For all the star power on this Iona Prep basketball team, the best player of late and perhaps the key to a deep playoff run is a player without a scholarship.

Yet.

Romar Reid continued his stellar late-season play in Thursday’s 69-49 romp of All Hallows in the CHSAA AA Division playoffs at St. Raymond. Reid posted 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the victory as Iona Prep ran away in the second half.

“He has been our best player over the last two weeks,” Iona Prep coach Steve Alvarado said. “He’s definitely a scholarship player. Many schools are involved. We need just one of them to pull the trigger and offer. Soon.”

A performance like this one in Iona Prep’s next game could do that. The Gaels reached the best day of the year in New York City basketball with Thursday’s win — the city quarterfinals, a four-game marathon on Sunday at Fordham University.

Reid, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, scored his 23 points on only eight shots. He was 3 of 6 from 3’s and 10 of 10 at the free-throw line.

Bryce Wills, a Stanford commit, had 12 points and 10 rebounds and American University commit Josh Alexander contribute 10 points and eight boards.

Iona Prep (21-6) will take on Archbishop Molloy and stars Moses Brown (UCLA) and Cole Anthony.

“Obviously, this is a very challenging game but we feel our strength is our versatility,” Alvarado said. “That versatility, along with playing them with tremendous intensity, gives us a good opportunity to beat them this time.”

Iona Prep lost 73-61 at Molloy on Jan. 23. That was the Gaels’ only loss during a 13-game stretch late in the season — and it wasn’t as lopsided as the score indicates.

“We had a tie game against them with four minutes left in their gym,” Alvarado said. “So we know we can compete at a high level against them.”

CHSAA AA QUARTERFINALS
Sunday, March 4
at Fordham University
St. Peter’s vs. Christ the King, 1 p.m.
Bishop Loughlin vs. Cardinal Hayes, 2:45 p.m.
Iona Prep vs. Archbishop Mollouy, 4:30 p.m.
St. Raymond vs. Stepinac, 6:15 p.m.

Semifinals: Wednesday, March 7 at St. John’s University, 6 and 8 p.m.

Championship: Sunday, March 11 at Fordham University, 3 p.m.

Follow the Section 1 Basketball Tournament on KDJMedia.com and on Twitter: @KDJMedia1