In this series on articles, we are trying to highlight our Delaware high-school athletes who are contributing at the college level or in the pros. This week: Men’s and Women’s Basketball. If we’ve missed someone, please send a note to me at 302sports@gmail.com.
Women’s Basketball
India Johnston
India Johnston (Caravel) Leads Towson University with 23 points, shooting 4-9 from behind the arc in a win over hometown team University of Delaware. Johnston’s 23 were a new season-high and just one short of her collegiate careers high from last season. She’s averaging 11.8 points on the season and has 44 assists in 10 this season. Johnston leads the Towson team in three-point field goal percentage at 32.4% and three-point field goal made at 34.
Rory Ciszkowski (St. Elizabeths) became the school’s career leader in 3-pointers at Goldey-Beacom College Ciszkowski drilled six 3-pointers in a 74-52 victory over Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opponent Bridgeport which put her at 208 for her career, breaking the mark of 203 established by Lexi Bruno (2014-17). Ciszkowski closed with 23 points and shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc in the win. She currently sits at 212 three-pointers and counting in her career. Rory is averaging 12.1 points a game and has 60 three-pointers this season for the Lightning. Along with her are three more local athletes that play for the Lightning Julie Kulesza (Conrad) whose tied for the team lead in avg ppg at 14.4, Julie McCarron (St. Elizabeths) whose averaging 7 ppg, and Farrah White (St. Elizabeths) whose averaging 7 ppg.
Stefanie Kulesza (Conrad) is playing well for UMass, averaging 9.4 points ppg and 6 rebounds ppg this season. Stefanie’s best game of her career came this season as she scored a double-double scoring 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on Jan. 2nd against St Louis. Umass is 7-4 in the Atlantic 10 (A10) and 12-10 overall. They will look to make a run at the A10 championship this season. Their next game will be live on ESPN+ at 6PM as they host St Bonaventure.
Ber’Nyah Mayo (St. Elizabeth) matched her season-high 18 points to lead all scorers on 7-of-14 shooting for the Red Storm in a win over Seton Hall on Jan. 25th. The graduate student has reached double-digits in scoring in 12 of her last 15 appearances. Mayo is averaging double digits in points at 10.2 PPG and has 71 assists on the season.
Men’s Basketball
Robert Wright III (Wilmington) is logging valuable minutes for the Baylor Bears in his freshman season. He is averaging 30 minutes per game and 13 ppg for the Bears. His season and career best in point scored came in an 81-70 win over the No. 16 Ranked Kansas Jayhawks when he scored 24 points to lead the Bears. Wright played his senior season at Montverde Academy after a stellar prep career at Neumann-Goretti High School in Pennsylvania … Helped Montverde to a 33-0 record and a Chipotle Nationals Title (Formerly GEICO Nationals).
Jy’are Davis (Sanford) transferred this year to Syracuse University from the University of Delaware, where he was a second-team All-CAA selection. Davis is averaging 8.2 points per game — mostly off the bench for the Orange. In the last 8 games for the Orangemen Davis has begun to see more minutes as his play has stepped up. He scored 20 points in 25 minutes against Notre Dame, 11 points and 7 assists against the University of Texas, and 22 points and 12 rebounds in early November against Le Moyne.
Professional Basketball
Donte DiVincenzo (Salesianum) Donte was traded from the New York Knicks to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason. For the Timberwolves this season, Donte is averaging 11 points per game. His best game of the season came Jan. 15 against another former team, the Golden State Warriors, as he scored 28 points, going 6 for 12 from the three-point line and 9 for 19 from the floor. Donte is averaging 30 minutes a game and 15 ppg for the Timberwolves.
Jaylen Duren (New Castle) played for two high-profile high school programs outside of Delaware (Roman Catholic H.S. and Monteverde Academy) before attending Memphis under head coach Penny Hardaway in 2021. He was selected 13th overall in the 2022 NBA draft and has spent his first few seasons with the Detroit Pistons. His best game of the season came Feb. 2 against Chicago as he scored 28 points, going 9 for 11 from the floor and added 13 rebpunds for a double-double. Jalen is averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds per game over this season for the Pistons.
