PSAL Semifinals: Eagle Bronx 72, Canarsie 67

In front of a healthy Saturday morning crowd at Queens College, "new blood" Eagle Academy Bronx battled with public stalwart Canarsie for a spot in the PSAL title game at St. John's. Eagle would come out with the win in a back-and-forth affair behind a balanced perimeter attack. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2234113' first='Gio' last='Moran'] would come off the bench to make the difference with nine points in the final frame to open up a tie game, joining five other Eagle guards in double figures. Canarsie junior [player_tooltip player_id='2207289' first='PJ' last='Singleton'] led all scorers with 24 points.    The smallest player on the court, Moran packed arguably the biggest punch with his energetic play off the bench that swung the outcome of the game. He caught the eye in the first half with a shifty and-one using his left hand, but took over during a key stretch in the fourth quarter to open up a tie game. With a silky handle and a pure quick-release stroke from deep, Moran applied pressure out of ball screens to touch the paint before stretching the defense out with a pair of pullup 3s. His corner fadeaway at the shot-clock buzzer followed by a drawn charge on the other end would prove to be the nail in the coffin for Canarsie. It's early to speculate on his college projection, as Moran still has a lot of maturing to do in his frame, but he announced himself loudly onto the radar with his clutch performance on the big stage.     The highest-recruited prospect in the game, Singleton showed why he's already been prioritized by mid-major programs with a dynamic shooting performance for his 24 points despite the loss. As polished a shooter as we've seen in the state, Singleton was typically dangerous as an off-ball threat running off screens all over the floor for a barrage of jump shots. He would knock down four 3s, often at critical junctures of the game, and also curled into the midrange for a handful of shorter jumpers. Singleton consistently shows the IQ and competitiveness to stick to his strengths, a key trait as he figures to be most successful as a plug-and-play system piece for the right program at the next level.     Eagle's leader throughout the year, Cummings never took things over but was steady and efficient in his contributions throughout the game. In a clean 11-point effort, he showed his smooth skillset and IQ offensively, constantly in the right spots along the perimeter to catch and shoot or attack a closeout. Cummings would only knock down one 3, but routinely leveraged his shooting gravity to knife into the lane for soft-touch floaters. His ability to play unselfishly and efficiently while remaining a threat and staying engaged in the game should pay dividends as he garners scholarship-level eyes in the next year.     It was impossible to miss the impact of Dorreliand in a double-figure effort, as the senior swingman was far and away the most athletic player on the floor. Playing as the nominal big for an Eagle team full of guards and wings, Dorreliand was consistently flying around and making athletic plays at or above the rim on both ends. He was aggressive as a slasher in the open floor and showed great versatility on the defensive end. We'd like to see him work to refine his offensive skillset moving forward, ideally in a prep year, but there's clear athletic tools here for the scholarship level.     With both sides still feeling their way into the game in the big environment, Randolph came out aggressive with eight points in the opening quarter to kickstart the Eagle offense. He's a strong and skilled slasher with nice ball skills for his size and the shotmaking ability to be a threat at all three levels. With a strong frame and fluid athleticism, there's intriguing upside here if Randolph can round out his game outside of scoring. He could be a really interesting name for the D2 or JUCO level, with the talent to potentially help a D1 program at some point down the line.     The other bright spot for Canarsie was the play of Clarke up front, as the junior forward showed his inside-out versatility en route to 20 points. Clarke got going with his rugged play around the rim, using his strong frame and soft touch to carve out space and finish efficiently over an undersized Eagle defense. He would go on to show his expanding skillset, stepping outside the paint for multiple soft jumpers including a corner 3 in the second half. Clarke remained a consistent factor on the glass throughout the game. He'll have to continue improving his body to carve out a defensive fit at the next level, but scholarship-level coaches are sure to be intrigued by Clarke's blend of size and skill up front.     A key scorer for the Eagles throughout a breakout sophomore year, King was uncharacteristically quiet throughout the game but stepped up when it mattered most in the decisive fourth quarter. The wing guard would score 8 of his 11 points in the final frame, knocking down a pair of 3s and getting to the line for a pair of free throws. King shoots a pretty ball off the catch with some skill and athleticism attacking off the bounce. There looks to be some interesting upside to tap into as he grows into his lengthy frame.

In front of a healthy Saturday morning crowd at Queens College, "new blood" Eagle Academy Bronx battled with public stalwart Canarsie for a spot in the PSAL title game at St. John's. Eagle would come out with the win in a back-and-forth affair behind a balanced perimeter attack. Sophomore guard Gio Moran Gio Moran 5'10" | PG Eagle Academy Bronx | 2027 NY would come off the bench to make the difference with nine points in the final frame to open up a tie game, joining five other Eagle guards in double figures. Canarsie junior PJ Singleton PJ Singleton 6'5" | SG Canarsie | 2026 State NY led all scorers with 24 points.