Friday, February 7, 2025
Sewanhaka boys' basketball head coach Jay Allen has taken an exciting young core and built a fortress. The 10-3 Ravens are capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor, but suffocating defense has made them a nightmarish matchup in Nassau Class AA.
"This year, defense is a necessity," Allen said. "And the guys understand that. They come to every game and say that we're going to defend first. We're going to wear teams down and make defense a priority."
Last Friday, New Hyde Park became the latest victims of a Sewanhaka lockdown, managing just 13 points in the first half of a 52-43 Ravens home victory.
Allen could not coach that day, but assistant Bill Dubin, longtime Hewlett head coach, stepped in and secured an eerily similar result. In two meetings between the teams, New Hyde Park never managed to score 45 points. Through 13 games, the Ravens have only allowed one team to score more than 60.
Sewanhaka's seemingly unbreakable backbone is comprised of four players. Junior Nehemy Fresnel has emerged as the Ravens’ leading scorer in his first full varsity season. The 6-foot-6 athlete can switch between positions, possessing shooting ability and a daunting presence under the rim.
"He's a unicorn type of player," Allen said of Fresnel, who had a team-high 17 points last Friday. "He's got so many layers to his game."
Miles Gurley and Braylon Metellus are Sewanhaka’s only returning seniors. At point guard, Gurley is the Ravens' engine, a natural facilitator and fierce defender. He has also proven capable of lighting up the box score himself, as he did against Manhasset with a 22-point performance on Jan. 2.
Metellus was described by Allen as Sewanhaka's leader and best athlete, another versatile player who does his part on offense while providing even more on defense. The senior often handles opponents' best players.
"He comes to me after a game and he says, 'how many points does the guy I'm guarding have?'" Allen said, laughing. "Most kids are going to ask how many points they scored, but he doesn't care about that."
Junior shooting guard Dante Anderson rounds out the all-important quartet, serving as a key outlet for Gurley on offense. The Ravens' grinding play-style doesn't rely on three-point shooting, but Anderson is easily their most dangerous perimeter threat.
Barring an uncharacteristic 73-59 loss to Jericho early on, fundamental lapses have been sparse for Sewanhaka, even against stronger opponents. In a game against Garden City on Jan. 12, the Ravens took the then-undefeated Trojans to the limit, leading by four going into the fourth quarter before eventually falling 51-48. It is the second-least points Garden City has scored in a game so far.
It's already hard for teams to answer all of Sewanhaka's threats, and the waters could get even deeper. Junior forward Jahzeel Boothe has impressed in practice and could soon earn playing time, and senior Wayne Orenville is gradually working his way back after suffering an injury during football season.
