Babylon Boys Hoopsters Eye Playoffs

Who says a team of underclassmen short on varsity experience , which is competing in one of the most competitive boys’ basketball leagues in Suffolk County, shouldn’t be expected to make the playoffs?

Don’t tell that to Babylon, which with their most recent win, a 61-42 drubbing of Mercy, improved to 4-3 in League VII and is within two wins of securing a second straight postseason appearance.

"Every year we play a very tough non-league schedule and league seven has been one of the toughest leagues in the county the last few years,” said Panthers head coach Chris Morra. To be above .500 we’re pretty much where we wanted to be [at this point in the season], but getting six wins in this league is definitely going to be a challenge.”

Thankfully, Babylon has been the recipient of a banner season from sensational junior Nahari Jenkins, who has averaged more than 24 points per game in seven League VII games this season to rank among the top five in Long Island scoring. Jenkins, who played forward last season, was switched to guard this winter and the results have been nothing short of superb.

“Nahari’s just a team player and he doesn’t care about individual statistics,” Morra said. “He just wants to win and as long as Babylon wins, Nahari Jenkins is happy. He’s a real special kid, just the type of kid who is very likable. When he walks down the hall, all the kids and the teachers say hi to him. He’s a smart kid too.”

Jenkins is also surrounded by a talented group of starters, which includes senior guard Kyle Dawson, whom Morra describes as, “one of the quickest players in the league,” shooting guard Sam Zamet, forward A.J. Sullivan and forward Max Watt.

“We have a good group of athletes on this team,” said Morra. “Kyle is lightning fast, A.J. is an inside force who grabs a lot of rebounds for us, along with Nahari and both Max and Sam are star athletes in other sports.”

Babylon’s bench is deep and when substitutions are made, guard Mike Jackson and forward Sean Logan both log major court minutes. Add to the mix the addition of junior varsity star Jacob Carlock, a freshman who was called up to the varsity last week after a splendid first half, and the Panthers may have just enough to get them back in the thick of a class championship come February.

“We played a tough non-league schedule [earlier this season] and it [the results]
didn’t  really show the team that we were, so people weren’t really expecting us to be 4-3 [at this point],” said Jenkins, who was quick to add, “but we are that good.”

Also bolstering Babylon’s bench are reserve forwards Victor Lynch and Brian Reis, two hustlers that can both shoot the ball well when called upon.

With the Panthers versatility, size and athleticism combined with the mid-season MVP performance of Jenkins and the influx of another dynamic player in the form of Carlock, Babylon possesses the ability to make believers out of those who doubted their chances several weeks ago. With Jenkins leading the charge, the Panthers boundaries seem limitless.