Curtis’ Rich Buckheit is The Post’s Staten Island boys basketball Coach of the Year. (Damion Reid)
Two Island teams — Curtis and McKee/Staten Island Tech — pulled off several marquee victories over city teams, and the Warriors reached the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals for the first time since 1995.
In the CHSAA, St. Peter¹s won another Staten Island division title, but St. Joseph by the Sea was the talk of the borough. The Vikings went on a remarkable playoff run, upsetting Mount St. Michael in The Bronx to reach the Class A intersectional semifinals where they fell to Cardinal Hayes.
All-Staten Island boys basketball Player of the Year: Jonathan Annan, Curtis
Annan was the Warriors’ heartbeat and leading scorer in the playoffs, guiding Curtis to the Staten Island High School League title over McKee/Staten Island Tech and to the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals for the first time since 1995. He was named the MVP of the SIHSL final and almost singlehandedly led Curtis past Forest Hills in a memorable second-round victory, sinking a running jumper with four seconds remaining.
“My team looks up to me, I felt like this was my time,” he said after the game.
The lightning-quick Annan averaged 13.3 points, five assists and four rebounds per game, but his contributions went further than mere statistics. He wasn¹t known for his long-range shooting, but the senior often found his stroke when it mattered most. His infectious personality and wide grin motivated his teammates.
“He’s got everything under control,” Curtis coach Rich Buckheit said. “He’s a leader and he knows the game.”
All-Staten Island boys basketball Coach of the Year:
Rich Buckheit, Curtis
In two years at Curtis, Buckheit has done nothing but win. He’s claimed a PSAL Class A city title, won two Staten Island A division crowns, a Staten Island High School League tournament title, and led the Warriors to the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals for the first time in 15 years.
Clearly, he’s doing plenty right. He lost his best player — Hofstra freshman Halil Kanacevic — yet Curtis remained at a high level, finishing 26-5, a nod to the demanding and well-organized Buckheit. He brought up DaShawn Richmond and the sophomore contributed. He put the ball in Annan’s hands and the point guard produced. The Warriors had talent, but they overachieved by going undefeated in SIHSL league play and rallying to beat Forest Hills on the road in the second round of the citywide playoffs.
All-Staten Island first team
G Anthony Keane, Monsignor Farrell
Monsignor Farrell put a 2-22 season behind it and competed in the CHSAA Class A intersectional playoffs, beating Nazareth in a first round game. A versatile 6-foot-2 senior swingman who averaged 15 points per game, second in the CHSAA Staten Island division, Keane was essential to the turnaround.
G Pucky Manley, McKee/SI Tech
Undersized for a shooting guard at 5-foot-9, Manley nevertheless led MSIT in scoring at 18 points per game. Like a microwave, he could heat up quickly, often turning a game in MSIT’s favor with a succession of 3-point bombs — he made a Staten Island high 62 — or fearless drives to the basket.
G Atigi Moore, McKee/SI Tech
The 6-foot-2 guard and 1,000-point scorer has helped turn around the once moribund program, leading the Sea Gulls to the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals last year, the second round this year and a pair of second-place finished in league play.
G Trevor Sykes, St. Peter’s
The lone returning starter from last year¹s squad, the 6-foot-1 shooting guard helped lead the Eagles to another CHSAA Staten Island division title. The explosive and athletic senior scored in a variety of ways, averaging a division-best 16.6 points per game. He was sensational against Archbishop Molloy in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional first round before running out of gas late.
F James Timmins, Curtis
Timmins played basketball much the way he dominated in the fall on the gridiron: by giving everything he had every moment on the court. The 6-foot-4 workhorse got the most out of his ability, emerged as Curtis’ top low-post threat and was at his best in the season’s seminal moments.
All-Staten Island second team
G David Acres, Moore Catholic
A three-year varsity player and dangerous 3-point threat, the 6-foot-1 senior guard led Moore Catholic in scoring for a second straight year, averaging 13.9 points per game.
F Eddie Connelly, St. Joseph by the Sea
Strong enough to bang inside and savvy enough to score from outside or take his defender off the dribble, Connelly was one of the leaders of a tight-knit Vikings squad. The senior forward helped lead Sea in a miraculous run to the CHSAA Class A intersectional semifinals.
G Aaron Morton, New Dorp
Despite the Central Cougars’ disappointing 6-8 season in league play, there should be optimism for the program. Morton, a talented junior guard who averaged 19.5 points per game – tops on the Island – is back, meaning New Dorp has one of the borough’s finest talents in the fold again next winter.
G Giovanni Oppedisano, Tottenville
The Pirates reached the second round of the PSAL Class A playoffs after missing out on the postseason altogether the last four years, and Oppedisano deserved plenty of credit for that feat. A 5-foot-11 shooting guard, he averaged 17 points per game during the regular season.
G Joe Stabach, St. Joseph by the Sea
The senior, who is also a standout pitcher/catcher on the Vikings baseball team, became the 11th player in program history to score 1,000 career points. A heady guard who can do a little bit of everything, Stabach led Sea in scoring in back-to-back playoff wins against Cardinal Spellman and St. Edmund Prep.
All-Staten Island third team
G Stefan Bock, St. Peter’s
Bock had a reputation as a hard-nosed defensive stalwart, but the 6-foot junior guard had his coming out party this year on the offensive end, averaging 9.9 points per game, good for second on the team.
G Anthony Cipriano, St. Joseph by the Sea
The senior guard had ice water in his veins the entire season, but it was never more evident than crunch time against St. Edmund Prep in a CHSAA Class A intersectional playoff game. He scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, handling the Eagles press with aplomb.
G Lawrence Costello, Wagner
The 5-foot-8 senior guard made the Falcons attack go. He was a reliable outside shooter, but more importantly got his big men – Michael Callino, Andrey Pakholskiy, and Sejiro Agosa – involved, helping Wagner reach the PSAL Class A quarterfinals.
G Josh Good, McKee/SI Tech
Coming off the brilliant end to his sophomore year, Good was solid as a junior, but inconsistent. He struggled through bouts of sluggish performances bit a;so had nights of highlight-reel performances.
F DaShawn Richmond, Curtis
The Island’s top sophomore, Richmond got better as the year went along, averaging nine points per game. At 6-foot-3, he is versatile, able to bang down low but also excelled on the perimeter.
All-Staten Island honorable mention
G Sejiro Agosa, Wagner
F Michael Callino, Wagner
G Dillon Cassese, Moore Catholic
G Rob Horai, St. Peter¹s
F Quentin Tate, Curtis