From St. Joseph’s College, Clinton Hill

Bears

Following a season that saw the St. Joseph’s College (Brooklyn) men’s basketball team go undefeated in Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) play and take home the Tournament championship, juniors David Louison(Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) and Vernon Maddox (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter’s) along with sophomore Michael Megafu (Brooklyn, N.Y./Nazareth Regional) were named members of the HVIAC All-Conference Team, while head coach Joseph Cocozello was awarded Coach of the Year in ceremonies following the conclusion of the HVIAC championship game on Sunday.

Louison receives All-Conference honors for the third consecutive year and was a constant force for St. Joseph’s all season, averaging a career- and team-high 18.3 points per game (No. 2 in HVIAC) and also secured 9.8 rebounds per game (No. 4 in HVIAC). The five-time HVIAC Player of the Week and one-time USCAA Player of the Week finished the season with 16 double-doubles (No. 6 in Division III) and shot an impressive 54.4 percent from the floor (No. 3 in HVIAC) on the season. Louison also became the first Bear to receive Team of the Week honors from d3hoops.com.

The six-time AD3I Player of the Week led the Bears in scoring and rebounding 13 times apiece and had 25 games of 10 or more points on the season, including ten 20-plus point games and two 30-point contests. The junior led the conference with 210 made field goals and 495 points on the season. Louison saved his best game of the season for reaching a career milestone, scoring 30 points on 12-of-16 shooting to secure his 1,000th career point in St. Joseph’s win over Brooklyn College on January 13th. The forward capped off his junior season with a 25-point, 17-rebound effort against Vaughn College in the HVIAC Tournament championship game to help the Bears secure the title.

Maddox earns All-Conference recognition for the first time in his career. The junior was the orchestrator of the Bears offense all season, leading the conference with 4.6 assists per game and 125 total assists. The guard also was able to score for St. Joseph’s, averaging a career-high 10.0 points per game and produced a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio (No. 2 in HVIAC).

Maddox had 12 games with 10 or more points and had 13 contests with five or more assists. The junior also led the team in assists in 20 of the Bears 27 games on the season. The guard saved one of the best games of his career for the most important game of the season against Vaughn College in the HVIAC Tournament title game, pouring in a career-high 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting and dished out a game-high five assists as St. Joseph’s defeated the Warriors 92-76.

Megafu receives the All-Conference accolade for the second straight season. The two-time USCAA and HVIAC Player of the Week provided the Bears with a double-double threat each time he touched the floor as he finished with a team-high 17 (No. 3 in Division III) on the season. The three-time AD3I Player of the Week averaged a career-high 17.0 points per game (No. 3 in HVIAC) and corralled a team-high 10.5 boards per game (No. 3 in HVIAC). The sophomore led St. Joseph’s in scoring nine times and rebounding a team-high 17 times.

Megafu finished second in the conference with 172 made field goals and a 56.4 field goal percentage. The sophomore led the league with 283 total rebounds and finished third with 40 blocks. The forward was a key contributor in St. Joseph’s wins this season, averaging 18.7 points on 61.8 percent shooting and 10.2 rebounds per game. Megafu also had a streak of eight straight double-doubles midway through the season which was tied for the third longest in the nation at the time.

After leading the team to an 18-9 record, head coach Joseph Cocozello has been named the HVIAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career. The 18 wins are the most for a Bears team since the 2006-07 and he has led the Bears to nine-straight HVIAC championship games.

Lady Bears

Seniors Kelly McNamee (Glendale, N.Y./Mary Louis) and Megan Moran (Syosset, N.Y./St. Dominic’s) along with junior Taylor Raccuglia (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) were named to the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) All-Conference Team after helping lead the St. Joseph’s College (Brooklyn) women’s basketball team to a 4-2 record in league play and a spot in the season-ending conference tournament.

Photo courtesy St. Joseph’s College Sports Information

McNamee concludes her career with her third All-Conference nod. The senior averaged a career- and team-high 13.0 points per game (No. 10 in HVIAC) on 34.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc (No. 2 in HVIAC) and 90.6 percent shooting at the charity stripe. The guard also added 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game to her stat line. The one-time AD3I Player of the Week and Student-Athlete of the Month finished with 18 games of 10 or more points and led the Lady Bears in scoring 11 times.

McNamee capped off her senior season with 15.6 points per game, the most of any month this season, and averaged 3.3 boards, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game in the month of February. The guard had a career day in one of St. Joseph’s biggest games of the season, scoring a career-high 23 points, including her 900th career point, against Berkeley College in the HVIAC Tournament semifinals.

Moran is named to the All-Conference Team for the first time in her career after stepping up for St. Joseph’s in her final season wearing a Lady Bears uniform. The senior averaged a career-high 11.8 points per game (No. 12 in HVIAC) on 44.0 percent shooting (No. 3 in HVIAC) along with 7.3 caroms per game (No. 13 in HVIAC). The forward was a constant force in the St. Joseph’s lineup, playing and starting in all 26 games on the season.

The two-time USCAA Player of the Week had 16 games on the season with double-digit points, including 13 of the last 14 games to conclude the season. Moran also had three double-doubles on the season, doubling her total from her first three years combined, and led the team in scoring 10 times. The one-time AD3I Player of the Week had her best month of the season in January, averaging 14.4 points per game on 50.6 percent shooting.

Raccuglia takes home All-Conference honors for the first time in her career following a season that saw her do a little bit of everything for St. Joseph’s. The junior averaged a career-high 11.2 points (No. 15 in HVIAC) and 7.4 rebounds per game (No. 12 in HVIAC) along with a team-high 3.0 assists (No. 6 in HVIAC) and 2.5 blocks per game (No. 2 in HVIAC). The forward scored in double figures 16 times, had five games with 10 or more rebounds, had six games with five or more assists and four games with five or more blocks.

The one-time USCAA Player of the Week had four double-doubles on the season and became the second Lady Bear ever to reach 100 blocks with two against York College on February 5th. Raccuglia used her best game of the season to help St. Joseph’s beat their archrivals St. Joseph’s (L.I.) on December 21st. The two-time AD3I and one-time HVIAC Player of the Week finished with 15 points and a career-high 19 rebounds along with six assists and five blocks against the Golden Eagles.

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Congratulations to all girls’ Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) teams on a successful season. Champions were crowned Feb. 23.

CYO would like to thank St. Agnes H.S., College Point; Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst; Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst; and St. John’s Prep, Astoria, for hosting the semifinals and championship games.

A special thanks to Rev. Paul Kim, parochial vicar of St. Kevin’s parish in Flushing, and Rev. Gerard Saurer, pastor of St. Mel in Flushing, for being present at the championship games and leading the athletes, coaches and spectators in the CYO prayer prior to the games.

The games were very exciting, and all teams, coaches and fans followed the philosophy of the CYO, encouraging sportsmanship and coming together to bring the Gospel’s vision and values to life.

Here are this year’s champions:

“A” DIOCESAN SEMI-FINALS RESULTS:

PEE-WEE                                   St. Adalbert defeated St. Nicholas             OL Snows defeated Holy Trinity

NOVICE                                      St. Kevin defeated St. Adalbert                    St. Francis DeSales defeated St. Joan

BANTAM                                    St. Stan Maspeth defeated OL Snows      St. Mel defeated St. Rose

ROOKIE                                     OL Lourdes defeated St. Matthias             St. Patrick defeated St. Mary Winfield

INTERMEDIATE                   St. Kevin defeated St. Adalbert                    OL Lourdes defeated OL Hope

TYRO                                          Holy Name defeated St. Mark                       Monastery defeated St. Pancras

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Congratulations to the fifth grade ‘A’ Division CYO girls’ basketball team from St. Kevin’s parish, Flushing, on their championship victory Feb. 23.

The team is pictured below with Father Paul Kim, parochial vicar.

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College basketball teams are gearing up for the annual NCAA Tournament, and right here in Brooklyn, local athletes can experience their own version of “March Madness.”

The youth leadership ambassador program of the Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns will hold a “March Madness” event Saturday, March 15 from 3-8 p.m. in Msgr. King Hall at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Flatlands.

The event is for youth group age children.

The tournament will feature teams from Brooklyn and Queens squaring off against each other, a live DJ, a skills challenge and refreshments.

A donation of $10 is encouraged.

For more information, contact Elreta at 718-774-3806 or vbccambassadors@aol.com.

Registration  is on a first come, first served basis.

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by Jim Mancari

When we think of the powerhouse high school basketball teams in the diocese, the discussion always starts with Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village; Bishop Loughlin M.H.S., Fort Greene; and Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood.

These teams compete on the Varsity ‘AA’ level of the CHSAA’s basketball league and produce a winning program every year.

Unfortunately for students in those schools who love playing basketball, there are only 12 to 15 spots available on the varsity team, and a student-athlete can no longer play on the junior varsity level as a junior or senior.

But luckily for these players, there’s a local Varsity ‘B’ conference that gives these kids the chance to represent their school on the court.

Members of the Archbishop Molloy H.S. Varsity ‘B’ basketball team line up to shake hands after finishing as the runner-up in this year’s championship. (Photo by Jim Mancari)

The league has been around for over 30 years, but it was always viewed as an afterthought. If games were missed, they wouldn’t be made up, and there was no formalized structure.

However, when Jeff O’Brien began coaching basketball at Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge, in 1996, he teamed up with Iona Prep, New Rochelle, coach Frank Conroy as co-chairmen of an organized Varsity ‘B’ conference.

Different schools have joined at different times, but the current league features nine teams: Archbishop Molloy; Archbishop Stepinac H.S., White Plains; Bishop Loughlin; Christ the King; Holy Cross H.S., Flushing; Iona Prep; Msgr. Scanlan H.S., the Bronx; St. Raymond’s H.S., the Bronx; and Xaverian.

The conference follows the same by-laws as the CHSAA’s ‘AA,’ ‘A’ and ‘B’ divisions, and the teams average 16 regular season games before three rounds of playoffs. For the past six years, the championship game has been played on the Division I NCAA court at St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights.

The league prides itself in giving more young men the opportunity to play for their school – promoting school spirit, friendship, competitiveness and good sportsmanship through the game of basketball.

“When I coached, I would tell my guys, ‘You’re Varsity B. Call it A, B, C, D, E, whatever you want. Varsity is varsity. You’re supporting your school, and it’s extremely important to support your school,’” O’Brien said.

The season wraps up in mid-February so that the Varsity ‘B’ players can support the other basketball teams at their school. The ‘B’ coaches can assist the ‘AA’ or ‘A’ coaches, and the players can actually be brought up to the next level for the playoffs.

Several other local schools have expressed interest in forming a team to compete in the ‘B’ conference. O’Brien and Conroy are excited about this possibility, since it meets their goal of giving as many kids as possible the chance to play the game they love.

For the first time, the ‘B’ league will hold an All-Star Game March 1 at 3:30 p.m. at Archbishop Molloy. Three players from each squad will represent their school in the game.

The Championship Game

On Feb. 19 at St. Francis College, the 17th Varsity ‘B’ playoff tournament culminated with a matchup between the top two teams in the conference: the No. 1 ranked Ravens of St. Raymond’s and the No. 2 ranked Stanners of Archbishop Molloy.

Molloy fought valiantly to the very end, but the Ravens earned a 57-49 victory in the championship.

The Stanners received an offensive boost when senior guard Michael Rodriguez scored all of his team’s 14 pts. in the second quarter, which helped his team cut the deficit to one at the halftime break.

However, St. Raymond’s responded with great defense on Rodriguez and relied on a 9-2 run to close out the third quarter leading by six. Molloy trailed by no less than five for the rest of the way.

“We knew it was going to be a battle,” said ninth-year Molloy head coach Steve Borhi. “In this league, it’s always a battle. There are no easy games.”

Rodriguez was the game’s high scorer with 20 pts., and he also added five rebounds and two steals. He had the chance to move up to Molloy’s ‘AA’ team for this season, but he instead chose to stay on the ‘B’ team.

“It’s a competitive league, and it allows me to play with my best friends, have fun and compete,” Rodriguez said. “Playing Varsity ‘B’ was a great decision for me.”

“It’s a special league with special people; it’s what high school sports should be,” Borhi said. “We always preach pride … pride for yourself, pride for your school, pride for your teammates. We consider this a family. It’s not a team; it’s a family.”

This family atmosphere is exactly why the Varsity ‘B’ conference was formalized – to give more student-athletes in each school a vital sense of belonging.

For more information about the league, visit bcba.com.

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Congratulations to the CYO fifth grade girls’ Novice ‘B’ Division basketball team from Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Bayside, for winning the league championship Feb. 23.

Below is a photo of the team:

Top left: Coaches Cathy Quinn and Olivia Loscalzo; Players: Francesca Cane, Julia Ragousis, Lauren Krokondelas, Samantha Ragusa, Elizabeth Raab and Sarah Jun. Bottom row: Ciarra Quinn and Noelle Barile

The post OLBS Notches CYO Basketball Title appeared first on .

(Photo by Jim Mancari)

The Nazareth R.H.S., East Flatbush, girls’ basketball team finished at the runner-up in the 2014 GCHSAA state finals played March 8 at Holy Trinity H.S., Hicksville, L.I.

The Lady Kingsmen put up a strong fight but dropped a 60-47 contest to St. Anthony’s H.S., Huntington, L.I.

The game was tied at 27 at halftime, but the Friars went on a 13-2 run early in the third quarter to establish a nine-pt. lead. St. Anthony’s kept up the pressure throughout the fourth, and Nazareth never got within 11 pts. the rest of the way.

Senior point guard Bianca Cuevas, who has committed to play basketball next fall at the University of South Carolina, led the Lady Kingsmen with 16 pts. The night before, Cuevas poured in 50 pts. against Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village, in the semifinal round.

Senior forward Jennifer Fay added 10 pts., six rebounds and five steals, while senior forward Yazmine Belk scored nine pts. and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Though Nazareth surely wanted a chance to play in the federation tournament, the team enjoyed much success this season, and the semifinal win over the Lady Royals will live on as an instant classic.

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(Photo by Jim Mancari)

The Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village, boys’ basketball team defeated Bishop Loughlin M.H.S., Fort Greene, 72-61 in this year’s CHSAA city championship game played March 9 at Fordham University, the Bronx.

The game was a rematch of last year’s city title game — also won by the Royals — and this year’s Brooklyn/Queens championship, which the Lions won handily.

Sophomore forward Rawle Alkins led the Royals with 24 pts., while junior forward Travis Atson scored 21 pts. and added 10 rebounds to earn CHSAA Playoff M.V.P. honors.

Senior center Adonis Delarose had 10 pts. and 15 rebounds, and senior guard Andre Walker tallied 13 pts., eight rebounds and six assists.

The Royals move on to the state federation tournament in Albany, N.Y., looking to defend their 2013 title.

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by Jim Mancari

The Bishop Ford H.S., Park Slope, varsity basketball team had gotten hot just at the right time – the playoffs.

After a comeback win over St. Joseph by the Sea, Staten Island, and an upset win over the No. 1 seeded Nazareth R.H.S., East Flatbush, the Falcons earned a berth to the CHSAA ‘A’ City Championship, where they’d be taking on Xavier H.S., Manhattan.

Devin Dingle

Xavier had defeated Bishop Ford both times during the regular season – albeit by close margins – and that trend continued March 10 at Fordham University, the Bronx, as the Knights captured an 83-68 win in the title game.

Xavier raced out to a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter as they relied on scorching outside shooting.

“They’re (Xavier) a tough matchup for anyone because they execute so well,” said Bishop Ford head coach Denis Nolan. “They can space the floor, and they have shooters all over the place. It’s like you have to pick your poison. They hit on all cylinders tonight.”

Ford began to gains its groove offensively midway through the second quarter, and a running jumper in the lane by junior guard and team co-captain Devin Dingle at the first-half buzzer cut the Falcons’ deficit to five at the break.

But Xavier proved too tough offensively, as the Knights went on a 14-2 run in the third quarter, which established a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game. The gritty Ford team never gave up however, as they were able to create turnovers with a full-court pressure defense and get a few easy buckets.

Dingle finished the game with a team-high 20 pts. to go along with nine rebounds, four steals and three assists. Fellow co-captain and junior guard Dior Dixon tallied 18 pts. and seven rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

Dior Dixon

Sophomore guard Jonathan Murray put up an impressive performance with 15 pts., including hitting three long-range three-pointers.

In their final game, seniors Quamari McAllister and Rodney Gonzales – both star football players as well for the Falcons – showed up to play, with McAllister scoring 10 pts. with four steals and Gonzales pulling down four rebounds with three steals.

While Xavier will head to the state federation tournament on March 15 in Albany, N.Y., the Ford Falcons have much to be proud of this season. The returning core of players received the necessary experience during the recent playoff run to put the team in great shape heading into next season.

“They (the Falcons) went hard all year long,” Nolan said. “It was an unbelievable experience for these guys. With this experience, now they know how much harder we need to work for us to be on the other end of that.”

Jonathan Murray

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by Jim Mancari

After another exciting season of CHSAA action, here are the 2014 Brooklyn/Queens boys’ high school basketball all-stars.

Special thanks to the CHSAA and league coaches for providing stats and pertinent information.

Boys ‘AA’ First Team All-Stars

Khadeen Carrington

Bishop Loughlin M.H.S., Fort Greene

Senior

Guard

24.2 pts. per game (Led N.Y.C. CHSAA ‘AA’)

Scored at least 20 pts. in 22 games

High game of 42 pts.

Selected CHSAA Class ‘AA’ M.V.P.

2012 and 2013 Tablet All-Star

Will attend Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J.

Michael Williams

Bishop Loughlin

Senior

Guard

16.9 pts. per game

Scored at least 20 pts. in eight games

High game of 30 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ First Team

2013 Tablet All-Star

Will attend Rutgers University, Piscataway, N.J.

C.J. Davis

Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood

Senior

Guard

16.1 pts. per game

Scored at least 20 pts. in six games

High game of 24 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ First Team

2012 and 2013 Tablet All-Star

Will attend Columbia University, Manhattan

Rawle Alkins

Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village

Sophomore

Forward

17.0 pts. per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, 2.0 blocks per game

Scored at least 20 pts. in nine games

High game of 27 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ First Team

Travis Atson

Christ the King

Junior

Forward

16.8 pts. per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game

High game of 31 pts.

Scored at least 20 pts. in six games

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ First Team

Named CHSAA City Championship Playoff M.V.P.

Boys ‘AA’ Second Team All-Stars

Adonis Delarosa

Christ the King

Senior

Center

13.4 pts. per game, 9.8 rebounds per game

High game of 32 pts.

Scored at least 20 pts. in four games

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ Second Team

Michael Fields

St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows

Senior

Guard

Team Captain

15.1 pts. per game, 7.0 assists per game

High game of 25 pts.

Selected to the All Tournament Team, Northeast Catholic Classic

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ Second Team

2013 Tablet All-Star

Jermaine Bishop

Holy Cross H.S., Flushing

Junior

Guard

16.9 pts. per game, 6.0 assists per game

Scored at least 20 pts. in five games

High game of 28 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ Second Team

2013 Tablet All-Star

Jason Cethoute

Archbishop Molloy

Senior

Forward

16.3 pts. per game

Scored at least 20 pts. in four games

High game of 24 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ Second Team

Javian Delacruz

Bishop Loughlin

Senior

Forward

14.2 pts. per game

High game of 22 pts.

Scored at least 20 pts. in five games

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ Third Team

Boys ‘A’ & ‘B’ First Team All-Stars

Samson Usilo

Nazareth R.H.S., East Flatbush

Senior

Forward

19.5 pts. per game

Selected CHSAA Class ‘A’ M.V.P.

2012 and 2013 Tablet All-Star

Will attend Manhattan College, the Bronx

Ammad Alkhulaidi

Nazareth

Senior

Forward

12.5 pts. per game, 9.0 rebounds per game, 6.0 assists per game

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘A’

2013 Tablet All-Star Honorable Mention

Altine King

St. Edmund Prep, Sheepshead Bay

Senior

Guard

Team Co-Captain

22.0 pts. per game, 14.0 rebounds per game, 7.0 assists per game

Scored at least 20 pts. in 11 games

High game of 32 pts.

Selected CHSAA Class ‘B’ M.V.P.

2013 Tablet All-Star

Devin Dingle

Bishop Ford H.S., Park Slope

Junior

Guard

15.2 pts. per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, 2.3 steals per game

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘A’

2013 Tablet All-Star

Nhoel Deverson

Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst

Senior

Guard

Team Captain

18.2 pts. per game

Scored at least 20 pts. in eight games

High game of 40 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘A’

Boys ‘A’ & ‘B’ Second Team All-Stars

Timothy McQuail

Cathedral Prep and Seminary, Elmhurst

Senior

Forward

Team Co-Captain

16.2 pts. per game (Led N.Y.C. CHSAA ‘B’)

Scored at least 20 pts. in four games

High game of 26 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘B’

2013 Tablet All-Star

Justin Braswell

St. John’s Prep, Astoria

Senior

Forward

Team Captain

12.2 pts. per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, 2.3 steals per game

High game of 28 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘B’

Dior Dixon

Bishop Ford

Junior

Guard

13.4 pts. per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘A’

Nick Tsatsis

St. Edmund Prep

Senior

Guard

Team Co-Captain

10.0 pts. per game

High game of 18 pts.

Drew 32 offensive fouls

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘B’

Tishsean Emmanuel

Nazareth

Senior

Guard

12.5 pts. per game

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘A’

Honorable Mention

Rob Rossiter

Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge

Senior

Forward/Guard

Team Captain

13.5 pts. per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game

First Team selection, Under Armour Tournament, San Diego

Honor student at Xaverian

Will attend Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pa.

Sayon Charles

Xaverian

Junior

Forward

14.7 pts. per game

High game of 23 pts.

Scored at least 20 pts. eight times

Selected All-CHSAA ‘AA’ Third Team

Shane Herrity

St. Francis Prep

Junior

Guard

15.1 pts. per game, 8.0 rebounds per game

High game of 24 pts.

Selected to All Tournament Team, Northeast Catholic Classic

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ Third Team

Jordan Santiago

St. Francis Prep

Junior

Forward

12.3 pts. per game, 12.0 rebounds per game

High game of 23 pts.

Selected to All Tournament Team, Northeast Catholic Classic

Gabriel Kilpatrick

Archbishop Molloy

Senior

Forward

11.5 pts. per game

High game of 22 pts.

Joshua Wallace

Holy Cross

Senior

Guard

13.3 pts. per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists per game

High game of 21 pts.

2013 Tablet All-Star Honorable Mention

Christian Wilson

Holy Cross

Sophomore

Forward

9.4 pts. per game, 6.0 rebounds per game

Andre Walker

Christ the King

Senior

Guard

11.6 pts. per game, 5.2 assists per game, 5.2 rebounds per game

High game of 19 pts.

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘AA’ Third Team

Chris DeCapua

St. Edmund Prep

Junior

Guard

11.0 pts. per game

Made over 60 three-pointers this season

High game of 20 pts.

Kyle Allman

St. John’s Prep

Junior

Guard

10.1 pts. per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, 3.6 assists per game

Selected All-CHSAA Class ‘B’

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CHICAGO (March 13, 2014) — In its 29th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Sierra Calhoun of Christ the King High School as its 2013-14 Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Calhoun is the seventh Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Christ the King High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Calhoun as New York’s best high school girls basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, Calhoun joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball awardwinners, including Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.)

The 6-foot senior guard led the Royals to a 21-4 record and the semifinals of the state Catholic high school championships. Calhoun averaged 24.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 3.5 assists per game. A First Team All-American selection by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, she was also chosen to play in the McDonald’s High School All-American Game and is a two-time First Team All-State honoree.

Calhoun has maintained a B average in the classroom. She has volunteered locally assisting special needs students at an elementary school and coaching youth basketball players.

“She can dribble, shoot, come off screens, beat you inside,” said Scott Lagas, head coach at Archbishop Molloy High.“She doesn’t take bad shots and she gets her teammates involved. There’s not much she can’t do.”

Calhoun has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Duke University this fall. The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Calhoun joins recent Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Players of the Year Saniya Chong (2012-13, Ossining High School), Breanna Stewart (2011-12 & 2010-11, Cicero-North Syracuse High School), Bria Hartley (2009-10 & 2008-09,North Babylon), Samantha Prahalis (2007-08, Commack), and Lorin Dixon (2006–07, Christ the King) among the state’s list of former award winners.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit www.gatorade.com/poy.

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It was an exciting day on Saturday, March 1 for the Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst, basketball program at St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows.

After the junior varsity team earned a victory in the GCHSAA Division II diocesan championship, the varsity Tigers followed that up with an impressive 55-28 win over St. John’s Prep, Astoria, to capture their second straight diocesan title.

“I thought that if we got into the rhythm of our game…our running game…that would be an advantage for us; that, plus our pressure defense, I think that was the difference,” said Kearney head coach Rocco Sellitto. “We got a couple of quick turnovers and fast breaks, and it changes the complexion of the game right away.”

The Tigers caught fire offensively in the second quarter, outscoring the Red Storm 17-4. The offensive barrage continued in the second half, as the team’s senior leaders stepped up on the big stage.

Senior guard Emily Hiltunen poured in a game-high 23 pts. and hit five long-range three-pointers. Every time it seemed that St. John’s would make a run, Hiltunen stifled that rally with a three from downtown.

Senior Nicolette Conti added four pts., eight rebounds and five assists, while senior guard Christina Heyer tallied seven pts., four assists and three rebounds. These players, along with Hiltunen, were named to The Tablet’s Girls’ H.S. Basketball All-Star teams.

Sophomore Kailey O’Grady was active on the boards, pulling down six rebounds to go along with five pts. Freshman Emily Bosiacki contributed nine pts., five rebounds and three assists off the bench. Both these players received Honorable Mention selection to The Tablet’s All-Star squads.

St. John’s Prep had been playing its best basketball of the season heading into the championship, but Kearney’s offensive and defensive effort helped to “calm the storm.”

“They (Red Storm) just proved themselves to everyone,” Conti said. “They beat Fontbonne, the number one seed, and they just had hard work like us, and it showed.”

Sellitto said that this team has been a special group of girls, and in addition to their basketball talent on the court, it’s been their chemistry that has helped the team succeed.

“Spending so much time together from practices, it’s just like we’re one big family,” Hiltunen said. “We pick each other up when someone’s down. We yell at each other, but that’s what teams do and families do.”

Below is video coverage from NET-TV’s “Currents” of the Tigers’ diocesan championship win:

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On Thursday, March 13 as part of Women’s History Month, the Bishop Kearney High School Varsity Basketball Team was honored by State Sen. Marty Golden.

Sen. Golden held an awards ceremony at Kearney to honor Brooklyn women’s groups whose actions have inspired others and who have improved Brooklyn’s quality of life.

Kearney was awarded a Proclamation commending the varsity team on their outstanding achievements, which include winning the 2014 Brooklyn/Queens Diocese Championship.

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The Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village, boys’ varsity basketball team captured its second straight N.Y.S. Federation title March 22 with a 58-52 win over Long Island Lutheran.

The Royals were down by 14 early on but rallied to take the lead, relying on senior leadership. Senior guard Andre Walker was named tournament M.V.P. after recording a game-high 25 pts.

Senior center Adonis Delarosa tallied six pts., 13 rebounds and three blocks, while senior guard Bryler Paige added 10 pts.

The win marks the Royals’ third federation title in the last five years.

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Congratulations to all CYO Boys Basketball teams on a wonderful season!

Special congratulations to the diocesan champions and tournament champions:

Pee Wee A       St. Clare

Pee Wee B       Blessed Trinity

Novice A        Divine Mercy

Novice B        Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Bantam A        Divine Mercy

Bantam B        Sacred Heart (Bayside)

Rookie A        Divine Mercy

Rookie B        St. Pancras

Intermediate A  Divine Mercy

Intermediate B  St. Helen

Cadet           St. Patrick

Tyro            St. Vincent Ferrer

Junior         Resurrection Ascension

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St. Athanasius, Bensonhurst, sixth grade bantam boys basketball team won the BCBA championship over St. Columba, Marine Park, 39-20 on Saturday, March 22.

Below is a photo of the St. Athanasius team with its head coach George Firingos and assistant coach Joe Orlando.

The members of the championship winning team are as follows: Nicholas Firingos, Anthony Orlando, Sbeih Hammood, Anthony Prestigiacomo, Andrew Vella, Anthony Mannino, Michael Krawiec, Carol D’Ugo,Arlind Cosaj, Tyler Destefano, Nick Colell and Natan Prymost.

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Nazareth R.H.S., East Flatbush, varsity basketball forward Ammad Alkhulaidi, a 2014 Tablet All-Star, will play basketball next fall at the College of Mount St. Vincent, the Bronx.

Congratulations to Ammad for a job well done!

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by Jim Mancari

This year in particular, the boys and girls basketball talent level in New York City in both the public and Catholic schools was off the charts.

On March 29 at the Nat Holman Gymnasium of City College in Manhattan, all that talent was in the same place at the same time at the annual N.Y.C. Mayor’s Cup games.

Student-athletes from the five boroughs displayed their hoops talents as a way to close out their high school basketball careers. Many of the players will take their talents to the college level, but these games provided one last chance to experience all the excitement involved with basketball in the Big Apple.

“It’s nice to know my hard work has paid off,” said Michael Fields, senior point guard and team captain from St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows. “I play against these guys all the time. It’s going to be fun to play with them to try to beat the public schools.”

“It felt like I was playing A.A.U. (Amateur Athletic Union) all over again because most of the girls that were on that team, I’ve played with them before,” said Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst, senior guard Emily Hiltunen.

“It’s a blessing,” said Altine King, St. Edmund Prep, Sheepshead Bay, senior guard and co-captain. “It’s not just for me. It’s for my school, it’s for my family and it’s for my coach.”

With the title of “Best in the City” on the line, it was the CHSAA All-Stars that earned a sweep over the Public School Athletic League (PSAL).

Bishop Kearney seniors Emily Hiltunen, left, and Christina Heyer, right, pose with the cup after their overtime victory over the PSAL. (Photo by Jim Mancari)

Girls Win Overtime Thriller

In a back-and-forth battle, the game between the girls CHSAA and PSAL All-Stars was tied at 73 at the end of regulation. It took some time for the CHSAA girls to get in sync, but they took off at just the right time, earning an 85-80 victory over the PSAL in overtime.

“In the beginning, we didn’t know who we were playing with,” said Christina Heyer, senior guard from Bishop Kearney, who will play next fall at Brooklyn College, Midwood. “But then we got into the flow of it and worked together, and we came out with the win.”

In the overtime period, the CHSAA girls relied on a few late buckets by Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village, senior forward Kollyns Scarbrough.

“I was just trying to make sure I got to the basket,” said Scarbrough, the game’s M.V.P. “I kind of just threw it up there, and luck had it that it went in.”

Scarbrough scored 12 of her 17 pts. in the fourth quarter and overtime. She will be playing next fall at Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y.

The CHSAA boys team celebrates a decisive Mayor’s Cup victory March 29 over the PSAL. (Photo by Jim Mancari)

Boys Complete Sweep

While the girls game was close the whole way, the CHSAA boys put their game against the PSAL away in the second quarter en route to a 108-86 final.

The CHSAA outscored the PSAL 30-16 in the second frame, relying on a few high-flying dunks by Nazareth R.H.S., East Flatbush, senior forward Samson Usilo, who will be heading to Manhattan College, the Bronx, next fall.

The CHSAA kept its foot on the gas pedal with a 34-pt. outburst in the third quarter.

Adding to an already packed senior-year resume, Bishop Loughlin M.H.S., Fort Greene, senior guard Khadeen Carrington earned M.V.P. honors with a game-high 18 pts. He will play at Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J., next fall.

Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood, senior forward Jayson Cethoute tallied 17 pts., while his Stanner teammate C.J. Davis, who will play in college at Columbia University, Manhattan, tallied 13 pts.

Based on the outcome of this year’s Mayor’s Cup games, it’s safe to say that the CHSAA All-Stars are the “Best in the City.”

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NBA referee Dick Bavetta, born and raised in Park Slope, will work his 2,633 consecutive game tonight at Madison Square Garden when the New York Knicks host the Brooklyn Nets.

That number should ring a bell for sports fans, as it will be one more than legendary Baltimore Orioles star Cal Ripken Jr.’s 2,632-game streak in the MLB.

Bavetta has been called the “Cal Ripken Jr. of referees,” so it’s fitting that he will break that mark.

He began his career as a CHSAA referee in the Brooklyn Diocese. He was inducted into the CHSAA Hall of Fame and will be inducted into the Basketball Oldtimers of America Hall of Fame on May 2 at Bishop Ford H.S., Park Slope.

The following is from a Tablet “Good Sports” column on Bavetta from Feb. 29, 2012: http://thetablet.org/bavetta-72-continues-to-set-nba-record/

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