Ben Ahmed continues to put up huge numbers for PSA’s Prep basketball team. Last week though, it only resulted in a split of two games for the Mustangs, currently ranked No. 1 in the country.
The 6-foot, 10-inch Ahmed, a member of the Class of 26, had 19 points and 17 rebounds in Friday’s rousing 85-75 win over Bradford, a game in which Ahmed made nine-of-10 shots.
Justin Johnson added 26 points and six assists for the top-ranked Mustangs (8-2), who also got 14 points and eight rebounds from Que Duncan.
“Ben’s a monster,” coach Tom Espinosa said. “When he gets it on the block or anywhere around the rim, he’s tough to handle. He’s been really good for us this year, and just building off what he did last year as a freshman.”
Ahmed put up big numbers Sunday afternoon too – 22 points and 15 rebounds, his sixth consecutive double-double – but PSA squandered a 14-point lead and fell 81-79 to New Hampton.
“Guys have to play hard,” Espinosa said after his team dropped to 8-3. “Prep school basketball, in New England, if you don’t play hard you’re going to lose. It’s as simple as that. We didn’t have enough guys play hard and I shouldn’t have played them as much as I did. This loss is on me because I let guys continue to play even though they weren’t playing hard. I won’t do that again.”
As for Ahmed, he now has 130 rebounds so far this season, the most for any PSA player through the first 11 games since Rundell Mauge had 190 back in 2007-08, the program’s first year of existence.
He also has 448 career rebounds to date, sixth-most in program history. He is on pace to shatter the career mark of 676, established by Dioubate from 2021-23, and could challenge Mauge’s single-season record of 408, set in 07-08.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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