New Rochelle Boys Varsity Basketball Team’s Outstanding Season

The New Rochelle Boys Varsity Basketball team began its season on February 5th, 2021. The team finished with an impressive record of nine wins and three losses through twelve games, headlined by seniors Promise Opurum and Jayson McGhee. In the semifinals of the Southern Westchester Group One League, New Rochelle defeated Scarsdale in convincing fashion with a score of 54 to 37. Opurum led the team with 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks. McGhee added 14 points and senior Breyon Williams had 13 rebounds. In the championship game, New Rochelle lost to Mount Vernon by a score of 62 to 45. After this game, Mount Vernon capped off their winning streak of eight straight games after a 1-3 start. 

Although the ending might not have been what the team wanted, senior guard John Haley called the season a success, stating, “With Covid going on I think we did a good job staying safe and playing as well as we could.” The pandemic not only had an impact on the court, with teams being required to wear masks, but it also had possible future implications on the players. Promise Opurum, who had a stand-out season, said in an interview with Lohud Sports about recruitment to college, “Me and my team will keep going as hard as we can. A lot of guys on my team are in the same situation as me. I’ll probably look back in the future and laugh. But right now, it’s definitely a detour.” 

The team played at the highest level possible all season long and competed with the best in Westchester, and even though it was the last season for many of the players, the future is bright for the New Rochelle Boys Varsity Basketball team.