St. Dominic boys basketball outlasts Bay Shore in the Gary Charles Hoop Classic at Chaminade
Melo Moheed Jr. of St. Dominic is good for two during a boys basketball game against Bayshore at the Gary Charles Hoop Classic on Sunday, January 4, 2026 in Mineola. Credit: Dawn McCormick
It’s been a busy month for St. Dominic boys basketball. The Bayhawks have played 11 games since Dec. 6 as they prepare for the upcoming NSCHSAA schedule, including Sunday afternoon against an undefeated Bay Shore team.
But as the adage goes, iron sharpens iron. And St. Dominic, which has won four of its last five, looks like one of most well-rounded teams on Long Island.
St. Dominic marched to a 66-53 win over Bay Shore in the Gary Charles Hoop Classic at Chaminade Sunday afternoon. Senior Melo Mojeed, who scored a game-high 23 points, earned the “Beast” award given to the game’s most valuable player. The star guard was quick to credit his teammates, noting that “they made me look like a better player out there.”
“We turned defense into offense today, and we just played hard,” Mojeed said.
Beginning with eight first-quarter points, Mojeed ended the first half with a flourish. He delivered a one-handed dunk for the final score of the half as St. Dominic led Bay Shore, 36-25, at halftime.
“A big emphasis from Friday’s game (against Holy Trinity) was to start strong,” Mojeed said. “Because when we start strong, we feel like we can be one of the better teams on Long Island and even in the state.”
That play wouldn’t have been possible without senior Aiden Windhausen, who came off the bench to grab his third of four offensive rebounds before flipping the ball to Mojeed driving in.
“It was really great to see Aiden come in and give us hustle points,” coach Isaiah Wilson said. “This year we asked him to come in and be the tough guy, and that’s one of the reasons we made him a captain this year.”
Bay Shore senior Corey Faines scored 17 points, and senior Niall Haughney added 11 points. Early turnovers put the Marauders in an early hole and while Bay Shore (6-1) trailed by just nine with six minutes left, St. Dominic’s lead would never dip below that nine-point figure.
Senior guard Tyler Liautaud shot 3-for-5 from deep — finishing with 11 points — and dominated defensively with his length. Junior forward Nick Lang had nine points and 10 rebounds.
Junior guard Cameron Obijuru thrived on both ends of the court, boasting 18 points, six assists, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks. If St. Dominic (7-4) makes it back to the NSCHSAA championship, the road will have been paved through these tough non-league battles.
“It gives us different ways to look at things,” Obijuru said. “[Bay Shore’s defense] plays aggressive, too. It helps us prepare for the people that play in our league.”
Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday. He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023.
