard Dal Bryant, a Brooklyn native that is headed to West Virginia. Antigua shared of Bryant, “He’s our leading returning scorer with 15 points a game last year. He also gave us 5 assists (per contest)”.
Joining Bryant as standout performers for the Ravens are two juniors hailing from the Bronx, 6’3” guard Omari Lawrence, who Antigua labeled “our best athlete” and accounted for “ten points and nine rebounds last season”, along with forward Kevin Parrom.
Per their coach, Lawrence is being recruited by “all the high majors”, while Parrom is a future “Big East recruit”.
Antigua anticipates this lineup comparing well with that of Carroll’s, which itself contains future Syracuse Orangeman, senior swingman Kris Joseph, and junior forward Rodney McGruder, who recently committed to the Big Twelve’s Kansas State University.
“Keith (Stevens, the Festival’s organizer) told me we match up well with them” said Antigua of his team’s foe, Carroll.
Indeed they do, and those who witness the battle should be in for a treat. D.C. versus New York. Future big time college players versus future big time players, all in one of the best high school hoops facilities in the Mid-Atlantic area, Wise High School’s (MD).
What more can we as fans, ask for?