WINDSOR – The East Catholic boys basketball team lost four starters from a team that advanced to the Div. I quarterfinals last year, including coach Luke Reilly’s son Samson, a dynamic guard who averaged 15 points a game and is now at Quinnipiac.
But then Sincere Folk decided to come home to Connecticut after playing in New York for two years.
Folk, a 6-foot-1 guard who lives in Meriden, is a welcome addition for an East Catholic team that did not win a state title for the first time since 2018 last year and he appeared to fit right in Tuesday night in the Eagles’ season opener against Windsor. Folk had 14 points and eight assists in a 72-60 win in front of a packed house at Windsor High.
“He’s a big help,” East Catholic junior guard Joey Montalvo said. “Instant impact in every way. Scoring, defense, everything.”
NY transfer Sincere Folk getting it done for East Catholic #ctbb pic.twitter.com/m0Shi9BP61
— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) December 18, 2024
Folk was in New York for two years, playing last year at South Shore High School in Brooklyn.
“It was great,” Folk said Tuesday. “I played against a lot of top competition. I think it helped me develop as a player.
“I’m a Connecticut kid and I love where I’m from. It just felt right to come home and hopefully win the championship with East.”
Folk opened the game with a basket for the Eagles, but he ran the offense, along with junior guard Kahil Bell (16 points) and Montalvo (11 points), and seemed to enjoy distributing the ball more than shooting it.
“I like to get others involved,” Folk said. “(Pass first) is my game. I’ve been playing basketball a long time, so I like to use my IQ to make others better and make them look good.
“When I’m getting everybody else involved, it makes scoring easier.”
Bell, Montalvo and Folk are all quick and like to push the pace of the game.
“We got a little more speed, and we got some size,” East Catholic coach Luke Reilly said. “We have some dynamic players. We just have to put it all together.”
Omar Oquendo, the only senior for the Eagles, added 14 points, and Jones, the “size” at 6-8, had 10.
The season has started quickly, and everybody had to learn their new roles, including Folk.
“I thought Sincere was really good for the first time in this environment,” Reilly said. “I think it’s going to be good for him. I think he’ll be excited about the competition night in and night out. A game like this is a good start for him to see what it’s about.
“He’s a high-level guard. It’s early. We’re feeling it all out and learning. He’s doing wonderfully as a new guy. We’re an established group in many ways and he’s fitting in wonderfully with the guys. He’s a team-first guy, he’s a leader and he’s a good person. When you have those qualities, it’s fun to coach and fun to be a teammate.”
East Catholic 72, Windsor 60
East Catholic 19 16 19 18 – 72
Windsor 9 15 12 24 – 60
East Catholic: Joey Montalvo 4 3 11, Sincere Folk 6 2 14, Kahil Bell 5 1 16, Omar Oquendo 6 2 14, Theo Perkins 1 2 4, Mike Bradley 1 0 3, Brayden Jones 4 2 10. Totals: 21 10 72.
Windsor: Missoni Brown 8 1 18, Sean Evans 4 2 11, Jaheim Franklin 0 1 1, Myles Push 1 0 2, Ji Gary 3 1 9, Alex Weaver 9 1 19. Totals: 25 6 60.
Records: East Catholic, 1-0; Windsor, 0-1.