By Phil Foley
The Palisade Prep Boys Basketball team is eagerly awaiting the start of the 2021- 2022 season.
This week I met with Coach Stahn and coach Stelzner from Palisade Prep to discuss the upcoming winter season. The boys over at Palisade Prep have been working hard all off-season, with a goal of competing for a class B Championship this winter.
The team is led by senior guard Deneli McIntosh, who averaged 12 points per game last season before suffering a sprained wrist and missing the last six games of the shortened ten game season. The team also returns juniors Xavier Merrill, Jalen Brown and sophomore Miguel Gonzalez who all contributed off the bench last year.
The Phoenix also bring back juniors Louis Martinez and Yashua Martin opted out of playing last year during the shortened covid season last February but played as freshman. Newcomers to the program at Palisade Prep include senior Alexis Agyeman and juniors Jose Martinez and Steven Armonia.
While not having a lot of depth or experience, the coaching staff feels they have the talent to compete for a league championship and Yonkers City Championship. Coach Stahn hopes a rigorous non-league schedule will prepare the team for the sectional playoffs in February.
The team opens their season on Monday December 6th at Hastings High School of the favorites to win the class B sectional title. Then they travel to Port Chester on December 10th and 11th to participate in the 1st Annual Lou Larizza Memorial Basketball Tournament.
Best of Luck to the Phoenix!
