Moore Catholic 2026-27 Season Preview
Founded in 1962, Moore Catholic High is a coeducational Catholic high school of about 400 students on a 6-acre campus in the Bulls Head neighborhood of Staten Island. In boys basketball, the Mavericks compete in the A Division of the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA), one of the most historic and talent-rich high school leagues in the country and a longtime pipeline to college basketball, and they are entering their third season at the A level.
Head coach Todd Byrnes enters his second season looking to build on a meaningful first year. He took over the varsity in April 2025 from his father, Tom Byrnes, who moved the program up from the CHSAA B Division to the A Division and led it to city and state championships in 2023. Todd came up through the program, guiding Moore’s JV to three straight CHSAA city championships before the promotion, and many of his current varsity players developed under him at the lower levels. His teams are known for a fast-paced offense and buckle-down defense, and Gerald Novello and Chris Frayler are his assistant coaches. In only Moore Catholic’s second season in the A Division, the Mavericks edged Monsignor McClancy (Queens) in a down-to-the-wire playoff game to advance to the second round of the A Division City Playoffs, and that run gives this group something tangible to build on.
With last season’s stars Nick DeGrado moving on to Albright College and Eenej Vinson to Monroe Community College, the Mavericks will turn to a talented senior core led by Alex Raphael, Kyle Perez and Calvin Cen. This is a hungry team, eager to embrace bigger roles and show the city it is ready to make noise.
The team’s 2026-27 players are profiled below.
Deven Aponte (2027) - Aponte is expected to see significant playing time as Moore builds a dependable rotation around its leading trio.
A.J. Biscuiti (2027) - Biscuiti is expected to see significant playing time as Moore builds a dependable rotation around its leading trio.
Calvin Cen (2027) 6’3 guard - Cen could emerge as one of the league’s biggest surprises. He spent his first two years at St. Joseph by-the-Sea before transferring to Moore Catholic last season, and while sitting out under CHSAA transfer rules, he used the time to improve his skills and build his body. Now in the best shape of his life, he is a versatile scorer who can produce at all three levels and finish above the rim, and he will be asked to shoulder a significant share of the scoring while contributing across the stat sheet. He has received offers from D3 John Jay and Borough of Manhattan Community College, and has drawn D3 interest from Baruch, Brooklyn College, Caltech, Pratt and RIT. Played club ball with SLT Hoops-Griffith. 3.8 gpa
Arion Draga (2027) - Draga is expected to see significant playing time as Moore builds a dependable rotation around its leading trio.
Seshan Hackney (2027) - Hackney is expected to see significant playing time as Moore builds a dependable rotation around its leading trio.
Kyle Perez (2027) 5’10 point guard - A team captain, Perez takes full command of the offense as Moore’s floor leader this season after playing behind Nick DeGrado last year. A two-time CHSAA JV champion who helped win back-to-back titles, he brings a winning background and an outstanding ability to read the defense and make the right decision. He can punish opponents from three, attack the rim and get to the foul line, and on defense his ball pressure, anticipation and willingness to take charges can frustrate opposing guards and swing the momentum of a game. He has drawn strong D3 interest from FDU-Florham, Mount Saint Vincent, Pratt and St. Joseph’s University-Brooklyn, among others, but remains undecided. Played club ball with SLT Hoops-Griffith. Video highlights 3.8 gpa
Alex Raphael (2027) 6’5 forward/center (Committed to Penn State Harrisburg) - Named one of RecruitTheBronx’s 2026-27 CHSAA A Impact Players and a RecruitTheBronx High Academic Prospect. Raphael will anchor the Mavericks inside. With a powerful frame, a strong interior game and the ability to play above the rim, he gives Moore a commanding presence around the basket, and his rebounding, rim protection and ability to finish through contact will be essential against a demanding A Division schedule. Played club ball with Will Rios Select. 4.0 gpa
Frank Guerrero (2028) - Guerrero will compete for minutes and a chance to make his mark.
Dylan Legakis (2028) - Legakis will compete for minutes and a chance to make his mark.
Ryan Malave (2028) - Malave will compete for minutes and a chance to make his mark.
Sharif McCrimon (2028) - McCrimon will compete for minutes and a chance to make his mark.
Luca Fanelli (2029) - Fanelli jumps from the freshman team to varsity in just his second high school season. A knockdown three-point shooter, he stretches the floor and makes defenses pay for leaving him open.
The team’s 2026-27 game schedule and results can be found here.