So there have always been players on Staten Island, contrary to what some non-Islanders like to think.
But maybe there have never been more making an impact in Division I ball than now.
Missouri’s Zaire Taylor, and Ryan (Siena) and Steve (Davidson) Rossiter all went to the tournament last
year, and it’s probable none of their teams would have advanced that far without them.
Freshman St. Peter’s product OD Anosike is the first big man off the bench at Siena, and Halil Kanacevic
(Curtis) may just be the best big man on the Hofstra roster despite being only six games into his college
career.
Isaiah Wilkerson (Curtis) is the glue of the NJIT team in Newark,
and Doug Elwell (Monsignor Farrell) the best passer in the Wagner
College program.
Farrell point guard James Hett has started from the day he showed
up at Monmouth University.
CATCHING UP
That group playing together could be the core of a very good
college team at a very competitive level. And I’m probably missing
someone at least as deserving as those mentioned.
AP
The point is, the quantity of good players has increased on the
Island. And the season that is just beginning looks as if it will
Curtis product Zaire Taylor played a key
role in Missouri's Elite Eight run in 2008-09.
continue to show more of the same.
MSIT point guard Pucky Manley and Curtis point man Jonathan Annan, both seniors, are just two kids
playing on the Island today who won’t be finished with basketball any time soon.
Tony Rafaniello, who has been coaching the high school game here for 35 years, says things have never
been better.
“The quality of Island basketball is catching up with the rest of the city,” the Moore Catholic coach insists.
“There may not be a single team yet that can compete with the very best in the city. But there are plenty of
individual players who could play for anyone.”
Rafaniello also has an idea of why that is.
“More kids playing, and better coaching,” he said. “When you look around the high school programs on the
Island you see a real stability in the coaching staffs. There are a lot of people who know a lot about the
game.”
There’s also more diversity, Rafaniello points out.
There are kids playing for Island schools now who began their lives in Nigeria, Albania, Congo.
“The trend’s going to continue,” he says.
St. Peter’s coach Charlie Driscoll has been at the coaching game for 21 seasons. He agrees with Rafaniello.
“There’s no doubt the basketball is better,” he says.
But his reasons for the improvement are more general.
“I think part of it is that kids concentrate far more now on a single sport,” said Driscoll, whose Eagles are the
reigning Island champs.
“And I think the different non-school programs during the summer gives them exposure to playing against
some very good competition.”
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