Paterson (N.J.) Catholic High School will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday and the school could be on the brink of closing in June, multiple sources said Tuesday night.
“It’s a tough situation. It’s sad. If they are closing, it’s a sad situation,” said former PC and current Clifton High School basketball coach Tommie Patterson. “If Paterson Public Schools takes that building over, we need a technical school in this city.”
Messages left at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson were not immediately returned Tuesday night.
“I know nothing,” Paterson Catholic AD Jim Slezak said by phone. “I wasn’t told anything. I wasn’t told about any meeting. I’m going into school tomorrow like it’s a normal day.”
The alma mater of Dallas Mavericks forward Tim Thomas, Paterson Catholic has repeatedly faced financial troubles over the years, only to be saved by benefactors on several occasions.
“For the last couple of years, [the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson] has been telling them they’ve got to meet these benchmarks and they’ve been coming up short and it’s only a matter time for the Archdiocese to put a stop to it,” one source said.
The Archbishop of Philadelphia recently announced that Cardinal Dougherty High School in Olney and North Catholic High School in Frankford will close after this school year.
Like those schools, Paterson Catholic is a sports powerhouse.
The boys basketball team, coached by Damon Wright, was 28-0 and ranked No. 3 nationally before losing to St. Anthony in the New Jersey Non-Public B North title game. The Cougars won the last three Passaic County championships.
The football team, coached by Benjie Wimberly, won the most recent of several state championships last winter and features Pittsburgh-bound defensive lineman Trevor “T.J.” Clemmings.
The basketball team loses four seniors — including Seton Hall-bound forward Fuquan Edwin and prep school-bound guard Jayon James — and junior forward Derrick Randall, also to prep school.
Still, the team features several young stars, including junior point guard Myles Mack, sophomore guard Kyle Anderson and freshmen Reggie Cameron and Kavon Stewart, who would have to find new homes if the school shuts down.
BROWN TO TRANSFER
Fordham freshman guard Lance Brown of Teaneck will transfer. The 6-3 Brown is a Paterson Catholic alum.
(Photo courtesy MaxPreps)
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