N-G's 73-Game CL Streak
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  This story was written in 2012, after the Saints were pushed VERY hard in a 59-57 win, in OT, over St. Joseph's Prep for their fourth consecutive  Catholic League crown.

By Ted Silary

  DERRICK STEWART tried to express his emotions and, for a while, didn't experience a whole bunch of success.
  That was entirely understandable, considering the amazing circumstances, and that every possible thought was bouncing around inside his head.
  This cliché. That cliché. This cliché. That cliché.
  Then the words came tumbling out of his mouth. And when he finished, he flashed the brightest smile, as if he knew his last attempt had been pretty darn good.
  "I feel like an astronaut," Stewart said. "Like I just landed on the moon."
  Close enough.
  Stewart is a 6-6 senior forward/center for Ss. Neumann-Goretti High and, with classmate/wing guard Billy Shank, he now boasts four consecutive Catholic League championships.
  Just that feat would be impressive enough. But there's also this: The Saints lost no CL games during that time frame, and their winning streak stands at 70, counting the regular season and playoffs.
  No. 70 was no doubt the toughest. It was earned last night at the Palestra, in front of a full-house crowd that bubbled nonstop with emotion. Not only was overtime required, victory wasn't assured until the very last instant, when a desperation trey did not come close and the Saints' subs exploded off the bench to envelop the starters.
  The final score: N-G 59, St. Joseph's Prep 57.
  Stewart totaled 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and in time he won't bust chops about owning four titles to his brother's two. Danny, also a forward, was a star in the 2009 and 2010 seasons and now plays for Rider, where Derrick will again be his teammate.
  "Well, I did get my four rings, but he got two with 1,000 points, so I guess we're even," Derrick said. "I just know we're very happy in this family." 
  continued right below . . .  

  By Ted Silary
  TYREEK DUREN isn't thinking about the day when he'll say "I do" or welcome his children into the world.
  He's a here-and-now kind of guy and the words that came pouring out of his mouth last night were, "This is the greatest feeling in the world! "
  Pause.
  "Well, so far," he added with a smile. "But this is all I'm really thinking about. "
  Duren and Ss. Neumann-Goretti High did not merely win the Catholic League basketball championship last night in front of maybe 7,000 spectators at the Palestra. The Saints stormed to it. Bullied their way to it. Took no prisoners en route to seizing it.
  The final was N-G 86, Roman Catholic 53. And the outcome was "final" long before 32 minutes elapsed.
  It was the 15th CL title for Neumann-Goretti (and its forerunners), and its fifth this decade (three against Roman).
Primary among the major reasons for the decisive victory was Duren, a junior point guard.
  Another junior guard, Tony Chennault, who already has committed to Wake Forest, is the Saints' best-known player and was selected the coaches' MVP of the Blue Division. But at the west end of the floor, as they awaited their chance for TV interviews, Chennault walked over to Duren, put his arm around his shoulder and roared, "That's your MVP right here! "
  Let us recount the reasons . . .
  Penetrating, and finishing, pretty much at will, Duren scored 26 points, shooting 10-for-16 total with a pair of treys. For most of the night, though Mustafaa Jones and Lamin Fulton provided occasional help, Duren also stalked Roman's leading scorer, junior guard Rakeem "Rahk" Brookins. And there's no other way to put it - stalked.
Though Brookins did finish with 24 points, he needed to launch 31 shots from the floor. Only eight succeeded, he went 2-for-11 on treys and during a period that spanned late first quarter to early fourth, he hit just two of 18 attempts.
  "I was ready to play him,'' said Duren, who added six rebounds, five assists and five steals. "I knew defense was going to be much more important than offense.
  "I tried to make things as uncomfortable for him as I could. I don't know if I did that great on him, but it didn't seem like he was making too many shots. He's a great player. If you think you're going to win, you can't let great players beat you.
  "I drank a lot of water all day. I knew I'd be working hard tonight. "
  Muffling Brookins was paramount because he was Roman's only headliner in uniform. The senior franchise guard, Villanova signee Maalik Wayns, was unavailable, as he has been for several weeks since undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
  Wayns saw his doctor at 4 p.m. yesterday. Thumbs down.
  "He was cleared to run and jump, but not to play," said coach Chris McNesby. "The doctor said he couldn't even suit up. We were prepared for that likelihood. We saw the chances he'd play as maybe 75-25, against. "
  During warmups, wearing a Boston Red Sox hat, Wayns stood at the back of the layup line and offered encouragement to his teammates. N-G's fans at one point during the game chanted toward Wayns and Roman's bench, "How's your kneecap? How's your kneecap? ''
  Long after the game ended, Wayns and Chennault could be spotted near midcourt, having a lengthy and friendly discussion.
  Let's say Wayns had been given the go-ahead. Would Duren have guarded him?
  "Don't know,'' Tyreek said. "We never even talked about it. The whole time in practice, we just assumed he wouldn't be playing. Coming off an operation that fast? Would have been tough. "
  "If he'd been out there, we would have dealt with it," said coach Carl Arrigale. "But we didn't expect to see him. ''
Duren scored 15 of his points in a 35-23 first half. Then and later, almost every single time he exploded past a defender, he did so to his left. He's righthanded.
  "I don't know why people haven't figured that out," he said, laughing. "I guess they think I'll come back to my right hand. But I like going left. I'm comfortable with that. Until people start stopping me, I'll keep doing it. "
  Roman missed 31 of its first 43 shots from the floor. Aside from Brookins, only freshman Andre Horne reached double figures in points (15). Koron Reed and Kevin Regan did claim nine rebounds apiece.
  After a slow start, Chennault got rolling and finished with 19 points (in addition to seven rebounds and four assists). Danny Stewart (16) and Niagara-bound Andre "Scooter'' Gillette (14) also hit double digits while Gillette added nine boards and four blocks.
  Deep subs were on the court as the final buzzer sounded. They scrambled up into the the east stands to celebrate with cheerleaders and buddies (mostly cheerleaders; they grow 'em smart in South Philly) and soon, the net was being cut down. It wound up around Gillette's neck since he's the only senior member of the rotation.
  The championship plaque, of course, made the rounds and when it got to Duren, he exclaimed while pressing it against his chest, "I need to hold that tight! "
  Then he kissed it.
  Arrigale loved soaking in the various scenes.
  "The kids really didn't like what happened to us last year,'' he said, referring to a loss in the quarterfinals. "They dedicated themselves to doing this going back to last summer. They worked hard. Stayed together. "
Won together, too. In quite the breeze.