LWA stocked with young talent

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Making some noise in the NYSAIS boys’ basketball playoffs is a primary goal for Lawrence Woodmere Academy, which returned a wealth of talent and experience from last season’s 20-win squad.

The Tigers have a young team on paper — two seniors on a roster of 14 — but not on the court with four full-time returning starters and a fifth with some starting experience. “All these guys are stronger than last season,” head coach Jeff Weiss said. “They’ve played really well and they’re playing with confidence. I think we have a lot to look forward to.”

LWA batted miserable traffic to Yonkers on Jan. 24 but kicked into gear after trailing Sacred Heart by two points through one quarter and came away with an 80-73 non-league victory. Sophomore center Aidan Igiehon led four Tigers in double figures with 26 points and also grabbed 17 rebounds. Junior point guard Jordan Dingle added 25 points, sophomore Tyler St. Furcy had 13, and senior Terrin Roy chipped in a dozen.

“It was a good test,” Weiss said. “We played well in the second and third quarters.”

After losing in the opening round of the NYSAIS (New York State Association of Independent Schools) tournament last February, the Tigers (12-2 overall) have their sights set on a deep run. “It’s the only playoffs we’ll have this season, so we want to go as far as we can,” Weiss said.

Having a 1-2 punch like Igiehon and Dingle makes LWA a difficult assignment. Both are averaging roughly 21 points per game. Igiehon, who stands 6-foot-10 and has all the tools, is on the path to be the most outstanding player the program has ever had, said Weiss, who has coached standouts Karim Shabazz and Tyrone Nash during his 28 years at the helm.

“Aidan averaged 18 points and 14 rebounds as a freshman, and he’s getting bigger and stronger every day,” Weiss explained. “He’s already being recruited by major Division I colleges. He’s agile, he’s athletic and he dominates games.”

Igiehon, who plays for an elite travel team (New York Lightning), has posted a double-double in all 14 games so far and is averaging 17.5 rebounds and 5 blocks. “He’s also a great teammate and an honor student,” Weiss noted.

Dingle also stars in the classroom as well as the court and could be bound for an Ivy League college, Weiss said. Dingle already eclipsed 1,000 points for his career and does a nice job of getting his teammates involved. “Jordan’s a very explosive offensive player who shoots well from the outside and goes hard to the basket,” Weiss said.

St. Furcy is a well-rounded lefty with strong defensive instincts and the ability to score in double figures. Roy is a tough on-ball defender with quickness and athleticism, and junior Kendall Ogilvie is a physical guard who’s built and rebounds like a power forward. 

Quality minutes off the bench are being provided by junior guards Andrew Buskey and Kasaun Thomas, as well as sophomore 6-6 forward Malik Speckman.