Nehemy Fresnel leads Sewanhaka boys to a win over New Hyde Park
Nehemy Fresnel of Sewanhaka takes the fadeaway jumper during a Nassau Conference AA-IV boys basketball game against New Hyde Park on Friday at Sewanhaka. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Sewanhaka 6-7 junior forward Nehemy Fresnel is the center of opponents’ gameplans on a nightly basis.
Teams have started to learn more about Fresnel, in his first full season on the Ravens varsity boys basketball team after being called up during last season. Adjustments have followed for Fresnel and Sewanhaka’s offense, but his winning impact has not wavered.
Fresnel scored 17 points, including 11 second-chance points, to lead Sewanhaka to a 52-43 home win over New Hyde Park in a Nassau League AA-IV game Friday afternoon.
“If my teammates don’t make a shot, I’m there for a second-chance point,” Fresnel said.
Fresnel scored nine third-quarter points to help Sewanhaka (10-3, 7-1) maintain a 37-27 lead heading into the fourth.
“As soon as he got the ball, they were double- and triple-teaming him,” said Bill Dubin, Sewanhaka’s acting coach in place of Jay Allen (personal reasons).
“That’s good strategy on their part, and that’s probably what we’re going to see the rest of the year. And other guys have to step up and make a difference.”
Sewanhaka extended its lead to 46-31 on junior guard Dante Anderson’s putback with 4:43 remaining. New Hyde Park (8-5, 4-4) went on an 8-0 run to make it 46-39 with 2:55 left, but it never inched closer than seven points.
Anderson scored 14 points and shut the door with Sewanhaka’s last eight points, six in the final 2:20.
Said Anderson: “My teammates get me to my spots and I’m always going to be there, so I’m always going to reward them for getting me there.”
Chris Notine and Charles Avallone, making his varsity debut, each had 12 points for the Gladiators.
Friday was Sewanhaka’s 20th annual Hoops 4 Hope game supporting SIBS Place in Rockville Centre, a free program serving children ages 5-to-17 who are living with a sibling or a parent with cancer or another illness. A halftime ceremony included the announcement of a $1,000 donation.
“I’ve been involved in SIBS since it started, and it’s a great place for kids whose either parents or siblings are critically ill, and it gives them a sense of normalcy,” Dubin said. “It’s a one of a kind program in the country, and it provides a service nobody else does — all free and all based upon donations.
“We have opened our doors to many, many, many children, and we will continue to do so.”
The win moved Sewanhaka into a tie with Garden City atop the Nassau AA-IV standings. Garden City beat Sewanhaka, 51-48, last Saturday, and the teams will meet again on Feb. 7.
“I’m extremely disappointed that we lost that Garden City game, and it still haunts me a little bit,” Fresnel said. “Now we have the mentality of ‘we want first place,’ and that’s pretty much it.”
Anderson added: “And that’s not even all — we want to win a (championship).”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
