The draw of playing at home one final time was too strong for Cahiem Brown to turn away.
The Coney Island native left a talented St. Raymond boys’ basketball team in the Bronx to play his senior year for his neighborhood school Lincoln. It gives him a chance to fulfill a dream of bringing another Public School Athletic League city crown to the school, and play for his family and friends.
“It feels great knowing that I can play in front of everybody I grew up with, everybody that I am around,” he said. “I have a great feeling about this year.”
It wasn’t an easy choice to leave a Ravens roster that is one of the best in the Catholic league and teammates he has played with in one way or the other since the seventh grade. St. Raymond lost in the Archdiocesan final last season and in the intersectional quarterfinals. He averaged 17.8 points per game for St. Ray’s as a junior.
“I have a close relationship with all the guys on that team,” Brown said.
It’s been a smooth transition so far competing with Lincoln in summer leagues such as Smartball and EBC Rucker Park. Brown’s cousin Donald Flores plays for the Railsplitters, and Brown knows many of the players already just from growing up in Coney Island.
“You are not coming to strangers,” Lincoln coach Kenny Pretlow said of Brown’s new teammates.
The 6-foot-3 Brown, who has interest from Monmouth, Cleveland State, and Hofstra, gives the Railsplitters a much-needed dose of size and scoring with the graduation of center Greg Poleon and shooting guard Ezekiel Charles. Lincoln also found out rising sophomore Paul Person has transferred to Hoosac in Upstate New York. Brown’s ability to score, run the floor, and rebound gives Pretlow plenty of ways to use him.
“It just gives us another versatile weapon to add to the way we played last year,” the coach said. “We like to spread people out. That’s a guy who can do it and finishes well. I’m looking forward to having him with us.”
Brown sees himself as the missing piece to putting the Railsplitters back on top after a quarterfinal loss to Boys & Girls last year. He is a leader with big-game experience, and the game should translate well with Lincoln star Jahlil Tripp, who is expected to get another year of eligibility.
Brown is even more excited about who will be in the gym watching him. His family and friends will not have to travel far to see his final high school season unfold. He said many of them weren’t always able to make it to games at St. Raymond, which was an hour-and-a-half commute for him, compared to a 10-minute trip to Lincoln. When asked how many people he expected at each home game this year, Brown didn’t hesitate.
“Everybody,” he said. “The whole of Coney Island is going to be there.”
Just to welcome him home.
