WHITE PLAINS — You know things are going well when you play for one of the country's best high school basketball teams and your team romps to a win in which you're the game's top scorer and MVP.
But the going well goes up a notch or two or three when one of the people coming over to congratulate you post-game is a coaching legend, Michigan State's Tom Izzo, for whom you'll play next year.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAnd then Izzo, now in his 31st year heading the Spartans calls you "one of the best two-way players I've ever seen" before expanding that to you actually being one of the best three-way players, with the ability to shoot, handle the ball and defend.
So, went Stepinac senior Jasiah Jervis' Sunday at Westchester County Center, where his Crusaders defeated Thomas Jefferson 92-70 in Stepinac's William F. Plunkett Jr. Christmas Classic.
Stepinac, whose roster is loaded with future Div. I players and, quite possibly, future NBA talent, never trailed and expanded a 28-16 first-quarter lead to 53-32 at the half with Jervis leading all scorers with 19 of his 22 points.
Stepinac, a towering high school team with two seven-footers (brothers Darius and Adonis Ratliff) and only one player under six feet tall (at 5-11), enjoyed a 43-29 rebound advantage.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe only thing it didn't do better than the Orange Wave was sink 3s. Jefferson hit seven to Stepinac's four.
But the fact Stepinac's biggest players were not only scoring from underneath but also putting up long bombs (Adonis Ratliff nailed one 3 and the 6-5 Jervis had another) made defending against Stepinac difficult.
That probably played a role in Jefferson's frustration that led to it being called for four technical fouls. Two Jefferson players also fouled out in the fourth quarter.
What it means
Jefferson was out-sized and overmatched, so calling Stepinac's win very significant would be a big stretch.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut the Crusaders, who were ranked in some polls No. 1 in the country before falling to Baltimore's Saint Frances Academy 66-58 on the road in their season opener, appear — even though it's very early — poised to win another Catholic High School Athletic Association title.
Stepinac showed its depth with 11 players scoring.
Jervis thinks his team, which is now 2-1, benefitted from the loss.
"I feel like that was a teaching point," he said. ... "I feel like we needed that. I feel like our ego was a little too high. And I just feel like we have to stay humble because we haven't accomplished anything."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe said players are now "hungry" and "stepping up" and playing together.
Stepinac's Jasiah Jervis, rights, attempts a shot during the William F. Plunkett Jr Christmas Classic at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY on Sunday, December 7, 2025. Stepinac defeated Thomas Jefferson 92-70.Player of the game
Jervis, who's tall for a high school guard, was the game's top player — his MVP award being much-deserved. In addition to his 22 points, he had six assists and six rebounds.
Stepinac's Darius Ratliff leaps to the basket during the William F. Plunkett Jr Christmas Classic at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY on Sunday, December 7, 2025. Stepinac defeated Thomas Jefferson 92-70.Game stats
Hassan Koureissi had 18 points, nine assists, three steals and a blocked shot for the Crusaders.
As strong as his scoring was, it was a few of his perfectly-timed assists that drew the most attention.
He had a beautiful feed to Darius Ratliff in the second quarter for a Ratliff dunk and two more perfect feeds to him for back-to-back dunks early in the fourth quarter.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDarius Ratliff, who got beaten up inside a few times but kept playing, finished with 15 points, three boards, three assists and a couple of blocks.
Adonis Ratliff had 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
Dylan Perry rounded out the top five scorers for the Crusaders. He had seven points, two rebounds and one of his team's 10 blocked shots.
Three Jefferson players reached double figures.
Jahda Swann had a strong overall game with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and four blocks.
Before fouling out, Richard Jackson hit for 10 points and six assists and Paris Roots, who had three 3-pointers, also finished with 10 points.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThey said it
"I'm impressed tonight," Izzo said of Jervis's play.
Jervis said his team had followed coach Patrick Massaroni's game plan and had been "locked down on defense."
"It's a blessing to have two seven-footers," he said.
And his play and that of those seven-footers contributed to Massaroni's ability to get each of his 15 players on the court.
While Jervis might have lost some points as a result, he clearly didn't care.
"It's always great to get all 15 guys to play in a game and, you know, watch them get their points and stuff like that," he said.
Having Izzo on hand, he said, was another positive.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"... Playing in front of my coach, coach Izzo, you know, he always gives me good advice. Even when I watch them on TV ... it's just an exciting feeling, and to have him come out here and watch me play, it's definitely a blessing," Jervis said.
Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Jasiah Jervis stars in front of Tom Izzo as Stepinac enjoys victory
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