Basketball Standouts Dennis Rinaldi and Jared Hodes Finish Season

In the past this column has been typically reserved for athletes who enjoyed a week with a win.

However, even in the team's late season downfall one would be remiss if the individual efforts of Dennis Rinaldi and Jared Hodes were not noticed.

Hodes and Rinaldi are just as close off the court as they are on it. In their third year on varsity, both players were the team's two leaders in minutes, points and rebounds this season and at the beginning of the year they were named the team's co-captains.

Jared Hodes is a player with unlimited range. Earlier in the year he eclipsed 100 three pointers in his high school career, a mark that is not easily or often passed. Though streaky, Hodes carried the Huskies in the first half of their game against Port Chester earlier in the week. He connected on several shots that were well beyond the NBA three-point line.

"Jared has turned into a leader this year. He has become more vocal," Harrison head coach Gary Chiarella said of Hodes. "He is the leader in our 1-3-1 defense and he has come a long way in his third year."

Conversely Dennis Rinaldi is a pure power player and the closet thing the Huskies had to a go-to guy down the stretch. At 6'2'' and 200 lbs. he is a strong power forward playing out of position for the betterment of the team due to Harrison's lack of size. Often he would have to go against much taller athletes such as Port Chester's 6'10'' Joel Neri and Hackley's 6'7'' Jon Salandra. Even playing out of position Rinaldi was able to gain an all-section nod.

"Dennis has worked on his offensive game tremendously. He has carte blanche to do whatever he wants on offense," Chiarella said.

In the past week the Huskies lost three times, once to Port Chester and twice to Byram Hills. Both Rinaldi and Hodes played well in each game and in all three contests either Rinaldi or Hodes was the leading scorer for the Huskies.

Even though the season ended on several disappointing notes it is hard to imagine these two athletes not continuing their careers.

Rinaldi, a three-sport athlete, has the opportunity to play either football or basketball at the next level. He is currently being pursued by several Division II and III schools, including Western New England, Springfield and Newbury colleges.

As skilled as he is on the court Jared Hodes may even be more gifted in the classroom. He has a stellar grade point average and recently scored a perfect grade on the Latin Regents examination. He is hoping to find a school that will challenge him scholastically while still taking his game to the next level. His first choice is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Hodes and Rinaldi combined to make one of the best duo's Harrison has ever had on the court. Rinaldi ended his career near the top in several statistical categories and Hodes exterior presence was a great compliment to Rinaldi's interior domination.

Best of luck to Dennis Rinaldi and Jared Hodes, Harrison's athletes of the week for Feb. 7 to the 13.