Clippers do Just Enough to Earn Road Win at Christ the King

   In a game where Xaverian got just enough offense, made just enough stops down the stretch, and got just enough from their bench they earned an important 70-68 road win at Christ the King Friday night.

     For the Clippers it was their third road win in league play, following wins against two more Queens rivals Holy Cross and St. Francis Prep. In these wins and a tough 75-70 loss to pre-season league favorite Cardinal Hayes the Clippers, who started the game with two sophomores and a senior in Michael Graham who missed all of last year with an ankle injury, showed an ability to play well in close games that’s typically unexpected from a young club.

     The Royals and Clippers are teams that mirror each other because of their young talent on the perimeter. For Xaverian sophomore guards Shawn Fulcher and Nick Folk helped the Clippers forge an early lead.  While Folk made two first quarter treys, Fulcher displayed the poise of a veteran guard working the pick and roll with senior forward Graham. The impressive part of those plays by Fulcher was that a guy known for his speed and quickness never got rushed and instead waited for plays to develop and fed Graham for at least 3 dunks by my unofficial count.

     Christ the King’s own talented back court matched the Clippers.  Sterling Jones did not have as many assists as Fulcher but the sophomore showed terrific outside shooting ability. His partner, junior Ryan Meyers continued as he has all season to effectively mix his driving and shooting ability.  After a fine sophomore season where he took on the role of a spot up shooter, he is beginning to show fans and college coaches that his game is much more complete and that he is indeed one of the best in the deep reservoir of New York Area guards. They combined with Quaran McPherson to help the Royals stay even in a nip and tuck struggle. The Clippers first quarter margin was 19-14 but behind Meyers and Jones they rallied to tie the game at 36 at the intermission. And were it not for two free throws by reserve guard Ian Byrne, who earned them hustling for a loose ball, the Clippers would have faced a halftime deficit following a quick start.

     Byrne’s hustle play was just one of several key contributions from the Clippers’ bench which may have provided the difference in the game. Junior wing Billy Reyes provided an outside shooting compliment to Folk’s good early work that gave the Clippers an early 3^rd quarter advantage before Christ the King rallied to tie it at 54 as the final stanza began.  Byrne and fellow reserve guard Noah Salcedo gave solid minutes helping the Clippers navigate foul trouble on the perimeter for Fulcher and senior Isaiah Amazan, while junior Elijah Hardison, who did not enter the game until the final quarter, provided defensive plays and toughness after Graham picked up his fourth foul.

    At the end of the game neither team was perfect as they both struggled shooting from both the field and the free throw line down the stretch. Xaverian did just enough to grind out a tough win and both teams showed that they will be in the thick of things this season. Christ the King will improve not only when super-soph center Moussa Cisse returns (reportedly in mid-January) but as their young players, particularly Jones, gain experience. Xaverian’s young team should see similar growth as their young players, along with inexperienced senior Michael Graham gain experience. These two teams will likely vie with a talented and veteran Bishop Loughlin squad for the top spot in the Brooklyn-Queens “AA” division. We’re not even out of December and a great season is already shaping up.

St. John's Stays Perfect With Convincing Win Over St. Francis

     St. John’s gave fans an early Christmas present as they raised their perfect record to 11-0 with their most dominant performance of the season in an 86-52 win over St. Francis of Brooklyn. The Johnnies set the pace on defense where they held the Terriers to just 28% shooting forced 14 turnovers and blocked six shots. On offense, forward LJ Figueroa and reserve guard Mikey Dixon tied for game high scoring honors with 13 points while Marvin Clark and Shamorie Ponds added 12 apiece. Clark had his best all-around game of the season adding 7 rebounds 4 assists and 3 blocks.

    St. Francis lead briefly 6-4 when, with just under 16 minutes left, St. John’s would begin a 10-0 run capped by a Justin Simon rebound and length of the court drive that culminated with a powerful right-handed dunk. The Red Storm extended that run to 22-6 to take control of the game. They then answered a 7-1 Terriers’ run with a buzzer beating banked in trey by Dixon that gave them a 37-25 lead at intermission.  The Johnnies then scored the first 8 points of the intermission to put the game out of reach for St. Francis.

    The game provided an opportunity for the team’s trio of freshmen to get some playing time and each took advantage. Swingman Greg Williams connected on his first four shots, including a rim rattling dunk when he cut to the basket and took a pass from Figueroa. Center Josh Roberts had a dunk of his own and two rebounds. Marcellus Earlington’s 4 minutes of action featured 7 points and 5 rebounds as well as a play that will likely earn him some praise in a film session. After he missed a free throw off the back of the rim, he alertly followed it up for a basket while everyone watched. He was, apparently the only player on the court who knew he was shooting the front end of a one and one situation.  It was that kind of night for St. John’s and the play of the youngsters put a fitting cap on a very good night.

     Next up for the Johnnies is their final contest before Big East play begins. They’ll host another Northeast Conference foe Sacred Heart beginning at 8 pm.

Strong Second Half Propels St. John's to First 10-0 Start since '82-'83

                Perhaps it was the dreariness of a cold and rainy Sunday that caused St. John’s and Wagner to start so slowly in yesterday’s game at Carnesecca Arena. In the post-game presser coach Chris Mullin put his finger on what was happening. “Nothing stuck out to me that we were doing very well or very bad. I felt like we were participating and not competing…. we started the game out pretty good but then we let Wagner get comfortable.”

     For the visitors from Staten Island “comfortable” meant trailing by just one at the half (29-28) thanks to tough inside work from forward AJ Sumbry and outside scoring from Chase Freeman who connected on a couple of first have treys. When guard Romone Saunders opened the second half with a two-pointer to give Wagner a lead the momentum of the game seemed to turn on a dime and change completely.

       Shamorie Ponds, had one of his 14 assists when he hit LJ Figueroa in rhythm for a 3-pointer. The pass and shot began an 18-2 run that helped the Johnnies seize control of the proceedings and earn a 73-58 win over the Seahawks.  Ponds set the pace as he has all year committing just one turnover and adding to the impressive assist total 16 points and 9 rebounds. He shot an efficient 4-7 from the field and made all 6 of his free throws. The margin and his coach’s desire to keep him healthy kept him from achieving St. John’s first triple double since the artist formerly known as Ron Artest did it against Seton Hall in 1999.

                Ponds’ response to being taken out was typical of the player and person Red Storm fans have gotten to know and enjoy for these three seasons.  “I wasn’t upset. I wanted to get it (the triple double) but I know where coach is coming from. He did not want me to get hurt.”

    Ponds’ terrific passing eye and hands found eager teammates looking to finish or connect on in rhythm jumpers. LJ Figueroa had another typically efficient game scoring 19 points on 8-13 shooting including 3-6 from beyond the arc.  His two-point field goals were also fun to watch because he has a great knack for scoring in traffic where he never seems to jump the highest but always seems to have perfect timing. Timing also seems to be an important part of his ability to finish in transition, almost like a great scorer in soccer who has an ability to time his runs to be in position not only to receive a pass but have a good shot at the basket. Marvin Clark II finished with 14 points while Mustapha Heron added 10 for the Johnnies.

       The win gave St. John’s their first 10-0 start since the 1982-83 season when their coach was just a sophomore. That year the Redmen began the season with 14 straight wins and won their first Big East Tournament Title. It is also just the team’s third 10-0 start since 1950.

   St. John’s will be back in action Wednesday to face St. Francis of Brooklyn. Tip off will be at 6:30 pm.

Figueroa Leads the way as St. John's Earns Sixth Straight Win.

       In what would ultimately be a convincing 85-64 win for St. John’s Shamorie Ponds played as he had in the win at Rutgers on November 16^th, putting aside his role as a dominant scorer and helping others, particularly Mustapha Heron and LJ Figueroa to provide the scoring punch. While those two games stand in direct contrast to Ponds’ emergence as both a dominant and more efficient scorer in leading St. John’s to a 6-0 start this season, his 6 assists, 2 turnover 6 rebound effort last night was essential to a winning effort.  While it may have been statistically less impressive than his 35-point 7 assist 7 steal game winning shot, MVP performance a week ago against VCU it was likely every bit as important in the context of the Red Storm’s season. As Ponds took a secondary role, other players flourished, especially sophomore forward Figueroa.

       All season long Figueroa has been an exceptionally reliable second scoring option for St. John’s, as well as the ultimate mismatch guy in Chris Mullin’s offense. And he has played that role not only scoring and creating opportunities for teammates, but he’s done it while averaging a team high 8 rebounds playing much of that time as an undersized front court player.

     “He has great instincts, he really does. He has a really good nose for the ball for rebounds”, coach Chris Mullin said. “He’s got great energy.”

   All of that was on display as the Massachusetts native who arrived via Odessa (TX) JC helped St. John’s take control early with a 20-6 run to start the game. He ended that game with the second double double of his career, scoring 25 points while hauling in 13 boards and adding 5 steals. His triple with just over four minutes left in the opening stanza gave the Red Storm a 43-17 advantage. The second half saw some sloppiness from St. John’s and saw the visitors trim their margin to 15 but they could get no closer.

In addition to Figueroa, St. John’s got 20 points from Mustapha Heron, who bounced back from a poor shooting effort against VCU, while Mikey Dixon continued to provide strong scoring punch off the bench with 14 points on 5-8 shooting that included 4-7 from beyond the arc.

   St. John’s travels to Florida where they will face ACC rival Georgia Tech, and former Christ the King star Jose Alvarado, on Saturday at noon. The game will be part of the Air Force Reserve HoopHall Invitational.

Strong Opening Night Lifts St. John's Past Loyola (MD)

    St. John’s began what they hope will be a long and successful run in the 2018-19 season with an opening that went significantly better than last week’s dress rehearsal.

    “The effort was a lot better”, coach Chris Mullin said of his team’s convincing 76-55 win over Loyola (MD) in a game that featured the St. John’s debuts of seven players, most notably Auburn transfer Mustapha Heron. The wiry strong 6’5” wing did not disappoint. The numbers looked good, 15 points and 7 rebounds, but the eye test looked better perhaps because he and Big East Player of the Year candidate Shamorie Ponds worked so well together.

    Ponds had a terrific all-around game that could be an indication that he’ll be an even better player this year than last even though he’ll likely not be counted on to score as much with the arrivals of Heron and reserve Mikey Dixon who finished with 13 points off the bench.

   While Ponds did indeed finish with a game high 20 points, the rest of the stat line, 9-15 shooting 4 assists combined with just two turnovers, was more efficient than many he posted last season. Combine that with 3 rebounds and three steals and you have a line that indicates a complete player and, perhaps more significantly for the team’s fortunes, one who doesn’t have to force action.

   The Red Storm’s improved energy and effort helped lift them to a quick 9-0 start to open the game. They expanded that to 13 before the Greyhounds were able to gain some footing. They closed the gap to 21-14 before the Johnnies responded and pushed the lead to 19 with a rally capped by a lefty triple from Heron that made the score 37-18. They maintained that margin and then expanded it to 25 with a 6-0 half closing spurt that included an “and one”3-point play from Dixon and a 35-foot buzzer beating triple from Ponds which gave the Red Storm a 48-23 halftime edge from which they never looked back.

    St. John’s will face a tougher test when they meet the Falcons of Bowling Green from the Mid Atlantic Conference (MAC) on Friday at 6:30 pm. For long time fans of local HS hoops the Falcons’ coach is former Adlai Stevenson (BX) star Michael Huger. He is now in his 4^th season coaching his college alma mater.  

           

St. John's Gets a Warning Shot in Exhibition Win

       Yes, St.John’s 71-54 exhibition win over Division II Maryville University was “only an exhibition”, and yes, they were missing a key guy in transfer Mustapha Heron, who missed the game because of a concussion. The visitors from St. Louis played great and by doing so not only gave coach Chris Mullin a game that should get his team’s attention, but gave all involved in what looks to be a promising season for St. John’s a glimpse will face in the immediate future.

    For teams from the other major conferences such as Rutgers, Cal and Georgia Tech, the upcoming games represent an opportunity to get a win against a Big East foe that will look good on a potential tournament resume. For teams like Bowling Green as well as local rivals St. Francis & Wagner, a game against St. John’s is a chance to score a confidence boosting upset that could help them in conference play once the calendar turns to 2019.

  By playing as hard smart and effectively as they did Maryville gave St, John’s a blueprint of how games like the ones coming up can turn into unexpected losses. They moved the ball so crisply that they made twice as many threes (12) while taking just four more three-point shots than St. John’s and while they were out-rebounded and out-scored in the paint by substantial numbers, watching the game it seemed as if they took advantage of every defensive lapse with either a three or a well timed cut, pass or drive to the basket. All of those are key ingredients to the upset recipe in college basketball and if the team wants to put itself in the best position for a tournament bid they must not allow the opposition to use that upset formula.

    St. John’s led by just 4 at the intermission and had the Saints take a brief lead on a triple by Chaz Glotta before regaining their footing for a win. The Saints success from beyond the arc demonstrated perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the Red Storm’s effort. On all but a handful of occasions, St. John’s was late closing to opposing shooters and often without a hand up to contest. Only juco newcomer LJ Figueroa, who drew praise from coach Mullin for his energy, and Shamorie Ponds, who filled the stat sheet despite a rough shooting night seemed to play with the competitive energy that will be needed against better competition and especially when conference play begins

   St.  John’s will learn a bit more about themselves on Tuesday when they face Patriot League foe Loyola (MD) . For them, Maryville should be remembered for firing a kind of warning shot that should remind them simply that their energy and effort have to be better for them to have success.

Farewell to a Great Writer and Great Friend Jim O'Connell

I had read Jim O’Connell on college basketball for years before I got to know him through the Brooklyn Old Timers Hall of Fame. He had attended the event for years before his long overdue induction into that Hall of Fame in 2011. And for me one of the nicest of many things to learn about a guy I "knew" first as the AP's national college basketball writer, was that we shared an enjoyment of New York’s basketball history and high school basketball in particular.

    The time spent with him that I enjoyed most of all came after the Old-Timers dinners at Bishop Ford when he would walk with Tony and me from there to Farrell’s Bar in Brooklyn. On those walks the discussions were long, filled with laughter, fun and details that I suspect only a handful of people besides us were aware of.  We talked about Bishop Reilly High School his alma mater, and their participation in the Msgr. King Christmas Tournament, which was an event in my Marine Park neighborhood (St. Thomas Aquinas Parrish) that became an essential part of my Christmases because it was time spent with my dad who worked long hours and didn’t always have that time for me. Re-visiting those days with him was a gift I’ll remember forever.

    Inevitably there would be laughter about the old court at Msgr. King Hall that looked like a full court sized linoleum kitchen floor. And one story he always told was how, as his Reilly stormed off the court after an exciting first half he grabbed a hot dog off the counter on the way to the locker room and told the volunteer behind it “I’ll pay you on the way out”. Keep in mind this was 1972, so the woman knew he wasn’t going anywhere and of course Jim paid her before the second half began.

    Of course, there was also lots of talk about the players, coaches and games from those days which were played in that wonderful old setting with a stage at one end of the court. We saw George Johnson, Johnson, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Mullin (for Power) and countless others play there and while those talks would start in our minds from the old gym on Hendrickson Street, they would inevitably branch out to include all of college basketball. Thank you, Jim, for your kindness and those memories.        Rest in peace my dear friend.

Griffin Brothers Help Stepinac Cap Playoff Run with Title Win Over CK

    Archbishop Stepinac used a 24-10 third quarter that would ultimately prove decisive in their 74-65 win over Christ the King for the CHSAA’s “AA” New York City championship. The win was the school’s first at the highest level of basketball since 1960 and capped a terrific playoff run lead by Illinois-bound senior Alan Griffin who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. While the third quarter may have been decisive, the true turning point may have come in the closing moments of the first half.

    Christ the King had been able to build a 28-19 advantage in the second quarter thanks in no small measure to what was shaping up to be a dominant effort from both of Christ the King’s big men.  Moussa Cisse, the Royals’ 6’11” freshman center is, simply put an agile big man who has none of the awkwardness that happens when a young athlete grows so tall so early in his development. The full range of his abilities, running, finishing at the rim and especially shot blocking were on display as Christ the King forged their early lead. The Royals “other” twin tower Kofi Cockburn was every bit as impactful on the game while displaying different skills. His rebounding, ability to finish with powerful dunks and his soft touch from the key combined with Cisse and enough complimentary play from CK’s guards to gain the lead. Stepinac was making enough plays to stay within striking distance as they stayed aggressive against the challenge of the two talented bigs but it wasn’t until those closing moments that they gained some footing and outscored the Royals 9-2 as the second quarter drew to a close. That rally came to a dramatic and perhaps momentum changing conclusion when Xavier Wilson set a well-timed brush screen that helped give RJ Davis just enough room to knock down a 3-pointer as time expired. The score was suddenly 30-28 and the stage would be set for an exciting second half.  Then, after CK’s Ryan Meyers from beyond the arc, and RJ Davis, on a basket and foul scored three points each to open the third quarter, Alan Griffin went to work. And while his efforts in previous playoff games had been punctuated by great shooting and high scoring numbers, his third quarter effort was more indicative of the complete player he’s shown himself to be in two varsity seasons at Stepinac.

   It began on the defensive end, with a block of Cockburn followed by what became a “hockey assist” pass to brother AJ who immediately shoveled a perfect dime to Joel Soriano for two. Then, he drove the length of the floor for a missed layup that was quickly followed in by Wilson. After that he fielded a CK miss, again pushed the tempo and again found his brother, this time with a bounce pass that got him a perfect step up jumper for two more.

   Following a Royals’ time-out Alan went right back to work deflecting a CK pass to AJ who returned the ball to his older brother in transition for a powerful dunk. A two from the left elbow and converting all the free throws when fouled on a triple would add to the elder Griffin’s virtuoso 3^rd period. During this stretch Griffin also made a terrific hustle play when Moussa Cisse blocked a shot and then sprinted the length of the floor for what should have been a dunk were it not for Alan’s hustle and ability to get just enough of it to keep Cisse from scoring. Following a powerful dunk by Cockburn AJ found reserve guard Ed Sanchez for a triple that gave the Crusaders their first double digit margin. Despite the efforts of the Royals’ in the 4^th quarter Stepinac was able to hold them off in part thanks to two rally-stopping baskets by AJ Griffin, the poised freshman finished with 19 points. RJ Davis added 12 with a team high 6 assists while Wilson who made lots of important plays that won't show up in the box score also had his best statistical game with 13 points and 8 boards. Alan Griffin capped off his MVP performance with 20 points 8 rebounds (all on the defensive end) 3 blocks and 2 steals.

   For Christ the King Ryan Meyers finished with 18 points, and tied Cockburn, who added 15 rebounds for team high scoring honors. College coaches will likely find the perfect 6-6 free throws on Kofi’s stat line especially impressive. Finally, a statistical measure of just how great Moussa Cisse’s effort was he finished with 10 points 11 rebounds and *gulp* 12 blocks.  And for those who need reminding yes this is the stat line from a championship game built by a high school freshman.

    Pat Massouroni’’s squad won the day despite a great effort for Joe Arbitello’s Royals. While both teams lose talented seniors like Alan Griffin and Xavier Wilson for Stepinac and Tyson Walker for the Royals, both these teams have players who will not only keep their teams among the region’s best but will take a national stage as high school players. While a great season comes to an end it could mark the beginning of a great time not only for these teams but for high school basketball in the metropolitan area.

Wins For Stepinac And CK Sets up Battle of Champions For "AA" Crown

     As I did in my quarterfinal recap I’d like to begin with some thoughts, this time as a preview of the final game rather than on the state of the league. I’ve been watching these games for a while and I can’t recall the last time two champions; New York champ Stepinac and Brooklyn-Queens champ Christ the King, have met for the league’s intersectional title. What that means from a competitive standpoint is that two teams will play each other that share much more than championship pedigree in common. Both teams are extremely well balanced, both with respect to multiple scoring options, and with the ability to score inside as well as outside. They’re both loaded with talented underclassmen, including a freshman for each team, AJ Griffin for Stepinac and Moussa Cisse for CK, who figure to be national recruits in 2021, and they both have senior leadership that has helped their young team mates navigate a tough league in the regular season and through the playoffs. Add to that mix to fine coaches in Joe Arbitello for CK and Pat Massaroni and all the ingredients are in place for what should be a great championship game. Now without further delay let me get to recapping the games with an eye toward what might happen Sunday.

 Christ the King 72 Cardinal Hayes 64 The defending champion Cardinal found a much different Royals team than the one they beat handily to open the season.  Christ the King has gone through a season long process of learning how to play well together at both ends of the floor and they appear to be playing their best basketball when it matters most.

   On Thursday the Royals used a 15-0 first quarter spurt to fire what would ultimately be a decisive blow. In that season opening loss the Cardinal drilled the Royals from 3-point distance and this time they not only did a terrific job closing out to Hayes’ shooters but also corralling their guards trying to get dribble penetration. Senior leader Tyson Walker along with talented sophomore Quaron McPherson played terrific perimeter defense and McPherson, who has been the team’s best perimeter defender all season gave them a boost offensively during that run. The Royals’ first quarter margin grew to as many as 19 points and they maintained nearly all of that leading 41-25 at the half

     Hayes got off the deck quickly to begin the second half behind a triple each from seniors Tyrese and Jontai Williams. They combined with Joe Toussaint, who had a difficult game shooting from beyond the arc but made the wise decision to drive to the basket, to bring the lead to single digits before the Royals, thanks to hard work at the rim and a soft touch from the key by 6’11” junior Kofi Cockburn who scored 8 points in the third period. Hayes made another run in the final period that culminated in a trey by Terry Dawkins that trimmed CK’s margin to 63-59 with 2:17 left. A “hoop & harm” 3-point play by Walker who finished with a team high 21 points gave the Royals some breathing room and they put the finishing touches on a great win at the line. Cockburn added 20 and 19 boards for CK while Tyrese Williams had a game high 22 for Hayes.

Stepinac 88 Molloy 84 The Crusaders and the Stanners met for the rematch of last season’s semi-final that saw Molloy escape with a one-point win on free throws that followed a controversial foul call in the closing seconds. Perhaps because Molloy knew they’d get Stepinac’s best shot and Stepinac wanted badly to avenge the loss the two teams traded blows in the form of great play from start to finish. They emerged from a see-saw first quarter deadlocked at 16 as both teams played to the strengths of their offense. For Molloy that meant gaining an early advantage by going inside to Moses Brown while for Stepinac it meant relying on early scoring and playmaking from super sophomore RJ Davis.

                In the second quarter Stepinac’s senior backcourt star Alan Griffin picked up the scoring challenge, torching Molloy’s defense for 16 of his 31 points. Keep in mind though that he is part of a deep senior class of wing players in our region and his counterpart for Molloy, Khalid Moore was just as good, doing yeoman work along the base line and in the paint. The Stanners nearly took a 5-point lead at half but a leaning triple by the elder Griffin made Molloy’s advantage 38-36.

     Stepinac rode the momentum of Griffin’s triple into the 3^rd period when improving center Joel Soriano surprised Moses Brown with a well-timed block that lead to a tough Davis basket in transition. Davis followed with another tough basket and it appeared Molloy was on its heels for a moment. The Stanners rallied behind Anthony and Moore and regained the lead when Moore scooped up an Anthony deflection for a powerful finish.

                While Davis and Anthony did not guard each other, they engaged in a terrific scoring battle throughout the final period. Davis not only used his craftiness to score at the rim at times against a challenge from Brown, but he was absolute murder in the middle, pulling up and hitting jumpers with great efficacy. Molloy and Anthony kept making plays and staying within striking distance. And when Brown followed an Anthony miss got fouled and converted the free throw the game was just 82-81 with 21 seconds left. Molloy then fouled Davis who calmly sank both free throws. When Moore missed a triple that would have tied it Davis was fouled again and sank two more. Anthony would then bank home an off-balance triple to make the score 86-84 but Davis was money from the line for the third time and provided the final margin.  Davis finished with a game high 33 for Stepinac.

    Two well-earned wins by two teams that enter the game as champions set up what should be an epic final on Sunday. In New York which will forever be known as a pro sports town, this game between two great high school teams is as good as any you will find in New York or anywhere else.

Top Seeds Survive Tough Tests on CHSAA Quarterfinal Sunday

    Before I begin recapping the games from yesterday’s “quarterfinal Sunday” I’d like to, with the kind indulgence of those who might read this, make a general observation about them. The games between St. Peter’s and CK, as well as the one between Molloy and Iona Prep demonstrate how deep “AA” league has been this season. While all four of the top seeds survived Molloy and CK did so against teams that feature prospects that will play and succeed on good teams in college basketball. The Iona Prep team that Molloy beat featured three D-! seniors.  Christ the King beat a St. Peter’s team that has a terrific core of junior players. One of them, Chris Ledlum, is a versatile 6’6” forward who is a certain D-1 prospect while others such as guard Chris Clancy should draw interest from both D-1 and D-2 programs and may, with a solid summer become a solid D-1 prospect. The games, were fiercely competitive and showed off some great individual talent. Here are my recaps:

Christ the King 59 St. Peter’s 55 The Eagles from Staten Island served notice early that this game would be a battle for the top seeded Royals. Junior Chris Clancy and senior Kaleb Hicks got them started on offense in part because the Royals and guard Quaran McPherson paid special attention to Ledlum. To their credit St. Peter’s stayed patient against the Royals defense and when Ledlum finally got loose and drained a pair of three pointers early in the second quarter the Eagles held a brief 5-point advantage. The young Royals found their footing late in the quarter and took a 1-point advantage into the intermission.

   The third quarter saw the Royals appear to gain some breathing space. Senior guard Tyson Walker and sophomore Ryan Meyers got the Royals’ 3-point game going with help from Cockburn and Moussa Cisse. The tough work on the boards by the two big men helped Meyers and Walker get the best kind of 3-point chances; those in transition and off offensive rebounds where the Eagles’ defense had to scramble. The Royals’ good work combined with Ledlum being forced to the bench by foul problems helped them build a 44-32 margin as the fourth quarter began.

     Ledlum helped the Eagles begin a rally to start the 4^th stanza. First. he made a great bounce pass assist to 6’4” junior Jamal Achille and then converted a basket of his own. When junior guard Jordan Fox connected on a triple with 1:21 remaining the Royals’ margin was just 54-51. CK’s Walker then found Cockburn on a pick and roll pass for a basket and then they salted the game away with free throws. Walker led the way for CK with 22 points and 6 assists while Cockburn added 16 and 14 boards and the Royals won a game that epitomized the phrase “survive and advance” and may serve them well as they move forward in the tournament.

Cardinal Hayes 82 Bishop Loughlin 71 Following their shooting struggles in the New York Archdiocesan tournament the defending champs found their shooting rhythm and got off to a quick start against a talented but young Loughlin team that was facing the rigors of playoff pressure for the first time. The Cardinal’s trio of battled-tested perimeter stars, seniors Tyrese Williams and Jontai Williams along with junior Joe Toussaint came out firing. Toussaint and Williams connected on five 3-point tries in the game’s opening moments and Hayes seized control early. They never relinquished it even as the young Lions from Brooklyn began to find their sea legs with the help of a pair of talented juniors, forward Julian Champangie and guard William Lee. Terry Dawkins, the undersized but ultra-competitive inside forward who compliments Hayes’ perimeter was strong and steady as always finishing with 14 points and 10 boards. Toussaint paced a balanced Hayes effort with 25 points while Champangie led the Lions with 15 and 14 boards to lead the Lions.

Molloy 68 Iona Prep 61 Foul problems on both sides played a huge part in the machinations of this game but ultimately it was the terrific talent on both sides that made for a tremendous game and would ultimately decide the outcome. After an even first period Iona’s versatile forward Souleymane Kourreissi picked up his 3^rd personal foul early in the second quarter and that opened things up for Molloy. Moses Brown and Cole Anthony’s efforts were augmented by sophomore guard Deonte Benejan who chipped in with 7 first half points. The Stanners efforts combined with the decision to keep Koureissi out helped Molloy to a 36-25 advantage at the half. 

     With Koureissi back on the floor Iona quickly sliced the deficit to three points only to see the Stanners regain their footing thanks to Anthony and Brown. Then Koureissi led another rally to close the period with two great slashing drives; one for a basket and the other for a kick out pass to Romar Reid who drained a jumper for three of his 19 points.

   Leading by 4 as the last quarter began Molloy traded baskets with Iona and had increased the margin to 7 when. With 2:31 left, Anthony fouled out which meant with the game Molloy would have to secure a playoff win without their most reliable ball handler, who just happens to be the best point guard in his class. Two free throws and a basket by Iona quickly sliced the Stanners’ margin to 3 points. But then Khalid Moore sliced through the lane for a basket and then another sophomore Elijah Blackman recovered his own deflected pass and drove in for another layup. Moore’s clutch free throws put the game on ice for Molloy despite two late threes by Iona’s Josh Alexander. Anthony led the Stanners with 21 points and 9 boards while Brown added 14 points. For Iona in addition to Reid’s terrific game Bryce had 13 points while Koureissi added 10 and 5 boards.

Stepinac 83 St. Raymond’s 68 Stepinac has the most well-balanced offense in the tournament and they were eventually able to flex those muscles for a double-digit win. The Ravens gave the Crusaders a difficult test thanks primarily to the efforts of Omar Silverio who scored 18 of his game high 29 points in the first two quarters.  The most exciting play came towards the end of the half on a well-earned “heat check” shot after he picked off an errant Stepinac pass. He then drained a shot from at least 25 feet away. Give him credit the shot and follow through were absolutely perfect. The Ravens entered halftime trailing by just 33-31 thanks to a late flurry by Stepinac’s senior leader Alan Griffin. Their balance ultimately allowed them to push the lead to 7 points after three quarters and get the final margin with a strong final period. Griffin led the scoring with 22 points while getting 6 assists and 4 steals. Sophomore R.J. Davis added 21, while super-frosh Adrian Griffin Jr added 14. Stepinac’s improving 6’9” center Joel Soriano added 14 points and 16 rebounds in what could be a significant portent of things to come as the Crusaders face Molloy with Moses Brown and Molloy in the semi-finals on Wednesday. His ability to contest for rebounds and provide scoring could be a difference maker for the Crusaders against the Stanners.

                                                                                                                                               

Crusaders' Take First New York Title Since '84 With Win Vs. Hayes

       Last week when CHSAA basketball chairman Paul Gilvary decided to break the tie between Iona Prep and Cardinal Hayes for the top seed in the New York Archdiocesan playoffs using the combined score of the game between St. John’s and DePaul on the 21^st the internet chatter that followed was filled with one prevailing notion. The best part of winning the top seed, which went to defending intersectional champ Cardinal Hayes, was that that they would avoid facing Archbishop Stepinac until the championship round. The third seeded Crusaders proved the internet “experts” were right on the mark, as they’re great work in the Archdiocesan tournament culminated with a convincing 78-62 win over Hayes this afternoon at Mount St. Michael’s

   With the win the Crusaders will enter next week’s quarter final round as the top seed on the New York side of the CHSAA’s “AA” playoff bracket. Cardinal Hayes will be the #2 seed while Christ the King and Molloy will be the top seeds on the Brooklyn-Queens side of the bracket.

      Senior wingman Alan Griffin led the Crusaders with what for him was a typically full stat line; 29 points (including 5-7 from 3pt. distance) 11 boards 2 assists and a steal. His hot shooting start helped Stepinac stay close despite some early hot shooting from Hayes. The defending city champions led 15-11 after the opening quarter but behind both Alan and his super freshman brother A.J., who finished with 20 points of his own, Stepinac outscored Hayes 23-12 in the 2^nd period and led 34-27 at the intermission. The lead was precarious though because Alan Griffin had picked up his third foul late in the half.  It would have been smaller but RJ Davis banked in a buzzer beating triple to end the half. He finished with 22 points of his own.

                Alan Griffin connected on two early triples to open the second half and he combined with RJ Davis and his brother AJ to extend Stepinac’s margin to as many as 22 points early in a third quarter that also saw the first of two signature moments from AJ Griffin. He took a pass from Eddie Sanchez and flushed down a powerful one-handed dunk that brought the Stepinac crowd to its feet and drew gasps of astonishment form the rest of the audience. Freshmen just aren’t supposed to do stuff like that.

    Hayes responded with a 14-2 run to trim that 22-point margin to 10 at 62-52 with just under 5 minutes remaining in the final quarter. The rally was particularly impressive because part of it was waged without star guard Joe Toussaint who fouled out with 7 minutes to go. That’s when the second of AJ Griffin’s signature moments happened. And while this one may not have been as physically spectacular as the earlier dunk it may have told scouts in the audience much more about how good he is as a prospect for the next level and beyond.

                The play began with AJ looking for a pass on the wing and when Hayes denied that option he sprinted across the baseline to the left corner, he took a hand-off and calmly drained a triple and converted the free throw for a 4-point play.  The shot was outstanding, but the movement without the ball indicates that the young freshman is wise beyond his years. That play combined with late free throws from Davis and brother Alan’s effort from start to finish helped Stepinac put the game, and the school’s first Diocesan title since 1984 on ice.

                For Cardinal Hayes, Toussaint and Tyrese Williams led the way but they cooled off after a good start and could not quite get untracked with their 3-point shooting game. Make no mistake, they remain a tough minded defending champion and could find themselves cutting the nets down in what figures to be a must watch intersectional tournament.

Meyers' Game Winner Helps Royals Beat Molloy for B-Q Title

     Ryan Meyers’ s clutch trey gave Christ the King a 56-53 lead over Molloy with 2.9 seconds left to play. The basket was the result of a perfectly executed “pick and pop” play between Meyers and senior point guard Tyson Walker. Working off of a screen set by Meyers, Walker kept his dribble alive and dragged Molloy’s defense slightly to the left before pitching a perfect pass back to Meyers who was shot-ready and waiting. With a lefty follow through that has become familiar to the Royals’ foes and followers of the CHSAA the shot swished perfectly and set the stage for an ending that had an unusual twist and had drama befitting the Diocesan “AA” title that was on the line.

                On the next possession, Molloy inbounded the ball quickly to the nation’s best junior point guard Cole Anthony. Perhaps because Anthony had had a spectacular 4^th quarter that included to 3-pointers as well as several tough drives, the Royals fouled quickly, putting him on the line where even if he made both free throws he could not tie the game.  The problem with that strategy was that the foul came almost too quickly as only .9 seconds came off the clock when Anthony stepped to the line. He calmly drained the first cutting CK’s margin to just two points, and then purposely missed the second hoping for an offensive rebound. When Christ the King took the miss down the Royals’ player took a few steps without dribbling. When the referee, correctly, in my judgement called a travel and put .4 seconds back on the clock it set the stage for the Stanners’ one final chance inbounding the ball from under their own basket.

                The Stanners nearly completed a perfect game-tying play of their own, using a cross screen for Anthony to set up a lob pass to him at the rim. With so little time left he put it up on the rim quickly and softly but it bounced off giving CK a well-earned win and the 2018 Brooklyn-Queens Diocesan title.

                The two teams played a tight game from the opening moments which set the stage for the dramatic conclusion. The Royals held a 15-9 advantage after one quarter but the Stanners staged a rally that culminated with a Moses Brown dunk to tie the game at 22 at half time.

     Behind 16 third quarter points from Tyson Walker, who played brilliantly through an apparent thigh injury, the Royals took a 40-35 advantage into the final stanza and quickly bumped that margin to 7 on a short, contested jumper by Tavin Pierre Philippe on the final quarter’s first possession.

   

Molloy then responded quickly behind Anthony, who scored 14 of his game-high 32 points in the final quarter. His effort included N.B.A. range triples as well as well contested drives. The most spectacular of all those great plays came after a triple from Meyers gave the Royals a 51-50 lead and a twisting jumper by Kofi Cockburn gave the Royals a 53-50 lead with just over 21 seconds left. From there Anthony eschewed the 3-point shot and instead drove the right baseline, drew contact from the Royals’ 6’11” freshman Moussa Cisse and flipped in a perfect reverse layup. The free throw that completed the three-point play tied the game at 53 and ultimately set the stage for what would be Meyers’ second clutch shot and the ending that followed. The Royals earned their third win this season against the Stanners but make no mistake, each game has been decided by a razor thin margin and if the two teams meet again in next week’s intersectional playoffs anything can happen. And since each game between them this season has been better than the last, round 4 will be a game for the ages.

Remembering an old Friend and Great Coach Tim Leary

                                Before I begin writing this story I must first extend condolences to the family coach Tim Leary, who passed away this morning after a battle with cancer.

                He is remembered primarily as the boys’ varsity coach at St. Francis Prep, a job he held for 43 seasons and where he won over 600 games. Although all but a small portion of his coaching life was spent at the Prep campus on Francis Lewis Boulevard he was, for lack of better phrases, both a Brooklyn lifer and a basketball lifer.

    As a young athlete he was a two-sport star, in baseball and basketball, for The Prep when the school was located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. As a senior in 1963 he lead the Little Terriers to the CHSAA’s intersectional final where they lost to Power Memorial and the Hall of Fame center known then as Lew Alcindor and known now as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His skill and competitiveness in both baseball and basketball helped him earn a scholarship to Manhattan College in Riverdale.

     Following his graduation from Manhattan, he began coaching both varsity baseball at St. Francis Prep and varsity basketball at St. Augustine High School in Brooklyn where he took over for the legendary Charlie O’Donnell.  When that school closed in 1969, he became jv hoops coach at St. Francis before moving to the varsity level at the 1973-74 season. He remained in that position until his retirement at the end of the 2017 season.

                On paper Coach Leary’s legacy will include 10 division titles, 600 wins and an “A” division title in 1992. But for a coaching lifer like Tim the numbers aren’t really what matters. During the 1980’s and ‘90’s when it seemed like every team in the CHSAA had talented prospects, Mr. Leary’s teams were often referred to as “the Princeton of our league” by the coaches he competed against. That meant his teams were disciplined and smart on offense while being tough and rugged on defense. Former players such as Rashad Bell and Bryan Geffen excelled at the division one level and as professionals overseas. While many others continued to play basketball at the D-II and D-III levels. In addition to his coaching Mr. Leary touched kids lives as a teacher at John Ericsson Middle School in Brooklyn.  Perhaps because of his experience as both a coach and teacher he will also be remembered for both his direct way of speaking and his sense of humor. Conversations with him were often funny and always brief and informative. He always made his point clearly and succinctly. Rest in Peace old friend yours was a life well lived in service to the children of our city.

McPherson's Buzzer Beating Three-Pointer Helps CK Survive Molloy 61-58

     Senior guard Tyson Walker executed a perfect drive and dish to sophomore teammate Quaran McPherson who calmly buried a 3-point shot as time expired and gave Christ the King a 61-58 win over home standing Archbishop Molloy in one of the best basketball games you will find here in New York at any level.

    A week ago, the two teams played a terrific game before a national television audience with the Royals pulling out a 64-61 win at home against the Stanners. In that game Molloy, behind a brilliant effort from junior Cole Anthony, the Stanners led for much of the game before the Royals rallied to win. Last night’s game had a similar feel to it except that after a strong first quarter start by Molloy it was the Royals who seized control after that and held it nearly to the finish line. They did it with a balanced offense. With Walker, the point guard at the controls, the Royals found scoring on the perimeter from sophomore Ryan Meyers, who finished with a team high 14 points, junior Tavin Pierre Philipe and McPherson. They also went inside to their twin towers, 6’11” junior Kofi Cockburn and freshman Moussa Cisse, who combined for 19 very forceful points and provided a consistent defensive presence in the lane and at the rim. The continued progress of those two big men has been great to see during the course of the season. As he has all season long Cisse has shown terrific running ability and balance, while Cockburn combines a strong frame with improving hands and shooting touch. Perhaps most important for the success of the two youngsters at the next level is that they compete on the glass for rebounds and to protect the rim for every single possession they’re in the game. It should be noted here that Molloy’s own 7-footer, recent UCLA commit Moses Brown did the best he could working for touches against CK’s two talented big men. He ran hard, posted strong and demanded the ball but because the Stanners struggled to punch the ball inside he finished with just 8 points.

   Behind their balanced attack, Christ the King lead by 3 at the intermission, pushed that lead to 6 after three quarters and were ahead 58-48 with 1:38 left to play in the final quarter. Molloy than began their rally with the help of a pair of triples, one deep and one contested off the dribble, by Anthony, the Stanners tied the game at 58 with 10 seconds left. Anthony, who finished with a game high 31 points, appeared to help his team send the game into overtime.

   Walker had other ideas and drove the ball into the middle of the lane and kicked it to a waiting McPherson who drained his game winning shot. The Royals had their season sweep of their arch rivals, a precious road win in league play and, perhaps most significantly a well-earned win where the battle test they got against a tough Molloy team on the road will serve them well come playoff time.