The Msgr. McClancy junior varsity boys’ basketball team won this year’s CHSAA ‘A’ division city championship with a 49-35 victory over Msgr. Farrell H.S., Staten Island.

The team finished the regular season with a 21-3 overall record (13- 3 in league play). Farrell defeated the Crusaders in January, but McClancy, which finished the year on a 13-game winning streak, won on the big stage.

After trailing 7-2 after the first quarter, McClancy stormed back to take a three-point halftime lead. The team increased the lead to double digits in the second half and never looked back on its way to winning consecutive junior varsity city championships.

The team was led by a balanced attack from several players. Joshua Ortiz had 12 pts., Peteri Edmund had 11 pts. and Kaadeer Cleaves added a double-double with 10 pts. and 16 rebounds. Malcom Whyte chipped in with 11 pts. and five steals, all in the second half.

Throughout the season, the team followed the example set by Ortiz and Cleaves, the team co-captains. Cleaves averaged 15 pts. and 12 rebounds, while Ortiz added 10 pts. a game and steady defense. Edmund averaged 14 pts. per contest, and Whyte added 11 pts. per game.

Over the past two years, the JV Crusaders have posted a 43-6 overall record, which bodes well as the JV players soon become varsity players.

“I believe the future of McClancy’s varsity basketball team looks extremely bright,” said the team’s head coach Frank Cammallere. “I believe that the experience that this current JV team has had playing in two straight city championship games will only help this team moving forward.”