BY ZACH SMART
After establishing themselves as one of the most consistent recruiting presences on the CHSAA “AA” landscape, Quinnipiac head coach Tom Pecora and staff got a commitment from one of the conference’s best players on Friday.
Cardinal Hayes Class of 2026 guard Malik Fields, who authored a breakout junior season, committed to the Bobcats.
Fields, who held offers from East Carolina, TCU, Oklahoma State and others, scored 34 points and sent the game into overtime with a buzzer beating 3-pointer during Hayes’ upset bid of top-seeded St. Francis Prep in the CHSAA quarterfinals last season.
He was also named MVP of the Shooting Stars Showcase in the Bronx, where he finished with an event-best 30 points.
Fields is a bigger built point guard with a knack for elbow jumpers and a three-level scoring repertoire.
He brings positional uniqueness with his rebounding and a cerebral awareness as a facilitator.
Quinnipiac, which plays in a sparkling 3,500-seat arena on top of a hill, has done a commendable job tapping into the local NYC market these past few years.
The current roster features former Stepinac sharpshooter Braylan Ritvo and freshman point guard Tai Turnage, who is known for a stellar four year career at St. Raymond’s HS.
Fields enters his senior season as one of the conference’s longest tenured and most productive all around players. The Riverside Hawks product will lead by example for a youth-laden and deep Hayes team under longtime head coach Joe Lods.
Photo: Nate Blue
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