On Tuesday night at St. Raymond’s HS in the Bronx, Stepinac guard Danny Carbuccia was not wearing his trademark No.0.
Instead, it was No.14 emblazoned across his Stepinac jersey, as Carbuccia entered the familiar confines of a hostile environment, eager for a renewed CHSAA “AA” blood feud with the Ravens.
Before a jam-packed crowd, both Carbuccia and teammate Boogie Fland were serenaded with a steady chorus of “overrated!” chants early on.
Carbuccia’s jersey number, the wildly amped up crowd, and the history between the two heated, formidable conference foes hardly mattered.
A well-built 6-foot-1 Class of 2025 product, Carbuccia engineered a much-needed second quarter spark. It injected life into Stepinac’s well-rounded offense.
First, Carbuccia carved his way into the rim for a hard finish amid the draping hands of defenders.
Following a three-pointer from St. Raymond’s Tai Turnage and crafty interior finish from teammate Brandon Stores, St. Raymond’s seized a 27-25 advantage.
That’s when the Bronx-bred Carbuccia took action.
A noted passing lane irritant, Carbuccia picked an errant pass and converted the turnover into a transition leak-out bucket.
Moments later, Carbuccia inhaled a deep pass from the Kentucky-signee Fland and delivered a slick no-look shovel pass to a streaking Hassan Koureissi for a layup and a 33-27 lead. His swagger heightening, Carbuccia added a few choice words for a pair of St. Ray’s defenders.
Carbuccia also stuck a 3-pointer from the left corner during the second– the quarter in which he scored 11 of his 20 points en route to Stepinac’s gritty 80-76 victory.
“It was just motivation to come out after a slow start in a game like this, I knew I had to pick up my energy,” Carbuccia said of his rapid second quarter awakening.
“I had to pick up the pace of the game. We’re a fast paced team. So, we always tend to get it all started on defense. That allows us to get into the running, which we of course love to do.”
A deft dishing supplemental piece alongside Fland (who scored 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and doled out four assists), Carbuccia doled out seven assists.
Turnage–who hit transition 3-pointers, orchestrated offense, knifed his way into the teeth of the defense, and cemented his status as a surefire top NYC guard–sliced St. Raymond’s deficit to four points, 70-66, after knocking back a pair of free throws with 4:59 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Stores, St. Raymond’s prolific scoring big guard/wing, proceeded to barrel his way into the paint for a filthy turn-around off the glass at 3:42 remaining.
Suddenly, Stepinac’s edge had been trimmed to 70-68.
Carbuccia then fired a high low pass to a cutting Braylan Ritvo, who scored via a stickback of his own miss, as the Crusaders regained a 72-68 lead with 2:44 remaining.
Carbuccia’s dose of defensive harassment again propelled the Crusaders.
He stripped Stores on a back to the rim take. Fland quickly recovered possession and pushed the ball in transition, hitting a streaking Ritvo (playing despite four fouls).
Ritvo’s left handed finish gave Stepinac both a wave of momentum and a 74-68 edge with 2:11 remaining.
“I definitely feel we have the most depth,” said Carbuccia, whose team received considerable contributions from the sophomore Koureissi (17 points, six boards, two blocks, two assists), Ritvo (15 points, three boards), had three sophomores, multiple seasoned seniors, and even a freshman see meaningful action in the win.
“We’ve been rotating a lot of guys in and out which helps us play better and keep our energy flowing. I’ve been around for a long time, beginning with that Covid year. So, I try to step in and help the younger guys as much as possible.”
The Ravens were bolstered by a neophyte of their own.
Slick, crafty, left-handed freshman guard Anderson Diaz penetrated and scored on a lefty layup with 57 seconds remaining, as St. Raymond’s would chop the deficit to 76-72.
That’s when Fland swooped into the lane for an acrobatic layup and a six point lead.
Fland later iced it on a pair of free throws with 11 seconds to play.
Regardless of which jersey number he was wearing, Carbuccia spent a majority of his summer readying himself for the rigors of a game of this magnitude.
He played for the prestigious PSA Cardinals, adapting to the role of a calming influence with the ball in his hands.
The Bronx native also attended Jay Bilas’ point guard camp in North Carolina. Carbuccia represented the Dominican Republic on the U-18 national team during back to back summers.
Playing a high level EYBL schedule criss-crossing the country and also subscribing to a consistent schedule at the hothouse environment of nearby Dyckman Park, Carbuccia feels his game has grown.
Remember, Carbuccia first saw starter’s minutes as an inexperienced and then-unproven freshman during the 2021-22 campaign, as Fland was shelved with an injury for the entire first semester.
Experience, it turns out, is the best teacher.
“I just feel like my decision-making has gotten a lot better,” Carbuccia said.
“That, and my defense are aspects of the game which I’ve really evolved with I think.”
Recruiting-wise, Carbuccia has been inundated with a handful of offers.
In fact, since that aforementioned freshman season, when he was tasked to grow up so fast as Stepinac took on a daunting national schedule, he’s possessed Division-I offers.
“I speak to Seton Hall, Xavier, St. John’s–those are the main three right now,” said Carbuccia, adding that campus visits will only come after the season is officially over.
St. John’s has special resonance with Carbuccia.
His cousin, Felipe Lopez, authored a memorable career at SJU.
Once a captivating, sky-rising schoolboy talent at now-defunct Rice High School in Harlem under then coach Lou DeMello, Lopez had then-unprecedented national recognition and a cult following during his illustrious 1990s heyday.
“We have a cool relationship,” Carbuccia said. “Whenever I see (Felipe), he gives me advice.”
PLENTY IN STORES: The 6-foot-5 Brandon Stores, who scored 20 points, identified what makes him such a unique offensive weapon.
Lighter on his feet and more explosive, Stores is able to attack and levitate above the rim in full bore fashion. He possesses a shallow water jumper which enables him to drag rim protectors outside of the paint.
Stores’ efficiency is equally noteworthy with his patented turnaround jumper.
He’s got a throwback caliber game with his ability to catch, face and fire from the free throw line extended.
With his ability to bulldoze his way into the and use the window, Stores’ blend of intangibles and evolving repertoire make him one of the vaunted scorers in “AA” this season.
The Class of 2025 product currently holds offers from Syracuse, Rutgers, Georgia Tech, Xavier, George Mason, Washington, and others.
