"Horse" pulls Roman Catholic past Prep

It's not just his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame that earned Nazeer Bostick the nickname "Horse."

It's also the unbridled energy and pizzazz with which the Roman Catholic junior plays basketball.

On Friday, the equine was all-around sublime in the Cahillites' 53-39 taming of host St. Joseph's Prep.

The South Philadelphia resident scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished five assists.

"His energy just gets to be contagious and gives us confidence," Roman coach Chris McNesby said of Bostick. "It's like you're going into a fight with a guy who's tough and you feel a little tougher."

It's that physicality combined with a versatile style that led to his earning his nickname from his AAU squad, Team Final.

"Because I'm big, strong and I can get to the rack easily," said Bostick, a transfer from Math, Civics, and Sciences. "I just play hard. Everybody calls me Horse."

After Friday's performance, the Hawks could also call him a problem.

During a key fourth-quarter stretch, Bostick increased a once-tenuous lead with back-to-back baskets. Then, he assisted on a Gemil Holbrook three-pointer and blocked a Prep attempt from three-point distance on the ensuing possession.

Once the sequence concluded, Roman had a 46-36 advantage. Prep had cut a 12-point halftime deficit to just four by the end of the third quarter.

Carr led Roman (18-1 overall, 9-1 Catholic League) with 13 points and three steals. Holbrook added 12 points with seven rebounds.

For the Prep (15-3, 7-2), Pete Gayhardt grabbed 11 boards and blocked three shots. Clover finished with 18 points on 8-for-22 shooting. Carr, Holbrook and Bostick took turns defending the St. Joseoh's University signee.

"Chris couldn't get off because if he did it would have been a tough game for us," Bostick said. "He's a tough player to guard, but I just had to make sure I kept an arm's reach near him."

With all the hats Bostick wears, you can make a case that he's one of the most talented all-around players in the city. It's a case he made for himself in explaining his passionate play.

"That comes from hating to lose," he said. "And I feel like I'm overlooked a little bit. I play with a chip on my shoulder."

"I think when people bring up big names," he continued, "my name should be in the [conversation]. I do a little bit of everything and show everyone my all-around game."

He also added: "I like having an all-around game. I don't like being one-dimensional. I think everyone should have an all-around game: little bit of passing, scoring, defending, and rebounding. That's how I'm looked at in the city."

Roman Catholic 14 15 5 19 - 53

St. Joseph's Prep 8 9 13 9 - 39

RC: Gemil Holbrook 12, Tony Carr 13, Nazeer Bostick 12, D'Andre Vilmar 11, Paul Newman 2, Dakuan Davis 3.

SJP: Pete Gayhardt 8, James McGovern 6, Chris Clover 18, Jack Henkels 7.