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.