By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor It doesn’t matter if it’s on the basketball or volleyball court, AJ Nicassio and Majeed Ismail are all about winning. Nicassio began his junior school year on the football field, and then joined senior Majeed Ismail, and the pair combined to win Prep League championships for both Garrett Ohara and […]
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
It doesn’t matter if it’s on the basketball or volleyball court, AJ Nicassio and Majeed Ismail are all about winning.
Nicassio began his junior school year on the football field, and then joined senior Majeed Ismail, and the pair combined to win Prep League championships for both Garrett Ohara and Sean Beattie’s programs.
Nicassio caught a pair of TD passes for the Rebels football team and then was a bruiser for the Prep League’s co-champs in hoops.
The junior averaged 7 points, 7 rebounds and a couple of assists for the basketball program.
Ismail also put up about 7 points per night as well as 4 rebounds for the program, but the senior did so many little things to help Prep go 7-1 in league, and earned a first-round playoff victory over Compton Centennial.
It was off to volleyball after a second-round basketball defeat to Hillcrest of Riverside in the CIF-SS Division 4AA playoffs, and the 2018 season has seen the Rebels lose just one regulation (best of 5) match all season.
Back on March 14, La Salle defeated Prep in four games and that’s been it.
The Rebels began the season on a 10-match win streak and then went on to win 11 more in a row this year.
Over the last three years, Nicassio, Ismail and their teammates have compiled an impressive overall mark of 66-15 and 23-1 in Prep League matches.
They’ve earned three consecutive league titles together and the program has claimed the last six Prep League championships.
Over the past three years, the Rebels have won 70 of 79 sets in league matches.
“Both guys represent our school and program with class and respect,” Flintridge Prep volleyball coach Sean Beattie said. “They have been on the team for the past three years and have seen the program grow in a positive direction, and I give them both credit for that success.”
Nicassio has been nothing short of dominant on the volleyball court.
His 307 kills this year and 269 last season were both team highs.
Nicassio’s 204 kills were second best during his freshman season.
He has a combined 120 aces and 678 digs over his prep career.
Nicassio is a bright young man and diligent student, and he’s as humble and appreciative as he is impressive athletically.
“We have a very close team and we all get along so well, and having Coach Beattie around makes the entire experience even better,” Nicassio said. “This is one of the best teams I’ve been on here and I think it’s important that we make a dent in the CIF playoffs.”
Nicassio is one of the most versatile athletes on campus and he credited Dante Fregoso, who graduated after AJ’s freshman year as someone who helped shape him into the player he is today.
“CJ is the leader on the court and is able to talk to the team and have them make small adjustments if necessary during games,” Beattie said. “When the team is in a slump, one hit from him can really get them going and the team will feed off of that. He also has the ability to change the game with his serve and can set the tone right from the start.”
Nicassio and Ismail actually combined for 55% of the Rebels kills this season.
Ismail isn’t necessarily ‘the guy’ on either the Flintridge Prep basketball or volleyball teams.
But make no mistake about it, programs don’t win championships or have the success the Rebels have had without talented, fundamentally-sound and selfless athletes like Majeed Ismail.
He does more for both programs in ways you can’t find on a stat sheet than those you can see in a box score.
Ismail is as versatile as anyone on his team, and he’s among the leaders in kills, blocks and digs.
Over the past three years on varsity, Ismail has 516 kills and 150 blocks.
As mentioned earlier, the Prep senior also had moments that allowed the basketball program to earn a share of the Prep League championship.
On nights that maybe Johnny Le wasn’t shooting well or they needed a few rebounds late, he and Nicassio did a good job of controlling the boards.
But he is now in the final month of his high school career and his focus is clearly on making a run in the CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs.
“Majeed is quite the leader that doesn’t get rattled and always stays composed regardless of how the game is going. He has the ability to change the other team’s offense because of his big blocks and can put a ball straight down to get the rest of the team fired up,” Beattie said about his senior.
Ismail, like Nicassio, says the Rebels’ chemistry is not only rewarding, but critical for a championship level program to reach the next level.
He credits his older brother Kareem with helping Majeed grow as a player and as a person. Ismail said he respects Kareem’s work ethic and positive attitude.
Since Nicassio still has one more season at Prep, what will Ismail remember most about his time at the La Canada school?
“I will remember all of our away games this season and enjoying my last time at all the schools in our league with the other four seniors (Tim Treinen, Garrett Gaines, Ben Ventresca and James Ayers) on our team.”
The Rebels open up their postseason schedule with their neighbors from La Canada High School (11-16), a team they swept back on March 6.
But Prep was stunned last year in the first round to an Oxnard team that was 13-18 entering that match, so look for Nicassio, Ismail and the Rebels not to take one point, let alone one opponent for granted.
Quotable:
Flintridge Prep coach Sean Beattie: ” In school, both kids are diligent and often working on their homework prior to practice or on the bus ride to games. We are a very academically rigorous school and it takes a lot to stay on top of your studies and excel in multiple sports like these guys do. There are so many things that I appreciate about the whole team, but when I think about these two in particular I would say: I love AJ’s sense of humor and personality both on and off the court. We are able to talk about anything and have respect for one another, I would say many of our conversations don’t even have anything to do with volleyball and that is pretty cool.
Majeed has such a calming personality and I can always depend on him when I need to show an example of how to keep your emotions in check. He can take a game over with his offense and always wants to get better by staying after practice to get extra reps and trying different positions to better himself as a player. Both of these young men are full of respect and discipline and that will take them a long way in life well after sports are done and that is something that I am very proud of each of them for.”
Flintridge Prep Volleyball:
2018: 21-3 overall record, 8-0 in Prep League matches.
AJ Nicassio: 307 kills, 61 aces, 183 digs.
Majeed Ismail: 198 kills, 18 aces- (505 of team’s 936 kills) 54% of offense—- Majeed team-best 44 blocks, 65 digs (third best).
2017: 21-7 overall, 7-1 in Prep League matches.
Lost first round CIF playoff match with Oxnard.
AJ Nicassio: 269 kills (team best), 41 aces (second best), 285 digs (second).
Majeed Ismail: 171 kills (third best), 50 blocks (second best).
2016: 24-5 overall, 8-0 in Prep League matches
Three CIF playoff wins (Whitney, Tustin, Redlands) before losing in semifinal round.
AJ Nicassio: 204 kills (second), 18 aces, 210 digs.
Majeed Ismail: 147 kills, 21 digs, 45 blocks.
