2026 Smartball Classic Top Performers

By Dave Cordova

On Wednesday, August 19, we made our way to the Abraham Lincoln Playground in Harlem for the Smartball Classic. This is a prominent, late summer event which has plenty of teams from the tri-state area competing against each other in a single-elimination. On this day, two of the finest teams from the Catholic High School Sports Association’s Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan division, Nazareth Regional High and Holy Cross High dominated in their respective wins against Mount St. Michael Academy and Canarsie Educational Campus to advance to the next round. Next week, the teams will go into the quarterfinals, as the tournament looks to wrap up on Friday, August 28th. Below are the standouts for the two games:

Jasiah Narcisse 6-3, Shooting Guard, Nazareth High School, Class of 2029 - A guard that is very athletic and has the ability to make his presence felt in various ways on the court. Loves to drive to the basket and is a great finisher, especially when going to the rim. Is a solid defender, as he is able to stick with his man at all times.

Imron Boev 6-4, Forward, Nazareth High School, Class of 2028 - A forward with a versatile skill set, especially on the defensive end. In the post area, he is able to outwork the opposition when it comes to rebounding on both ends of the court. Has the ability to put the ball on the floor and is able to drive to the basket and can finish efficiently and is able to shoot midrange jumpers.

Shane Lopez 5-11, Point Guard, Mount St. Michael Academy, Class of 2028 - A guard that has plenty of quickness and is the team’s spark plug and leader. Has the ability to obtain steals on the defensive end and is able to run on the fast break when the ball goes to the other end. Has a penchant for taking plenty of shots and is great at distributing the ball to his teammates.

Dabra Kio-Amieyeofori 6-7, Forward, Mount St. Michael Academy, Class of 2028 - A forward that has the ability to make his presence felt in the low post and is a formidable presence felt for his team. Is a great shot blocker and has the ability to crash the boards for rebounds. Is definitely athletic on the offensive end, especially when in the low post and is a great finisher when going up for two.

Vaun Vasquez 6-2, Shooting Guard, Mount St. Michael Academy, Class of 2028 - A guard that is very skilled and is a major scoring threat whenever he has the ball in his hands. Has a penchant for creating for himself off the dribble and is able to move off pick & rolls. Has the ability to dish the ball to his teammates when the opportunity presents itself. Is able to flash to the basket and finish and has a nice shooting touch from either midrange or from the corner.

Payton Wilson 6-8, Forward, Holy Cross High School, Class of 2028 - A forward that has the ability to make his presence felt in the low post on both ends of the court. Has the ability to outwork the opposition and dominate on the offensive end by throwing down rim-rattling dunks and can also hit floaters. Is a great rebounder that makes it his mission to get the ball with quickness and precision.

Malachi Miller 5-10, Point Guard, Holy Cross High School, Class of 2029 - A guard that is a true playmaker and is a huge asset to his teammates during various times. Is a player that has the ability to distribute the ball to his teammates, especially if they’re open on the wing, or if there’s a scoring opportunity. Has a nice shooting touch from three-point range and is fearless when driving to the basket, as he is a solid finisher.

Nathaniel Brown 6-1, Shooting Guard, Holy Cross High School, Class of 2028 - A guard that has a penchant for being a playmaker and a scorer on the court. Has the ability to drive to the basket and can attack in transition when he’s on the court. Is able to finish in traffic when going to the basket and has the ability to shoot from long range.

Christian Marbury 6-0, Shooting Guard, Canarsie Educational Campus, Class of 2027 - A guard that has the ability to use his quickness to his advantage when he’s on the floor. Is able to get past defenders off the dribble and has a good midrange pull up jumper, as well as a nice shooting touch from three-point range. Has the ability to get to the basket with ease and is a solid finisher.

Justin Rodriguez 6-0, Point Guard, Canarsie Educational Campus, Class of 2027 - A guard that has the ability to see the floor and has the ability to make great plays when it comes to scoring. Has the ability to dish the ball to his teammates at the right moment or when they are open on the break. Has the ability to finish efficiently when

Jeffrey Waterman 6-6, Forward, Canarsie Educational Campus, Class of 2028 - A forward that is able to put the ball on the floor and is very crafty on the offensive end. Is able to move around off the ball and is able to stay open so that his teammates can find him so that he can pursue an opportunity to score. Has a nice shooting touch and is prone to hitting midrange jumpers and can also get to the basket and finish efficiently.