The 2023 season has brought the Greeley Boys Basketball team their fair share of ups and downs. Finishing the year at a 12-9 record, the Quakers picked up several stellar highlights throughout the year, including a huge statement league win over a highly-ranked White Plains team. Senior point guard Justin Potack, who was named an All-Conference player last year and a Super 7 watchlist player going into this year, has made his presence in the section known. With multiple 20-point performances, including 22 points in a win over highly ranked White Plains, Potack has become the face of Horace Greeley Basketball, upgrading to prestigious All-Section honors for the 2023 season. However, as Potack continued to dominate the perimeter, he was accompanied by a new junior star — Nicky Tasso.
The six-foot-six big man was a key scorer and rebounder for the team this year, averaging 10.1 points per game along with 7.4 rebounds on over 50% shooting. Showing great improvement from his sophomore run last year, Tasso played a crucial role in much of the team’s success this year as a towering presence in the interior, with quick moves and a soft touch around the rim. “I’ve been a lot more involved in the offense, and overall I feel like I’ve been able to make the most out of my opportunities,” Tasso said, when asked what sparked his rise to stardom this season. But, Nicky’s success has been a long time coming, with seemingly countless hours spent in the offseason meticulously perfecting his game. Tasso noted, “We’ve also put in a lot of work during the offseason. That helped with my confidence shooting the ball.” He also added, “I definitely think being able to get to my shot has improved my game significantly.”
With his performance thus far and another season to come, a Super 7 watchlist spot could be added to Tasso’s resume. However, he does not seem to be concerned about that right now, saying, “I’m just more focused on the team’s success.”
The team was able to close out more close-possession games this year, something that they were unable to execute in the 2021-2022 campaign. “It’s the most important thing right now, the team’s success that is. The nine returners this year know what it felt like to lose so many games within one, two, three points,” Tasso stated. The Quakers were able to show the difference from last year in this year’s game vs. White Plains, as they pulled out an upset 62-60 win against the class AA Tigers. Tasso said after the game, “They were a really good team; ranked seventh on LoHud going into the game. Definitely a confidence booster for us and shows that we’re here and can hang with top teams in the section. We hope to keep the momentum going.” Talking too soon is never a good thing, but there’s a storm brewing in Chappaqua, with Nicky Tasso in the middle. When lightning strikes, the rest of the section is in trouble.