By Zach Smart
Even well prior to the 2023-24 campaign, the critical advantage Stepinac possessed over local and formidable national foes was as palpable as ever: Depth.
Few teams in program history possess the type of position to position power as this season’s Stepinac team does, with scholarship-worthy players popping off the bench and providing quality, sustainable production throughout. The theme has resonated in various wins this season for the 14-3 Crusaders, as they have routinely overwhelmed opponents in waves and waves.
And, while the Crusaders are spearheaded by a Kentucky-bound guard with innate game-closing instincts and a knack for engineering momentum-altering runs in the Class of 2024 Boogie Fland, the rapid evolution of Class of 2026 guard Hassan Koureissi has provided a considerable spark.
Several weeks after scoring 17 points, pulling down six boards, and coming up with two blocks during Stepinac’s steely 80-76 victory over a gritty St. Raymond’s team in a hostile Bronx environment, Koureissi again catalyzed Stepinac en route to a resounding 79-61 victory over Cardinal Hayes this past Friday.
The 6-foot-5 Koureissi is a rare case of a role player capable of taking over a game.
Koureissi finished with 16 points and five boards in the win over Hayes. Similar to in the aforementioned St. Ray’s victory–when Kouriessi drove in for a twisting layup through traffic during a hot-blooded fourth quarter, the polished inside-outside scoring prowess he brings was evident.
Kouriessi announced his presence with a pair of 3-pointers early on in the first half. He got free for a bucket at point-blank, tossed in a nifty transition floater and punctuated his performance by levitating above the rim and punching down a thunderous dunk, sending waves of electricity throughout the gym.
The poise and readiness Kouriessi plays with is rare for a sophomore. He has quickly developed a heady shot selection, a big game engine and know-how while transforming his body in preparation for the ramped up role this season.
On Monday, Kouriessi was offered by St. John’s University.
St. John’s joins St. Louis and Dayton as the programs in heaviest pursuit of Koureissi, according to Stepinac head coach Pat Massaroni.
Subscribing to a steady off-season workload has enabled Koureissi to create this significant niche for himself.
“His overall ability and skill-set continues to improve because of how hard he works,” Massaroni said.
“Credit to his off-season with my assistants and the PSA Cardinals. His body continues to develop and in the end, his winning mentality.”
As Massaroni was quick to explain, Koureissi is still in the rudimentary stages of his development, just beginning to scratch the surface of where his capabilities can ultimately propel him.
“Hass has not even reached his potential. The ceiling is so high,” Massaroni explained. “Hass just plays – knows where to be, in the right spots, never gets sped up and loves to work. He will end up being a Top 25 player in the 2026 class by the time his senior year comes around–if not sooner.”
