Top-ranked LI Lutheran boys basketball is too much for No. 2 Chaminade
Jayden Reid of LI Lutheran works his way to the basket during a non-conference boys basketball game between Chaminade and LI Lutheran in Mineola on Thursday, December 15, 2022. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
When it comes to Long Island boys basketball, Long Island Lutheran has been the gold standard for some time. This season, the Crusaders may have taken it to an entirely new level.
Lutheran, the No. 1 ranked team in Newsday’s Island Top 10, often play in the far corners of the country against some of the nation’s best programs, but were pitted in an intriguing local matchup on Thursday night against No. 2 Chaminade. The Crusaders size, speed and athleticism proved far too much for the Flyers to handle.
Lutheran scored 23 of the game’s first 29 points and continued to pull away for a 109-65 non-conference victory at Chaminade’s Activities and Athletic Center. It put on a show, replete with alley-oop dunks, crisp fastbreaks and sweet three-pointers. That can happen when a team has a UConn commit (6-8 Jayden Ross) and six other players already entertaining Division I offers.
“It was a fun game but the stats tell the story,” Chaminade’s Joe Knaus said. “I’ve never seen guys fly through the air like that.”
“They were freakishly athletic and the quickest team we’ve seen,” the Flyers Brad Wyckoff said.
Lutheran senior guard Jayden Reid, a Westbury product and a Newsday 2021-22 All-Long Island selection, savored every minute as he scored 27 points and dished four assists for the Crusaders (3-2).
“I love this game — it’s a tradition,” Reid said. “They have a great atmosphere and it’s a chance to play some of the best Long Island has to offer . . . Chaminade plays a tough motion offense where you have to keep your head on a swivel and they can shoot it.”
Keenan Emmanuel added 18 points and Ross and Farmingdale product Kayden Mingo 15 points each for Lutheran. Knaus and Devin Dillon each scored 15 points and Dave DeBusschere had 12 for Chaminade (4-2).
“We play this game because of how much respect we have for the Chaminade program, but we get a lot out of it too,” Crusaders coach John Buck said. “Their offense has a lot of action and it makes us really defend. And they understand what this game is: it’s good to push a team by showing the players the bar.”
Reid had nine of his points in the first-quarter salvo and Ross had seven of his points in the second quarter when Lutheran stretched the lead to 53-25.
“(Assistant coach) Bob Paul has been at Chaminade 23 years and said he’s never seen a LuHi team this good,” Flyers coach Dan Feeney said. “We hope for the playoffs and to play at the state level and being in a game like this could help us there.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
