Ocean’s Jineen Ayyash Going From Spartan to Peacock

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

Jineen Ayyash (center) is joined by her parents and brothers on May 29, 2024 as she committed to playing basketball at Saint Peter’s University.

Jineen Ayyash, senior at Ocean Township High School, has confirmed her commitment to play basketball next season for the Peacock’s at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. As a member of the Spartan basketball team, she was a shooting guard and also played “small” forward with power.

She has been playing varsity basketball for all four years of her high school career. “I wear number 24 because of Kobe Bryant,” said Ayyash. Bryant was a shooting guard with the Los Angeles Lakers who passed away in a helicopter crash in 2020.

Ayyash is not generally superstitious, but she does have a pre-game ritual. “If I don’t stretch well before every game I feel like I’ll play bad,” she said. She also listens to rap music and enjoys a healthy snack or meal before a game.

Looking back on her time as a Spartan, she has many fond memories, but one that stands out had nothing to do with her. “My favorite memory is probably my teammates, Kayden Clark, hitting a half-court buzzer beater against Cherokee High School,” Ayyash said. Her least favorite memory was losing to Ewing High School for back-to-back NJSIAA sectional finals as a junior and senior.

Ocean Township senior Jineen Ayyash (24) will be playing hoops next season for the Peacocks at Saint Peter’s University.

Ayyash has only been at Ocean for three years, and during that time she has scored 478 points, pulled down 280 rebounds, assisted 115 times, had 21 blocks and 79 steals. This past season the team finished 24-6, were 5-0 in the Shore Conference B Central division. Personally she was selected as a Shore Conference Senior All-Star and made First Team All-Division. She also play for the AAU travel team, New Jersey Shoreshots.

Saint Peter’s University was selected by Ayyash because of its location and she liked the environment and it has a great academic reputation. “I will be pursuing a degree in business and education, and playing basketball for the Peacock’s,” Ayyash said. In five years she hopes to be a business teacher and realtor.

Fun facts about Ayyash; she is Cuban and Palestinian. Favorite colors are purple and blue, loves sushi and the TV show Shameless and the movie Avatar. Her musical taste is R&B, rap and hip hop.

“I have loved every moment of coaching Jineen Ayyash. She has an incredible work ethic and commitment to basketball, along with being a terrific teammate, which allowed me to focus more on specifics of strategy and how to best exploit her and her teammates’ talents,” said Michael Lazur, head coach of the Spartans.

Over the past three season Lazur and his Spartans have gone 60-25. In 2021-2022, when Ayyash was a sophomore the team went 13-13. Last year as a junior they were 23-6 and this past season 24-6. “Jineen has an incredible personality and always kept a smile on our faces throughout the season. She is funny, kind, and enthusiastic, which is easy to see in practice and off the court. But in games, her competitive nature comes out and all she wants is for her and her teammates to have success,” Lazur said.

Lazur said that basketball has been such a part of Ayyash’s life and dreams, that he is extremely happy for her and excited to see what the future holds for her.