Holy Cross H.S., Flushing, put up a valiant effort in the 85th annual CHSAA ‘AA’ Basketball City Championship, but the Knights fell short to St. Raymond H.S., the Bronx, 66-58, March 11 at the historic Rose Hill Gymnasium on the campus of Fordham University, the Bronx.
St. Raymond’s (20-9 overall, 9-5 in league play) entered the tournament as the No. 2 ranked team in the city. The Ravens have used their size advantage all season to control the action in the paint, which led to an Archdiocese of New York championship.
“St. Raymond’s is obviously a very good team,” said Holy Cross Head Coach Paul Gilvary. “It’s a little bit of a tough matchup for us because of their size. We just didn’t shoot the ball as well as we have been.”
St. Raymond’s moves on to the state championship held annually in Glen Falls, N.Y.
The Knights (24-4 overall, 11-2 in league play) won the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan title March 6 over Bishop Loughlin M.H.S., Fort Greene, to earn a spot in the intersectional playoffs. From there, wins over Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood, and Mount St. Michael, the Bronx, earned Holy Cross a trip to the finals.
The Brooklyn/Queens title was the Knights’ second in the last seven years. Holy Cross last won the city championship in 2008, but the team’s previoius city title was in 1968.
Defeating the Ravens would be a tough task – especially based on St. Raymond’s height advantage – but the Knights were up for the challenge. Despite a gym full of Ravens’ fans from the Bronx, Holy Cross kept the score close early until St. Raymond’s opened a seven-point lead late in the first quarter.
But the Knights responded right back, using an 8-0 run to take the lead midway through the second quarter. Holy Cross senior guard William Davis (Valley Stream) drained two three pointers during this streak.
Though the Ravens led by two at halftime, the Knights remained in the game. St. Raymond’s opened up another seven-point lead in the third quarter, but once again Holy Cross stormed back to tie the game.
The Ravens managed a six-point lead down the stretch, and though the Knights closed the deficit to within two, they couldn’t force the tie. St. Raymond’s relied on eight-of-10 free-throw shooting in the final 1:30 to seal the victory.
St. Raymond’s senior forward Nkeruwem Okoro, who has committed to play at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, led the Ravens with 21 points and nine rebounds, which earned him the honor of Tournament MVP. Temple (Philadelphia) University-bound senior forward Daniel Dingle added 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. He and junior guard Shane Rector (16 points and four rebounds) were named to the all-tournament team.
For Holy Cross, Davis led the way with 21 points. Senior guard Marquise Moore (St. Alban’s) scored 13 points – 11 of which came in the second half. Senior guard Anthony Libroia (Flushing) and senior forward Mariega Clarke (Hollis) were the Knights’ representatives on the all-tournament team.
Great Run Despite Loss
Gilvary congratulated his players on a wonderful season. Though he said the loss stings, he’s also confident that the boys will be able to look back on their accomplishments and recognize what a great run they had together.
“I told them how proud I was of them,” Gilvary said. “Besides the success they had on the court, I’m extremely proud of the way they represented our school, our basketball program and their families.”
Gilvary’s mother passed away late in the season, so the Knights dedicated the remainder of their schedule to their coach. They came together in the playoffs and were just one step shy of a state tournament berth. Gilvary ensured that his players received all of the credit.
“It’s not about me; it’s always about them,” he said. “They’re the ones who put in all the time and effort in throughout the year trying to get better. They deserve all the praise and all the accolades that they get.”
Though the team will graduate seven seniors, it’s never too early to begin the road to next year’s playoffs.
School Closing Doesn’t Phase Nazareth Teams
The Nazareth R.H.S., East Flatbush, basketball teams have had a tough few months. Students learned that the school will be closing following this year, and girls’ basketball head coach Apache Paschall passed away Jan. 3 from a heart attack.
Despite these hardships, both teams won state championships. The Lady Kingsmen defeated Moore Catholic H.S., Staten Island, 68-46, on March 10 to win the CHSAA State Federation Championship. Sadie Edwards scored a game-high 21 points, while Bianca Cuevas added 19.
The boys’ team earned a 57-45 victory over St. Mary’s of Lancaster on March 10 to win the CHSAA ‘B’ state championship. Samson Usilo scored 16 points for the Kingsmen in the win.[hr]
Bishop Kearney JV Receives Honors
Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst, junior varsity head coach Nick Crimeni was named Brooklyn/ Queens JV Coach of the Year. One of Crimeni’s freshman players, Kayla Tacopina, was awarded with this year’s Marie Sisti Sportsmanship Award.
[hr]Local Prodigies Attempt To Make Mets
Last season, both Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge, standout Pedro Beato and Archbishop Molloy’s Mike Baxter spent time in the big leagues with the New York Mets. This spring, both will have to earn their spots on the roster.
Beato was pulled from his first spring training game with stiffness in his right shoulder. He is expected to return March 14. The right hander will battle D.J. Carrasco, Miguel Batista and Manny Acosta for a final bullpen spot with the Mets.
Baxter is vying for a bench role as a fifth outfielder/pinch hitter. The Mets signed Baxter to a minor-league deal, which means he can be sent to Triple-A if he doesn’t make the big club. He’s off to a .308 start (4-for-13) this spring with two RBIs and two stolen bases. Left-handed hitting outfielder Adam Loewen, a former pitcher, is Baxter’s main competition.