By Zach Smart
Bronx, NY–Trey Lewis launched his 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame somewhere in between the hardwood and the ceiling at Cardinal Hayes HS on Tuesday night, his eyes burning as he trailed Adam Njie’s hard slice into the rim.
Njie’s shot fell off the mark, albeit the bouncy Lewis was there for a buzzer-beating tip in, propelling Hayes to a dramatic 61-59 victory over Iona Prep.
A mob of Lewis’ Hayes teammates stormed the court, smothering the Class of 2026 guard as the gym erupted in a frenzy.
“I know to never give up until the time expires, its about always playing hard no matter what,” said the Class of 2026 Lewis, who scored 17 points, including a turnaround jumper which gave Hayes a four-point edge, 57-53, with 1:16 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“We took this game personal. We wanted to win. We got tired of losing. We have a losing record right now. So we have to shore up all the little things. I knew my brother was going to shoot that last shot, and I knew if he missed I had his back. All I had to do was finish the game.”
The Class of 2024 Njie, he of the blurrish quickness and knack for carving into the lane and finishing in crafty fashion, scored a game-best 23 points.
Following a pair of free throws from Iona Prep’s Lucas Morillo that cut the Gaels’ deficit to 57-55, Njie surged in for a left-handed layup with 36 seconds to play, as Hayes seized a 59-55 edge. Iona Prep countered, with 6-foot-5 left handed freshman Dillon Callahan soaring in for putback, knotting matters at 59-59.
Then, the stage was set for Lewis’ heroics. The dizzying battle had an eerie feeling of a game better suited for March.
Njie and Lewis are the two returning starters from last year’s Hayes team, which lost a significant percentage of its offensive output when Ian Jackson (North Carolina) and Elijah Moore (Syracuse) transferred to Our Savior Lutheran and 7-foot Center Steven Solano transferred to La Lumiere in Indiana last summer.
Hayes head coach Joe Lods expects this experienced tandem to deliver in these heightened, crunch time moments, as the foundation of a youth-laden team.
“Coach Lods always tells us that we’re the leaders of the team, we’re the captains, at the end he expects us to get the ball and make winning plays,” Njie said.
“I just wanted to win. I wanted it bad. They got us the first time. So this time, coming in, my mindset was that we’ve got to get this win. This is my first year having a losing season. But we can turn it around. We’ve got three more games. If we get these next three, we can have positive momentum and go into the playoffs strong.”
Iona Prep, however, seemed pressure-baked and playoff-ready themselves during the third quarter, when things rapidly became intriguing.
A corner 3-pointer from Iona Prep’s RJ Jones tied it up at 33-all. Then, Johnny Keenan converted a Hayes turnover into a transition leak-out bucket, as Iona Prep took a 35-33 lead with five minutes and 36 seconds left in the quarter. An incensed Lods immediately called a timeout.
Iona Prep again gained a thin margin, 37-34, as Morillo (10 points) swooped in for a putback. Hayes answered as Lewis scissored his way to the rim for a wrap around layup. Iona Prep’s Ray Fernandez then stuck a long 3-pointer, as the Gaels regained a 40-36 lead.
Moments later, Hayes’ Amadou Barry barreled his way to the rim for a traditional 3-point play. Then, Hayes recovered possession and Class of 2026 guard Kaelen Destin splashed a corner 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining in the quarter. Just like that, the the two teams headed to the fourth entrenched in a heated 43-43 blood feud.
“The fourth quarter was a battle, especially in the last few minutes, ” said Keenan, who paced Iona Prep with 18 points. Down here at Hayes, it is always a tough place to play. We got a stop, we scored. We put ourselves in a position to beat them, so it is really a tough way to lose. Every game is a battle in the (CHSAA “AA”). If we knock down a few more shots, a couple loose balls go our way, we’re right there. We’re a tough team to beat. I’m looking forward to the playoffs.”
Iona Prep head coach Tim Philp, who was back in familiar stomping grounds (he coached alongside Lods in an assistant role last year) has ingrained one thing Keenan’s brain time and time again…
The true barometer of this team’s mental fortitude begins Feb. 18, when playoff time officially arrives. An entirely new season begins at that point.
One of the top remaining unsigned 2024 prospects in the city after de-committing from Washington State, the 6-foot-3 Njie has been the head of the snake for Hayes.
He had an eight point, six assist, and five rebound showing during Hayes’ 85-69 victory over Stepinac in last year’s CHSAA New York Archdiocesan (Stepinac would later avenge the loss behind 30 points from Kentucky-commit Boogie Fland in the city title game).
Now on an entirely different roster, Njie has help from his friend.
“(Trey) and I have to be vocal, and lead the team,” Njie said. “If we do the right thing, the other guys on the team are going to follow suit. We just have to lead every day in practice and prepare them for the games and make the right plays.”
