image credit: Brody Shuffler ’25 (@fastbreakvisuals)

Game Summary

Dwight incinerated Staten Island Academy in a 51-27 victory on Wednesday, December 9th. The starters for this game were Padilla #10, Willis-Johnston #3, Rich #12, Nweke #23, and Wong-Chassine #32. The starters began the contest with a fast-paced offense that saw Nweke dropping 8 points in the first quarter, but the highlight of the first quarter was the Lion’s defense. They held SIA to 2 points in the first quarter, and the phenomenal defensive performance continued to the second quarter seeing SIA trail the Lions 32- 9 at the half. While the top-notch performance from the starters pushed Dwight to a large lead in the first half, it was Ifrah #13 who dominated off the bench scoring 7 points in the second quarter.

Dwight’s first-half performance was near perfection, but the team found themselves with 8 team fouls after the first half. While some of the calls were controversial, basic fundamental mistakes were the cause of most of these fouls, something that Dwight can look to fix for their next game.

SIA made a push during the third quarter, outscoring the Lions 16-11. Unfortunately for the Lions, they had trouble scoring when Nweke was off the court. His presence was the main focus for SIA which opened up the court to his teammates. Nweke was also scoring through the double team with ease. While SIA did have the upper hand during the third quarter, they entered the fourth quarter down 18 points leading to an uneventful fourth quarter by both teams’ benches. Dwight outscored SIA in the fourth quarter 8-2.

Positives

Nweke was able to dominate SIA every second he was on the court. His aggressiveness in the paint was too much for Staten Island. Furthermore, his greatness on the court helps his teammates play better which is the most important feature a star player can have. Not only do star players put up great numbers, but they bring their teammates up with them. Nweke is an extremely special player and proved that in this game.

Ifrah was extremely impressive during this matchup. His speed and high IQ helped him get open shots and make them. He was also aggressive on defense and earned his spot on the team during this matchup.  

Negatives

As mentioned before, the team could not score without Nweke. It seems that they lose their identity when he goes to the bench. A bench player needs to step up and become THE GUY when Nweke goes to the bench. Hofstede could be that guy because of his strength and skill in the paint. Possibly with guidance from Nweke, Hofstede can become the main focus of the offense when Nweke leaves the court.

Padilla had an off night and seemed to get into his head early on. His skill and leadership on the court can lead Dwight to a victory over any team. When Padilla is playing at his best, Dwight is the best high school team in NYC. Hopefully, with support from his teammates and Coach Dave, he can bounce back in the next game.

Final Takeaway

To anyone who watched this game, it was never in doubt that Dwight would come out victorious. Games against weak teams like SIA are always a great confidence booster for the squad, and can hopefully produce momentum towards the next game. Dwight is in a good spot this year, and it looks like they can go all the way.