REASON TO BELIEVE
Naz has hope for titles, funds
WHEN THE basketball season began, Nazareth’s boys coach Todd Jamison couldn’t imagine a city or state championship in the Kingsmen’s future.
Yet, as the team’s guard-play and defense improved, and swingman Samson Usilo emerged as one of the city’s top sophomores, Jamison began to think big. Now, Nazareth is two wins away from claiming the program’s first state Federation title since the school won back-to-back crowns in 1988 and 1989.
The Kingsmen (21-6) face Bishop Ludden of Syracuse at 5 p.m. Friday at the Times Union Center in Albany in the Class B Federation semifinals.
“In the beginning of the year I didn’t think we’d get this far, to be honest with you,” said Jamison, in his 16th season as the team’s coach. “We’re here now, and we’re definitely going to try to make the best of it.”
Those same words could apply to the school itself, which is fighting to stay open after its Board of Trustees announced in February that Nazareth would close in June because of financial difficulties and dwindling enrollment.
Now, the Board is saying there is hope that the school will remain open, the Daily News has learned.
The Brooklyn school, which has been energized by having both its boys and girls teams in the Federation tournament, might stay open beyond this school year if it can satisfy three requirements by April 15.
In a letter to sent to faculty and parents on March 16, Nazareth principal Providencia Quiles — who provided the letter to The News — outlined the requirements, saying the school must enroll 80 freshmen students with entrance fees fully paid, raise $700,000 to cover six months of operating costs and some of its debt, and create a strategy that makes keeping the school open for the next four years viable.
“Everyone is highly-motivated to get everything done, to raise the money, get the kids through the door,” Quiles said in a phone interview.
According to Quiles, 66 incoming freshmen had already enrolled as of Wednesday, and they are paid in full thanks to a single donor.
As for the $700,000 that needs to be raised, Quiles said the school has secured only $100,000 so far with eight more fundraisers scheduled between now and the April 15 deadline. One of those events is scheduled for Saturday at Latitude Bar & Grill in Manhattan (783 Eighth Ave.) between 7 and 10 p.m. Any donations will be returned in the event that the school does not remain open.
Quiles plans to be in Albany for the boys game on Friday and for the girls game against Cicero-north Syracuse at 2 p.m. Saturday. She will then trek back to Manhattan for the fundraising event, even if the school’s boys team advances to Saturday’s 5:45 p.m. title game.
Quiles also plans on being back in Albany on Sunday, if the Lady Kingsmen play in the Class AA title game against PSAL champion Murry Bergtraum at noon.
“It’s a lot of driving,” said Quiles, “but it’s all for a good cause.”