That’s a wrap! The boys’ basketball teams at EPHS are approaching the end of their 2024-2025 season. With fewer than ten games remaining, it is impressive to see these dedicated and talented players striving to finish their season on a high note.

The last regular game of the season is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, at St. Edward. Shortly after this game is the Upstate 8 Crossover Tournament, which takes place on February 19, marking the final game of the season for both the sophomore and varsity teams. As of February 12, 2025, the varsity team holds a record of 10-18, while the sophomore team has a record of 10-15. 

As the season draws to a close, the players have shared a fair amount of time together. Many players on the sophomore team agreed that the Thanksgiving Tournament was one of their favorite memories with each other.

The tournament took place at EPHS on November 25, 2024, where they secured first place by defeating both ACC (Aurora Central Catholic) and St. Francis. However, they suffered a loss to Walter Christian, a team that both ACC and St. Francis had previously defeated. Meanwhile, the varsity team won second place with a record of 2-1.

“One of my most memorable moments from the season was attending basketball games with my teammates,” said sophomore Scotty Ruiz, a point guard and one of the three captains on the varsity team. Other players also recalled how practices, especially those that involved playing against their coaches, were some of their most memorable moments.

From the sophomore team, we spoke with two of the four freshmen, Liam Mendoza and Jaymani Alverio. Both freshmen play the guard position and share similar strengths and weaknesses. Mendoza stated, “Defense is definitely my biggest weakness; I’m smaller than most of the other kids on the court, making it a challenge that pushes me.” Alverio, on the other hand, described his left hand as his weakness. Conversely, both players believe their strengths lie in shooting and attacking the basket.

Junior and varsity captain Sam LaBarbera shared how his game has evolved this season. He stated, “Something I have improved on the most this year is being a physical player. Although I am not the biggest, I learned how to use that to my advantage. Many other teams look at me and kind of just throw me off to the side, or I usually get focused when on defense. Whenever teams do this, I love it, because all I gotta do is take charge and get the energy back for my team.”

Sophomores Yousef Barakat and Joshua Jetters have been part of the sophomore team since their freshman year. Next year, they hope to make the varsity team by working on their leadership skills and improving their defensive play. The freshmen look up to their teammates, which motivates them to push themselves to their fullest potential and concentrate on enhancing both their defense and offense.

More recently, senior Joshua Ruiz broke the school record for the most points scored in basketball. This achievement was celebrated on February 10, 2025, during the team’s senior night. He reached the milestone of 1,000 points on December 26 during a holiday tournament against Elgin, making him only the fourth person at EPHS to achieve this feat. Not long ago, he was sidelined due to a shoulder injury. However, he managed to return just in time for senior night, where he played alongside his brother, Scotty Ruiz.

Now, what does EPHS’s Varsity Head Coach, Antwon Jennings, think of the season? For starters, he takes pride in his team’s accomplishments. He pushes his players hard, and this season was no exception, as evidenced by their performance. He believes that his most significant takeaway from the season was “being able to teach the boys how to compete in 31 games during the regular season.” However, some games are always more challenging than others, and the match against Waukegan proved to be particularly demanding. All players competed very well, but this game presented a tougher challenge than most, with the opponents ranked 25th in the state.

This season, Coach Benke, the head coach of the sophomore team, and Coach AJ provided valuable advice to support their players throughout the season. Captain Yousef Barakat from the sophomore team stated, “Coach taught me how to keep my cool and play with composure.” Liam Mendoza and Joshua Jetters both agree that their coach emphasized the importance of teamwork, noting that one player cannot win the game alone, and success requires the entire team.

As a sophomore on the varsity team, there is a significant commitment required for every game, and this is true for Scotty Ruiz. Ruiz stated, “Coach AJ taught me to be a leader, to take control of the team, and to be an extension of the coach on the court.” Sam Labarbera remarked, “Coach AJ taught me that basketball and sports are much more than just a game. The sports we play can be used in ways that many don’t even understand. I believe that even if you don’t go on to college and pursue sports, they still teach you a way of life. It teaches you accountability, discipline, and a strong work ethic. If you want something, you have to work for it as if everything is a competition. When you look for jobs, you are competing against others for the position. Therefore, Coach AJ not only taught us how to play basketball the right way but also how to become the best version of ourselves in life.” It is evident that Coach AJ imparts valuable lessons to his players, not only in basketball but also in life.

Although the season isn’t over yet, the Boys Basketball Program has been working tirelessly to finish the season strongly. With it being Coach AJ’s second year, Elmwood Park Basketball has taken a turn for the better. We hope to see both teams do well for the remainder of their season, as well as to perform well at the upcoming Upstate 8 Crossover Tournament.

Works Cited:

• Y. Barakat, personal communication, February 3rd, 2025
• J. Jetters, personal communication, February 3rd, 2025
• S. Ruiz, personal communication, February 3rd, 2025
• L. Mendoza, personal communication, February 3rd, 2025
• J. Alverio, personal communication, February 3rd, 2025
• S. LaBarbera, personal communication, February 7, 2025
• A. Jennings, personal communication, February 10th, 2025