The college recruiting game was getting to Hoboken’s basketball wunderkind Eddie Castellanos. The late-night phone calls, the constant pestering, the indecision had become too much for Castellanos, the 2004-05 Hudson Reporter Player of the Year, to handle.
So when Castellanos took a visit to Stony Brook University in upstate New York and head coach Steve Pikiell a month or so ago, the brilliant point guard had made up his mind.
“When I went to visit, I felt the most comfortable with the coaching staff,” Castellanos said. “They always believed in me and told me that I was always their first choice. They were recruiting me the whole time, while other coaches were off and on. I really didn’t know anything about Stony Brook, but I believe in Coach Pikiell and what he’s doing with the program.”
However, there was a slight problem. Castellanos never informed Hoboken head coach Buddy Matthews about his interest in Stony Brook.
“To be honest, the coach (Pikiell) kept calling me up and kept me on the phone for hours, seeing if I could get Eddie to go there,” Matthews said. “I told the coach that I would never speak for the kid and that I had to know where Eddie stood. I didn’t think he’d have any interest, so I sort of just dismissed the idea, but when Eddie came back from his official visit, he said he didn’t want to leave. I never thought that would happen. I called the coach back and told him that it was between Stony Brook and Wagner.”
Castellanos, who had also considered offers from Central Connecticut, Delaware, Canisius and New Hampshire, made his decision official Tuesday morning. He signed the national letter of intent to attend Stony Brook and will play for the Seawolves in the 2006-07 season.
With that signature, Castellanos became the first Hoboken product to get an NCAA Division I scholarship since former NBA player Derrick Alston signed with Duquesne in 1989.
“It’s a very good feeling,” said Castellanos, who signed the letter with his mother, Patricia Brown, along with Matthews and athletic director Mauro DeGennaro present. “When I came to Hoboken (after transferring from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark), people told me that I wouldn’t get a chance to go Division I. Now, I’ve been given that chance and I have no regrets about coming back to Hoboken.”
With his college decision already determined, Castellanos can concentrate on basketball season. Practice begins officially on Friday after Thanksgiving. The Red Wings will look to defend their HCIAA Seglio Division title and will shoot for NJSIAA Group I honors as well.
“I didn’t want to have all the calls and the distractions,” Castellanos said. “I just want to go out and try to win two championships. I just don’t want to have all the calls. I made my decision. This day is more for my mother. I know she’s prouder than me right now. All the hard work I put into it paid off. Now, I can play at Stony Brook. It’s not too far way when I have to come home, but it’s just far enough where my mother can’t come every night.”
Matthews applauded Castellanos’ decision.
“It definitely makes everyone’s life much easier,” Matthews said. “He doesn’t have to go out and play to impress coaches. He can just concentrate on the season and it’s going to be a very demanding and competitive season. He was always projected to be a great player for us and he really worked hard at it. He’s just a self-made player and he’s one of the most intelligent players I’ve ever seen. He sees things on the court that no one does. And he’s a great student of the game. He knows what’s going on with everyone else.”…
Tragedy hit the Snyder High School community when former girls’ basketball great Consuelo Davis was allegedly strangled to death by her husband, fellow former Snyder athlete Tim Howard. Davis, who was only 32, was a two-time Hudson Reporter All-Area honoree and a 1,000-point scorer for the Tigers and coach Pat Clark.
Davis was an electric player and performer, and her untimely death is certainly a major tragedy to the entire Snyder High School family…
Congratulations to Marc DeGennaro, who was named to the All-Centennial Conference football team. The former St. Peter’s Prep lineman – and son of Hoboken athletic director Mauro DeGennaro – earned All-Conference as a center at Johns Hopkins University, which will participate in the NCAA Division III playoffs this weekend in Ohio. DeGennaro, a Secaucus native, has started 32 straight games at center for Johns Hopkins…
Congrats to the men’s soccer program at New Jersey City University and both the men’s and women’s soccer teams at Stevens Tech for making it to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16, winning two games in the NCAA tourney over the weekend. That’s quite an accomplishment for all three local college soccer programs…
Well, the Great Hagueini made his first attempt at prognostications last week and the Old Wide One struggled to a 5-3 record, with the Bruins of North Bergen, the Patriots of Secaucus, and the Bulldogs of Ferris letting the Turban Wearer down.
Hagueini still can’t figure out what happened to North Bergen against Vernon. That 31-14 final score was about as shocking of final score locally in ages.
So we’re down to a final two, St. Peter’s Prep and Hoboken. So there will be only two selections this week. Remember, please don’t use these selections for any monetary wagering, unless it’s for a pastrami on rye sandwich and a bottle of Fresca with your Uncle Looie.
Belvidere at Hoboken, Group I: The Great Hagueini wasn’t sold on Belvidere last week when the Warren County wonders were playing host to Secaucus, so do you think the gargantuan donut wants to pick a school named after a bad ’80s sitcom with a portly butler and Bob “Great Seats, Hey Buddy” Uecker ? Especially after they have to travel for two hours to come to the Mile Square City for Friday Night Lights? Hagueini might have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night. Damien Bates, Rashawn Brown, Chris Willis, Courtney Slack, Duval Kamara, heck, even the Hoboken Rock gets on the scoreboard. The rout is on and it’s time to head back to Giants Stadium. Hoboken 40, (Mr.) Belvidere 12.
Camden Catholic at St. Peter’s Prep, Parochial (Non-Public Group IV): Hagueini got to see the marvelous Marauders first hand last Saturday and the Turban Wearer was so brutally impressed. Kee-Ayre Griffin doesn’t run. He glides. If Will Hill is this good as a sophomore, what in the world will he be as a senior? And if Dave Pankiewicz keeps hitting people like he has been from his linebacker slot, No. 34 is going to be renamed “Butkus.” This is a team on a mission. Bring on Bosco. St. Peter’s Prep 47, Camden Catholic 13.
With that, Hagueini’s going to nibble on a drumstick. Happy Turkey Day everyone and enjoy the Union City showdown this year in West New York and the Hoboken-North Bergen clash on Saturday that will be the closest game of the season…
— Jim Hague