We went up north Friday night for some basketball, as two teams that came in undefeated battled it out in what was a great game with a ton of talent. St. Sebastian’s was at home and looking to remain undefeated, but Rivers was hoping to spoil that. St. Sebastian got going hot with their leaders leading the way, as 2023 Trevor Mullin came out incredibly strong and star freshman (and possibly the No. 1 ranked player in the country for his class) AJ Dybantsa was scoring early and often. Their outside shooting, sharing of the ball, and all-around scoring helped St. Sebastian get out to a double-digit lead and maintain that until halftime when they led 50-27.
In the second half though, Rivers started to really get things going behind their leader Jayden Ndjigue, 2025 Ryan Altman, 2024 Amir Lindsey, and others, as shots started to fall and they were chipping into the lead. Rivers was able to get it down to 10 points at one point late in the game, but St. Sebastian really controlled the game, they were able to knock down shots from all over, and Dybantsa was off the charts to help his team secure the 88-77 win.
Final: St. Sebastian 88 – Rivers 77
Stats (Unofficial):
Sebastian: AJ Dybantsa 29 points/ Trevor Mullin 26 points/ Jaylen Harrell 20 points
Rivers: Ryan Altman 21 points/ Jay Jones 14 points/ Jayden Ndjigue 12 points/ Amir Lindsey 11 points
Thoughts:
- 2026 AJ Dybansta (Sebastian): He was the main reason we wanted to tune in, as Phenom Hoops got their first look at the star freshman at the CP3 camp. He was terrific there, and he was terrific in this one with 29 points. You simply just don’t see a freshman like him; his ability to score whenever and where he wants at 6’7. He creates so well off the dribble, has tremendous body control, a great feel for the game, is relentless downhill and finishing at the rim, and also hit four threes in the win. He can score wherever he wants on the floor and there hasn’t been a player stopping him.
- 2023 Trevor Mullin (Sebastian): This was my first time seeing him, and I can officially say that Yale has a really good point guard coming in. He was electric on the court with his ability to create off the dribble, get downhill and find ways to score, showcase tremendous craft with the ball in his hands, make exciting and on-point passes to his teammates, and his overall energy and feel on the court. Loved his energy, his scoring ability, and his shiftiness as a point guard.
- 2025 Jaylen Harrell (Sebastian): Harrell was another player we loved on the court. A 6’5 prospect that is only a sophomore, Harrell just does a little bit of everything, and really shows a tremendous IQ for the game. Harrell scored in a variety of ways, and hit tough shots with range. But he also made terrific passes, didn’t force much, helped on the boards, and was solid on the defensive end. He is going to be a name programs will jump on sooner rather than later.
- 2025 Ryan Altman (Rivers): Already holding one offer, he will be a player more schools will come after. A 6’5 prospect that moves extremely well without the ball, finds ways to create scoring opportunities, and was active around the basket with touch, but also stepped out and knocked down shots. Love his motor and energy.
- 2024 Jay Jones (Rivers): Jones knocked down his first shot but then struggled to make a few after. But eventually, he got going again in the second half. One thing you can see is that he plays with a ton of confidence with his jumper; plays well off the ball, gets to his shots, and looks for his jumper with range but can also score with a one-dribble pull-up.
- 2024 Andrew Alekseyenko (Rivers): Alekseyenko made his presence felt as a 6’7 forward, carving out space in the paint, showing nice touch, keeping the ball high, and staying active while also being able to step out from time to time.
- 2023 Jayden Ndjigue (Rivers): The UMass commit came in as the leader for this team, and though it may have not been his best overall showing, you have to like what he brings with his shot-making from outside, his confidence and competitive nature on the court, his ability to use his athleticism well, and his impact in a variety of positions on the court. Plays hard.