Long Island Lutheran boys basketball earns 'statement' win at Hoophall Classic

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — You’d think playing a team last year might provide some insight into personnel and strategy for this year. For the Long Island Lutheran boys basketball team, last season’s overtime loss to AZ Compass Prep at Blake Arena provided little blueprint for Sunday afternoon’s rematch because of the opponent’s immense roster turnover.

While LuHi returned a handful of players from last year, AZ Compass (from Chandler, Ariz.) turned over virtually its entire roster. The continuity of experienced Crusaders guards Kiyan Anthony, Nigel James and Dylan and Kayden Mingo, led to a narrow 63-57 revenge victory at the Army National Guard Hoophall Classic.

“We lost to them the last two years, at Geico Nationals and here at Hoophall, and this year we finally beat them,” Anthony said. “It’s a statement game. It’s definitely a big win and our trajectory is going upwards.”

The No. 16 team in the SCNext Top 25, the Crusaders (10-5) downed the team one spot below them in the rankings behind a game-high 17 points from Anthony, a late bucket via a goaltending call off a James drive and free throws by Dylan Mingo.

James said the team talked about last year’s game, and the returners “remember losing and [AZ Compass] talking a lot of crap.” The Crusaders changed fortunes, James said, by limiting the Dragons ability to penetrate.

The biggest addition to Dragons? Miikka Muurinen. The Finland-born senior, who ranks No. 6 in the class of 2025 per the 247Sports Composite, is known as a matchup nightmare with his 6-10 frame and outside scoring ability. The Crusaders more than held him in check, limiting the uncommitted standout to just one point by rotating 6-11 junior Omar Essam, 7-1 senior Nico Onyekwere and 6-9 junior MJ Madison on him.

“He’s quicker, but at the end of the day I had to stop him,” Onyekwere said. “Everybody got the job done.”

The Crusaders maintained a narrow lead for most of the first half and went into the break up 36-32 behind 13 points from Anthony. On one play, Anthony slipped backdoor and converted an acrobatic finish, prompting his father, Carmelo Anthony, to mouth “good job!” from his courtside seat as he simultaneously watched the Eagles-Rams NFC Divisional Round playoff game on a tablet despite being a Ravens fan. Carmelo Anthony, a first-time nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, hopes to return to Springfield soon for enshrinement.

Tied going into the fourth, the Crusaders pushed ahead when a James shot was goaltended by Muurinen with 1:17 left to make it a three-point game. Muurinen missed a vicious dunk attempt on the other end, James split a pair of free throws. After another stop, Dylan Mingo converted two free throws to seal it.

“Guards win you games,” Long Island Lutheran coach John Buck said. “Just like the last couple plays… You need the guards to win you games.”