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From One Shining Moment To The NBA: Ex-Westchester HS Basketball Stars Reach Dream

A pair of former high school basketball stars from Westchester who helped lead their teams to NCAA championships were among the top 45 picks in the NBA Draft.

Eric Paschall of Dobbs Ferry plays for Villanova.

Eric Paschall of Dobbs Ferry plays for Villanova.

Photo Credit: Eric Paschall Facebook
Former Westchester high school basketball star Ty Jerome cutting down the nets after winning the NCAA Championship.

Former Westchester high school basketball star Ty Jerome cutting down the nets after winning the NCAA Championship.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Ty Jerome, a four-time varsity letterer at Iona Prep who cut down the nets with the Virginia Cavaliers was chosen 24th overall and acquired by the Phoenix Suns through a trade with the Boston Celtics.

According to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, “in Jerome, the Suns get a mature, big lead guard who can play both on or off the ball. He has a tremendous amount of confidence as well, and fits terrifically next to Devin Booker on offense due to his ability to knock down shots both on the catch or off the dribble, as well as his ability to initiate offense allowing Booker to play off the ball occasionally.”

Vecenie noted that he’s “a little bit worried is on defense, where Jerome was an active defender in the Virginia scheme in college, but does not project well to the NBA due to his lack of length or strength to stand up in the contest. But as a third guard, I think Jerome has some upside, and that’s what the Suns will be hoping to get here.”

Ex-Villanova standout Eric Paschall, a former star at Dobbs Ferry High School, was the 41st selection, the 11th pick in the second round, to the Golden State Warriors, who have been to five straight NBA Championships.

“All apart of the process!!!!! Dub nation what’s good!!,” Paschall posted on Twitter.

“I’m pretty surprised that Paschall lasted this long,” Vecenie said. “As much as I’d been told, there were no red flags here. He’s a great kid, has a great frame at 6-7 with a 7-0 wingspan, can shoot above the break 3s, can defend up the lineup at the 5. That the Warriors got him after taking Jordan Poole and Alen Smailagic two picks that I’m somewhat less excited about is funny. I’d bet on him getting minutes over either of those two next seasons.”

Jerome, a New Rochelle native, led Virginia to an NCAA Tournament earlier this year after finishing the season as one of the top guards in the country. The 6-foot-5 junior finished the season averaging 13 points a game and hit nearly 40 percent of his three-pointers in the regular season, which was good enough to earn him a spot on the all-ACC third team.

Paschall, a 6-foot-8 forward, was the 2015 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds his junior year at Dobbs Ferry, where he was named the state Class B player of the year in 2013. He transferred to Villanova from Fordham.

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