Miles Rose joined Putnam Science Academy’s Prep team for the second half restart last season amid a lot of promise. coach Tom Espinosa said the Class of ’23 guard had the potential to be a Top 50 player by the time he finished as a Mustang.
But the reality of playing at that level hit Rose hard, and he struggled to find his footing over the 19 games. He played sparingly and often on a short leash, averaging just 3.6 points with a true shooting percentage around 43 percent.
“It was definitely different than anything I was used to. You could say I wasn’t playing with as much confidence as I would have liked to,” he said, before adding, “and I am looking forward to changing that this year. Going through it already will help. I’m looking at that semester as a learning experience.
“I could have played a lot better. I can’t do anything about it now. It’s in the past, it’s something to learn from and get better from. Now I know what I need to do, what I can expect in practices, in games, in the weight room, and just be better.”
Rose has had a good summer on the EYBL circuit with City Rocks. He said he has been working on all parts of his game but has focused on getting stronger and getting more confident in his jumpshot. When he plays with confidence, when he plays like himself, he is a playmaker both for himself and for his teammates and gets locked in on the defensive end.
“He’s talented, we’ve said that before,” Espinosa said. “He could be a really, really good player. From what we saw, he finished the summer on a high note and playing well, so I expect him to come back ahead of the game and be ready to go.
“I believe you build your confidence before the season. If you don’t have confidence from the free throw line, if you shoot 500 free throws every day over the summer, you should have confidence in it when the season starts. I believe it’s hard for someone else to give you confidence. I think it’s something inside you and the only way you build it is to shoot, shoot, shoot until you do.”
Espinosa is hard on his players, something that Rose said he didn’t take well at first.
“One of the things I am definitely looking forward to is being a leader with all the new guys,” he said. “Last year can help me help them through the tough times they have, or how tough the coaching staff can be and just letting them know they’re doing it to get you better and help build you up. It’s going to be a different year for me.“
By Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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Mouhamed Dioubate has had himself a good summer. Bouncing back from an up-and-down half-season with Putnam Science Academy’s prep team, the 6-7 rebounding wing has opened a lot of eyes on the AAU circuit by outplaying a number of Top 50 and four and-five-star recruits. But don’t expect him to make a big deal of it.
“I don’t look at top players,” said Dioubate, who picked up offers from St. John’s, VCU, and St. Peter’s, among others. “I don’t look at them any different than a regular player. And I don’t discriminate against lesser players either. You’ve got to play hard and raise your level all the time, and I feel like I’ve done a good job of that this summer. I really don’t care who I play.
“My confidence level is extremely high. Not to sound cocky but I feel like I’m better than all the guys I play against. I believe you have to think that way, otherwise you’re already beaten. Everything has been going good. I’m just working out every day and trying to get better.” Dioubate joined the Mustangs in January from John Bowne High School in Queens, the same school that connected PSA with the Diarra brothers. He expected to play right away. That didn’t happen, and it didn’t happen much for the remainder of the season. He played limited minutes, and averaged a shade less than four points and three rebounds per game.
“I had to realize there were guys there who had so many practices in the first semester and only played two games, and it made me realize how hard they had been working,” he said. “Now that I’m going back, I expect a lot better from myself to earn the chance to play more.”
Mustangs coach Tom Espinosa isn’t surprised by the summer Dioubate had. “Playing with us for a couple months prepared him,” Espinosa said. “Mo showed us some flashes that he can be pretty good, and he’s killed it this summer, he’s played great. He’s so big and athletic. He’s just a monster on the glass. We’re anticipating that he plays a significant role this year. He should come in as a new man. It takes a lot of guys about one semester to adjust. Now he’s been through it and should be ready to go and be a new player.”
By Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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Late last summer, Darryl Simmons – never short on confidence – defiantly said he would have a role on Putnam Science Academy’s Prep basketball team. He said it would be an opportunity for him to prove he could lead a team at a young age, and that “this is my time. I worked hard for this. Somebody’s minutes are in jeopardy.”
In the coaches offices, that belief was not as strong.
“I don’t know that we were so sure,” Mustangs coach Tom Espinosa said recently. “I wasn’t convinced he was ready for the Prep level. At some point he would be. But I wasn’t sure it was going to be last year.”
But Simmons’ work ethic, attitude, and talent forced him onto the roster and into a backup point guard role to open the season. And when Bensley Joseph didn’t return to the team for the second-half restart after breaking his ankle in the second game, the ball was in Simmons’ hands. All he did was average 12.1 points, 4.4 assists, 1.7 steals, post a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and lead PSA to an 18-3 record.
Needless to say, the view from the top has changed heading into the 2021-22 season.
“It’s really different, and it starts with recruiting,” Espinosa said. “In the years past, we needed to get a Bensley Joseph, a Tyson Etienne, a Kyle Lofton, someone who was going to run things. Now, we already have our point guard. We have our head of the snake.
“We’re excited about him. He’s a good player. He’s got confidence you can’t take away, and that’s a skill that is unique. You’ve got that, plus he is such a smart basketball player, plus guys love playing with him…it’s all a pretty good mix.”
Simmons, a member of the Class of 2023, has backed up his strong season with another one on the AAU circuit this summer, leading his U16 Expressions Elite team and garnering more interest from colleges.  
“It’s been a good summer,” said Simmons, who has added some muscle to his 5-foot, 10-inch frame. “I’m playing a lot of top 2023 guards who are on the ESPN list. For me, it’s about seizing the moment. Last season was an opportunity and I did what I had to do. I worked for it and put in the time and effort. Same thing this summer. People are the result of that time and work I put in.
“Looking ahead, I want to be more of a leader because the goal is to win a national championship. That’s the goal. There’s going to be ups and downs. It’s not all going to be as good as you think it will be. But we just have to work and keep going. All we want to do is win a national title.”
By Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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