Local teams are hungry for tourney glory

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a veritable basketball feast as the northwest Bronx’s high school season prepares to tip off. Here’s a preview of the upcoming season for PSAL boys.

DeWITT CLINTON

Coach: Chris Ballerini

Bronx A West Division

League Opener: Nov. 30 at Bronx Science.

The Governors enjoyed a solid season a year ago as they ran away with the Bronx A West Division with a 15-1 record in the league and a robust 22-6 overall mark. Clinton followed their roll through the Bronx with a deep run in the PSAL playoffs before they bowed out in the quarterfinals to Bedford Academy.

And though Ballerini has lost nine of 11 players from last year’s team, he says the Governors will not be rebuilding, but rather reloading. “We’re going to be pretty good again this year,” Ballerini said.  “You would think it would be a rebuilding year, losing nine of 11 guys, but this team is going to have a lot of talent so I think we’re going to be all right. I think we should be competing for the division title once again and hopefully, we’ll be in the mix for the city championship.”

Ballerini said the Governors’ fortunes this season will ride with the senior trio of Jordan Cintron, Seydou Magassouba, who Ballerini calls “a real athletic slasher-type of player,” and Demetrues Bell, who is “a big-time player as well.”

BRONX SCIENCE

Coach: Bart Allen

Bronx A West Division

League Opener: Nov. 30 vs. Clinton.

Allen takes over as head coach of the Wolverines this season after the program stumbled through a 3-13 season a year ago. “They didn’t have a very good record last year, so one goal for me obviously this year is to make sure we are competitive each and every game,” Allen said. “Last year, they lost their fair share of close games, so hopefully we can get over the hump in that regard.”