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NYPost 1st Team All-City: Omar Calhoun; 3rd Team: Jon Severe
4/22/12 - 11:28 AM

FIRST TEAM

G Omar Calhoun, Christ the King

The UConn-bound scoring machine put Christ the King on his back at times this year, leading the Royals to the CHSAA Class AA intersectional quarterfinals. Calhoun eclipsed former NBA player Khalid Reeves for the school’s all-time leading scoring record and will also leave CK as its winningest player ever. He was named to the All-American Championship in New Orleans for his incomparable production.

THIRD TEAM

G Jon Severe, Christ the King

The offers just keep coming from the versatile junior guard – Seton Hall, Cincinnati, George Washington and Dayton just recently joined Xavier among his top suitors. Christ the King had a disappointing year, falling in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional quarterfinals, but Severe broke out as an impact player.

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Omar Calhoun is NYPost Queens Player of the Year, Severe and Fuchs Honored
4/19/12 - 09:15 PM

All-Queens boys basketball Player of the Year: Omar Calhoun, Christ the King

It was a season that ended earlier than expected for Christ the King – in the quarterfinals for the two-time defending CHSAA Class AA intersectional champion. But it’s hard to place blame on Calhoun, the UConn-bound scoring machine.

All the 6-foot-4 guard did this year was place his name among the greatest players in New York City history by becoming Christ the King’s all-time points leader, surpassing former Arizona star and NBA player Khalid Reeves. On top of that, Calhoun was named to the All-American Championship Game.

Calhoun will leave CK as the winningest player in program history, including a pair of CHSAA Class AA intersectional titles and a New York State Federation championship.

“He is one of the most highly decorated players in Christ the King history,” Royals coach Joe Arbitello said.

1st Team

G Jon Severe, Christ the King

As a junior, Severe became an electric, versatile scorer for Christ the King with a deadly 3-point shot and an innate finishing ability around the basket. The highly recruited 6-foot-2 guard tied the school’s single-game 3-pointer record in January against Xaverian with eight 3s to match Larry Davis’ total from 2006.

2nd Team

F Jordan Fuchs, Christ the King

The two-sport star who has interest from big-time basketball and football programs was the picture of versatility for Christ the King. The 6-foot-5 Fuchs, a gifted athlete, was tremendous around the basket, but also showed off the ability to step out and make 3-pointers, too.

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Omar Calhoun Earns MSG Varsity All-City First Team
3/29/12 - 08:22 PM

OMAR CALHOUN
Christ the King, Sr. Guard

No one scored more points in Christ the King history than Omar Calhoun, who eclipsed assistant coach Khalid Reeves on Senior Night on the school’s all-time scoring list and finished his illustrious high school career with 1,770 points. The New York State Gatorade Player of the Year averaged 25.7 points, eight rebounds, three assists and 1.8 steals per game for Christ the King, which was upset by Mount St. Michael in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional quarterfinals. The CHSAA Player of the Year, the 6-foot-5 guard will play at the University of Connecticut next season.

http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/2012-all-city-boys-basketball-teams-1.1006598

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Omar Calhoun is Gatorade NY Player of the Year
3/22/12 - 06:54 PM

CHICAGO (March 22, 2012) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Omar Calhoun of Christ the King Regional High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade New York Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Calhoun is the first Gatorade New York Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Christ the King Regional 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 boys basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced in March, Calhoun joins an elite alumni association of past state boys basketball award winners, including Dwight Howard (2003-04, SW Atlanta Christian Academy, Ga.), Chauncey Billups (1993-94 & 1994-95, George Washington HS, Colo.), Jason Kidd (1991-92, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS, Calif.), Paul Pierce (1994-95, Inglewood HS, Calif.) and Chris Bosh (2001-02, Lincoln HS, Texas).

The 6-foot-5 senior guard averaged 25.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals this past season, leading the Royals to a 19-8 record. A First Team All-State selection, Calhoun is the Catholic High School Athletic Association Player of the Year and finished his prep career as the school record-holder for points scored, with 1,770.

Calhoun has maintained a B-plus average in the classroom. A peer tutor in his school, he has volunteered locally feeding the homeless.

"Omar Calhoun is a hard-working kid who is very driven and very focused," said Paul Biancardi, National Director, ESPN Basketball Recruiting. "He’s a pure scorer who can beat you in a lot of different ways, but he lets the flow of the game come to him."

Calhoun has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at the University of Connecticut 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 ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, 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 Boys Basketball Players of the Year Achraf Yacoubou (2010-11, Long Island Lutheran High School), Tobias Harris (2009-10, Half Hollow Hills West), Brandon Triche (2008-09, Jamesville-DeWitt High School), Sylven Landesberg (2007-08, Holy Cross High School), and Jonny Flynn (2006–07, Niagara Falls) among the state’s list of former award winners.

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CK's Arbitello to Coach in Jordan Game
3/3/12 - 09:44 PM

Joe Arbitello has coached some talented teams in just four years at Christ the King. But they wont be anything like the group he’ll have at the Jordan Brand Classic in Charlotte, N.C. on April 14.

As the coach of the East team, Arbitello will have players like UCLA-bound Kyle Anderson out of St. Anthony’s (NJ) and Kris Dunn from New London, who will play at Providence at his disposal.

And then there’s Arizona-bound Kaleb Tarczewski from St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Mass., as well as undecided Tony Parker (Miller Grove, GA) and Rodney Purvis (N.C. State) out of Upper Room Christian Academy.

Longtime Mater Dei (Calif.) coach Gary McKnight will be on the bench for the West team.

“I definitely feel like I’m spoiled, but it’s part of being in the Nike family,” Arbitello said. “The Nike people are good to the people who are good to them and represent their product the right way. I think we do that at Christ the King.”

Arbitello has had unparalleled success at Christ the King in a short amount of time. He has a career record of 92-24, has won three Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan titles, back-to-back CHSAA Class AA intersectional crowns and a New York State Federation Class AA championship.

The Royals, considered a favorite to win the city title again, take on Mount St. Michael in the ‘AA’ quarterfinals Sunday at Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym.

Still, Arbitello couldn’t believe he was picked to coach in the 11th annual All-American game, which will be played at the Time Warner Cable Arena and broadcast live on ESPN.

“It was an absolute surprise,” Arbitello said. “When the Nike people called me, I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ Then you start thinking about the guys you have to coach and they’re flying you in on Wednesday for practices. Everyone I’ve spoken to has said it’s a real good experience and that it’s something you’re going to remember.”

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Playoff Schedule for 2/27/2012
2/28/12 - 09:53 PM

This weeks playoff games:

Tuesday 2/28 Women's Varsity Basketball vs Bishop Loughlin @ St. Francis Prep 4:00 PM

Wednesday 2/29 Women's JV Basketball vs Molloy @ Molloy 5:00 PM

Thursday 3/1 Men's Varsity Basketball vs Stepinac @ St. Francis Prep 7:30 PM

Women's Varsity Basketball @ Bishop Ford 6:00 PM

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Calhoun is League MVP
2/22/12 - 10:13 AM

Calhoun is now CKs all-time leading scorer

Congratulations to Omar Calhoun, who was selected by the CHSAA "AA" league coaches as MVP for the 2011-2012 season.

Jon Severe made the All-League second team.

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Playoff Schedule
2/19/12 - 10:10 AM

Men's Basketball Upcoming Playoff Schedule:

Varsity:

BQ Diocesan Semi Finals

Wednesday, February 22nd @ St. Francis Prep, 7:45pm

CK vs. Bishop Loughlin

JV:

JV Intersectional 2nd Round

Thursday, February 23rd @ Christ the King, 7:45pm

CK vs. Fordham Prep

Freshmen:

Freshmen Intersectional 2nd Round

Wednesday, February 22nd @ Archbishop Stepinac, 6:45pm

CK vs. Cardinal Hayes

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Calhoun is Scoring King
2/18/12 - 02:28 PM

Omar Calhoun is now CK's all-time leading scorer, surpassing the record of 1676 points

The Christ the King alumni list includes McDonald’s All-Americans and NCAA and NBA champions. But no one has scored more points during their high school career than Omar Calhoun.

With 2:40 left in the first quarter Friday night, Calhoun scored on a putback to eclipse Khalid Reeves as Christ the King’s all-time leading scorer, helping lead the Royals to a 76-69 win against Burke Catholic in Middle Village.

Calhoun finished with a game-high 32 points and now has 1,708 in an illustrious career that includes two CHSAA Class AA intersectional championships and a New York State Federation Class AA title.

“He is one of the most highly decorated players in Christ the King history and he has the scoring record that he should,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said.

Calhoun, one of five seniors honored in a pre-game ceremony, entered the game tied with Reeves with 1,676 points and finally broke the 22-year school record late in the first quarter. The game was stopped and Reeves presented Calhoun with a framed poster.

“It was great,” Reeves said. “I held the record for 20 years and it was time for a new era, a new guy. This guy has won two city championships possibly on his way to winning another. I couldn’t hand it over to someone other than him.”

Reeves, who went on to a hugely successful career at Arizona and played six seasons in the NBA, is an assistant coach at Christ the King. Arbitello said Reeves’ ability to share his experiences after high school has been a big help to the UConn-bound Calhoun.

“He definitely helped his mindset and gave him a peak into the world of major Division I basketball is like,” Arbitello said.

While he balked at comparing Calhoun to the players of his era – four McDonald’s All-Americans were part of NYC’s Class of 1990 – Reeves thinks Calhoun is giving fans a peak at a player who could be a future pro.

“It’s hard to compare eras, but he’s very athletic,” Reeves said. “Nowadays athleticism is where it’s at. He has a great chance at being an NBA player and taking his game to the next level.”

Calhoun said he was relieved, and honored, to finally set the record because it has been a topic of conversation for the last 10 days.

“I was definitely thinking about it because everyone was talking about me breaking the record, but my main goal is to win when I step on the court,” Calhoun said.

That’s what he did Friday night as Christ the King (18-6), No. 1 in New York City by MSG Varsity, extended its winning streak to seven straight games.

It wasn’t easy, though, as Burke Catholic battled the Royals for 32 minutes. Led by Lafayette-bound Zach Rufer, who had 25 points, Billy Garneau (20 points) and Stan Buczek (14 points), Burke led for much of the first half, but a layup with three seconds remaining in the second quarter by Isaiah Lewis (10 points) gave CK a 26-25 halftime lead.

That came after a nasty dunk by Jon Severe (12 points), who threw the ball down over Jesse Longmire while getting fouled.

Calhoun scored eight points in a 13-2 run as Christ the King opened up a 45-38 lead late in the third quarter.

It was a pretty good night to be a Calhoun – Sierra Calhoun, Omar’s younger sister, scored a game-high 28 points in a 65-55 victory against Archbishop Molloy earlier in the night.

“To have my older brother in that conversation with the top people who went to Christ the King is a great thing,” Sierra said. “I’m very proud of him.”

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Calhoun Ties Scoring Mark; CK Makes Wild Comeback To Win In OT
2/11/12 - 11:57 AM

Omar Calhoun has scored 1776 points at CK, tying Khalid Reeves record that has stood for 22 years

Khalid Reeves is the all-time leading scorer Christ the King with 1,676 career points. He was a McDonald’s All-American, went on to a hugely successful college career at Arizona and was selected 12th overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat.

On Friday night in Middle Village, senior Omar Calhoun tied Reeves career mark with 31 points in an 88-82 overtime win against Holy Cross in a battle for first place in Brooklyn/Queens ‘AA.’

Like Reeves, now a Christ the King assistant, Calhoun will play Division I college ball when he attends the University of Connecticut next year and could participate in the NBA one day.

But he won’t be a McDonald’s All-American, it was announced earlier this week, and that is a huge motivational factor for the Park Slope, Brooklyn native.

“I felt like I should be a McDonald’s All-American, but I didn’t really execute the way I should have,” said Calhoun, who is expected to break Reeves record on Senior Night next Friday against Burke Catholic. “It is my motivation and it’s going to push me and drive me every time I step on the court…It’s a burn that’s inside of me that’s going to take me a long way.”

Calhoun had a layup and a free throw late in overtime, helping the Royals seal a huge come-from-behind victory. Christ the King (17-6), ranked No. 1 in New York City by MSG Varsity, trailed by 13 with 4:14 left in the fourth quarter, but Calhoun energized his team with an explosive dunk and followed with a bucket inside.

“The difference in his game is that he gets to the basket now anytime he wants, he rebounds,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “He does everything a kid of his caliber is supposed to do. There isn’t one thing he doesn’t do.”

Out of desperation, the Royals pressed full court and it flustered the usually sure-handed Knights. No. 6 Holy Cross (18-4) turned the ball over and rushed shots, while Christ the King scored eight points in a 23-second span to pull within 72-69 with 1:32 left in the fourth.

“We started pressing them a bit and me being a big guard on the front, they were a little small so they couldn’t really see over it,” Calhoun said. “We were able to get some steals and get some turnovers. We did a good job on the press and it really helped us come back late in the fourth quarter.”

Jon Severe, who had 25 points, sent the game into overtime by sinking a pair of free throws with 47.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Royals had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Isaiah Cosbert’s corner 3-pointer missed at the buzzer.

Still, Christ the King, which trailed by 15 after three quarters, appeared to be control at the start of overtime and took its first lead since 4-2 on two more Severe free throws.

Led by Anthony Libroia, who had 27 points and was one of five players to score in double figures, Holy Cross twice tied the score in overtime and took a 79-78 lead on two free throws by Terrell Williams, but Severe buried a deep 2-pointer to key an 8-0 run to put the game out of reach.

“This is very disappointing, but it’s better to lose in a [regular] season game than in the playoffs,” Libroia said. “We’re probably going to see them sometime.”

Jordan Fuchs added 15 points for Christ the King, which has won six straight games since a 76-70 loss at Xaverian on Jan. 22. Marquise Moore and Mairega Clarke had 14 points apiece, Eddie Roscigno had 11 points and Will Davis added 10 for Holy Cross, which has lost to the Royals twice during the season by a combined 10 points.

“I thought we played very well for the first 29 minutes,” Holy Cross coach Paul Gilvary said. “We’ve been pretty good closing out games all season and tonight we just got out of sorts a bit, made a couple of mistakes in terms of what we were trying to do against the press and it just snowballed.”

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CK Beats Hayes, Goes 2 - 0 Over The Weekend
2/5/12 - 08:31 AM

Christ the King has taken its lumps. The Royals played five games in six days in three different states during one stretch this year. They’ve been blown out by nationally ranked teams on three separate situations.

Maybe all of that was just a table setter for a third straight city title.

“We’ve played a dominant schedule,” Royals coach Joe Arbitello said. “We’ve seen everything. There’s nothing that’s gonna psyche us out.”

With a monster weekend, CK has moved back to the top of the Catholic heap. Christ the King defeated Cardinal Hayes, 66-52, in CHSAA Class AA boys basketball Saturday night in Middle Village. On Friday night, the Royals took out St. Raymond, 84-74, in The Bronx.

“We can’t say who’s the favorite, but we did have something to prove and I think we did [yesterday] and [Friday],” sophomore big man Adonis Delarosa said.

UConn-bound guard Omar Calhoun poured in 29 points, Jon Severe and Jordan Fuchs had 10 apiece and Delarosa added nine for King (15-6, 8-1 ‘AA’). Jalen Jenkins had 12 points and Amadou Sidibe folowed with 10 for Hayes (18-3, 10-1).

The Cardinals and Royals were actually tied at 52 with 4:26 left on a free throw by the Fairfield-bound Sidibe. But CK finished the game on a 14-0 run, including a massive 3-pointer from the top of the key by Calhoun that made it 59-52 with 1:55 remaining. About 12 seconds later, Calhoun swatted a Sidibe shot in the lane in emphatic fashion.

“In the fourth quarter, I said we have a potential All-American on the court,” said Arbitello, who called the set play for Calhoun’s dagger trey. “Let’s run everything through him.”

While Calhoun had 33 points Friday night against St. Ray’s, the 6-foot-10 Delarosa has almost been as valuable this weekend. He had 12 points and did a yeoman’s job on Daniel Dingle on Friday and helped limit Sidibe and Jenkins on Saturday to go along with nine points.

“I think he’s getting there,” Arbitello said. “That was a big test for him. Those are two good big guys.”

Delarosa has been working out constantly with assistant coach Khalid Reeves, a former NBA guard. He’s been running the treadmill and lifting weights, getting to workouts 90 minutes earlier than everyone else. Delarosa said he has lost 15 to 20 pounds since last season and his conditioning has improved exponentially even since the beginning of the season.

“I know they’re very good players, Division I players,” Delarosa said of Dingle, Sidibe and Jenkins. “I want to show the world and show people I can play at that level.”

With the excellence Christ the King has on the perimeter in Calhoun, Lewis and Severe and another exceptional talent, Jordan Fuchs, on the wing, a good big guy could be the biggest ingredient to becoming the first team to three-peat in the CHSAA since Tolentine did it from 1980 to 1982.

“If he plays the way he’s supposed to, he could make us very difficult to beat,” Arbitello said.

It already looks that way. Christ the King seems to have hit its stride after some ups and downs earlier in the season. This weekend means little to Arbitello, though.

“I think it just means that we’re a good team,” he said, “which everyone expected us to be.”

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Much-maligned Calhoun Shoots Down St. Ray's
2/4/12 - 08:39 AM

Omar Calhoun scores 33 points, silences critics in CK's league win over St. Raymond's

The noise came as soon as Omar Calhoun put his hands on the ball. The St. Raymond fans mercilessly chanted “overrated” at the UConn-bound Christ the King star, followed by boos.

And just about every time, Calhoun made them pay.

“All those overrated chants just hype me up and keep me motivated,” he said. “They kept saying it and I kept scoring. They can keep doing it all they want.”

Calhoun poured in 33 points to lead Christ the King to an 84-74 win over St. Raymond in CHSAA Class AA boys basketball Friday night in The Bronx. The high-scoring 6-foot-3 guard has become something of a villain for road fans this season and has taken abuse from opposing players on Twitter and Facebook.

“Growing up, I watched a lot of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, guys like that and just [saw] how the crowd tries to talk trash toward them and they just embrace it,” Calhoun said. “That’s what I did.”

The feeling by some is that Calhoun is undeserving of his scholarship to the defending NCAA champion and his lofty spot in national rankings. Yet, Calhoun has led Christ the King (14-6, 8-1 ‘AA’) to two straight CHSAA Class AA city titles, a state Federation title and is always among the city’s leading scorers.

“If the people in New York City think he’s overrated, then they don’t know basketball,” CK coach Joe Arbitello said. … “He’s an animal. If he’s not the best player in the city, who is? C’mon.”

Jordan Fuchs had 13 points, Adonis Delarosa and Jon Severe each had 12 points and Isaiah Lewis added 10 for Christ the King. It was one of the team’s most balanced efforts of the season. All year, the team’s offense has been criticized, but Arbitello has maintained that things have been on the right track in recent weeks.

“I thought we took it to another level tonight just playing the right way,” the coach said.

Delarosa was the biggest surprise. Not only did he make St. Raymond’s Temple-bound star Daniel Dingle work for every one of his 27 points, he had a career high in points against his fellow Bronx natives. The 6-foot-10 sophomore’s brother Joey played at St. Ray’s before transferring.

“It meant a lot,” Delarosa said. … “Me being from The Bronx, I wanted to come in here and beat these guys.”

The opposition wasn’t as important for Arbitello even though St. Ray’s is one of the league’s premier teams. No one remembers, Arbitello said, that St. Raymond beat his team last January in the regular season. They only recall that CK beat St. Ray’s in last year’s semifinals.

“It’s a statement for [the media] so you can redo your top 10 or whatever,” Arbitello said. “It’s really not anything.”

Iowa State-bound wing Kerwin Okoro had 16 points on Senior Night, but was hampered by cramps all game and St. Ray’s coach Oliver Antigua said it’s hard for his team to operate without him at full strength. Shane Rector had 14 points and Larry Graves added 12 for the Ravens (12-8, 8-4).

“When that happens, you’re done,” Antigua said of Okoro’s dehydration. “You can only stop and go so much. He’s an athletic kid. That hurt us.”

So did Calhoun. The St. Ray’s coach joked that he should have told his team’s spectators “to shut up” with their “overrated” chants and booing. That clearly brought out the best in the Royals superstar.

“That just fuels my fire,” Calhoun said.

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Game Time Changes for Saturday's Games
1/30/12 - 07:47 AM

On Saturday, February 4th, the Men's and Women's Varsity teams will be playing at home in what will surely a great day of basketball. The game times have been adjusted to accomodate MSG Varsity, who will be airing the Men's Varsity game. The game times are as follows:

11:30 Men's JV vs. Cardinal Hayes

1:15 Men's Freshmen vs. Cardinal Hayes

3:00 Women's Varsity vs. Nazareth

5:30 Men's Varsity vs. Cardinal Hayes

Come out on Saturday and support your CK Royals!

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CK Flips Switch, Beat Loughlin At Home
1/28/12 - 08:19 AM

Jon Severe scored 17 points in CK's victory

Jon Severe has noticed something about his team. Christ the King has something of a switch, not unlike the light in your living room.

“Every time we lose, in the next game we just play together,” the Royals junior guard said. “I don’t know how. Every time we lose, the next game we find a way to play better every time. We just gotta keep playing like that. We can’t go off and on.”

There were elements of good Christ the King on Friday night and there were splashes of bad Christ the King. In the end, the good won out en route to a 77-71 victory over pesky Bishop Loughlin in CHSAA Class AA boys basketball in Middle Village.

The Royals (13-6, 7-1 ‘AA’) led 34-22 at halftime and seemed to be in position to roll over a young and inexperienced team. Except they left that first-half excellence in the locker room downstairs. Loughlin (8-7, 3-4) whittled its deficit down to 42-40 after three quarters and actually had a 55-52 lead on Michael Williams’ 3-pointer with 3:55 left in the game.

“Part of the problem today was we came out in the second half and we thought the game was over and somebody forgot to tell Loughlin,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “They jumped back on us. You could see our intensity was terrible.”

UConn-bound guard Omar Calhoun responded to Williams’ 3, like he has so many times before, with a trey of his own to pull the Royals even. Severe followed with a steal and tough layup and CK never trailed again. Calhoun was 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and finished with 30 points. He’s been just about automatic from the stripe when the Royals are protecting a lead.

“That’s why we run about 18 screens to get him the ball,” Arbitello said with a laugh. “Make that 19 screens.”

As impressive as Calhoun was, it was hard for anyone to overshadow Williams. He was absolutely unconscious in the fourth quarter, where he scored 21 of his 26 points and drained four 3-pointers. Williams, just a sophomore, almost singlehandedly won the game for Loughlin.

“Mike’s a shooter,” Loughlin coach Ed Gonzalez said. “Mike can play. He works at it and he’s a superior shooter.”

Khadeen Carrington had 15 points and Jordan Nanton added 12 for the Lions, who lost to Christ the King in a naibiter the first time as well, 77-75. Loughlin has been in almost all its games this year and has won many of them. But one part of the formula is simple: a slow start.

“Every game we’re down 10 or 12 points at halftime,” Gonzalez said. “I wish games would start in the third quarter. It’s youth. We’ll get better. We gotta learn we can’t come from behind every game.”

Severe, who picked up an offer from Xavier following the game according to Arbitello, had 17 points and Isaiah Lewis added 12 for the Royals. Severe said that same switch turned on again in the fourth quarter when Christ the King fell behind.

“We’re a talented team,” Severe said. “One to five, we all can score and sometimes we play ‘D.’ Yeah, sometimes. But we’re gonna fix that in practice.”

Arbitello said he saw positive signs – unselfishness down the stretch and important defensive stops. Christ the King, he said, is on the right track since a win Tuesday at St. Francis Prep, which followed Sunday’s loss to Xaverian.

Loughlin isn’t far off, either.

“I think we’re gonna have our hands full for the next two years,” Arbitello said. “Maybe if they start really putting it together, this year. They make some young mistakes, but last time we played them they made more young mistakes than they made today.”

The Royals flipped the switch just in time.

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Calhoun Quiets Critics, Leads Royals Over Holy Cross
1/18/12 - 08:19 AM

Calhoun scored 32 points in CK's last victory

Omar Calhoun stroked a dagger 3-pointer and waved his arms at his side. It looked like he was telling the Holy Cross crowd to quiet down. But the Christ the King senior guard said he was simply trying to keep his teammates cool.

“The crowd was getting a little hectic,” Calhoun said. “You know I’ve got a young team, so I needed to make sure everyone was under control. A lot of the times, they can get caught up in the crowd. I was telling everyone to calm down.”

In actuality, the UConn-bound superstar didn’t have to do anything. The trey alone silenced the raucous onlookers and Christ the King would hold on for a pivotal, 64-60 win over Holy Cross in CHSAA Class AA boys basketball Tuesday night in Flushing.

Calhoun finished with 32 points and that huge shot that gave CK a 57-50 lead with 2:00 remaining. The game was a little bit of vindication for the player regarded as the city’s best. After a poor performance Monday on ESPN against nationally ranked Mater Dei (Calif.) and UNLV-bound Katin Reinhardt, haters came out of the woodwork to bash Calhoun on Twitter and Facebook.

“I would think his record speaks for itself,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitlello said. “He’s the most winningest player in Christ the King history. He’s gonna be the all-time leading scorer. He has a state championship, the first one in 22 years. He has three back-to-back Brooklyn/Queens championships and the CHSAA. So anybody that’s taking shots at him are either jealous that they’re not him or jealous that they don't go to Christ the King. That’s all I have to say about that.”

Calhoun also went 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, including four in a row inside 15 seconds to all but seal victory. He had 12 points in the final frame.

“During every timeout, every break in the game, we kept saying foul anybody but Calhoun,” Holy Cross coach Paul Gilvary said. “Then we kept going out and fouling Calhoun.”

The Knights (13-3, 4-1 ‘AA’) actually led 37-33 on a Mairega Clarke basket with 3:18 left in the third quarter before Christ the King (10-6, 4-0) put together a 8-0 spurt in which Calhoun scored four points.

The Royals were sluggish in the first half at times and then again to start the second. It was understandable considering this was their fifth game in six days in three different states. Three of those games came against national powerhouses, including that embarrassing, 88-50 loss to Mater Dei on Monday.

“That might have been the dumbest thing I’ve ever done,” CK coach Joe Arbitello said. “It was the most ridiculous thing I could ever do. But I thought it was an experience for guys to be able to play on ESPN.”

Calhoun and Isaiah Lewis, who had 12 points, said it was a good experience, especially as they prepare for high-level college ball and beyond. Winning on Tuesday made everyone feel a little bit better about the grueling six-day stretch.

“I think it says a lot for our character,” Arbitello said. “I just wanted a win today. It didn’t have to be pretty.”

Will Davis had 20 points, Clarke had 17 points and nine rebounds and Anthony Libroia added 14 points, including six in the final minute to keep Holy Cross within striking distance. Christ the King junior wing Jordan Fuchs injured his neck and back in the opening minutes and didn’t return due to precautionary measures.

“When he told me a little bit with his neck, a little bit with his back, that was enough for me,” Arbitello said. “He wanted to go back in the game. I wanted to be on the side of caution there. It’s a basketball game. If you lose, you lose.”

Christ the King desperately wanted and needed a win Tuesday, though. After all, that 38-point loss a day earlier in another state was still fresh in their minds.

“A lot of people were talking trash about us,” Calhoun said. “We know we have to stick together. We know we’re a family. At the end of the day, you want to win the title and that’s what it’s all about.”

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CK Climbs Back, Beats Miller Grove in OT
1/15/12 - 07:17 PM

Jordan Fuchs had 19 points and 10 rebounds in CK's OT win over Miller Grove

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The third place game of the 2012 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions featuring Christ the King and Miller Grove continued a trend of great games on the final day of the tournament, as the Royals from Christ the King outlasted Miller Grove 79-76 in overtime.

Omar Calhoun, the Connecticut signee, led Christ the King with an incredible 34 points on the night. Miller Grove started out the game in dominating fashion, and it looked as if the Wolverines from suburban Atlanta were on their way to easy victory as they led 23-9 after one quarter.

Christ the King regained their composure during the second quarter, and trimmed the Miller Grove lead to 35-26 at the half. Christ the King continued the momentum built up in the second quarter, as the Royals outscored MGHS 26-18 in the third quarter and trimmed the Wolverine lead to 53-52.

An incredibly tense fourth quarter saw both teams briefly possess leads, and a Miller Grove three point attempt failed to land at the buzzer. With the score tied 69-69, the first overtime period of the 2012 Tournament of Champions unfolded in dramatic fashion.

The lead swung back and forth, but a pair of late free throws by Isaiah Lewis helped to ice the victory for Christ the King and give the Royals a third place finish. Omar Calhoun played perhaps his best game in two career Tournament of Champions appearances for Christ the King, as he scored 34 points on 8-18 shooting (16-18 free throws).

Jordan Fuchs added 19 points for the Royals, and Jon Severe chipped in 10. For Miller Grove, Tony Parker scored 19 points on 7-13 shooting. Brandon Morris and Tony Evans both scored 14 points, and Justin Colvin added 13.

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Severe Ties Record, CK Topples Xaverian to go 3-0 in League
1/9/12 - 07:51 PM

Jon Severe ties a school record for 8 3's, leads CK over Xaverian

On a day in which just about every 3-pointer dropped, the two that would have set a school record didn’t.

Jon Severe had two attempts on Christ the King’s final possession, but missed both in what ended up being a 79-67 win over Xaverian in CHSAA Class AA boys basketball Sunday in Middle Village. Severe, the junior star guard, had to settle for only tying the record of eight 3s, set by Larry Davis in 2006. He poured in 27 points in total.

“I wasn’t set,” Severe said with a laugh of his final two shots. “I just threw the ball up, praying it would go in.”

Eight of them did, though, and Christ the King had 12 3-pointers as a team. In total, there were 23 treys in the game and a ridiculous 14 of them came before the midway point of the second quarter. The perimeter defense got better from there – slightly.

“It was a damn shootout,” Royals coach Joe Arbitello said. “I haven’t experienced anything like that. I can’t believe that.”

Xaverian (8-2, 2-1 ‘AA’) had 11 trifectas, led by Dillon Burns’ five and Brian Bernardi’s four. Bernardi finished with 19 points and Burns had 16. CK’s UConn-bound guard Omar Calhoun had 22 points with three 3-pointers. George Lambert had two 3s for the Clippers and Isaiah Lewis made one for the Royals, rounding out the incredible total.

“We were basically going shot for shot for awhile,” Calhoun said. “They kept the game close. They just kept matching us.”

Christ the King (7-3, 3-0) led just 72-65 with 2:52 left in the game until a big Lewis runner and – you guessed it – a Severe 3-pointer all but put the game away, 77-65, with 1:29 left. The Royals defense also clamped down during the stretch, not allowing a Xaverian point for 2:28.

Arbitello said he saw a change in his team over the last three games and Sunday was the latest example. There’s more ball movement on offense, more concentration on getting good shots and Lewis is handling his point guard duties better.

“Today you saw a lot of guys being unselfish, making the extra pass, getting guys open looks,” Calhoun said.

It was a showcase of just how dangerous the Christ the King offense could be. Jordan Fuchs also had 10 points and Lewis added seven.

“I really think what’s making Jon even better is that Isaiah has decided to be a point guard,” Arbitello said. “It seemed like everyone wants to score, now it seems like Isaiah wants to pass and get guys the ball where they can use the basketball. It’s making the game that much easier for everyone else. If he continues to play like that and Jon and Omar continue to shoot like that, we’re gonna be in really good shape.”

Christ the King suffered a pair of humbling losses over the holiday break to Philadelphia-area titans Neumann Goretti and Chester. The Royals have a chance to prove themselves again on a national level this weekend at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., and the HoopHall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

Severe, who is emerging as a high major Division I prospect, credits his recent hot streak – he also had 27 against Bishop Loughlin on Friday night – to him icing his wrist after every game. He tore ligaments there last year and had surgery over the summer. It’s still an issue at times and Severe continues to do physical therapy for it.

Unfortunately, none of that helped him on the final possession.

“I was hyped, because I’ve never broke a record in my life,” Severe said with a smile.

He’ll have to settle for being Sunday’s 3-point champ.

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CK Beats Rival Loughlin in Brooklyn
1/7/12 - 06:50 PM

Jon Severe scores 25 points to lead the Royals to a victory over rival Bishop Loughlin

Omar Calhoun wasn't about to leave Brooklyn without a win. The Park Slope native was adamant about not taking a loss in "his" borough.

"I didn't want to lose," Calhoun said. "I can't come to Brooklyn, my house, and lose. This is Loughlin, but it's still Brooklyn. This is where I'm from."

The UConn-bound guard did everything in his power to will Christ the King to a win, scoring 20 of his 24 points in the second half to stave off Bishop Loughlin, 77-75 Friday night.

"I think he decided that we weren't going to lose, so he put us on his back and did what an All-American is supposed to do," Royals coach Joe Arbitello said.

Calhoun didn't do it alone though, as he was joined by junior guard Jon Severe in a game full of momentum shifts. Severe's 27 points were critical throughout, as he provided a lift time and again when the Lions were in danger of taking over the game.

Following a Royals scoring spurt to start the game, Loughlin pulled back into the first half with a stifling full-court press. Sophomore guard Khadeen Carrington was the catalyst and quite often the recipient of the turnovers created by the press.

Carrington continued his impressive play thoughout the second quarter, dazzling the home crowd with an abundance of impressive crossovers and cuts to the rim.

Just when the Royals were threatening to create a little breathing room in the the third quarter, Loughlin pushed back with an ample dose of sophomore guard Michael Williams and Carrington. Williams, who with finished with 23 points, was a force in the fourth, connecting on three 3-pointers in the quarter alone.

Loughlin's defense was especially effective down the stretch as their guards pressed CK into a plethora of turnovers. The biggest steal came off the hustle of senior Kevin Ravenell Jr., who passed the ball to Williams, who in turn passed the ball to a streaking Carrington for a layup that tied the game at 72-apiece with only two minutes to go. The play ignited the capacity crowd.

"In my three years with Christ the King, this is the loudest Loughlin crowd I've played in front of," Severe said.

Unfortunately for Loughlin (4-5), ranked No. 14 in New York City by MSG Varsity, it couldn't convert in the most critical moments, going 1-for-6 from the foul line in the final two minutes. The final minute became the most critical, and that's where Calhoun and Severe stepped in to secure the win.

While Calhoun hit two big free throws to give No. 5 Christ the King (6-3) a one-point advantage, it was a steal by Severe off a corner trap on Carrington (34 points) that sealed the deal.

A youthful lack of poise down the stretch was to blame for Loughlin's loss as they failed to make the critical plays in crunch time.

"They should be proud of themselves," Arbitello said. "I know they didn't get the W, but that comes with a little more maturity. I think people are really going to have to worry about them come playoff time."

Arbitello went on to say, "Those guys play hard. Eddie Gonzalez [Bishop Loughlin's head coach], he gets them going as hard as you could possible play the game of basketball. He does a great, great job with them."

The Royals have now won two straight following back-to-back tournament losses and hope they have some momentum they need to stay on top of the CHSAA Class AA standings.

"Now we're in league play, we don't want to lose anymore," Calhoun added. "If it was up to me, we wouldn't lose another game. We want to beat everybody from here on out."

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CK Beats Molloy; Harmon Picks Up Offer
1/4/12 - 08:11 AM

CK Picks Up First League Win:

Christ the King 73, Archbishop Molloy 52: Omar Calhoun scored 23 points, had 11 rebounds and six assists, Jon Severe also scored 23 points and had six rebounds and Jordan Fuchs had 12 points as Christ the King (5-3, 1-0 'AA') snapped a two-game losing streak. Molloy is 7-5 overall and 0-1 in league.

CK’s Harmon picks up Niagara offer:

Move over, Omar Calhoun, Isaiah Lewis and Jon Severe, Christ the King has another Division I prospect in the backcourt. Junior point guard Malik Harmon picked up his first scholarship from Niagara during last week’s STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in Binghamton, N.Y. Siena has also called about the 5-foot-10 pass-first guard. “What’s funny is George Mason came [to CK] to see Corey last year and they caught the end of the JV game,” CK coach Joe Arbitello said. “They said we need him to write his name down. We know how good he can be. .. He’s a true point guard, he can run a team.” Harmon made his first start of the year in the Royals’ 75-63 loss to Pennsylvania powerhouse Chester. Arbitello said he moved him into the starting five because of Chester’s pressure defense and Harmon will “probably” start in Tuesday’s matchup with Archbishop Molloy, CK’s league opener. Read more:

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/basketball/inside_chsaa_private_niagara_hoops_4JUtuZnezfIBdcryGiIg8L#ixzz1iUfwscw3

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CK Beats Wings, Advances to Championship
12/30/11 - 01:03 PM

Isaiah Lewis scores 21 points in the Royals victory over Wings

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – Omar Calhoun’s reputation is built on the offensive end, as an elite scorer and potent 3-point scorer. It’s why defending national champion Connecticut successfully recruited the Brooklyn native who is just the second Christ the King player to reach 1,000 points as a junior (Khalid Reeves is the other) so hard.

Christ the King is in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic championship game, however, in part because of the senior’s lockdown defense in Thursday night’s 76-65 semifinal victory over Wings Academy. It will play in the tournament final Friday at 9:15 p.m. against Philadelphia powerhouse Neumann Goretti.

The 6-foot-4 Calhoun hounded Wings star Justin Jenkins from the opening tip to the final horn. While Jenkins scored a team-high 25 points, Calhoun did a fine job on him in the fourth quarter, when the Royals (4-1) pulled away by outscored Wings (10-1), 30-19.

“The fourth quarter is definitely crunch time. Defense is what wins games,” he said.

In the final quarter, he forced Jenkins into tough shots, denied him the ball, drew a five-second violation and blocked a 3-point attempt.

“Those are little things that get you on the floor in college and take you a long way,” Calhoun said.

After Christ the King’s lone loss of the year, to two-time PSAL Class AA champion Boys & Girls, Calhoun spoke with coach Joe Arbitello about guarding the opposition’s top threat. Kangaroos star Leroy (Truck) Fludd scored 23 points in the game and afterward talked about being the best player in the city.

“I wanted to make sure I’m guarding that guy,” Calhoun said. “If anyone’s trying to make a name against us, I want to make sure I get him.”

He was still a force on the offensive end, scoring a game-high 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Junior Isaiah Lewis followed with 21 points and Jon Severe scored 19 after a slow start. The three Division I prospects took turns making plays in the fourth quarter.

“That’s the beauty of this team and what I probably haven't had in three years,” Arbitello said. “I’ve got three guys who can legitimately score the ball.”

With all that said, Wings led 26-19 late in the first half and the two teams were even at 50 entering the fourth quarter. But CK went on a 9-1 run to create breathing room. In that time, Calhoun managed to keep the ball out of Jenkins’ hands and his teammates misfired.

“We challenged Omar from earlier today,” Arbitello said. “Everybody’s saying this kid is a Division I player and I think he’s great – I don’t know how he doesn’t have any offers – but I said to him, ‘You’re going to UConn.’ … I thought Omar did a tremendous job wearing him down, making his life miserable. His 25 came a little in transition, a little when Omar was on the bench.”

Calhoun sank arguably the game’s biggest shot, a deep, high-arcing 3-pointer with 2:02 left to extend the Royals’ lead to 68-59. After a quiet start, Severe exploded for 14 second-half points and had the highlight of the game. He out-leaped Brown on a home run pass and managed to spin home a finger roll as he was falling away from the hoop.

“All three of us are mentally tough,” Lewis said. “If I miss my first four shots, I can make my next five. That’s also what separates us.”

Lewis has performed exceptionally well for the Royals through both games. Displaying point guard skills, he had five assists and just one turnover in the opening-round victory over St. Rita (Ill.) and made 10-of-14 shots against Wings, many of them on medium range jumpers.

“You can’t be any more efficient than that,” Aribtello said. “He showed his whole arsenal the last two days.”

So did Calhoun, from averaging just below 30 points in the Royals’ two wins to shining on the defensive end. Because of that performance, and with helps from Calhoun’s backcourt mates, Christ the King is 40 minutes from its second STOP-DWI Holiday Classic crown in three years.

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Severe Run Leads CK Past St. Rita, Into Semi-Finals
12/29/11 - 07:26 AM

Jon Severe has 21 points and 10 rebounds in CK's opening round victory

Binghamton, N.Y. -- It was a never-ending tidal wave, like a storm that wouldn’t stop, thunder, lighting and snow mixed into one.

Christ the King got on a run early in the quarter, got out in transition and made shot after shot, and St. Rita (Ill.), the Royals’ opening-round opponent in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic Wednesday night, could do nothing but absorb the punishment.

When the rapid 22-3 onslaught during the third quarter was over, CK’s shaky start was a distant memory and the Royals’ eventual 81-67 victory was a mere formality.

“We started to get the game up and down and we played with intensity and urgency,” CK coach Joe Arbitello said. “Once we start playing like that, this team can be fun to watch.”

Senior Omar Calhoun said: “It was basically our defense. We had to lock them down. Offense is gonna come. We gave them different looks to stop them.”

It was a mixture of 3-pointers, easy baskets in transition set up by steals, and strong finishes in the paint. Best of all, several Royals had a hand in the flurry.

Jon Severe started and ended the devastation with 3-pointers and had 11 of his 21 points during the run. Calhoun (game-high 31 points) had seven points and Isaiah Lewis (11 points, five assists) had four and two key assists, including a highlight-reel feed to Calhoun for a traditional 3-point play.

“When we play together,” said Severe, who added 10 rebounds, “we can’t be stopped.”

Tony Hicks, a Penn recruit, had 26 points to lead St. Rita (5-4), which is led by former St. Raymond coach Gary DeCesare, and Charles Matthews added 17.

Severe, a junior guard, was integral in the Royals remaining close despite a sloppy first half of missed shots and missed defensive assignments. He had 10 at halftime as Christ the King trailed just 33-30. That continued into the big run, when he made three 3-pointers. His last one, to make it 53-40 late in the third quarter, came in transition with a hand in his face to no avail.

“I got my touch,” Severe said. “I knew I was going to make it. If you’re confident, shoot the ball. I had confidence. ... I’m a shooter. I made one, I made two, why not shoot another one?"

St. Rita got as close as seven early in the fourth quarter, but could never get closer even with CK forward Jordan Fuchs fouling out at that point. That’s because sophomores Thomas Holley and Adonis DeLaRosa did a fine job ins his stead and Calhoun answered with five straight points, two free throws and a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key that nearly scraped the ceiling, and Lewis added back-to-back baskets to make it 66-50 with 3:53 remaining.

Whether the Royals slow start was the result of 10 days off or the long bus ride up that cost them a day of practice, they got it together just in time to setup an all-NYC semifinal with Wings Academy Thursday at 5:45 p.m.

“We needed a game to get our feet wet,” Calhoun said. “This was a warm-up game basically. We should be fine from here.”

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Jordan Fuchs Wins Slam Dunk Contest
12/27/11 - 02:18 PM

Jordan Fuchs wins the slam dunk contest in Bingampton

Congratulations to CK Forward Jordan Fuchs for winning the 2011 STOP DWI Holiday Classic Slam Dunk Contest.

First Game: December 28th, 5:45, CK vs. St. Rita of Illinois

Click on the link below to see Jordan's winning dunk:

http://www.wbng.com/sports/Slam-Dunk-and-3-Point-Contest-136291853.html

http://www.wicz.com/news/video.asp?video=12%2D27%2D11+dwi%2Eflv&zone=Sports

http://www.newschannel34.com/content/sports/local/story/Stop-DWI-Holiday-Classic-Slam-Dunk-Contest/bstc87A-402g0FPDdugs3g.cspx

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Men's Varsity Prepare For Holiday Tournament
12/21/11 - 08:07 AM

On December 27th, the CK Royals will travel to Bingampton, NY to compete in the annual STOP-DWI Holiday Classic. The Royals last appearance in Bingampton was back in 2009, when they defeated Boys & Girls High for the tournament championship by a score of 52 - 49. This years tournament field will be very competitive.

Other teams in the tounament include Mt. Vernon, Neumann Gorretti (PA), St. Thomas (FL), and Dixie Heights (KY).

The Royals opening game will be against St. Rita's of Illinois on December 28th, at 5:45pm. All of the games will be played at the Broome County Memorial Arena. Good Luck to the Royals.

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CTK Beats Jefferson in Season Opener
12/4/11 - 08:12 AM

Christ the King was down seven points, Thomas Jefferson’s tiny inferno of a gymnasium was rocking and Joe Arbitello couldn’t have been happier.

This was exactly what the Royals coach imagined when he scheduled a visit to the rugged PSAL powerhouse to kick off the season.

“It was good they had to come out there and fight and battle and see how good they are,” said Arbitello, who noted it was the first road game in a PSAL gym for the Queens school since 1978.

Christ the King got the answer it was looking for. It responded to the adversity as Arbitello hoped – by punching back – and went on to an impressive 92-81 victory in East New York. UConn-bound senior Omar Calhoun led the junior-heavy Royals with 25 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, but got plenty of help from backcourt mates Jon Severe (22 points) and Isaiah Lewis (17).

The three had their way with the young Orange Wave, scoring on a variety of dazzling drives to the basket and long jump shots after beating Jefferson’s press.

“There aren’t three guards better than those three guards in the city,” Jefferson coach Lawrence (Bud) Pollard said.

The game turned late in the first half, with Christ the King closing on a 17-8 run behind six points from Severe. CK (1-0) got out of the gate in the third quarter just as fast, scoring 20 of the game’s next 24 points that was capped by Lewis’ running one-hander along the baseline.

“Coach told us at half time that they played their best basketball and we were up by two still,“ Calhoun said. “So all we had to do is come out in the third quarter, come out firing hot and expand the lead and from there they wouldn't be able to come back.”

Tiring of seeing Jefferson’s small but elusive guards find their way into the paint, Arbitello switched to zone and the undersized Orange Wave, without sharpshooter Thaddeus Hall, went cold from the perimeter and were stifled by the Royals’ size, notably Jordan Fuchs (11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists) and Marthely Senat (16 rebounds).

“Thaddeus could’ve shot them out of the zone,” Pollard lamented. “The zone hurt us a little bit. It slowed the game down. It was definitely to their advantage.”

Junior Jaquan Lynch (29 points) nearly shot the Brooklyn school back into the game, hitting consecutive 3-pointers to trim the deficit to seven at one point before Calhoun responded with the dagger, a deep 3 of his own to push the lead back to 10 with 4:59 left. Lewis followed and Severe added a layup and a pair of free throws to put the game out of reach.

“It’s great to start the season like this,” Calhoun said. “All we can do is get better.”

It also put to rest the notion one ball isn’t enough for the loaded three-man backcourt of Calhoun, Lewis and Severe. Severe said he’s heard the entire preseason about it, how there would be problems. It wasn’t an issue against Jefferson.

“It’s not like that,” he said. “We have to play together to win.”

There were plenty of areas of improvement – such as free-throw shooting, defense and ball protection – Arbitello singled out afterward. One area he was extremely pleased with.

“You can’t teach heart,” the coach said. “That part we have down.”

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Legends Reeves, Barkley Return to CK
11/30/11 - 07:57 AM

Two of the best players to ever walk through the doors of Christ the King are back at the school this year as coaches.

Erick Barkley and Khalid Reeves, both former first-round picks in the NBA Draft, will be on the bench for head coach Joe Arbitello and the Royals, who are trying to win a third straight CHSAA Class AA intersectional title.

“With them being McDonald’s All-Americans and being in the NBA, things they say we’re gonna listen – point blank, period,” Christ the King star junior guard Isaiah Lewis said. “They’ve accomplished things we’ve dreamt about.”

Lewis said he’s been compared to Barkley, who led St. John’s to the Elite Eight in his only season, and the former Portland Trailblazer is teaching him how to become more of a point guard rather than just a scorer. Barkley has been working with him and UConn-bound shooting guard Omar Calhoun, while Reeves is taking juniors Jon Severe and Jordan Fuchs under his wing.

All four players are high Division I talents – like Barkley and Reeves, who played at Arizona and with six NBA teams in six years in the league.

“They don’t say much yet, but when they say something it’s like Einstein spoke,” said Arbitello, who had another CK legend, Derrick Phelps, on his staff two years ago. He’s now an assistant at Monmouth. “They’ll say one or two things that just open your mind to something you haven’t even been thinking about.”

Barkley was a player-coach last year in Canada and hopes to one day coach at the college level. He played with Arbitello at Christ the King in the 1990s on a team that also featured Lamar Odom and Speedy Claxton.

“It’s excellent,” Barkley, 33, said of his experience back at his alma mater. “I’m actually happy more as a coach than as a player.”

Reeves, 39, retired two years ago from pro basketball after playing most recently in Costa Rica. He doesn’t have the coaching ambitions of Barkley; he’s happy at Christ the King.

“This is where I want to be,” Reeves said. … “I just love teaching the kids how to play and being around the kids and my old school. It’s a great atmosphere to play basketball.”

Arbitello couldn’t be happier to have the two on staff, not just because of their basketball credentials, but because they’re both upstanding citizens. Barkley, he said, might have made some questionable decisions, leaving for the draft early being one. He can impart that experience on the current Royals players.

“There’s a lot of nonsense that’s involved with basketball,” Arbitello said. “They both played at the highest level and they can tell these guys who to stay away from, what to stay away from. … They have a frame of reference.”

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NYPost Preseason Player of the Year: Omar Calhoun
11/27/11 - 03:11 PM

New York Post boys basketball beat writers Zach Braziller and Marc Raimondi break down the city's elite players as the 2011-12 season begins in earnest this week.

ALL-CITY

Preseason Player of the Year: Omar Calhoun, Christ the King

A scoring machine since he came onto the season as a much-hyped sophomore, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard has done nothing but win. He’s led the Royals to a New York State Federation Class AA title, consecutive CHSAA Class AA city crowns and accepted a scholarship to UConn.

The 10th-ranked shooting guard in the nation by Scout.com, he led the CHSAA Class AA in scoring at 21 points per game last season and is just the second CK player to reach the 1,000-point mark as a junior.

Second team

F Jalen Jenkins, Cardinal Hayes

G Isaiah Lewis, Christ the King

G Kerwin Okoro, St. Raymond

G Terrence Samuel, South Shore

C Amadou Sidibe, Cardinal Hayes

ALL-QUEENS

Player of the Year: Omar Calhoun, Christ the King

F Jermaine Lawrence, Cardozo

G Isaiah Lewis, Christ the King

G Marquise Moore, Holy Cross

F Jordan Washington, Pathways

G Austin Williams, Bayside

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Sierra and Omar Calhoun Are Looking to Lead Their Teams to Championships
11/27/11 - 09:03 AM

Shooting drills. Dribbling workouts. HORSE. All of those are fine for Omar and Sierra Calhoun.

One on one? Not so much.

“We played against each other when we were younger, but it always ended up being a fight,” Omar said. “We had to stop. My dad wouldn’t let us play. … She would think I’m cheating or something like that. She would call a foul and it would end up being a conflict.”

Such is life at their Park Slope home, where being the best you can be was instilled at an early age.

Omar and Sierra Calhoun, stars on their respective teams at Christ the King, are perhaps the top brother-sister basketball duo in the United States. The UConn-bound Omar, a senior, has led the Royals boys team to two straight CHSAA Class AA intersectional titles and Sierra, one of the top sophomores in the country, is set to take a leading role this year for the girls.

Their uncanny success starts from the beginning. Omar Sr., the patriarch of the clan, played Division I basketball at St. Francis College and mother Samara competed for girls hoops powerhouse Murry Bergtraum HS.

Basketball, though, was just one of the many lessons.

“Growing up, nothing was ever handed to us,” Sierra said.

Off the court, they excel academically and they’re both first-class citizens. Omar Sr. and Samara, a teacher, are omni-present at games – not to meddle, but to support. They have always stressed education first for their children.

“They’re great basketball players and great people,” CK boys coach Joe Arbitello said of the siblings. “They’re way too humble, way too nice, way too unassuming to be superstars. Whatever [Omar Sr. and Samara] did, I asked them to tell me, so I can raise my kids.”

Omar Jr., a 6-foot-4 scoring machine, paved the way at Christ the King for the family, starring as a 10th grader on a championship team. Sierra was hooked on the Middle Village school from that point.

“I just saw everyone coming to the game, packed house every time they stepped on the court,” she said. “I wanted to [have] that, too.”

Sierra, an athletic, 6-foot guard, came up from the junior varsity in December and had a stellar freshman season, hitting the team’s two biggest shots of the year, late 3-pointers to lead Christ the King to the CHSAA Class AA state final.

Omar Jr. said he’s proud of his younger sister, calling her very mature for her age. He’s always at her games and vice versa. CK girls coach Bob Mackey marvels at the bond the two share.

“They’re close,” Omar Sr. said. “They talk to each other all the time, but not just about basketball. They talk about everything together.”

After all, they’re cut from the same cloth.

“We were brought up to be humble and hungry,” Omar Jr. said. “We carry ourselves as normal kids in the hallways trying to keep up our academics and grades. When we get on the court, that’s when the beast comes out of us. We’re both ferocious, as vocal as we can be on the court, trying to win.”

Evidently that also carries over into when they try to play each other.

“We can’t play anymore,” Sierra admits. “It gets too competitive. He has to play me hard, not like when we were younger. He wasn’t way better than me, but he was older so he had more experience. Now I’m strong, he’s strong. We foul hard. If somebody gets fouled hard, it’s going to be a problem.”

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2011-2012 CK Royals Outlook
11/13/11 - 08:32 AM

Currently, the Royals are in the top 25 of almost every major national preseason prep poll. Christ the King will be looking to continue the success of past teams and again capture the NYCHSAA City Championship.

The 2010 – 2011 CTK Royals became the first team in school history to repeat as back-to-back NYC CHSAA “AA” Intersectional Champions. The Royals defeated Rice HS, the 6^th time the two teams squared off for the title in the last fifteen years. Not only did the Royals win the intersectional, but they also won their 3^rd consecutive Brooklyn-Queens Diocesan championship with a victory of Holy Cross. Although the Royals season ended with a loss to Mt. Vernon in the Federation Title game, CK nonetheless had a very successful season.

While there are six returning members from last year’s city championship team coming back, the seniors who have graduated are experiencing success in academics and basketball after life at Christ the King. T.J. Curry earned a scholarship to Marist, Corey Edwards will be playing his next four years at George Mason, Chris Ortiz recently signed a letter of intent to play for Kent State, and Terrel Hunt is now playing quarterback for the University of Syracuse. Rounding out the graduates are Mike Thompson, who received a scholarship to play for St. Michael’s in Vermont, and Les Flagler who is currently playing basketball for Baruch.

This year’s squad looks to win a 4^th consecutive BQ championship and a 3^rd consecutive intersectional title. And with returning four-star recruit and UConn commit Omar Calhoun leading the way, the Royals are optimistic. Senior forward Marthely Senat has received some low-major division 1 interest. Juniors Jordan Fuchs, Jon Severe, and Isaiah Lewis, all returning players from last year’s varsity team, have all received high-major and mid-major division 1 offers. Sophomores Adonis Delarosa and Thomas Holley also have a lot to offer, as both led their lower level teams to city championship games last season.

The Royals will be playing a very difficult non-league schedule. They will face off against PSAL powerhouse Boys & Girls High School in an early December match-up between the two-time PSAL champions. CK will then move on to play in the STOP DWI Holiday Classic in Binghamton, the 5^th Annual Villa Classic in Philly vs. reigning PA state champion Chester HS, and then on to the Bass Pro TOC in Missouri against nationally ranked #2 Miller Grove HS. The Royals will also play a nationally televised game against top ten team Mater Dei of California on Martin Luther King Day in Massachusetts on ESPN.

With the additions of CK alum Erick Barkley and Khalid Reeves to the coaching staff, CK will clearly be benefitting from the great players of the schools past, while looking to continue their winning ways into the future. The Royals will be looking to represent the NYC Catholic League with great pride from the top of the program on down to the lower levels.

Links to national prep polls:

http://www.prepnation.com/national/poll/poll.cfm?poll=2&latest=1

http://espn.go.com/high-school/boys-basketball/team-rankings/fab50

http://www.maxpreps.com/news/article.aspx?articleid=d093519a-7efe-e011-beac-002655e6c45a&page=5

http://www.highschoolsports.net/super25/bbasketball/

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Calhoun, Nuss Sign Letter of Intent
11/10/11 - 10:17 AM

Lauren Nuss and Omar Calhoun signing their National Letter of Intent for Adelphi and Uconn

Omar Calhoun is known as one of the top shooting guards in the country, a guy who has an insatiable appetite to win. It’s a big reason why he was offered a scholarship to attend the University of Connecticut.

But on Wednesday night in the Christ the King library, where Calhoun signed his National Letter of Intent to attend UConn, another side of the Royals superstar emerged.

After Calhoun took the SAT on Oct. 1 at Bishop Ford, he volunteered to help a disabled student to the bathroom, waited for her, carried her bag and assisted her to the lobby.

“I didn’t think anything of it because that’s the type of person I was brought up to be,” Calhoun said. “I just helped her out.”

Joseph Migrone, the chairman of Bishop Ford’s Fine Arts department who was proctoring the exam, did take notice and was so impressed with Calhoun’s selfless actions that he fired off a letter to Christ the King officials.

“As a student, athlete and gentleman, he comported himself with maturity, kindness and generosity,” Mingrone wrote. “He clearly anticipated no credit for his actions. He did it simply because he is a fine young man who is a tremendous credit to your school and his family.”

Calhoun’s father, Omar Sr., said hearing Christ the King girls basketball coach Bob Mackey read the letter at the Signing Day ceremony was emotional. It was the first he heard of it.

“I was definitely holding tears back when I heard the comment he received from Bishop Ford,” he said. “That was really important to me. It’s just a special moment, one of the steps, the goals we put forth when he was young and we were in the park working hard and putting in the extra academic stuff. It’s a very exciting day and I’m very happy.”

According to Christ the King boys basketball coach Joe Arbitello, Calhoun is a leader both on and off the court and he’s not surprised at his actions at Bishop Ford. It’s part of the reason he said he’ll miss Calhoun beyond the points he scores per game.

“It’s sad,” he said. “Forget about him being a great basketball player, they’re replaceable, it’s just the kind of kid he is, the role model he is, his family…It’s sad I’m not going to deal with his entire family anymore.”

Calhoun said signing his National Letter of Intent was bittersweet. While his future is locked up, he also realizes the end of his stellar Christ the King campaign is nearing an end.

“I’m happy now that I’ve committed to the University of Connecticut,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be sad at the end of the year when I have to leave my family and my Christ the King family as well.”

Arbitello said Calhoun is on pace to become the school’s all-time leading scorer and is currently second behind Khalid Reeves.

“He’s been by far our best player in workouts and practices,” Arbitello said. “That’s not to say Isaiah [Lewis], Jon [Severe] and Jordan [Fuchs] haven’t been great, but he’s just been on an all-time new level.”

For Lauren Nuss, a guard on the Christ the King girls basketball team, signing her National Letter of Intent to Adelphi University was a dose of reality that her life will soon change drastically.

“It’s actually a little bit scary realizing I’m signing away my life a little bit and realizing AAU is done,” she said. “That was a big part of my life. It’s a little scary, but it feels great. The smile on my face is never going to go away.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by her parents, Dennis and Donna.

“I feel happy and sad at the same time because my little girl is growing up,” Donna Nuss said. “But I’m happy she’s going to be close to home and she really loves the school and feels comfortable there. That’s a great feeling knowing she’ll be happy there.”

Added Dennis Nuss: “I used to coach her in AAU, went to Oklahoma, Missouri, all over the country. All the years and effort she put in and now finally she’s at a new stage.”

Contact Dylan Butler at dbutler3@cablevision.com

Follow him on Twitter: @Dylan_Butler

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Calhoun Wins 2nd MVP Award In 2 Weeks
10/31/11 - 07:57 PM

Omar Calhoun is the first player to win MVP of the Metro-Classic two years in a row

If Omar Calhoun enters an all-star game, odds are he’s leaving with hardware.

The Christ the King shooting guard became the first player in Metro Classic history to win back-to-back MVPs when he scored 32 points to lead the Boros past the Burbs, 119-105, at Archbishop Molloy in Queens on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s definitely special to me,” he said after the eighth annual event. “I wasn’t trying to win back-to-back MVPs, but it’s a great accomplishment for me.”

And that was just the latest honor for the 6-foot-4 UConn-bound senior, who was named MVP of the second annual Sharette Dixon Classic eight days ago and was also the MVP of the Franchise Classic in August.

Unlike those other electric performances, Calhoun didn’t start the Metro Classic hot. He had just seven points at halftime as the Boros were unable to pull away from the Burbs.

“I recognized the game was tied up going into halftime and Coach [Ruth] Lovelace, my teammates told me to carry us and make sure we got this victory,” recalled Calhoun, Scout.com's 10th-ranked shooting guard in the Class of 2012

He heeded their advice, pumping in 27 points after the break, to make up for the absences of several notable city prospects such as Lincoln’s Isaiah Whitehead, Cardozo’s Jermaine Lawrence and South Shore’s Terrence Samuel. Calhoun exploded in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 points over the final 7:50. The city team led by just four, 93-89, before he hit consecutive 3-pointers to extend the differential to eight and his traditional 3-point play in transition pushed the lead to 11.

“I want to come out here and win and put on a show, make sure I represent the boroughs well,” said Calhoun, who made 11-of-13 free throws and shot 8-of-18 from the field. “My teammates found me a couple of times in transition for layups. I hit a couple of free throws and the two 3s. ... From there, the rest is history.”

It was similar to the way he turned it on in leading the NYC stars past New Jersey’s best in the Sharette Dixon Classic a week ago. Xaverian guard Brian Bernardi, who played along Calhoun in both of the all-star games, marveled at his consistency.

“He keeps attacking, he has a great shot, he’s never afraid to keep driving,” Bernardi said.

Reminded the two won’t be teammates again anytime soon, Bernardi smiled.

“It’s good competition,” he said. “It’s gonna be fun to play against him.”

Calhoun had help from his frontcourt as Boys & Girls forward Leroy (Truck) Fludd had 16 points and nine rebounds and St. Raymond forward Daniel Dingle added 15 points and nine rebounds. Jefferson guard Thaddeus Hall also had 16. Long Island Lutheran’s Kentan Facey led the Burbs with 26 points, many of them on rim-rocking dunks, Mount Vernon’s Randy Stephens followed with 20 points and Isaiah Cousins had 17.

Stephens and Cousins were part of a Mount Vernon team that won the New York State Federation Class AA crown last March, beating Calhoun and Christ the King in the final. The two guards reminded Calhoun of that matchup during the second half, which only created added motivation as he took over.

"I'm still think about that state championship loss to Mount Vernon," he said, later added: “I’m coming for them this year. They can't do that twice.”

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Calhoun Wins All-Star Game MVP
10/23/11 - 09:57 PM

Congratulations to Omar Calhoun for earning MVP honors at the Sharette Dixon Memorial Classic over the weekend. Omar scored a game-high 23 points as the New York All-Stars took down the New Jersey All-Stars by a score of 131 - 101.

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CK's Mike Thompson Earns Full Scholarship
8/14/11 - 11:15 PM

Mike Thompson was a part of back-to-back city championships at CK

The thought of transferring entered Michael Thompson’s mind. The 6-foot-4 swingman knew he had the talent to start at other places, but he was stuck on the bench at Christ the King behind Division I players like UConn-bound Omar Calhoun.

In the end, though, the Royals just had too much for him to offer.

“The practices are what made me want to stay,” said Thompson, who played in just six games last winter. “I know I worked out real hard in practice. I know other high schools don’t work as hard as we do – even some colleges don’t.”

In Thompson’s mind, being at Christ the King prepared him for the next level. He did have designs on doing a post grad year after graduating from the Middle Village, Queens school in June. But that won’t be necessary now. On Tuesday, the skilled Thompson committed to St. Michael’s College, which plays in arguably Division II’s top conference, the Northeast-10.

“I think it just shows our depth and our willingness to help all the players in our program,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “It’s easy to get Omar Calhoun a scholarship. No one had to help him. I think it’s important that kids like this get something, too.”

Thompson, who is actually a year behind in terms of age, would have been a starter for the Royals on this year’s team, Arbitello said. It was a chance he never got when he was on the roster, though. Thompson said he had long talks with assistant coach Artie Cox, a close confidante, about transferring, but the two agreed he would do a prep year.

That’s what Thompson was set on if he didn’t get any looks last month with the Rising Stars at the AAU Super Showcase and Nationals in Kissimmee, Fla. But the versatile forward had a strong tournament and had the game-winning layup in a game that St. Michael’s coaches saw.

Both St. Michael’s and St. Rose had him at their schools for visits and offered. Thompson ended up choosing the Vermont school for its elite academics and the role he would have there. Men’s basketball games there are also a hot ticket without any pro teams around.

“A lot of people come to the games,” Thompsons said. “It’s real popular over there.”

Arbitello thinks he’ll make an impact right away for the Purple Knights.

“I think the sky is the limit for him,” the coach said. “He’s one of those inside-outside guys. He’s a matchup problem in the post, but has a handle and can shoot.”

Thompson is grateful for the opportunity. He stayed at Christ the King and it paid off in a big way. He didn’t even have to go to prep school.

“And I turned out getting one of the best D-IIs,” Thompson said. “I’m happy.”

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Calhoun Commits to National Champion Huskies
6/12/11 - 03:57 PM

Omar Calhoun verbally commits to UCONN

Omar Calhoun, a rising senior at Christ the King and the city’s top player in the Class of 2012, verbally committed to the University of Connecticut on Friday.

The Post’s All-City boys basketball player of the year was considering North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Kentucky, West Virginia, Villanova, Seton Hall and Georgetown.

"It feels great to finally have picked the right school and know where I’m going to college," Calhoun said. "It’s definitely a plus for me. I'm really happy. I wanted to get this out of the way so I can get better."

Calhoun and his father, Omar Calhoun Sr., visited UConn on Thursday, meeting with the coaches and touring the Storrs campus. They clearly liked what they saw, announcing the decision less than 24 hours later.

"I had a great time there," Calhoun said. "I toured the campus, met some of the players."

Calhoun said he also met with UConn caoch Jim Calhoun and was confident he'd be around to coach him when he arrives next summer.

"He hasn't lost one bit of passion for the game," Calhoun said. "He told me nothing is going to be given to me, but there’s an opportunity for me and he wants me to reach my potential there."

Calhoun, who led the CHSAA ‘AA’ in scoring averaging 20.1 points per game, became the second player in Christ the King history to reach the 1,000-point plateau as a junior, joining former Arizona great Khalid Reeves.

Calhoun was at his best when the lights were brightest. He turned a corner in a nationally televised game against Westchester Country Day (N.C.) at the Hoophall Classic on Jan. 17 with 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

The 6-foot-5 Brooklyn native closed out his junior year with a 33-point performance in an overtime loss to Mount Vernon in the New York State Federation Class AA title game.

The 10th-ranked shooting guard in the country by Scout.com, Calhoun has continued to score in bunches on the AAU circuit, leading the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League in scoring at 25.0 points per game.

Calhoun is the second major commitment for Connecticut this week, though the first from the Class of 2012, joining DeAndre Daniels, a highly touted 6-foot-8 forward out of IMG Academy (Fla.) who announced his decision Tuesday.

Calhoun said he hopes to follow in the footsteps of former Rice standout Kemba Walker, who helped guide the Huskies to the national championship.

"Kemba came from there and other New York City guards have been successful there," Calhoun said. "I just feel like now I'm on that list."

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Head Coach Joe Arbitello is NYDaily News Coach of the Year
5/11/11 - 09:17 PM

Joe Arbitello helped guide the Royals to their second consecutive city title, a first for CK

For Joe Arbitello, Christ the King's season didn't exactly start in an ideal way.

Before the Royals had even played a game, their star point guard, Corey Edwards, was suspended for using foul language in a school hallway. Edwards, one of the top players in the CHSAA, was ordered to sit out until January.

Without him, the Royals got off to a rocky start in their attempt to defend the state Federation championship they had won the previous spring.

Like any effective leader, Arbitello found a way to help his Royals navigate the obstacles and, while doing that, the coach taught his players to function as a cohesive unit. In fact, he did such a good job of it that the Royals ended up right where they were at the end of last season: in the state Federation title game.

With Arbitello in his third season, the Royals won their second straight CHSAA Intersectional championship before losing in overtime to Mount Vernon in the state Federation final.

Even though Christ the King lost that final game, the Royals finished with a 22-7 record and turned in an outstanding effort, one that earned Arbitello the Daily News' Boys Coach of the Year award.

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Calhoun is NYC POY, Edwards is 2nd Team All-City, NY POST
4/18/11 - 05:17 PM

Omar Calhoun Wins NYPOST NYC Player of the Year Award

NYC Player of the Year

Omar Calhoun, Christ the King

He can score the ball better than almost anyone in the country, but that’s not just what makes Omar Calhoun a special player.

This year, the Christ the King junior did a lot of the other things to help his team win a second consecutive CHSAA Class AA intersectional title.

“He started rebounding the ball better, he took some charges and did some of the intangibles,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello. “He definitely improved his jump shot.”

The 6-foot-5 shooting guard actually tried to do too much with point guard Corey Edwards suspended for the first month of the season.

“If he wasn’t the guy taking the shots and doing those things, no one would have done that at that point,” Arbitello said. “He needed to do that for the team.”

Calhoun, who led the CHSAA ‘AA’ in scoring averaging 20.1 points per game, became just the second player in Christ the King history to reach the 1,000-point plateau as a junior, joining former Arizona great Khalid Reeves.

Calhoun was at his best when the lights were brightest. He turned a corner in a nationally-televised game against Westchester Country Day (N.C.) at the Hoophall Classic on Jan. 17 with 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

“He showed how far he came during the year, it showed how much he matured,” Arbitello said. “That was just the start of him playing really great.”

Calhoun, who counts Connecticut, Arizona and Florida among his 15 Division I offers, dropped 33 points in an overtime loss to Mount Vernon in the New York State Federation Class AA final.

“Without him we might have lost that game by 40,” Arbitello said. “Omar’s greatest attribute is that he doesn’t let things get to his head. That’s what helped him in the beginning of the year and it’s what is helping him now.”

“If he wasn’t the guy taking the shots and doing those things, no one would have done that at that point,” Arbitello said. “He needed to do that for the team.”

“He showed how far he came during the year, it showed how much he matured,” Arbitello said. “That was just the start of him playing really great.”

Calhoun, who counts Connecticut, Arizona and Florida among his 15 Division I offers, dropped 33 points in an overtime loss to Mount Vernon in the New York State Federation Class AA final.

“If he wasn’t the guy taking the shots and doing those things, no one would have done that at that point,” Arbitello said. “He needed to do that for the team.”

“He showed how far he came during the year, it showed how much he matured,” Arbitello said. “That was just the start of him playing really great.”

Calhoun, who counts Connecticut, Arizona and Florida among his 15 Division I offers, dropped 33 points in an overtime loss to Mount Vernon in the New York State Federation Class AA final.

SECOND TEAM

G Corey Edwards, Christ the King

The consummate pass-first point guard, the George-Mason bound Edwards helped drive the Royals to a second consecutive CHSAA Class AA intersectional title after missing the first month of the season because of a school-issued suspension. He also hit some huge shots, including seven of his 16 points in an overtime win against St. Raymond in the semifinals and a huge 3-pointer that sealed Christ the King’s third straight Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan title.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/basketball/the_post_all_city_boys_basketball_JfNLItn22jq01OIloqf3PM#ixzz1JuVFVyKr

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Edwards, Curry, Ortiz Earn All-Queens Selection by the NY POST
4/15/11 - 09:03 PM

Center Christ Ortiz earns All-Queens 3rd Team Honors by the NY POST

All-Queens first team

G Corey Edwards, Christ the King

Christ the King sorely missed the best pure point guard in the city while Edwards served a one-month suspension at the start of the season. But when the George Mason-bound senior returned, he steered the Royals to a second straight CHSAA ‘AA’ title.

All-Queens second team

G T.J. Curry, Christ the King

Forget Charlie Sheen, Curry is the real winner. Often overlooked, the Marist-bound senior averaged 7.9 points per game, but he was often making the big shot or making the big defensive stop to help the Royals win a pair of championships.

All-Queens third team

F Chris Ortiz, Christ the King

The unsigned 6-foot-8 senior returned to Christ the King after transferring from Lincoln and eventually emerged as a dominant force in the paint while showcasing impressive range. He averaged 10.2 points per game and was one of the most feared shot-blockers in the city.

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NYPOST: Omar Calhoun is Queens POY, Arbitello Earns Top Coaches Honor
4/15/11 - 08:53 PM

Omar Calhoun helped lead the Royals to a City Championship

All-Queens boys basketball Player of the Year: Omar Calhoun, Christ the King

After struggling at the start of his junior year – he tried to do too much with Corey Edwards out for a month because of suspension – Calhoun got into a groove after Christmas and continually got better, proving why schools like Pittsburgh, Connecticut and Villanova are vying for his signature.

The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 20 points per game and joined former Arizona great Khalid Reeves as just the second player in Christ the King's vaunted history to reach the 1,000-point plateau as a junior.

While the Royals failed to win a second straight New York State Federation ‘AA’ title, Calhoun stood out in the overtime loss to Mount Vernon, scoring a game-high 33 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 21 seconds left to force overtime.

“The chemistry wasn’t there early on, but it seems like in the last 13 or 14 games, he’s been the best player in the CHSAA,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said before the city final. “He’s making shots, getting to the line and grabbing real big-time rebounds for us.”

All-Queens boys basketball Coach of the Year: Joe Arbitello, Christ the King

While everyone was having a field day, Joe Arbitello remained calm.

The critics wrote off what they called the overrated Royals, an opinion based on back-to-back losses to nationally-ranked team at the stacked City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.

Arbitello was patient. After losses to teams like Gonzaga (D.C.), Christ School (N.C.) and Orlando Christian Academy (Fla.), the third-year coach said the brutal non-league schedule he compiled would benefit the Christ the King in March. Lo and behold, Arbitello was right.

He did a great job managing egos, working three talented sophomores into a lineup filled with veteran returning standouts and battled adversity. When the season was over, Arbitello had a third straight Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan title and a second consecutive CHSAA Class AA intersectional crown in his office.

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Senior TJ Curry Commits to Marist
4/2/11 - 10:01 AM

Senior guard TJ Curry commits to D1 Marist College

Their high school careers ended in Albany and their collegiate careers will start in Poughkeepsie.

Best friends T.J. Curry from Christ the King and Chavaughn Lewis from St. Mary’s Manhasset have verbally committed to play for Marist College on Tuesday.

After dominating the Colden Street courts and winning several CYO trophies at St. Mary’s Nativity in Flushing, the Queens natives went separate ways for high school, but will reunite at Marist.

They join Xaverian's Manny Thomas and Brooklyn native Isaiah Morton from St. Augustine (N.J.) in Marist coach Chuck Martin's 2011 recruiting class.

“We’re finally together again,” Curry said. “We went on a visit together and me and him saying yes together brings back memories. It’s like when we played CYO ball.”

Curry helped guide Christ the King to back-to-back CHSAA Class AA intersectional championships and a New York State Federation ‘AA’ crown. The Royals lost to Mount Vernon in overtime in Sunday’s Class AA state Federation final. The 6-foot combo guard averaged 7.9 points per game during the regular season but had a knack for hitting the big shot.

“I think it’s a good fit. He’s a great kid, a very good teammate and a very good basketball player ,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “Chucky knows exactly what he’s getting – a leader, a guy who will get loose balls and a guy who will make big shots.”

Curry said he also received interest from Manhattan, Siena, Norfolk State, Delaware and New Hampshire and visited Columbia.

“Nothing compared to my visit to Marist,” Curry said. “It was outstanding, just coming to the campus brought a great feeling. Meeting all the coaches was another outstanding feeling. You could see they welcomed you with open arms. They wanted us to be part of their family.”

The 6-foot-3 Lewis averaged 23.9 points per game, leading the Gaels to a 29-1 record and a CHSAA Class A state title. After Lewis scored 30 points against Fordham-bound Bryan Smith and Midwood in the semifinals, St. Mary’s quest for a perfect season came to an end Saturday night, losing to Long Island Lutheran in the state Federation Class A final.

“I think Chavaughn Lewis has improved so much from his junior year to his senior year in terms of shooting the ball, defending, rebounding, he’s gotten stronger,” St. Mary’s coach Bill Harkins said. “He’s got a real good upside. I think it’s great. I’m thrilled with his decision. That program is on its way up.”

Curry and Lewis both visited Marist together Monday, the two-year anniversary of the death of Chavaughn’s father, Edgar Lewis.

“It was a warm atmosphere, the coaching staff made us feel comfortable and at home,” Lewis said. “I wanted to go someplace they’d take care of me, where they’d make sure I did good and stay on the right path. Coach Chuck made me feel like that.”

Lewis also had offers from Hofstra, Siena, Loyola (Md.), Norfolk and LIU and also went on an official visit to Norfolk and unofficial visit to Central Connecticut State.

“Where Marist is now, we want to enhance that, make it bigger than it already is,” Lewis said. “Hopefully we can accomplish that. We want to try and bring them back to where they were.”

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NYS Federation Tournament of Champions Preview
3/26/11 - 12:28 PM

Christ the King looks to win its 2nd consecutive NYS Federation "AA" Championship

Christ the King Royals

Head coach: Joe Arbitello

Record: 22-6

Player to watch: Omar Calhoun

Outlook: When last season ended in disappointment with an overtime loss to Christ the King in the New York State Federation Class AA title game, this is where Boys & Girls hoped it would be one year later.

The Kangaroos are in Albany for the ‘AA’ tournament, but with a twist – they are extremely shorthanded. Seven players were recently ruled out of the game by principal Bernard Gassaway for academic reasons. The players – starter Jeffland Neverson and key reserves Teyvon Myers, Anthony Hemingway and Nkosi Brown are among them – are eligible by PSAL standards, but Gassaway has made an effort to hold student-athletes to strict standards.

The Kangaroos in question either failed their first-period class, which broke a rule Gassaway set forth at the beginning of the year, had low averages or suffered from poor attendance, according to coach Ruth Lovelace.

This isn’t the first time this winter Boys & Girls has been undermanned. Point guard Antione Slaughter, the hero of the Kangaroos' run to their second straight PSAL 'AA; title, and Hemingway each missed five games for failing a first-period class midway through the season and Rutgers-bound star Mike Taylor missed six games, including a pair in the playoffs, for also failing his first-period class.

“We have people off the bench that didn’t play the whole season that are ready,” Taylor said. “They’re good and they’re gonna help us out.”

Indeed, Taylor, Hofstra recruit Malik Nichols, Slaughter and power forward Leroy (Truck) Fludd will be on the floor and impressive sophomore guard Wesley Myers could see his way into the starting five.

“You would like to play with your full team, but most of our nucleus is there,” Lovelace said. “We still expect to do well with the kids that are here.”

Mount Vernon will put the Kangaroos’ lack of depth to the test. The Knights can go 10 deep and will likely press Slaughter and Co. from the jump. Though The High has Taylor and Nichols, Mount Vernon will have the best player on the floor is Jabarie Hinds, a West Virginia-bound point guard recently named co-Mr. Basketball New York along with Long Island Lutheran Achraf Yacoubou.

Mount Vernon has won five Federation crowns – second only to Rice (six) – though this is its first appearance in the end-of-year tournament since 2007. Boys & Girls, meanwhile, has never won a Federation title.

Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello will have a nice courtside seat to watch Boys & Girls and Mount Vernon duke it out Saturday afternoon as his Royals await the winner in Sunday's title game. The two-time defending CHSAA 'AA' champs have a bye into the final, but Arbitello isn't so sure that's a good thing.

"Everyone says they like that bye, but I don’t think I like the bye," he said. "I think I’d like to play, get a feel of the court and then play again. These kids are used to playing 36 games a day in AAU so its not like they’re going to be crazy tired."

Unlike last year, the Royals are completely healthy heading into the title game. That means the dangerous backcourt of George Mason-bound Corey Edwards, elite junior Omar Calhoun and tough-as-nails T.J. Curry are all raring to go.

The frontcourt is comprised of Syracuse-bound quarterback Terrel Hunt and senior Chris Ortiz, who has embraced his role as a defensively specialist and a force on the boards.

"It should be a great final, no matter who is in it," Arbitello said. "I just hope we come ready to play."

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A Successfull Hunt for Second Consecutive Title
3/14/11 - 03:55 PM

Terrel Hunt has 15 pts and 9 rebs in CK's Championship win

With the crowd at Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym roaring, Terrel Hunt stepped to the foul line, stared at the basket, took a deep breath and had a thought.

“Damn, this again?” he said to himself.

Indeed, for a second consecutive year, Hunt went to the exact same foul line with a chance to seal a win in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional title game.

A year ago, it was in the waning moments of a triple-overtime thriller against Bishop Loughlin, but on Sunday it was with 4.4 seconds left and the Royals clinging to a 59-57 lead against Rice.

Hunt wasn’t the only one to feel like he’s been through this before.

“Talk about déjà vu, I told him the same exact thing, this is for mom,” senior guard T.J. Curry said. “Mom has been there in our good graces and I thank her. It’s the same thing as last year. This is for mom.”

Last January, Hunt’s mother Katrina lost her battle with ovarian cancer and the Royals dedicated their title to her memory. The day before he signed his National Letter of Intent to play football at Syracuse, Hunt’s father, Darryl Dockery died of kidney failure.

Still, Hunt, who wore a t-shirt honoring his mother in the pre-game warm-up line, hit a huge free throw to extend the Royals lead to 60-57.

“I couldn’t believe it.” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “He made it and did a great job. I’m so happy for him. We all know what type of tough year he’s had.”

Hunt did more than just sink a late free throw, though. He also grabbed a pair of massive rebounds in the final 30 seconds, including an offensive board off a missed Chris Ortiz free throw with Christ the King clinging to a 59-57 lead.

“He’s a hell of an athlete and he’s our toughest guy, no matter what,” CK point guard Corey Edwards said. “With all he’s been through, for him to go in there and get the rebounds and knock down those free throws, he’s got a lot of heart.

Hunt averages 5.2 points per game, but exploded for 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds.

At the same time, the 6-foot-3 senior quarterback played like a lockdown safety and put Cincinnati-bound Jermaine Sanders on Hunt Island, limiting the Mr. New York Basketball finalist to eight points.

“He gave Jermaine some problems and offensively he played well,” Rice coach Dwayne Mitchell said. “He was the unsung hero. You can talk about Corey and Omar [Calhoun], but people didn’t expect him to score that much but when a quiet guy like that gets 14 points, to me that’s an MVP-type game.”

And it’s a performance that extended Hunt’s basketball career to one more game.

“It’s a lot more special that I finished the game again in the championship,” Hunt said. “If I didn’t do it, Chris or someone else would have done it, but I wanted to be the man of the hour.”

Mission accomplished.

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Christ the King Claims CHSAA Crown
3/13/11 - 03:41 PM

CTK celebrates after its 60-57 victory over Rice in the City Championship

Most of his teammates will get a chance to continue their basketball careers, but not Terrel Hunt. He will be playing football at Syracuse in the fall and his days on the hardwood are dwindling.

He made sure to extend his career for one more game yesterday, helping lead the Royals to a 60-57 win against Rice and a second consecutive CHSAA Class AA intersectional title at Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym.

“It feels amazing,” Hunt said. “Everybody else has a chance to play somewhere else next year, D-II, D-III, it don’t matter. I’m going to play football and to have the feeling that I have one more game left in my career and we’ve got a state championship coming up soon, it feels amazing.”

The star quarterback played more like a lockdown safety, limiting Cincinnati-bound Jermaine Sanders to just eight points. On the other end of the court, the 6-foot-3 senior, who averages 5.2 points per game, exploded for 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds, including two in the final 29.9 seconds of the fourth quarter.

And as was the case in last year’s triple-overtime thriller against Bishop Loughlin, Hunt went to the line and hit a pivotal free throw in the closing seconds, this time going 1-of-2 with 4.4 seconds left.

“One game left, he’s got one game left in his high-school career and then he’s going to be playing football,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “I’ll take Terrell Hunt every year. He’s just tough. Terrell Hunt did an incredible job on [Sanders]. That’s a kid going to the Big East, to Cincinnati.”

Led by Omar Calhoun, who scored nine of his 18 points in the first quarter, and Chris Ortiz (five points, seven rebounds, five blocks) defensively, Christ the King (22-6) raced out to a quick 15-0 lead. But Arbitello knew the championship wasn’t won just yet.

“When we went on that 15-0 run to start the game, we weren’t going to blow them out,” he said. “That was not going to happen.”

He was right. While Hunt locked up Sanders and the Royals led by as many as 14 early in the third quarter, Emmanuel Andujar had a game-high 28 points and 16 rebounds, nearly single-handedly bringing Rice (19-10) back and putting his team in a position to win, especially after Calhoun fouled out with 2:45 left in fourth.

“He just showed his ability,” Rice coach Dwayne Mitchell said. “What he did today was in him all the time, but unfortunately a couple of injuries set him back and sometimes Emmy can be very emotional and it holds him back, but today he came out as a senior not wanting to lose and he’s played at that high level.”

However, the senior forward went 7-of-13 from the foul line and missed a potential tying layup with 4.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Hunt grabbed that rebound as well as an offensive board on a missed Chris Ortiz free throw with 29.5 seconds left.

“Everyone says I’m the key to our team, but when it boils down to it and we need a stop, Terrel gets that stop,” said George Mason-bound Corey Edwards, who had seven points, nine assists, four rebounds and three steals to earn tournament MVP honors.

“It’s a great, great feeling,” Arbitello said. “Last year I was overwhelmed with everything, but now it’s something I can take in and really appreciate. Back-to-back is unbelievable.”

Christ the King, which is the first team to win consecutive titles since St. Raymond in 2003-04, advances to the New York State Federation Class AA title game and could have a rematch with Boys & Girls, which defeated rival Lincoln, 62-55, in the PSAL Class AA final Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

But for now, the Royals are basking in the glory of their sixth-ever CHSAA crown.

“Both years are special,” Calhoun said. “This year at least we didn’t have to go to overtime in order to win it. That was a bonus. Me fouling out, that hurt me but the team stepped up and got the win. It’s still special. I just want to in a state championship and make sure I win it next year, too.”

http://vimeo.com/21347306

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Edwards Shoots Christ the King back into the 'AA' final
3/10/11 - 03:18 PM

Corey Edwards shoots an uncontested three-pointer

Edwards shoots Christ the King back into CHSAA 'AA' final

By DYLAN BUTLER
Last Updated: 4:06 AM, March 10, 2011
Posted: 1:58 AM, March 10, 2011

Move over Chauncey Billups, there’s a new Mr. Big Shot in town.

Corey Edwards scored seven of his 16 points in overtime to help lift Christ the King to a 70-67 victory against St. Raymond in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional semifinals Wednesday night at Carnesecca Arena.

The Royals advance to the title game for a sixth consecutive year and will meet Rice Sunday afternoon at Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym. The Raiders defeated Holy Cross, 55-52, in the other semifinal.

“That’s what seniors are supposed to do,” CK coach Joe Arbitello said. “They’re supposed to step up, make plays and that’s what happened.”

That wasn’t always the case. On the same court early in his sophomore year, Edwards missed a layup late in the fourth quarter in a loss against Boys & Girls.

“When I missed that shot, it changed my whole life,” Edwards said. “I came in the hallway and started crying. Coach told me that I was going to make a bunch of big shots. I just let that game go and moved forward with my career.”

And that high-school career continues in part because of the George Mason-bound point guard, who broke a 65-all tie on a corner 3-pointer with 32.4 seconds left in overtime.

“At that point I saw the ocean in the basket,” said Edwards, who also had seven rebounds and seven assists. “I knew I was going to make it.”

After a layup by Kerwin Okoro (11 points), Edwards buried a pair of free throws with 9.3 seconds left and watched as Okoro’s desperation 3-pointer caromed off the side of the backboard at the buzzer.

“He played like a senior today,” St. Ray’s coach Oliver Antigua said of Edwards. “The kid’s a hell of a competitor, I’m real happy for him. He’s been through a lot of injuries in his career, but he plays with a lot of class and always played hard and represents our league well.”

Omar Calhoun had a game-high 23 points and seven boards, including a pair of technical free throws after Myron Hickman (21 points) opened the overtime with a 3-pointer and clapped in the junior’s face.

“Guys try to come at me, we’re all juniors, bragging rights and stuff like that,” Calhoun said. “He hit a 3 and just tried to clap in my face. I didn’t take nothing from it. I just went to the line, hit the free throws and kept going.”

Chris Ortiz added 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks and T.J. Curry had 14 points and six rebounds for Christ the King (21-6), which trailed by four late in the fourth quarter. But Curry nailed a 3-pointer in a 7-1 run to give the Royals a 58-56 lead with 1:37 left in regulation.

Okoro forced overtime with a layup as time expired. The lone regular-season meeting between the teams also went to overtime, but St. Ray’s (17-11) came away with the win in Middle Village.

This time, though, Calhoun knew the outcome would be different.

“Omar told us to play together and stay strong,” Edwards said. “He said we have them right where we want them.”

Thanks to Mr. Big Shot, the Royals certainly did.

dbutler@nypost.com

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Calhoun Reaches Milestone, CK Advances to the Semi's
3/5/11 - 11:06 AM

Calhoun scores his 1000th point on a dunk, CK reaches Semi-finals for 7th straight year

Omar Calhoun has forged a reputation as an assassin beyond the arc, one of the top spot-up shooters in the city.

But when it came down to reaching the 1,000-point plateau for his career, the Christ the King junior guard went with a little more flash.

The 6-foot-5 guard threw down a dunk on a baseline drive with a little more than two minutes left in the second quarter and helped the Royals to a 73-46 win against St. Peter’s in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional quarterfinals Thursday night at St. Francis Prep.

“That’s the way to get your 1,000th point,” Christ the King senior guard T.J. Curry said. “That’s a lot of style.”

Calhoun scored a game-high 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 from the foul line and became just the second player to reach 1,000 points as a junior in Christ the King history. Former Arizona star and McDonald’s All-American Khalid Reeves, who was named to The Post’s list of Top 25 New York City high school basketball players in the last 25 years, is the other.

“Everyone knows I can shoot, but to get it off a dunk is very special. It’s just one milestone in my career,” Calhoun said. “The Christ the King pipeline is real special. That’s why I came to the school, so I’m in a position to succeed.”

That individual goal wouldn’t have meant a thing to Calhoun had the Royals been upset Thursday night. And while it never seemed Christ the King was in danger, scrappy St. Peter’s hung around longer than some expected.

By effectively running a patient motion offense, the Eagles, which trailed by 10 at the half, pulled within 35-29 with four minutes left in the third quarter.

“I told [St. Peter’s coach Charlie Driscoll] that if I could get our guys to run motion like they run motion and be as scrappy as them, we’d never lose a game, ever,” CK coach Joe Arbitello said.

But then Christ the King (20-6) pushed the pace and St. Peter’s (19-8), which was led by Stefan Bock’s 13 points, was punished for some turnovers and poor shot selection. The Royals went on a devastating 13-0 run to extend their lead to 19 with 1:29 left in the third.

“We didn’t want to let them get out on the break, but then we let them get out, we made some turnovers, took some quick shots,” Driscoll said. “We stopped running our offense. Suddenly we’re trying to break guys down. We can’t break guys down.”

Calhoun also grabbed seven rebounds, while Curry, who said he had an enjoyable visit to Marist over the weekend, added seven points and five rebounds for the Royals, who take on St. Raymond in the semifinals Wednesday night at Carnesecca Arena.

The Ravens won the lone regular season meeting, defeating the Royals in Middle Village, 74-73, in overtime.

“This is redemption,” Calhoun said. “They won the battle in the regular season, but we’re going to win the war. That’s how I look at it.”

By DYLAN BUTLER

Last Updated: 2:20 AM, March 4, 2011

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Triple Crown: CK Beats Holy Cross for BQ Championship
2/26/11 - 01:38 PM

CTK celebrates its 3rd consecutive Brooklyn-Queens title

Christ the King has had its share of elite guards – from Derrick Phelps and Khalid Reeves to Omar Cook, Erick Barkley and Speedy Claxton.

But Corey Edwards is the first Royals guard to win three consecutive Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan titles. The George Mason-bound senior made history Friday night as the top-seeded Royals defeated No. 3 Holy Cross, 64-58, in Middle Village, Queens.

“It’s big to us, it’s big to the coaching staff,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “To be able to sustain excellence over three different classes really says something about where this program is going.”

Edwards scored six of his eight points in the final 2:24 of the fourth quarter, including a massive 3-pointer that put Christ the King (19-6) in front, 59-56.

“That’s humbling, out of all the great guards in Christ the King history, me being put in that category,” said Edwards, who also had six rebounds and four assists. “I didn’t think it was the biggest play of the game, but it was a big shot.”

Led by Omar Calhoun, who scored a game-high 16 points, Chris Ortiz, who had 12 points and 12 rebounds and T.J. Curry and Terrel Hunt, who had 11 points apiece, CK rallied from a six-point halftime deficit to outscore Holy Cross (16-11), 25-9 in the third quarter and take a 10-point lead into the fourth.

“They came out ready to play and we knew that,” Arbitello said. “I wasn’t sure after the way we played against Loughlin that we were going to come out and match their intensity and bottom line we didn’t. We made one defensive adjustment and ended up locking them up to nine points in that quarter and we started running our offense a little better.”

But the Knights went on a 15-4 run and took a 56-54 lead on a layup by Evan Conti (15 points, 14 rebounds, six assists) with 3:19 left. It seemed the Royals were on the ropes, but that’s when their seniors – Curry, Ortiz and Edwards – came up with big play after big play.

“That’s seniority, that’s leadership,” Curry said. “That’s something we have over a lot of teams.”

“We showed that we’re a tougher team, that we’re a championship team,” Ortiz said. “They punched us hard, I can’t lie. But we just came out and had to punch three times harder because we knew we wanted to get this W.”

Marquise Moore had 13 points, Marcus Hopper had 11 points and nine rebounds and Will Davis added 10 for Holy Cross, which lost to Christ the King for a third time this season.

“I think we have a very good team, I think we’ve been playing very well for the last couple of weeks and I thought we played well tonight,” Holy Cross coach Paul Gilvary said. “We got beat by a very good team, but it came down to a couple of possessions at the end of the game. If we get an opportunity in the [city] playoffs, hopefully we'll make the plays at the end of the game and that will keep our season alive for each round of the playoffs.”

Both teams will play in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional playoffs next week – Holy Cross will meet either St. Francis Prep or All Hallows, while the Royals face either Molloy or St. Peters in the quarterfinals. Christ the King, which has won 10 in a row, is looking to defending its CHSAA and state Federation titles.

“This is a trilogy, same as last year,” Calhoun said. “Now we have to go and win the city and then win the state.”

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CTK Has 4 Players Voted On To All-League Team
2/24/11 - 10:43 PM

Chris Ortiz is one of four Royals to make the All-League Team

Congratulations to the 4 members of the Christ the King Royals that were voted in to the 2010 - 2011 CHSAA "AA" All-League Team.

Omar Calhoun (SF) - 1st Team

Corey Edwards (PG), Chris Ortiz (C) - 2nd Team

TJ Curry (SG) - 3rd Team

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Royal Romp: CK Crushes Loughlin in B/Q Semi's
2/24/11 - 09:59 AM

Omar Calhoun scores 28 points to lead the Royals past rival Bishop Loughlin

The regular season has been bumpy, filled with stops and starts. But Christ the King picked up some steam in the final month of the regular season and is now hitting its stride at the perfect time of year.

The Royals romped rival Bishop Loughlin, 72-46, Wednesday night at home in the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan semifinals. Top-seeded Christ the King will meet No. 3 Holy Cross in the title game Friday night in Middle Village.

The Knights defeated Xaverian, 62-60, in the other semifinal Wednesday night. The Royals have won back-to-back B/Q titles and are gunning for a third.

“We took it two years in a row, so why not a third? There’s no reason to start slacking whatsoever,” T.J. Curry said. “We came out here, kept our composure and handed it to them from first quarter to fourth. We haven’t been playing like that. We played all four quarters strong.”

While always the most talented team on the court, Christ the King struggled to play up to its lofty expectations and didn’t put together four quality quarters.

That changed Wednesday night against the young Lions. The Royals roared out of the gate, led 10-0 and never trailed, extending their winning streak to nine games.

“We were lackadaisical [earlier in the year] but we haven’t had a letdown like that,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “These guys are winners. Bishop Loughlin is a young team and that’s the way it was supposed to go.”

Sure, scrappy Loughlin wouldn’t back down and kept the game close for nearly two quarters. But Christ the King (18-6), which won both regular-season meetings, closed out the first half on a 14-2 run and took a 14-point lead into the locker room.

Led by Travis Charles, who scored a team-high 12 points, fourth-seeded Bishop Loughlin (12-13) twice cut its deficit to 10, including 43-33 with 1:39 left in the third quarter. But Omar Calhoun (game-high 28 points) threw down a dunk on the other end and buried a deep 3-pointer to extend the Royals lead back to 15.

“I think we cleaned up on the offensive and defensive glass, I thought our defensive intensity was a little tougher, we knocked down some shots,” Arbitello said. “We played the way we’re supposed to play.”

Curry had 11 points and sophomore Jordan Fuchs, who was extremely impressive playing above the rim, added nine.

“We were ready and there was no way we were going to slack,” Curry said. “We had to keep it going. They are young and they play tough, but they can’t match our intensity, experience and our character.”

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Strong "D" Leads to Big "W" for CTK
2/12/11 - 08:07 AM

Corey Edwards

Omar Calhoun stepped up in the fourth quarter, scoring seven of his team’s final nine points, but it was what Christ the King did on the defensive end that had the junior guard ecstatic after the Royals picked up a huge road win at Holy Cross last night.

“I knew if I could get a couple of plays going that we’d be able to put the game away,” Calhoun said. “All we had to do was get some stops on the defensive end and it was going to be our game.”

Christ the King did just that, holding Holy Cross to a pair of free throws in the final four minutes of the game to come away with a 57-53 victory, the defending CHSAA Class AA intersectional champs fifth in a row.

“I knew it was going to be one of those games where we have to buckle down on the defense and make some shots,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “Early in the year we weren’t doing that. It’s a good sign for this team that’s been peaking and playing well to come away with a win here.”

Corey Edwards was scoreless for most of the game, but the George Mason-bound point guard buried a critical 3-pointer with 5:33 left in the fourth that sparked a decisive 10-2 run for Christ the King (14-6, 10-2 Brooklyn/Queens), ranked fifth in New York City by The Post.

Calhoun followed with a 3-pointer and then knocked down a 14-footer en route to a game-high 24 points.

“Big-time players always step up in the fourth quarter,” Edwards said. “The fourth quarter is basically crunch time.”

And that’s when Holy Cross (14-9, 6-6) wilted. Despite falling behind 9-0 early, the Knights rallied in the second quarter and took a 32-29 lead into the locker room at halftime. Holy Cross led by five on a 3-pointer by Evan Conti (18 points) with 2:55 left in the third quarter.

But down the stretch the Knights weren’t as patient offensively and that proved costly.

“They played good defense, but I thought, and this has happened to us in about three or four games this year, that in the last four minutes of the game we get a little impatient,” Holy Cross coach Paul Gilvary said. “We don’t run our stuff all the way through like we do earlier in the game.”

Marquise Moore added 15 points and Mairega Clarke had 11 points and 17 rebounds for Holy Cross, which had won four of its last five games coming into last night’s matchup.

“This one really hurts because I feel we outplayed them for 24 out of the 32 minutes of the game, but they killed us in the first four minutes of the game going on a 9-0 run and they killed us in the last four minutes of the game,” Conti said. “Those are the most important minutes of the game.”

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Rolling Royals Rout Terriers, Clinch BQ Regular Season Title
2/9/11 - 09:48 PM

Chris Ortiz helps lead a balanced scoring attack for the Royals in route of SFP

His team defeated Rice in front of a packed house at Gauchos Gym Saturday afternoon in a much-hyped battle of CHSAA Class AA powerhouse programs.

But it was an 80-66 victory against struggling St. Francis Prep Tuesday in Fresh Meadows, Queens that convinced Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello that his team had turned a corner.

“On Saturday, you knew they were going to be up, it’s Rice, it’s a big thing. I knew we were going to play hard. Tonight was the real challenge,” Arbitello said. “After a big win against Loughlin, a big win against Rice to come in here and beat a team that we had beaten by 25 and I know we’re not 25 points better than is a big credit to this team.”

Arbitello was worried about the return meeting with St. Francis Prep after beating the Terriers 72-47 at home Jan. 25. At the time, the Royals snapped a two-game losing streak and thought they had turned a corner.

Instead they lost to St. Raymond’s in overtime three days later. In the past, even earlier in the season, Christ the King would have overlooked St. Francis Prep, which came into Tuesday’s game riding a three-game losing streak.

“I’ve seen this game played before,” Arbitello said. “We wind up struggling and winning by four because maybe we’re a little more talented or they’d hit a lucky shot and we’d lose. But championship teams do what we did. We came out, put it on them early, played hard and made some shots. That’s another stepping stone.”

A loss to St. Francis Prep would have impeded the progress the Royals have made.

“If we would have come out on the other end today, it would have been a setback,” said T.J. Curry, who had 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. “We worked so hard off those two games to keep the momentum up. Coach is happy, the team is happy and we’re heading in the right direction. That’s what championship teams do.”

Omar Calhoun set the tone for Christ the King (13-6, 9-2), ranked No. 5 in the city by The Post, scoring early and often en route to a season-high 33 points and 10 rebounds.

“I can score and my teammates did a good job finding me in different areas where I was open or where I could do different things,” Calhoun said.

The junior guard, who struggled earlier in the season, has averaged 27.6 points per game in three consecutive wins.

“I think one of the things Omar has done is realize the game has to come to him,” Arbitello said. “Other guys may have to score first in order for him to be open. Once he was open, guys were definitely delivering him the basketball. I think that’s a sign of team chemistry and a team playing the right way.”

Glyne Straker netted 21 points, George Hatzioannides had 20 points and Michael Murray added 13 for St. Francis Prep (13-9, 3-8), which fell behind 25-13 after the first quarter and never got closer than six the rest of the way.

While St. Francis Prep hosts Archbishop Molloy Friday, Christ the King takes its four-game winning streak into Holy Cross to take on a Knights squad that has won four of their last five games.

“They’re a talented team,” Arbitello said. “I think Holy Cross and Xaverian are as talented as any team in our league. Holy Cross is a tough team to beat at their place.”

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Surging Royals Slide by Rice
2/6/11 - 05:17 PM

Corey Edwards helps lead CTK to victory over Rice

Momentum had swung late in the third quarter and it seemed a solid CHSAA Class AA victory was quickly slipping away from Christ the King, literally and figuratively, on the slick Gauchos Gym court.

Corey Edwards wondered how his team would respond.

“When they punched us in the face, I was wondering how we’d react to it,” the George Mason-bound point guard said. “Every team has a run and Rice is an excellent team. That’s when the senior leadership on the team picked up.”

The Royals punched back harder, going on a decisive 16-0 run to knock off Rice, 67-54, yesterday afternoon in The Bronx.

Christ the King (12-6, 8-2 Brooklyn/Queens) posed with a giant silver Nike-sponsored trophy when it was over, but more importantly claimed the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan regular season title, a championship that eluded the Royals a year ago.

“It’s another accomplishment,” said T.J. Curry, who buried a huge 3-pointer with 3:17 left in the fourth quarter. “This was step one. We have steps two, three and hopefully four.”

Omar Calhoun had 22 points, five rebounds and three assists, Curry had 13 points, Chris Ortiz had 12 points, five rebounds and three blocks and Edwards added seven points and four assists. They all stepped up huge in the decisive fourth quarter for CK, ranked No. 7 in New York City by The Post.

“Coach told us when we were down that it was about character,” Curry said. “They threw their hardest punch and as soon as they did we said they can’t hit no more. We punched harder and kept punching and punching.”

Jermaine Sanders led No. 3 Rice (13-8, 6-3 Archdiocesan New York) with 21 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers to help the Raiders take its first lead of the game late in the third quarter. But with Rice in front 49-44, the Cincinnati-bound swingman forced a 3-pointer. It was a decision that proved to be costly for the Raiders.

“I hit the last couple of shots and I thought it was a good shot to take, but it was a bad shot and they scored after that play and I think that was probably the end of the game,” Sanders said.

Christ the King got the rebound, Calhoun scored on a putback and momentum was back with the defending CHSAA Class AA intersectional champions who never looked back.

“I always said our strength of schedule was going to help us,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “In a climate like this we didn’t panic because we’ve played so many good teams, we knew we were going to get back into it.”

The game was postponed for 10 minutes at the start of the fourth quarter because of condensation on the court. Arbitello thought it came from the heat in the nearby kitchen, Calhoun, who twisted his leg on a crossover attempt, thought it was from leaks in the roof because of Saturday’s rain.

"It's a battle though and you have to keep fighting," Calhoun said.

Whatever the case, it couldn’t slow down a Christ the King squad that seems to have turned a corner. The Royals have won four of their last five after a buzzer-beating loss to South Atlanta (Ga.) in the Primetime Shootout in Morgantown, W. Va.

“In the beginning of the year we were playing for ourselves, for numbers. We have our mind right and we’re on a nice run right now,” Edwards said. “We can’t beat every team individually. It’s a collective game. Coach told us that and it clicked. We’ve been working harder and harder from that point.”

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Revitalized Royals Roll Over Terriers
1/27/11 - 11:30 AM

Omar Calhoun scores 21 to help the Royals beat SFP

Christ the King is the defending CHSAA Class AA intersectional and New York State Federation champions. But the Royals haven’t played the part through the first half of the season.

“I don’t think we’ve been defending our title the right way,” Christ the King point guard Corey Edwards said. “Everybody was coming at us and we were too laid back. That’s going to be the difference in the second half of the season.”

That started Tuesday night with a resounding 72-47 victory over upstart St. Francis Prep in a CHSAA Class AA league contest in Middle Village, Queens.

It’s not the lopsided score, which wasn’t really indicative of the game, that pleased Royals coach Joe Arbitello. It was the effort and intensity that’s been lacking for much of his team’s first 13 games of the season.

“I thought we played great, we played hard and that’s what I was looking for,” Arbitello said. “We were unselfish. I’ve been telling the guys since [a 72-59 loss to Gonzaga (D.C.) at the Cancer Research Classic in] West Virginia, if we play the way we’re supposed to for 32 minutes we’re going to be tough to beat.”

“This was a very important game,” Arbitello added. “I would have hung myself if we didn’t come out and play hard today.”

Junior star Omar Calhoun paced the Royals with 19 of his game-high 21 points in the first half and helped stake Christ the King (9-5, 5-1 Brooklyn/Queens) to a 39-28 halftime lead.

“When Omar hits shots, it opens up the game for everyone else,” Edwards said. “That’s when it’s hard to guard us.”

Led by Mike Murray (12 points), George Hatzioannides (11 points) and Joey Salerno (10 points), St. Francis Prep (12-7, 3-3) wouldn’t go away and cut its deficit to six on a layup by Andrew Winter in the third quarter.

But Khalid Straker, who struggled and scored just five points, took an ill-advised 3-pointer early in the shot clock on the Terriers’ next possession. The shot rimmed out and Edwards, who had 12 points, banged a 3-pointer. It sparked a 19-0 run for the Royals, which also received 10 points from sophomore Isaiah Lewis, to put the game out of reach.

“We’re so fragile. We’re not mentally tough enough,” St. Francis Prep coach Tim Leary said. “I don’t know if it’s a leadership thing, a toughness thing, but all year long it’s one bad shot or one bad pass and we go into a funk.”

The Royals spent much of the first half of the season in a funk of their own, but Arbitello thinks his team has turned a corner. He expects a similar effort in a showdown against St. Raymond at home Friday night.

“I think they’re starting to buy into what we’re saying,” Arbitello said. “Everybody thought it was so rosy last year because we had a state championship, but it wasn’t. It was bumpy up to this point, too. It took a little while for those guys to buy in also. We could miss 6,000 shots Friday night and lose, but I think our effort will be sustained throughout the next couple of games.”

Meanwhile, Murray believes the outcome of the return game at St. Francis Prep on Feb. 8 will be much closer.

“At home, I think it will be a different game,” the senior guard said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect today, but now we know what we have to deal with. I think it will be a lot closer of a game next time.”

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CK Alum Maurice Barrow Making A Big Impression for Fairfield
1/10/11 - 09:02 PM

Maurice Barrow is the MAAC Freshmen of the Week

BRIDGEPORT -- Maurice Barrow walked over to press row, grabbed the ear phones off the table and asked, "Is this the right way?" He then slipped them over his head.

The Fairfield freshman might still have to learn about postgame interview procedures, but he appears to be a fast study on the court.

Barrow posted his first career double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds to help the Stags defeat Niagara 70-48 on Monday night at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

The Stags (10-3, 3-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) won their ninth straight -- something accomplished only twice before in program history -- in front of 1,794. The 1965-66 team was the last squad to win nine consecutive games and went on to post the school record with 13 straight. The 1961-62 team also won nine in a row.

"It was kind of a strange game, it really had no flow," Fairfield coach Ed Cooley said. "There wasn't a lot of energy in the building, but we're very happy to get a league win and we're happy that we won a home game."

Barrow, coming off a career-high 11 rebounds against Army, scored nine points in the first half and added six rebounds as the Stags built a 30-14 lead. With junior Ryan Olander (eight points, two rebounds) feeling under the weather and in first-half foul trouble, Barrow's game was just what the Stags needed against Niagara (3-12, 0-3).

"Mo's starting to play like a young veteran," Cooley said. "I'm very proud of his effort on the glass."

Barrow led the team in rebounding for the third time. Sophomore Derek Needham scored a team-high 15 points and Warren Edney and Yorel Hawkins each added 10 points.

Fairfield, which came into the game ranked in the NCAA top 10 for scoring defense (56.2 ppg) held the Purple Eagles to 16 percent shooting (4-for-25) from the field and 0-for-7 from 3-point range.

and forced nine turnovers.

Cooley gave his freshmen plenty of work in the half with Barrow logging 17 minutes and Jamel Fields scoring four points (4-for-7 from the foul line) in 11 minutes. Keith Matthews added two points and a block in five minutes.

Almost half of Niagara's points came from the foul line, where it was 6-for-9. The Stags were 8-for-13 (61.5 percent) from the foul line, but shot 52.4 percent from the field (11-for-21).

Up 18-8 with 6:36 left in the half, Fairfield went on a 12-4 run to take its largest lead of the half, 30-12, with 17 seconds left.

Kashief Edwards led Niagara with 15 points.

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Edward's Return Bolster's CTK to OT Win
1/3/11 - 09:37 PM

Corey Edwards makes his return as CTK's Starting PG

PHILADELPHIA – Corey Edwards remembers his last high school game like it was yesterday.

“I had 17 points, six assists and three turnovers,” Edwards said. “That was my last game.”

Only he wishes it was yesterday. Instead, it was March 4, 2010 when Christ the King defeated Archbishop Molloy in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional quarterfinals. A few days later, the point guard suffered a devastating season-ending foot injury and was out for the first month of this season because of a disciplinary suspension.

Finally on Sunday night, Edwards returned to the court after a nearly 10-month hiatus, helping lead the Royals to a 69-66 overtime win against Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) in the finale of the fourth annual Villa Holiday Classic at the Palestra.

“Watching my teammates play is kind of hard,” Edwards said. “I’m happy to be back on the court.”

The George Mason-bound senior finished with 13 points, six assists and nine turnovers, five in the opening quarter when he admittedly was pressing after such a long wait to start his senior season.

“He wanted to make the great pass every time he had the ball to show he was back on the map,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “He wants to try to get back and show how good he is. I thought he had a good game today, but I think he’s going to play really well against Molloy.”

Edwards is the Royals missing link. He allows fellow senior T.J. Curry to move off the ball, which especially strengthens Christ the King (4-2), ranked No. 1 in New York City by The Post, defensively.

“We’re a lot longer and quicker with him,” Arbitello said of Edwards.

Omar Calhoun led the Royals with a game-high 31 points on`10-of-21 shooting. The junior guard also grabbed nine rebounds, but missed two critical free throws in the final 52.6 seconds of the fourth quarter.

That allowed Neumann-Goretti (3-2) to rally from a five-point deficit with 1:33 left to send the game into overtime thanks to a pair of free throws by Saint Peter’s-bound Lamin Fulton (18 points) with 4.3 seconds left in regulation.

“I said to my team at the end of regulation that a championship team is going to put this behind us, know we could have won the game in regulation and win the game in overtime,” Arbitello said. “I thought they responded well in overtime.”

Calhoun made up for his rare misses from the charity stripe, scoring the first five points of overtime to give Christ the King a commanding 61-56 lead.

“I felt like we could have won the game earlier and I was upset at myself,” Calhoun said. “I just made sure I didn’t miss any more after that.”

Still, Nuemann-Goretti fought back and cut its deficit to 68-66 on a layup by Ja’Quan Newtown (15 points) with 16 seconds left and nearly forced a second overtime when sophomore Jon Severe inexplicitly threw the ball away on the ensuing inbound.

But Billy Shank shanked an open layup under the basket with four seconds left and the Royals breathed a sigh of relief.

Christ the King also celebrated New York City’s fourth victory on the day in a Classic pitting elite city squads vs. the best of Philadelphia.

It was just as Arbitello predicted to The Post on Saturday.

“New York City basketball is always going to stay high,” Calhoun said. “We had to come out and prove it to Philly.”

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CTK Bounces Back in City of Palms Classic
12/22/10 - 08:16 PM

Chris Ortiz helps CK earn a victory in the City of Palms Classic

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Christ the King jumped ahead early and then trailed in the second half. It’s a similar script that played out in the Royals first two games of the prestigious City of Palms Classic, both disappointing losses.

This time, though, there was a happy ending.

Christ the King wrestled the lead back and dominated the fourth quarter to defeat North Port (Fla.), 66-55 in a consolation round game yesterday morning at Bishop Verot HS.

After dropping their first two games of the nation’s top high school basketball tournament, the Royals used a 15-1 run in the fourth quarter to pull away.

“I really didn’t think we were going to lose today,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “I thought our guys were ready to play and had some pride in what they were doing out there.”

Highly-touted junior guard Omar Calhoun led Christ the King (3-2), ranked No. 4 in the country by USA Today, with 21 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Isaiah Lewis, who already has Division I offers from Virginia Tech, Baylor, Oregon State, Oklahoma State and Siena, added 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and fellow sophomore Jordan Fuchs had 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Lewis credited a players-only meeting, both in the locker room after the game and back in the team hotel, for the better effort against North Port.

“We all talked about what we needed to do different, how we needed to come out and I think today we showed more effort,” he said. “I think the team meeting really helped us yesterday to gather ourselves back up.”

It wasn’t the offense that Arbitello was pleased with though. It was the commitment to defending as a team, which was lacking in the first two games.

“We can score, that’s the one good thing,” Arbitello said. “But we’ve got to work on our defensive principles.”

After No. 21 Christ School (NC) and Orlando Christian Prep (Fla.) both shot 50 percent or better from the field, the Royals stepped up the defensive intensity against North Port, which shot 41.2 percent from the field.

“We just picked it up on defense, locked in and tried to not let them score and just come back,” Fuchs said.

Arbitello also credited the play of T.J. Curry, who bounced back after struggling in the Royals first two games. The senior guard didn’t score, but he had six rebounds, five assists and just two turnovers.

“I thought collectively we played better,” Arbitello said. “Everyone played better than they did the whole tournament. I thought in particular T.J. responded well.”

With the City of Palms Classic behind them, the Royals are going on a day trip to Gainsville Wednesday to watch former CK star Erving Walker and the Gators take on Radford. Then it’s back to New York for a few days off before resuming their season on Jan. 2 at the fourth annual Villa Holiday Classic at the Palestra in Philadelphia.

Starting point guard Corey Edwards will be back from his month-long suspension and the Royals will be more experienced after playing in the City of Palms Classic.

“It was a good experience,” Fuchs said. “This game was a confidence booster so that when we go back to New York we can do what we have to do.”

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CK Beats Jefferson, 71 - 67
12/4/10 - 11:54 PM

TJ Curry leads CTK to Victory in season opener

For any team that thinks Christ the King will slip without Corey Edwards, think again.

The defending state champion Royals, one of the most highly-touted teams in the country, opened their season with a 71-67 victory over Jefferson during the Christ the King Invitational on Saturday. CK got the win without Edwards, its George Mason-bound point guard, who was suspended after cursing in the school's hallway last month. He won't rejoin the team until at least January.

Omar Calhoun led CK with 23 points, while sophomore Isaiah Lewis chipped in 16 and T.J. Curry added 13. Tyquan Goodlett had 18 points for Jefferson.

"Early statement," Royals coach Joe Arbitello said. "It will be very nice when we have T.J. Curry, Omar Calhoun, Corey Edwards and Isaiah Lewis in that rotation."

With Calhoun not having his best shooting game, despite leading the team in scoring, Lewis took the opportunity to step up in his first varsity game.

The 6-3 sophomore from Brooklyn scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half to help hold off a fierce Orange Wave rally.

"He's a junior now," said Edwards, who was on the team's bench. "He just grew up."

Lewis said "it was just another game."

Without Edwards for the time being, Lewis knows he'll need to showcase his skills more.

"The team really needs me," Lewis said, "and I'm going to accept the challenge."

The Royals had a 29-24 halftime lead and led 48-35 late in the third quarter, but the Orange Wave went on a furious 13-0 run to knot the game at 48-48 entering the final period.

Jefferson then tied the game at 52-52 with just over six minutes remaining. After falling behind again, they pulled to within a point - 66-65 - with 52.7 left when Goodlett scored on a hard drive, but couldn't get any closer.

"When we got it going and made a run," said Jefferson coach Lawrence Pollard, "they stopped it with big shots."

Calhoun nailed two free throws (he went 12-of-12 from the line) to extend CK's lead to 68-65 with 12.5 left. He then shut the door on the Orange Wave's rally with a fast-break dunk just as time expired.

"We just want to keep working hard as a team and working on the different aspects of the game, so it doesn't look like we're missing anything," Calhoun said. "When (Edwards) does come back, we'll be even better."

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CTK is Preseason Top 10 in America
11/18/10 - 09:28 PM

2010 - 2011 Men's Varsity

The Varsity Royals are in the top 10 of two of the most respected prep polls in the country. USA Today ranks CTK as the 6th best high school team in America (#1 in the East Region), while ESPN Rise says the Royals are #8. Click on the links below to see for yourself.

http://rise.espn.go.com/boys-basketball/articles/2010/11/05-preseason-FAB-50-part-2.aspx

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/poll/2010-11-super-25m.htm

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3 Student Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent
11/18/10 - 09:14 PM

Seniors Bris Smith (Virginia), Nia Oden (Illinios), and Corey Edwards (George Mason)

Surrounded by their parents, coaches and teammates, 3 Christ the King student athletes signed their National Letters of Intent last week. The CK library was unusally bright with the smiles of Seniors Bria Smith, Nia Oden and Corey Allen. Each signed a National Letter of Intent and a Scholarship letterfor college. Bria Smith signed with the University of Virginia, Nia Oden signed with the Univeristy of Illinions and Corey Edwards signed with George Mason University.

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2010 - 2011 CTK Varsity Outlook
11/10/10 - 09:44 PM

The 2009 – 2010 CTK Royals completed a clean sweep of all major championships. The Royals were successful in winning the regular season BQ championship, the BQ Diocesan championship, the NYC Catholic League Intersectional championship, the NYS Catholic Championship, and the NYS Federation championship; all at the highest classification. Even more impressive is the CTK Lady Royals accomplished the same feet.

The success, however, continued into the offseason with six of the Royals seniors garnering either division I or division II college scholarships (Maurice Barrow, Fairfield University; Roland Brown, Hofstra University; Dominykas Milka and Kareem Thomas, College of St. Rose; and Justin Kirkland and Khadim Ndiaye, Chestnut Hill University).

This years Royals, with 7 returning players, will look to carry their recent success into the 2010 – 2011 season. Junior Omar Calhoun, a top national recruit, will look to lead the Royals from the wing position. His consistent outside shooting and defensive intensity have made an impression on some of the countries premier college coaches. In the backcourt, T.J. Curry and Corey Edwards (who will be attending George Mason University) will look to build upon their chemistry, and have been dubbed one of the “best backcourts in all of NYC.”

Returning forwards Chris Ortiz and Mike Thompson are expected to have big seasons for the Royals as well, along with returning senior guard Aaron Williams. The Royals will also have three sophomores (Jon Severe, Isaiah Lewis, and Jordan Fuchs) on the team, all of whom played in city championships on the lower levels. The experience of these players will add depth and athleticism to the Royals front court and bench.

The road ahead will be tough. Coach Joe Arbitello and his staff have booked one of the toughest national schedules in the country, not to mention they compete nightly in the nation’s toughest league. CTK will be competing in the City of Palms Classic, Hoop Hall Invitational, and Prime Time Shootout; all of which are considered the top events for high school basketball. The CTK Royals are looking forward to showing NYC and the country they can live up to the expectations left for them by CTK players and teams of the past.

Returning Starters

Corey Edwards, T.J. Curry, Omar Calhoun

Returning Players

Mike Thompson, Terrel Hunt, Aaron Williams, Chris Ortiz

Newest Members

Malcolm Bettis, Creshawn Jude, Les Flagler, Eric Ishman, Jon Severe, Isaiah Lewis, Jordan Fuchs

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CK's Calhoun Earns MVP Honors at Metro Classic
10/25/10 - 08:30 PM

CTK's Omar Calhoun earned MVP Honors at the 7th annual Howie Frajberg Metro Classic. His performance included a game high 35 points, including 16 of those points in the fourth quarter. Omar shot 6 of 10 from three point land and helped the "Boro's" squad take down the "Burbs" by a final score of 120 - 116 in overtime.

Also proudly representing CK at the Metro Classic were PG Corey Edwards and F Chris Ortiz.

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Old School Edwards Finds New School At George Mason
10/19/10 - 08:21 PM

Senior PG Corey Edwards verbally commits to George Mason

In a day of hybrid point guards and players who attend multiple high schools, Corey Edwards is a throwback. He’s a pure point guard who is big on loyalty and loves to defend. The only thing missing is the pair of Chuck Taylors.

“Corey’s a loyal guy. He was very loyal to me,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “Since sophomore year he wanted to play for me and he never veered from that. He just wants the same thing [in college], honesty and stability.”

And Edwards, a 5-foot-11 senior who was a second team All-City selection by The Post last year, wanted to repay Jim Larranaga for his loyalty, verbally committing to George Mason on Sunday.

Larranaga, an Archbishop Molloy alum, was the first coach to express interest in Edwards when he was a freshman and he kept on Edwards when other schools, like Auburn, Providence, Villanova and St. John’s, backed off after Edwards dislocated his left foot three days before last year’s CHSAA Class AA intersectional semifinals. Edwards also had shoulder surgery as a freshman.

“After I broke my foot, they stopped coming around. That showed me when you’re playing good, everyone is on you, schools are offering you, but when things are bad, that’s when those schools don’t want you,” Edwards said. “George Mason was the first school to call me when I was in the hospital. That let me know how serious they were about getting me a scholarship.”

The CAA school was the first official visit Edwards, arguably the best pure point guard in New York City, took and he loved everything about George Mason.

“I really liked the school, the teachers, the basketball staff,” Edwards said. “I liked the whole atmosphere, teammates and everything, it was a great experience. I felt good where I was at so I just got it over with.”

Edwards also felt comfortable with the players already there, including former Christ the King standout Ryan Pearson, Mount Vernon’s Sherrod Wright and Paris Bennett from St. Patrick’s (N.J.). He was also friendly with Vaughn Gray out of St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.), who also verbally committed after attending George Mason’s Midnight Madness.

“It was a big plus knowing guys I played with and against,” Edwards said. “That gave me even more encouragement to want to commit.”

Arbitello is confident Edwards, who will be a three-year starter at Christ the King, can excel at George Mason. He pointed to his intense competitiveness as an example. The second-year coach said when he called Edwards to congratulate him on his decision, Edwards was upset because he didn’t play well at iS8.

“I think it’s a great decision,” Arbitello said. “I think he’s a perfect fit for them, a place where he can play and become an impact player. He’s got a great feel for the game in terms of what he needs to bring to each game.”

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NY Post All-City Basketball Honors
4/26/10 - 07:22 PM

Omar Calhoun earns First Team All-City Honors

It was a memorable season of benchmark performances and long-awaited titles. Boys & Gils won its first PSAL crown in 31 years, topping Cardozo at Madison Square Garden. Christ the King claimed its fifth city title, but first state championship since 1989. And Collegiate capped a remarkable three-year run with its third straight state crown.

The city was introduced to a sophomore – CK’s Omar Calhoun – who could go down as one of our best. A junior, Boys & Girls’ Mike Taylor, who shot himself into Bed Stuy lore. And a senior, Jayvaughn Pinkston of Bishop Loughlin, who enjoyed an incredible final year that included scoring records and All-American honors.

First Team

G Omar Calhoun, Christ the King

The 6-foot-4 shooting guard’s stats weren’t gaudy – he averaged a team-best 14 points per game – but the mature sophomore always seemed to come up with a late bucket in the biggest games. He had 20 points and 11 rebounds as Christ the King won its fifth CHSAA Class AA intersectional title game and was then named the MVP of the New York State Federation final after scoring another 20 against Boys & Girls. That’s one reason why he already has offers on the table from Pittsburgh, Villanova, Louisville and St. John’s.

Second Team

G Corey Edwards, Christ the King

Edwards took a huge step up in his junior year, becoming the city’s best pure point guard. Before his season was cut short because of a dislocated foot, Edwards not only made all the right passes, he also made a ton of big free throws down the stretch.

Third team

F Maurice Barrow, Christ the King

A blue-collar worker, the 6-foot-4 senior did all the little things to lead Christ the King to its trio of championships. In the CHSAA Class AA intersectional final the Fairfield-bound small forward exploded for 24 points and 15 rebounds to earn MVP honors.

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The Post's All-Queens Basketball Honors
4/22/10 - 08:09 AM

Queens Player of the Year Omar Calhoun

All-Queens boys basketball Player of the Year: Omar Calhoun, Christ the King

Before he ever played his first varsity game, Omar Calhoun was touted as the next great star at Christ the King. His own coach said the sophomore guard could be the best to ever play at the Middle Village, Queens school. That’s high praise considering Lamar Odom, Khalid Reeves, Derrick Phelps, Speedy Claxton and Omar Cook all wore the CK maroon.

Calhoun backed up the praise. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard didn’t score 40 points a night, but he did lead the Royals in scoring, averaging 14 points per game. The Park Slope, Brooklyn native picked his game up in the postseason, earning MVP honors in Glens Falls after scoring a game-high 20 points in the state final, a 52-49 victory against Boys & Girls. Calhoun showed poise down the stretch, hitting the winning three free throws after the game was tied at 48.

“I haven’t seen a sophomore like that do what he does,” Christ the King junior guard T.J. Curry said.

All-Queens boys basketball Coach of the Year: Joe Arbitello, Christ the King

His team suffered a devastating injury at the worst time of the year when point guard Corey Edwards dislocated his foot during the postseason, but Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello didn’t panic and he certainly didn’t throw in the towel.

Instead, the second-year coach used the setback as motivation. Arbitello pushed all the right buttons and prodded his team, having the presence of mind to lean on veteran assistant coaches Artie Cox and Greg Lemko for guidance en route to the school’s fifth CHSAA Class AA intersectional title and first state title since 1989.

Arbitello captured the title as a player on the 1995 team. But this win, a triple-overtime thriller against Bishop Loughlin, was even sweeter.

“I was just overcome with emotion. I was just so happy for my guys,” Arbitello said after the game. “The kids deserved this, they played so hard."

All-Queens first team

F Maurice Barrow, Christ the King

Never flashy, the athletic and versatile 6-foot-4 senior did all the grunt work to help the Royals win championship after championship this year. A huge mismatch for opposing players, the Fairfield-bound Barrow played his best when it mattered most, scoring 24 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in the Royals 81-78 triple-overtime win against Bishop Loughlin in the CHSAA title game.

G Corey Edwards, Christ the King

The fact that there were doubters that Christ the King would win the CHSAA title when Edwards dislocated his foot in the postseason speaks volumes about the junior’s worth. He wasn’t a prolific scorer, but the Royals didn’t need him to be. Simply put, Edwards is the best pure point guard in the city and he willed the city’s best team to win after win.

All-Queens third team

F Roland Brown, Christ the King

He averaged just 4.3 points per game, but Brown made his presence felt in and around the basket, especially defensively. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound senior forward is choosing between Stony Brook, Manhattan and Fairfield.

F Dominykas Milka, Christ the King

The rock-solid 6-foot-7, 260-pound forward, who always played within himself, was a beast in and around the basket. The senior was fourth on the Royals, averaging 7.8 points per game, and was also a defensive catalyst for the Royals.

All-Queens honorable mention

G TJ Curry, Christ the King

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Royals Top Boys & Girls for State Title
3/29/10 - 08:31 PM

CK Celebrates its 52 - 49 Victory over Boys & Girls for the State Championship

GLENS FALLS – Plenty of great players have walked through the doors of Christ the King in Middle Village, Queens over the last 21 years. From Lamar Odom to Speedy Claxton to Erick Barkley, the Royals have produced plenty of talent.

Omar Calhoun, with just one varsity season under his belt, already has one up on all of them.

The sophomore guard scored a game-high 20 points, including the game-winning free throws with 50 seconds remaining, to lead CK past Boys & Girls, 52-49, and to its first New York State Federation Class AA boys crown since 1989.

“I’m just seizing the moment and loving it,” Calhoun said. “Me being a sophomore, coming here, winning MVP, is really special.”

He, of course, had plenty of help. There was the play of junior guard T.J. Curry, filling in for injured star Corey Edwards, and making every clutch play late; forwards Dominykas Milka and Maurice Barrow grabbing seemingly every essential rebound; senior Roland Brown coming up with six clutch points; and the Royals, as a whole, playing lockdown defense for the better part of three quarters.

Calhoun’s 12 first-half points helped the Royals, No. 1 in The Post’s NYC boys basketball rankings, build a 22-15 halftime lead, but the others made sure it stood up.

There were hairy moments over the final eight minutes. Boys & Girls (28-6), the PSAL champion in the Federation tournament for the first time, eliminated a 12-point, third-quarter deficit. Star junior Mike Taylor caught fire in the final stanza, scoring 12 of his 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. The Kangaroos went ahead, 48-47, on Leroy Isler’s jumper from the left corner with 2:30 to go.

“We played the whole year with maturity and composure, and I thought that showed,” second-year coach Joe Arbitello

Arguably the biggest play of the afternoon was made by Milka (five points, 10 rebounds), when he drew the fifth and final foul on Taylor, the sharp-shooting guard. The game was even at 48, with 1:53 to play at the time.

“That’s what I do: I clog the lane and I draw charges,” Milka said. “It was a big charge.”

With under a minute, Calhoun drove into the lane and was fouled. At that moment, the Boys & Girls contingent grew loud, looking to distract the underclassman. He swished both, finishing 8-for-8 from the line.

“He’s a great free-throw shooter,” Arbitello said. “I’m happy when he goes to the line.”

Boys & Girls had its chances to get even in the waning moments. Isler, the gritty senior who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, split a pair at the line with 21.9 seconds left and Anthony Hemingway’s nearly forced overtime with his desperation 3-pointer from the left corner that nearly fell at the horn.

“It went in – that’s the whole point,” Isler said. “It just rolled out. Heartbreaker. What can you say?”

Christ the King (26-5), meanwhile, wildly celebrated once the shot spun out. The Royals had talked about making it to Glens Falls from the start. They had three goals: win the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan crown, follow that with a city championship, and cap the year off with a Federation title.

“It’s what we’ve been saying since we won the city championship: we had a chance to be elite,” Arbitello said. “We were in a class with Lamar Odom, we were in a class with Erick Barkley, were in a class with Malik Boothe and Erving Walker. This is a class all by themselves.”

“1989 and 2010 – that’s it,” he added.

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Curry points the way to title for CK
3/29/10 - 11:27 AM

TJ Curry celebrates State Championship Victory

GLENS FALLS -- T.J. Curry listened to Boys & Girls make bold predictions. He heard the reason: Corey Edwards, who torched the Kangaroos for 25 points in the first meeting, won by Christ the King, on Dec. 30, was back in Queens nursing a dislocated left foot.

He didn’t respond. But inside Curry was seething.

“T.J.’s probably the most prideful guy on our team,” CK coach Joe Arbitello said. “He was definitely, 100 percent insulted by what they were saying.”

His play spoke louder than his opponent’s words.

Curry, who won all four of his starts at point guard in place of the injured Edwards, scored nine points -- seven in the final frame -- and added four assists as Christ the King knocked off the Kangaroos, 52-49, in the New York State Federation Class AA boys final.

The Royals’ first state title since 1989 wouldn’t have been possible without the heady Curry, his teammates said. He navigated the Kangaroos’ intense full-court press smoothly, created opportunities in transition by pushing the ball and took advantage of his few scoring chances.

"I just play my game," he said. "My game is to play hard."

His only 3-pointer of the evening, early in the fourth quarter with Boys & Girls (28-6) starting to gain momentum, kept the Royals (26-5) in control, ahead 39-33. After the lead was whittled down to one following two Mike Taylor baskets and a Jeffland Neverson layup, he finished off a nice drive to the basket with 4:07 left. He, also hit two clutch free throws with 12.3 seconds remaining, extending a one-point lead to three.

“I’ve said this a bunch of times: there are a lot of teams in New York City that would love to have T.J. Curry as their point guard,” Arbitello, a second-year coach, said.

When Edwards went down March 7 in practice, Curry and backcourt mate Kareem Thomas emerged, leading the Royals to four playoff victories. Arbitello told the two to be themselves, not look to replace Edwards.

They responded, particularly Curry. He hit the game-winning shot – his only two – in the dramatic, 81-78, triple-overtime CHSAA Class AA intersectional final victory over Bishop Loughlin. He was solid, if unspectacular in the Federation ‘AA’ semifinal victory over Albany-Christian Brothers Academy, with eight points, five assists and four rebounds.

Boys & Girls, which was in attendance for the game, was not sold. Afterward, Taylor, the Kangaroos’ star junior, said Edwards’ absence would be the difference in the state final. When asked about those comments Saturday night, Curry shrugged his shoulders and declined a rebuttal.

“I figured on the court I’d show it there,” he said one day later.

In the end, the rematch had the same result – a three-point CK victory – by the identical score in fact.

Again, it was a Christ the King point guard that made all the clutch plays late. Only it was Curry, not Edwards.

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Final Goal Within Reach for CK
3/28/10 - 09:42 AM

Maurice Barrow helps lead CK to the Federation Final

GLENS FALLS -- The trilogy is nearly complete.

Christ the King won the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan crown, the CHSAA Class intersectional title, and now is within one victory – in Sunday's New York State Federation Class AA final against Boys & Girls – of finishing off the third and final goal.

The Royals knocked off Albany-Christian Brothers Academy, 63-60, in the semifinals yesterday at Glens Falls Civic Center, their seventh straight victory and 13 in 14 tries. A win over Boys & Girls would get the Middle Village, Queens school just its second Federation title, and first since 1989.

“It’s a chance to put these guys in a class by themselves,” second-year coach Joe Arbitello said.

Dominykas Milka led Christ the King (25-5) with 15 points and nine rebounds, Omar Calhoun also had 15, T.J. Curry followed with eight points, five assists and four rebounds, and Kareem Thomas had eight points. Galal Cancer paced CBA (25-2) with 19 points and Kam Ritter had 17.

Despite trailing 29-17 at halftime, the Brothers put a scare into the Royals, scoring the first eight points of the third quarter. They got within three on several occasions, but Christ the King had an answer at every turn. Nobody was more important than Calhoun, particularly in the fourth quarter.

He had arguably the biggest basket, a short jumper following an offensive rebound as he was fouled. The sophomore made the free throw, extending the CK lead to six points with 1:54 left. CBA wouldn’t get closer than three the rest of the way.

"They were gonna take it from us, so I wanted to do what I could for us to spread the game apart," Calhoun said.

The Royals scored the game’s first seven points and led 16-5 early in the second quarter, using their size and strength to control the paint. The lead grew to 21-7 when Calhoun finished off a 3-point lead and it was 29-17 at halftime. Albany-CBA entered with 168 3-pointers, but managed just one on eight attempts – by Ritter – in the first 16 minutes. The Brothers hit five in the second half, but made just 6-of-10 all together.

Making this run that much more significant has been the absence of star point guard Corey Edwards, who dislocated his left foot March 7. In his place, Curry and Thomas have come up aces.

Curry hit the game-winning layup in the triple-overtime, 81-76, city championship victory over Bishop Loughlin and the two each hit plenty of big baskets Saturday. Curry made three clutch free throws down the stretch and Thomas drained a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter to extend a three-point lead to six.

“I would say 30 teams in New York City would love to have both of them,” Arbitello said. “A lot of teams would be happy to have Kareem Thomas and T.J. in their backcourt.”

Curry was starting alongside Edwards as off guard before the junior’s injury. He has since moved on the ball. Curry said he didn’t change anything about his game, except to look for teammates more and his own sho less.

“I’m not gonna replace Corey,” he said. “I’m gonna be myself."

Now, the Royals are one win away from the elusive Federation title. Boys & Girls stands in their way. The two teams met before, in late December, when CK topped the Kangaroos, 52-49, to win the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in Binghamton. Edwards was significant in that victory, scoring 25 points.

"We grew from that," Calhoun said. "It was early on in the season. We're a better team. It's gonna be a good game, but I think we should win."

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NY Post Athlete of the Week: CTK's Maurice Barrow
3/17/10 - 09:42 PM

Maurice Barrow earns MVP honors for his 24 pts. and 13 reb vs. Bishop Loughlin

Maurice Barrow is a man of few words. Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello has joked he could never tell how Barrow was feeling because the senior swingman never showed emotion. Barrow’s own mother has said that getting her son to talk sometimes is the equivalent of pulling teeth.

Barrow is similar on the basketball court. He doesn’t dazzle with his dribbling, there’s no histrionics following a dunk or a 3-pointer. The Hollis, Queens native just goes about his business, choosing to play a blue-collar brand of ball.

“He’s a five-tool player and he always seems to know what to do to help the team win, whether it’s making the open pass or grabbing 15 rebounds,” Arbitello said. “He’s that calming presence in practice, in the huddle and during games.”

On Sunday, Barrow wasn’t the high scorer or the most highly recruited player on the court. But make no mistake, Christ the King doesn’t win a fifth CHSAA Class AA intersectional title Sunday if Maurice Barrow isn’t at Rose Hill Gym.

The 6-foot-4, 202-pound senior scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Royals to an 81-78 triple-overtime victory against Bishop Loughlin at Fordham.

“It was the best game I’ve ever played in my life,” Barrow said. “I’ve never played in a three-overtime game in my life.”

Barrow not only captured the city title he’s been chasing after for four years, but he was also named the game’s MVP, placing him in Christ the King lore with Brian Royal, Khalid Reeves, Lamar Odom and Malik Boothe, who each earned the honor in the Royals’ other four championships.

“It means a lot,” Barrow said. “I never thought I’d have these three plaques.”

Arbitello said one play in the second quarter Sunday sums up what kind of player Barrow is.

“We were on the break and Omar [Calhoun] passes to Mo and he could have gone to the basket, but he makes the extra pass to T.J. Curry,” Arbitello said. “Curry missed the 3-pointer, but Mo didn’t pout, he wasn’t upset, he just went in the lane, grabbed the rebound and scored on the putback.”

Barrow finally showed some emotion at the end of the epic final, something Arbitello said didn’t go unnoticed by his teammates when the game was broadcast on MSG Network on Tuesday.

“He was yelling and smiling, so out of character,” Arbitello said. “The whole team was getting on him about that.”

Barrow, who averaged 12 points per game during the regular season and was named second team All-CHSAA, has drawn interest from Manhattan, Iona, Quinnipiac and Rhode Island and has gotten more attention since his performance Sunday.

But before he makes his college choice, Barrow is focusing on the New York State Federation tournament in Glens Falls where the Royals could meet Tennessee-bound Tobias Harris and Half Hollow Hills West again. The Colts defeated Christ the King, 73-69, at the Primetime Shootout in Trenton on Valentine’s Day.

Hills West takes on Rochester East, while Albany CBA meets Newburgh Free Academy in the other NYSPHSAA semifinal in Glens Falls this weekend.

Whoever the opponent will be, the odds are that Barrow will come with the same approach that has make him popular with his teammates and the CK coaching staff.

“Mo is the greatest kid. He embodies what a Christ the King student-athlete should be on and off the court,” Arbitello said. “Everyone likes him, he plays hard on the court, he’s always positive, he just tries to perform his role. He’s happy doing the things he’s good at.”

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Hunt Dedicates Title to Mother's Memory
3/15/10 - 09:48 AM

Since Terrel Hunt’s mother Katrina died from ovarian cancer on Jan. 31, the Christ the King boys basketball team dedicated its championship run to her memory.

“After she passed away they said the whole season is for your mom, we’re going to the [championship], we promise,” Hunt said.

The Royals not only got there, but they won the CHSAA Class AA intersectional title Sunday in a triple-overtime thriller against rival Bishop Loughlin Sunday at Rose Hill Gym. And Hunt came off the bench to make a huge contribution in the 81-78 victory.

“That’s my boy,” Christ the King junior guard T.J. Curry said. “We go way back all the way to the second grade…I saw him and said, 'this is for mamma,' and I gave him the ball and he did what he had to do.”

Hunt replaced Maurice Barrow, who fouled out with 1:45 left in the third overtime.

“We were all there for him,” Curry said. “As soon as he lost his mom, everyone was heartbroken. For us to come here and for him to even be in that position when Mo fouled out, it was real great for him.”

Barrow was named the game’s MVP after scoring 24 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, but the Royals were confident when Hunt, the star quarterback on the Christ the King football team, stepped on the court.

“He’s a great kid and a tough character,” senior forward Dominykas Milka said. “We knew he was going to come through for us and he did.”

With Christ the King leading 80-78 following Curry’s layup, Hunt broke to the basket and was fouled by Davonte Dunham, who pushed the junior in the back. Dunham was whistled for the intentional foul, sending Hunt to the line with 7.7 seconds remaining.

Kareem Thomas pulled Hunt aside before he stepped to the foul line.

“He said this one is for your mother,” Hunt said. “He said just stay calm and do it for your mom.”

Hunt did just that, going 1-of-2 from the line, meaning the best Loughlin could do was tie the game with a last-second shot. Branden Frazier missed a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer, setting off a wild celebration on the court.

Right in the middle was Hunt, who said he was getting guidance from above during the game.

“On the bench I was praying,” he said. “That’s why I was looking up at the sky.”

The Royals also dedicated their win to Corey Edwards after the junior point guard dislocated his left foot at practice last week. Immediately after the game, assistant coach Greg Lemko called Edwards to let him know the good news.

The post-game was especially sweet for Hunt, who was able to contribute late in the game in is mother's memory.

“They told me they were going to do it,” Hunt said. “But I got the chance to end it for my mother and I did it for her.”

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Thriller on Rose Hill: CK Crowned CHSAA CHAMPS!
3/15/10 - 09:46 AM

CK Celebrates Its First City Championship since 2007

T.J. Curry saved his best for last.

Scoreless through four quarters and three overtimes, the junior guard drove the length of the floor to score what proved to be the winning layup with 40 seconds left to seal Christ the King’s 81-78, triple-overtime victory against Bishop Loughlin in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional title game at Rose Hill Gym in The Bronx yesterday.

In its fifth consecutive trip to the finals, Christ the King captured its fifth total title in what is believed to be the first ever three-overtime final in the championship’s 83 years. And everyone who played, and coached, in the game, quickly pointed out it might be the greatest high school game in New York City history.

“It was the best game I’ve ever played in my life,” said Maurice Barrow, who had 24 points and 13 rebounds and was named the game’s MVP. “I’ve never played in a three-overtime game in my life.”

Curry’s layup came immediately after Anthony Givens tied the score at 78 for Bishop Loughlin, which raced out to a 21-9 lead after the first quarter.

“As soon as I saw them score the basket, I looked at the clock and said I gotta go, I can’t waste no time,” Curry said. “I brought it up the court and I saw it, it was right there in front of me.”

Terrel Hunt, whose mother Katrina died from ovarian cancer on Jan. 31, tacked on a big free throw with 7.7 seconds left to give Christ the King (24-5), No. 1 in The Post’s New York City boys basketball rankings, an 81-78 lead.

After his mother’s funeral, Hunt’s teammates said they were dedicating the rest of the season to her.

“They told me they were going to do it,” said Hunt, the star quarterback on CK’s football team. “But I got the chance to end it for my mother and I did it for her.”

Two missed free throws by Omar Calhoun (20 points, 11 rebounds) opened the door for No. 2 Bishop Loughlin (23-6) to tie the game. But Hofstra-bound Branden Frazier missed a 3-pointer from the corner as time expired.

“That was the best basketball game I’ve ever been a part of,” said Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello, who played on the Royals 1995 championship team. “I thought my city championship game in ’95 was an incredible game. This game definitely beats that. It was just draining.”

It wasn’t draining for the Christ the King players, though. The Royals pride themselves on their conditioning and they said that was evident the later the game went.

“We said we could go three more overtimes,” Christ the King senior Dominykas Milka said. “It didn’t matter for us. We worked so hard the whole year, we just put everything behind us.”

Milka had a couple of Charles Smith-eque putback misses that would have won the game at the end of regulation.

“I thought there wasn’t enough time,” Milka said. “Everyone misses layups eventually. My coach told me when you miss, it’s over.”

Kareem Canty forced a second overtime with his pull-up jumper in the lane with six seconds left and Bishop Loughlin led 76-72 with 24 seconds left in the second overtime before Christ the King senior guard Kareem Thomas nailed a 3-pointer with 14.3 seconds left and Barrow buried a free throw with 9.6 seconds remaining to force a third overtime.

“This was a great showing by two tough teams,” Bishop Loughlin coach Ed Gonzalez said. “Nobody wanted to quit, nobody wanted to go home and they left it all out on the floor. I guess the team that made a little less of the mistakes and turnovers was the team that was going to be standing and they did.”

In his final high school game, Jayvaughn Pinkston scored a game-high 34 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but the McDonald’s All-American heads to Villanova without that elusive city title.

“This,” he said, “was the missing piece.”

Christ the King advances to the New York State Federation tournament in Glens Falls to face the New York State Public Schools champion in the Class AA semifinals on March 27.

Until then, the Royals, which beat Bishop Loughlin three out of the four games they played this year, can bask in the glory of their first title since 2007 and reminisce about a game few who were there will soon forget.

“I had to catch my breath a couple of times, but you just have to fight,” Calhoun said. “It’s the city championship. It’s the second part of the trinity. We still have another part and we have to go upstate and take it there.”

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Going Deep: CK Beats St. Ray's to Advance to the Championship
3/11/10 - 07:09 PM

CK Celebrates on their way to their 5th consecutive City Championship Game

Take an all-league player off any team, it is cause for concern. Make that player a future Division I point guard and it’s time to sound the alarm.

That is, unless you’re Christ the King when a season-ending injury to Corey Edwards three days before the CHSAA Class AA intersectional semifinals simply means business as usual.

The Royals' depth was on full display Wednesday as Christ the King defeated St. Raymond’s, 68-55, at St. John’s University to advance to a fifth consecutive championship game. CK will take on rival Bishop Loughlin, which beat Rice, 59-58, in the other semifinal.

“Mentally we came out strong,” sophomore guard Omar Calhoun said. “It hurt losing Corey, but we’ve got great character on this team as we’ve shown throughout the year. We came out with great heart and we left it out on the court.”

Edwards suffered a dislocated left foot in practice on Sunday. He had surgery on Monday and will be sidelined for six to eight weeks. Fellow junior T.J. Curry replaced Edwards in the starting lineup, serving as the point guard. But the key, CK coach Joe Arbitello said, was Curry not trying to do too much.

“He did a great job,” Arbitello said. “We’re not looking for anybody to be Corey Edwards, I’m looking for him to be T.J. Curry and T.J. Curry did what T.J. Curry does – he knocked a couple of shots down, got a couple of real hustle plays, defended really well and rebounded a bit.”

Curry wasn’t alone. Calhoun shook off some early shooting woes and got to the basket en route to a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds. Dominykas Milka had 10 points and 15 rebounds and Maurice Barrow had a typical solid performance with nine points and 10 boards.

Roland Brown also came off the bench to provide a spark. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound senior forward was a calming influence for Christ the King, which fell behind 14-4 early.

“Roland Brown turned the whole entire game around. It’s nice to go from 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-9 depending on the night,” Arbitello said. “It’s a real nice luxury, one I won’t have next year.”

Brown scored five straight points, Calhoun added a 3-pointer and the Royals trailed just 18-14 at the half.

Christ the King (23-5), No. 1 in The Post’s New York City boys basketball rankings, took control late in the second quarter, going into the locker room on a 10-0 run. The Royals also outscored St. Ray’s, 11-3, to start the third quarter and led by 47-35 after three quarters.

“I’m confident in the fact that my guys will do whatever they need to do to win the game,” Arbitello said. "We’re going to find other ways to win. It’s character and we have a lot of it.”

Devin Brooks had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Daniel Dingle added 17 points and four rebounds for St. Raymond’s (13-15), which like many teams that play Christ the King, wore down in the second half.

“They have a lot of pieces,” Antigua said of Christ the King. “To win the league, you need weapons. Sometimes it’s to overcome a bad performance from one of your star players, sometimes it’s an injury.”

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CK Outmuscles Molloy
3/5/10 - 10:08 PM

Christ the King has a distinct size advantage against virtually every team it has played this season. But when the Royals go big and start a Division I-sized frontcourt of seniors 6-foot-4 and taller, grabbing rebounds for the opposition is like nabbing a supermodel girlfriend – not impossible, but extremely difficult.

Such was the case for Archbishop Molloy, an undersized squad against almost every team in the CHSAA. Christ the King used its size and strength to wear down the Stanners, winning 78-62 in a CHSAA Class AA intersectional quarterfinal Thursday night at St. Francis Prep.

“When we play with our three bigs we know we have to get the ball inside because it will just open things up for everybody else,” Christ the King junior point guard Corey Edwards said. “Our first priority is to play inside-out.”

The Royals, No. 1 in The Post’s New York City boys basketball rankings, will meet St. Raymond in the semifinals Wednesday at St. John’s University. The Ravens defeated Holy Cross, 67-60, in Thursday’s other quarterfinal.

Christ the King’s big men aren’t just tall, they’re also thick. Maurice Barrow is 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Roland Brown is 6-foot-8, 240 pounds and Dominykas Milka is 6-foot-7, 260 pounds. When they box out, you feel it.

“That’s a hard-working team,” Molloy senior Ernest Rouse said. “It’s hard to make a shot every time down because they’re basically going to get the defensive rebound if we don’t make a shot. They started wearing us down. It got tough for us.”

In his final high-school game, Rouse put on a spectacular shooting display. Rouse scored a game-high 28 points on a variety of jump shots that ranged from tough to nearly impossible. And every attempt was contested, first by T.J. Curry and later by Edwards.

“He’s so good,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said of Rouse. “Where are all the college coaches? I don’t understand that. He’s a real, real good basketball player and a great kid.”

Thanks to Rouse’s heroics, Archbishop Molloy (11-16) hung with Christ the King (22-5) for three quarters. But Barrow, who scored a game-high 22 points, and Milka (14 points) proved to be too much to handle inside. And the backcourt of Corey Edwards (11 points) and Omar Calhoun (14 points) weren’t too shabby, either.

“In the first half our guards weren’t knocking down open shots, so their missed shots were rebounds for us,” Barrow said. “In practice we work on staying in shape, so at the end of games we’re not tired.”

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CK Repeats, Wins 2nd Consecutive BQ Championship
2/28/10 - 08:36 AM

CK Celebrates after their victory over Bishop Loughin

As he was walking off the court after fouling out with 55.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter and his team trailing by one point, Christ the King sophomore sensation Omar Calhoun turned to Corey Edwards and delivered a message.

“He said I’ve got to take over the game,” Edwards said.

The junior point guard did just that, putting his team up for good with a baseline floater and sealing a second consecutive Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan title with two free throws with 2.6 seconds left as Christ the King defeated Bishop Loughlin, 66-61, at Holy Cross HS in Queens Saturday night.

CK (21-5), the No. 2 team in The Post’s New York City rankings, earns the top Brooklyn/Queens seed in the upcoming CHSAA Class AA intersectional playoffs. Top-ranked Loughlin (21-5) will play either St. Francis Prep or All Hallows in the quarterfinals.

CHSAA Player of the Year Jayvaughn Pinkston had 14 points and 10 rebounds, but seemed to be affected by the Royals physicality, especially when he drove to the basket.

“We just didn’t execute at the end of the game,” the Villanova-bound senior forward said. “There were some plays where we were getting fouled and there weren’t any calls. We can’t leave it up to the refs.”

Pinkston had a chance to put his team back in front, but his layup attempt with 9.1 seconds left went off the front rim. Christ the King’s Maurice Barrow grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He knocked down both free throws to give the Royals a 64-61 lead.

Branden Frazier (13 points) raced up court, but he lost control of the ball by the Loughlin bench and Edwards stole it, was fouled and nailed a pair of clinching free throws.

Edwards also sacrificed his body midway through the third quarter, drawing a charge on his close friend Pinkston in the paint.

“My back is killing me,” Edwards said.

While Calhoun (game-high 23 points) and Edwards (14 points) were instrumental on offense, Christ the King won the game with a more dedicated defensive effort, especially in the second half.

“We gave up 38 points in the first half and then we decided to play defense,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said.

Kareem Canty, who scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed nine, had a dominant first half and Bishop Loughlin went into halftime with a 38-33 lead.

“Canty was unbelievable in the first half,” Arbitello said. “That was as good of a first half as I’ve seen.”

T.J. Curry and Barrow added 12 points apiece for Christ the King, which won its seventh B/Q crown.

“At Christ the King it’s tradition,” Arbitello said. “To keep it going back-to-back years means a whole lot to our program.”

After beating Bishop Loughlin twice and Rice once, Christ the King is the likely favorite to capture the intersectional crown next month.

“This is just the first part of the trinity,” Calhoun said. “We’re trying to win the city and go out and win the states. It’s not over yet.”

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Royals Criss Cross, Advance to the Chip
2/25/10 - 04:45 PM

Maurice Barrow goes for two in CK's 4 point victory over Holy Cross

This time, the NYC Hoops #1 ranked Christ the King Royals stayed on point when they played Wednesday against the Holy Cross Knights in the opening game of the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan Tournament at St. Francis Prep.

Just week ago, a sluggish Royal squad limped away with a victory, While CTK didn't limp to victory they also didn't hop skip or jump to a 55-51 win either.

With serious business on their minds, the Royals jumped out in front 10-zip as 6-foot junior, T.J. Curry, Maurice Barrow and Omar Calhoun dropped it like it was hot. It wasn't until 2:03 was left in the first quarter that Will Davis, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, would finally score a basket for the Knights. Calhoun would immediately put that basket into prospective by swishing a three-pointer and the Royals led 13-4. Marcus Hopper, a 6-foot-9 junior center, tried his hand at perimeter shooting on two occasions to no avail and Calhoun ended the quarter, scoring another three.

Down 18-7, Davis began to come up big for Cross even though C.T.K. implemented a full court press. 6-foot senior guard, Jahleel Felix followed Davis' lead and the Knights were soon within 5 points of the lead.

Calhoun would take it up a notch, extending the Royals lead to 10 points and Curry would go up and under to expand the Royals lead even more to 25-13 with 3:04 left in the third quarter.

Hopper would finally feel iron, scoring inside off an assist from Felix. Bryant Fidele, a 6-foot-1 senior, would then score an and-1 in transition on Kareem Thomas and Davis would splash a trey and with 1:32 on the clock the Royals were only ahead by a deuce.

The Royals tried to close the half strong but so did the Knights. Baskets were exchanged as the half end with C.T.K still only up 27-25 with nothing lost, nothing gained.

At the top of the third, Felix evened the score at 27 as he started to post up Curry in the paint. As strange as it sounds for two 6-foot player to be battling in the post, there it was and it was working.

Barrow would make solid moves inside but hard fouls forced him to the charity stripe to convert where he only averaged 50%.

As a result, Davis would score to give the Knights a brief 29-28 lead as Domynikas Mika, a 6-foot-7 senior center, countered for Christ the King. The lead bantered back and fourth with the Knights gaining the lead with the Lions coming back to tie.

Felix continued to post up Curry, drawing fouls but he too averaged only a 50% conversion rate.

With 1:27 remaining in the third, Calhoun tied the game at 37 but Evan Conti got hot and drop a deuce followed by a trey to lead Holy Cross into the fourth quarter ahead, 42-37.

Felix began to post up Curry religiously, drawing a foul. But this time the senior would go 2 for 2 and the Knights had their largest lead at 7 points.

The Royals implemented a full court press while Calhoun aggressively attacked the rim drawing contact and netting his free throws pure. 6-foot-4 junior Terrel Hunt made a late entry for C.T.K. but did some work in the paint, cutting the Cross lead to 4 points.

The Royal made inroads but a three-pointer by Conti re-extended the Knights point spread back to 7.

At the 5:22 mark, Calhoun would get fouled on successive occasions and get to the foul line to reduce Cross' lead without reducing time on the clock. With 4:46 remaining, Holy Cross was now only up, 47-46 and seconds later, Barrow tied the game at 47 going 1 of 2 from the line.

The Royals constant on the ball pressure began to wear on the Flushing, NY team. With 2:33 left in regulation a turnover by the Knights would result in a basket by Edwards to tie the game at 49. On the following play, another turnover and the subsequent foul would allow Edwards to take the lead for Christ the King.

Conti would manage to tie the game at 50, going 1 for 2 from the foul line and Felix would give the Knights their last lead also going 1 for 2 from the line.

Barrows would come up big, scoring in the paint and the Royals were now up 52-51 with 28.2 ticks on the clock.

Holy Cross began to foul and pray as the Royals spread the floor and began to burn time of the clock. Fouls on Edward prove fruitless as the junior point guard was solid from the charity stripe. The Knights were now down three and a jumper by Davis was blocked. Edwards would once again get to the line, go 1 for 2 but a missed lay-up by Conti as time ran out pretty much summed it up.

Calhoun led the way for the Royals with 21 points. Curry contributed 9 with Barrow adding 8. Felix was high man for Holy Cross with 18 points with Davis scoring 11 points and Conti scoring 11 points.

The #3 Christ the King Royals will take on the #1 ranked Bishop Loughlin Lions at St. Francis Prep on Friday.

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Four Varsity Players Make All CHSAA "AA" Teams
2/22/10 - 08:45 PM

Junior PG Corey Edwards earns All CHSAA "AA" 1st Team

Congratulations to the four CK Varsity player's who were voted into the CHSAA "AA" All League Teams

1st Team - Junior PG Corey Edwards

2nd Team - Senior PF Maurice Barrow

3rd Team - Senior C Dominykas Milka and Sophomore SG Omar Calhoun

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Royal Theft: CTK Steals Victory From Holy Cross
2/13/10 - 07:27 PM

Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello wasn’t mincing words and he wasn’t trying to spin his team’s performance Friday night. The Royals, No. 1 in The Post’s New York City boys basketball rankings, stole a 59-56 overtime victory from Holy Cross at William J. O’Meara Gym.

“There’s no question about it, but the one thing I said to them is that championship teams win games like this,” Arbitello said. “You have to get through a game or two like this on any level and I thought we did a real good job of doing that.”

Despite being outplayed, outhustled and missing 15 free throws, Christ the King (18-4, 10-2 B/Q) rallied from an 11-point deficit late in the third quarter to beat the Knights on their Senior Night.

A big reason was the 21 offensive rebounds the Royals grabbed, many by 6-foot-7 senior Dominykas Milka.

“We just didn’t rebound well enough and that was a big concern coming into the game,” Holy Cross coach Paul Gilvary said. “Milka killed us on second, third, fourth and fifth shots.”

Milka scored 17 points, including a free throw with 26.8 seconds left in overtime for the final margin of victory.

“Great teams find a way to win, no matter what,” Milka said.

As was the case in an overtime win against St. Peter’s Prep (N.J.) at the Prudential Center last month, Corey Edwards did a good job getting to the basket and the free throw line. The junior point guard led the Royals with 19 points, while Maurice Barrow had 11 and Omar Calhoun was held to 10.

“We’re all experienced,” Edwards said. “We feel comfortable when it goes to overtime. We know we’re going to win.”

Holy Cross (16-7, 8-4) has played four overtime games and has already beaten Rice at home this year. But the Knights looked uncomfortable in the extra session, rushing shots and not moving well off the ball.

“They made it harder, they were guarding more, clogging up the lane and we didn’t finish as well as we usually do down the stretch,” said Holy Cross guard Jahleel Felix, who, along with Ian Bergstrom, Jesus Chevalier, Bryant Fidele, Shaquille Gonsalves and Michael Ingersoll, was honored before his last home game.

All the seniors played well in the first quarter, especially Felix, who scored all 13 of his team’s points. He had 18 points at the half and 23 after three quarters, but he suffered a bruised as a result of a knee by T.J. Curry and hobbled throughout the fourth quarter, scoring just two more points.

Christ the King trailed 44-34 entering the fourth quarter, but slowly chipped away at its deficit before finally taking the lead on an Edwards 3-point play with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter. Edwards added a free throw with 54.6 seconds left to give the Royals a 53-51 lead, but Evan Conti (13 points, 10 rebounds) scored on a layup to tie the game with 26 seconds remaining.

The Royals dominated in the overtime, scoring the first five points before Will Davis (15 points) buried a 3-pointer while being fouled by Calhoun with 27.9 seconds left in OT.

The sophomore guard missed the free throw, Milka went 1-of-2 from the line a second later and Ingersoll had an open look from the corner to send the game into a second overtime, but his attempt caromed off the backboard and Christ the King survived a scare.

“He’s a terrific shooter,” Gilvary said of Ingersoll. “He had a good look, but it just didn’t go. If we had the same situation again, I bet you he’d make it the next time.”

Next time, Arbitello hopes, the effort will be better.

“We didn’t come out to play,” Arbitello said. “That’s the bottom line.”

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CTK vs. Rice: The Greatest High School Spectacle Ever!
2/8/10 - 08:57 PM

CK Lebron vs. Rice Kobe

By Aron Phillips

While everyone had football on the brain for yesterday’s Super Bowl Sunday, the day also featured one of NYC’s most touted high school hoops rivalries between Christ the King (Queens, N.Y.) and Rice (Harlem, N.Y.). In front of a packed house on the Middle Village campus, I made the trek from the 4 to the J to the M for what could have been the greatest high school basketball spectacle ever.

As soon as you got there, you might have thought you were at Madison Square Garden, with Mike “Wally” Walczewski – the voice of the Knicks for over 20 seasons – in the house to call the game alongside NBA Hall of Famer Walt “Clyde” Frazier. And as if that wasn’t great enough, Louisville’s Rick Pitino, Florida’s Billy Donovan and David Lee were on hand to catch the action as well, and Funkmaster Flex was on the 1’s and 2’s during pre-game warmups.

Fans from both sides were decked out in rivalry t-shirts in their school’s colors, with matching foam fingers on either hand. The crowd erupted for the empire-tested battle when none other than Puppet LeBron and Puppet Kobe appeared on the JumboTron rocking Christ the King and Rice tees, giving a pre-game message to each squad. And in case you didn’t know, as CTK is a LeBron school and Rice is a Kobe school, both teams also had on the freshest of kicks with SMU Nike Air Max LeBron VIIs and Nike Zoom Kobe Vs.

Before the pre-game intros, the Knicks City Dancers came out and performed with a real Knicks light show to kick things off. Every player from both teams then proceeded to get announced in the lineups and stand out at center court. It was definitely an experience these kids – both players and fans – had never had. Sure these guys have played in big games before, but nothing like this.

Once the game finally got underway, CTK scored the first two and really never looked back. With 6-1 junior point guard Corey Edwards running the show, the Royals jumped out to a 7-0 lead in front of a great home crowd. With jitters on both sides for sure, especially playing in front of two of the biggest coaches in college basketball, defense really took over in the first quarter. After one, the Royals led 13-4.

In-between quarters, the circus didn’t stop. Members of the Knicks’ 7th Avenue Squad came rolling out with t-shirt guns and began launching tees into the stands. As if taking a nine point lead into the break wasn’t enough to get the home crowd amped, this just sent them over the top.

In the second quarter, 6-7 senior Dominykas Milka (a native of Mazeikiai, Lithuania) and 6-4 senior Maurice Barrow were doing work in the post. Going up against the Raiders’ Big Three of 6-6 senior Shane Southwell (headed to Kansas State), 6-8 senior Kadeem Jack and 6-4 junior Jermaine Sanders, the Royals extended their lead to 19-7 halfway through the second quarter. For whatever the reason, Rice just couldn’t buy a bucket.

Finally, Sanders broke the drought with a fastbreak layup after some great defense by the Raiders. The next play down, Sanders hit a three. But a buzzer-beating triple by T.J. Curry had CTK leading 28-15 at halftime.

So while both teams retreated to the locker rooms to talk about the first half, the rest of the gym was blown away when none other than Fabolous strutted out to center court to perform. With everyone on their feet, Fab graced the crowd with some of his new hits as well as some of his classics, while showing love to the enthralled crowd. (He even made one of CTK’s cheerleaders faint after he walked by and touched her hand.)

In the second half, while you thought Rice would come out firing, it was actually CTK that put the nail in the coffin. Curry came out quickly and knocked down another three, followed by a trifecta from 6-4 sophomore Omar Calhoun to make it 39-20. Calhoun, who currently has offers from Villanova and St. John’s, is also drawing interest from Maryland, Pitt, Florida, Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana and Rutgers. The chatter around press row was that he was the guy that brought Pitino and Donovan to Queens. At the end of three, the CTK’s lead was now 46-22.

To start the fourth quarter, it was as if the lid was finally taken off of Rice’s basket. Jack finally got a bucket, Southwell stole the inbounds pass and dunked it, and before you knew it, the Raiders were coming back. Rice’s most consistent player all day, Sanders got fouled and hit the three to make it 55-41 with about 2:15 left to play, then stole the ball twice – converting each time – to make it 55-45 with 90 seconds remaining. But the push was too little, too late, as CTK held on for the victory at home, 60-52.

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A Super Sunday
2/8/10 - 08:16 PM

CK fans showing their support for their Royals

The Christ the King Mens Basketball program would like to say Thank You to all of the people that allowed a great day of games on Super Bowl Sunday to take place.

Special Thanks go out to the performers Fabolous, Funkmaster Flex, Knicks City Dancers, and Walt Frazier. In addition, the Nike staff and their employees deserve a lot of credit for putting on a very memorable show that will not be forgotten.

We would also like to thank all of the CK staff who participated in the event preparations.

Last, but certainly not least, Thank You to all of the fans that came out and showed support for your CK Royals!

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Fabolous Atmosphere at CK
2/8/10 - 08:04 PM

Rapper Fabolous Performs During Halftime of the Royals Victory over Rice

The Super Bowl's got nothing on Christ the King.

Father John Savage Gymnasium in Middle Village was the site of the high school basketball event of the year, a Nike-sponsored CHSAA showdown between Christ the King and Rice.

The annual game is always one of the most anticipated of the year, but Sunday’s clash was taken to an even larger level. A few hours before the scheduled tip between arguably the best two teams in the city, the wooden bleachers on both sides of the court were packed to capacity with 1,800 fans, many of whom were CK students.

The parking lots were full almost two hours before the game and the gate on top of the hill was closed before the tip. Some unlucky late-arriving fans were turned away at the door.

For some, like assistant coach Nick Sanchez, it reminded them of the good old days of the 1980s when the Middle Village gym was regularly packed every Friday night, especially when Kenny Anderson and Archbishop Molloy arrived.

As for Christ the King head coach Joe Arbitello, it was a first.

“I’ve never seen it like this before in my life,” he said. “It was amazing, absolutely amazing.”

Nike, which has contracts with both programs, pumped thousands of dollars into the game, bringing in special lighting and smoke machines, hiring Knicks PA announcer Mike Walczewski and Clyde Frazier to share the duties and having the LeBron and Kobe puppets broadcast a special pre-game message on an overhead projector.

The Knicks City Dancers performed twice, which was especially a treat for the players, while the rest of the fans, including a few hundred screeching teenage girls, were treated to a performance by rapper Fabolous and the DJ stylings of Funkmaster Flex.

In fact, one cheerleader nearly fainted when Fabolous touched her hand during his halftime performance.

“It was reckless,” Christ the King senior Roland Brown said of the atmosphere. “Today was a good day for us to show up and we did what we had to do.”

Courtside was Louisville coach Rick Pitino, Florida’s Billy Donovan and New York Knicks forward David Lee, who was mobbed by autograph seekers.

Yeah, it wasn’t exactly your average Sunday afternoon CHSAA ‘AA’ league game.

“It was great. I really felt like it was the next level,” CK forward Dominykas Milka said. “This game was amazing, all the lights, the dancers, the fans. You see all these people get pumped up for the game you just want to play.”

As more and more details emerged about Nike’s plans for the day, the more concerned Arbitello grew about the festivities would become a distraction.

But his team responded positively. Brown said the Royals' previous experience at the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., last month helped.

“We kept our composure,” he said. “We went to Missouri and played in front of 10,000 people and here it's not even half that. We still played and did what we had to do.”

Rice, on the other hand, did not. At least not until the fourth quarter.

“Both teams had to endure the festivities,” Rice coach Mo Hicks said. “It was fun and enjoyable for them. They were more focused than us, more hungry and the team that wanted it the most won tonight.”

The game itself didn’t live up to the surrounding hype. The Royals raced out to a 22-8 lead and never trailed, leading by as much as 27 points early in the fourth quarter until the Raiders rallied late.

Christ the King was presented with a silver cup the size of North Dakota for winning the game, one all who attended hopes becomes an annual event.

But both teams know the hardware that really matters isn’t awarded until next month.

“It means a lot, but we can't overthink it,” Maurice Barrow said. “We still have the playoffs to go.”

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Super Win for CK Over Rice
2/8/10 - 08:00 PM

Roland Brown boxes out during CK's Super Bowl Sunday win vs. Rice High School

The Christ the King players posed for pictures at center court, surrounding a massive silver trophy and then doused head coach Joe Arbitello with apple cider in the locker room.

While the Royals claimed a Nike-sponsored title yesterday afternoon, they also proved they are in contention for the CHSAA Class AA intersectional title, beating defending champion Rice, 60-52, in front of a capacity crowd of more than 1,800 in Middle Village, Queens.

“We proved that we are contenders,” senior forward Dominykas Milka said. “We are going for that city championship this year."

Among those in attendance were Louisville coach Rick Pitino, Florida’s Billy Donovan and Knicks forward David Lee, who all sat courtside. The Knicks City Dancers entertained, Clyde Frazier tossed out a few of his trademarked terms over the PA and Funkmaster Flex and rapper Fabolous whipped the crowd in a frenzy at halftime.

“It was reckless,” Christ the King forward Roland Brown said of the atmosphere. “Today was a good day for us to show up and we did what we had to do.”

Led by Milka and Brown, Christ the King (16-4, 9-2 B/Q) did a solid job on Kadeem Jack, who didn’t arrive in the gym until a half hour before the scheduled tip. The 6-foot-9 forward, who scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, said he and his mother were stuck in traffic.

“I decided to just get out of the car and run here,” Jack said. “I just ran and came here as fast as I could.”

That didn’t sit well with Rice coach Mo Hicks.

“That’s something we have to get right because there was a time when he didn’t do it,” Hicks said. “He needs to understand what he has to do as a leader on this team.”

Christ the King, the No. 3 team in The Post’s New York City boys basketball rankings, raced out to a 22-8 lead and took a 28-15 advantage into halftime on a T.J. Curry buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

Omar Calhoun, who finished with 11 points, opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer and the Royals had a 27-point lead.

Jack scored his first basket 29 seconds into the fourth quarter and led by junior swingman Jermaine Sanders, who scored a game-high 20 points, top-ranked Rice (15-4, 7-2) went on a 14-0 run to get within 55-47 with 1:09 left. The Raiders, who used big second-half rallies to beat Cardozo and St. Raymond’s, couldn’t make up for an early malaise.

“We have to be more understanding that we have to play four quarters of basketball and not one quarter and think we’re going to win a basketball game,” Rice coach Mo Hicks said. “That’s what happened tonight.”

Maurice Barrow had 16 points and eight rebounds and Curry added 15 points for the Royals, who lost twice to Rice last year, including in the Class AA intersectional title game.

If they meet again at Rose Hill Gym next month, CK will go in as the favorite.

“This team has tremendous character,” Arbitello said. “They are very, very mature. I thought they came out and played real well. I thought we did a great job.”

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CTK Owns Molloy at Home
2/6/10 - 07:19 PM

Although Archbishop Molloy had its run with Christ the King in the squads' first meeting last month, upsetting the Royals 60-59, it was a different story on Friday.

Led by the hot shooting efforts of Maurice Barrow and Omar Calhoun, Christ the King got its revenge by defeating the Stanners, 67-51, at its Middle Village, N.Y. home court.

Christ the King got an early lead in the first quarter, closing out the period with a 26-12 advantage on a 3-pointer by Calhoun (17 points). Senior big man Dominykas Milka and Barrow (17 points) were instrumental in gaining the lead by grabbing boards for second-chance opportunities for themselves or teammates.

Barrow finished with a game-high 12 rebounds, while Milka grabbed a total of eight boards.

The size mismatch down low and at the small forward position became obvious from the early periods and, ultimately, the Stanners' offense was stifled. Unlike the previous match-up with the Royals on Jan. 8, Molloy was not vying for rebounds, did not have the same speed to the rack or show the accuracy from the perimeter it once did to match intensities with the Royals.

Consequently, Christ the King led 37-23 at the half.

Molloy could not catch a break in the second stanza as senior two-guard Ernest Rouse (22 points) tried his best to keep his squad in the game but was constantly checked by some of Christ the King's best defenders. Rouse did not have much help offensively, only seeing some contributions from Chris Dougler (13 points). Meanwhile, the Stanners' primary ball-handlers frequently made errors on possessions before they could initiate the offense.

The Royals maximized on the errors and cashed it in for big-time points. Calhoun, alone, nailed five 3-pointers in the contest. Because Molloy struggled to get its offense flowing and had difficulty getting essential stops for some baskets in transition, the team was unable to defeat Christ the King's strength inside and depth at the wing.

Christ the King led by as much as 25 points, twice, in the third quarter. The first time was after a 13-2 run which was capped by a contested 3-pointer by Royals' guard Terrance "T.J." Curry at the 3:45 mark. The surge resulted in a 50-25 Christ the King advantage.

Although the Stanners outscored the Royals 16-13 in the fourth and final phase, the Briarwood, N.Y. squad just couldn't get over the hump to stage a comeback.

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CTK Crowns St. Peter's Prep
1/31/10 - 10:00 AM

Dominykas Milka scores inside to help the Royals rally to an OT victory vs. St. Peter's Prep of NJ

NEWARK, N.J. – Joe Arbitello has seen his team bounce back from difficult losses all year. They did it after a shocking defeat at Molloy and again in a semifinal loss to nationally-ranked Milton (Ga.) in the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions.

But nothing compares to what he saw at Prudential Center on Saturday afternoon as, less than 24 hours after a home loss to rival Bishop Loughlin, Christ the King defeated St. Peter’s Prep (N.J.), 75-72, in overtime at the Newark National Invitational.

“We’ve done this all year where we’ve lost games and then beaten teams, but we’ve never beaten a team of their magnitude,” the Royals coach said. “They’re good, they’re really good. That’s a big-time player in Myles Davis. He can really flat out shoot it and get to the basket. It’s a huge win to make sure that we got back on track after losing to Loughlin yesterday.”

Against a Marauders team ranked fourth in New Jersey by the Newark Star Ledger, the Royals rallied from 11 points down in the third quarter, nearly blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter before eventually winning in overtime.

“Who would expect us from down 11 in the third quarter to win like that?” asked CK point guard Corey Edwards. “Losing to Loughlin yesterday, we could have come out here with our heads down and not ready to play.”

Edwards struggled from the field, shooting 1-of-12, but made up for it by getting to the foul line. He was 12-of-17, including 5-of-8 in overtime, constantly beating his man off the dribble. Edwards also had six assists, three steals and one turnover in 35 minutes.

“That was the play,” Arbitello said. “I’m a big believer in if something works, keep going to it. I thought that’s where we had the advantage tonight.”

Omar Calhoun led the Royals resurgence in the third quarter, scoring 11 of his team's 28 points after Christ the King only managed 23 points in the first half.

“I was being aggressive, looking to score,” Calhoun said. “The guards did a great job getting me the ball. They kept screening for me, getting me open.”

Maurice Barrow again quietly excelled for Christ the King (13-4), finishing with 19 points and seven boards, drawing a huge charge in overtime.

“Sometimes he does things I can’t even imagine,” Arbitello said. “He gets high above that rim and he comes up with some buckets. He never gets high, he never gets low. He’s just Mo.”

Davis, a sensational junior guard, scored a game-high 31 points and paced his team to an 11-point lead early in the third quarter. T.J. Curry seemed to slow Davis in the second quarter and helped his team get out in transition. CK went on a 24-8 run that extended into the fourth quarter and led 57-47 with 6:48 left.

The Marauders (12-3) wouldn’t go away, tying the game at 65 on a pair of free throws by St. John's recruit Ronald Roberts (14 points, 12 rebounds) with 5.8 seconds left to force overtime.

With the Royals leading 73-70, Davis appeared poised to possibly tie the game again. But he was called for a curious carry with 22.3 seconds left, much to the dismay of the home fans.

Curry and Edwards each converted a free throw in the final 15.9 seconds to seal a big Christ the King win.

“We came out to New Jersey, playing a Jersey team that was actually ranked high, coming out with the win was tough,” Calhoun said. “Coming off the loss to Loughlin, we showed great character and came out and won this game.”

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Player of the Week: CTK's Corey Edwards
1/27/10 - 06:56 PM

Christ the King's Corey Edwards is the NYPOST's Player of the Week

One of the reasons Christ the King is considered one of the top boys basketball teams in New York City is because of its versatility -- from a rising star in sophomore shooting guard Omar Calhoun to the interchangeable and workmanlike big men Maurice Barrow, Dominykas Milka and Roland Brown to a deep bench that includes T.J. Curry, Kareem Thomas and Terrel Hunt.

But when it comes to the team’s quarterback, its engine, the guy running the show is Corey Edwards and he’s a huge reason why Christ the King enjoyed an impressive 3-0 week in CHSAA play. He is arguably the best pure point guard in the city and that could separate the Royals from the rest of the pack come March.

Just ask Xaverian coach Jack Alesi.

“The kid Edwards is one of the best guards I’ve seen in this league in a long time,” Alesi said. “The kid knows the game. He has that Levance Fields swagger about him.”

On Friday, Edwards paced the Royals to a 67-34 victory against Holy Cross in the team’s home opener and followed that with a huge performance against rival Bishop Loughlin, scoring 21 points and dishing out 10 assists as the Royals won in Fort Greene, 68-57, in a battle of two of the top three teams in The Post’s New York City boys basketball rankings.

“He took over the game,” Calhoun said. “In the second half he started making plays like a great point guard does. He capitalized and made plays for his teammates and scored for himself.”

And on Tuesday back in Middle Village, Edwards, who is being recruited by Auburn, Hofstra, George Mason, Fordham and St. John’s, had seven points and nine assists as Christ the King pounded Xaverian, 55-38.

“I keep talking to him about character,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “He has a lot more character than he did last year.”

Like a good point guard should, Edwards isn’t concerned about gaudy offensive numbers. The emphasis at Christ the King, at least since Arbitello has taken over as coach, is on the defensive end. And that’s where Edwards has also led the way.

Case in point, on Friday he didn’t care about how many points he or any of his teammates scored. It was his team’s lockdown defense in the third quarter that impressed him.

“We held them to like four points in the third quarter, that’s what we need,” Edwards said. “If we get that, we can beat any team -- Rice, Loughlin.”

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Stingy Royals trip up Clippers
1/27/10 - 06:49 PM

Maurice Barrow leads CK in scoring with 14 points vs. Xaverian

In addition to going over strategy and diagramming plays, Joe Arbitello sends his players out for each quarter with one mission: to hold the opposition under a certain point total.

“We don’t think about how low it is,” Christ the King sophomore Omar Calhoun said. “We try to get it done.”

For the most part, the Royals have kept Arbitello happy. Tuesday evening, they certainly did, limiting Xaverian offensively in a 55-38 win, the third time CK has held a league opponent under 40 points.

The Royals (12-3, 6-1 B/Q), second in The Post's NYC boys basketball rankings, didn’t explode offensively – senior forward Maurice Barrow was the lone player in double figures with 14 points – but they did have depth. Dominykas Milka and Roland Brown each added eight points and 10 rebounds, Corey Edwards had seven points and eight assists and Calhoun also had eight points.

“Defense is basically our offense,” Barrow said.

Calhoun, a sophomore highly regarded for his perimeter shot, did a fine job on Xaverian sharp-shooter Brian Bernardi, limiting the underclassman to five points, all in the first half. He also guarded Clippers leading scorer Justin Exum (12 points). He refused to let either guard free for an open look or let them get by him to create for others.

“We just harp defense, defense, defense,” Calhoun said. “I like guarding the other team’s best player. I like to make sure that person is not scoring.”

That music to Arbitello’s ears. In his second year at the helm, he has emphasized defense from the start. He wanted his team to be known for its defense. As a 10th-grader, a former coach at Christ the King told Arbitello holding the opposition under 50, especially at the Middle Village, Queens school, almost guaranteed victory. The Royals play a lot of man-to-man, but their help defense is what Arbitello raves about.

“We look to help each other on the defensive end – that makes us a good defensive team,” Calhoun said.

Against Xaverian (6-7, 2-5), which runs a methodical, perimeter-oriented offense predicated on ball movement and backdoor cuts, he was particularly pleased.

“With them, they run their stuff so well, you have to make sure you’re intoned for 35 seconds,” Arbitello said. “I thought we were patient.”

While the Royals’ size advantage didn’t hamper them on the defensive end, it was a bonus when they had the ball. Barrow, Milka and Brown basically played taps on the glass, combing for 15 of Christ the King’s 21 first-quarter points. The Royals were in charge the rest of the way, holding a 30-21 lead by halftime. They broke it open late in the third quarter with a 9-2 run, capped by a Calhoun 3-pointer and a Barrow putback. Xaverian never threatened again.

“If I’m Christ the King, I expect to be at Fordham in March,” Clippers coach Jack Alesi said.

Arbitello isn’t looking that far ahead. His response to the Royals possibly taking over the top spot in the city with Rice’s loss to Holy Cross was merely a shrug of the shoulders. Their most important game is the next one: home for Bishop Loughlin.

“It makes us happy, but we’re not complacent, we’re gonna continue to work hard,” Calhoun said. “We’re just trying to get better, so by the time we get to the city [playoffs] and state [playoffs], we’re prepared.”

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On Point: Edwards leads CK over Bishop Loughlin
1/25/10 - 06:06 PM

Corey Edwards goes for 2 of his team high 21 points at Bishop Loughlin

Corey Edwards loves everything about Bishop Loughlin -- climbing the three flights of stairs to the cramped gym, playing in front of a large and boisterous crowd. But most of all he loves facing Jayvaughn Pinkston.

“We’ve been playing AAU for so long together that you get up for this game,” the Christ the King junior point guard said. “It’s a good gym to play in, it’s long, not too wide. I just like the rims.”

Edwards showed just how much he loves playing there in the second half, leading the Royals, No. 3 in The Post’s New York City boys basketball rankings, to a 68-57 victory at No. 2 Bishop Loughlin yesterday afternoon.

Edwards had 21 points and 10 assists, seemingly making every big play in the third and fourth quarters.

“That’s the difference between him being a sophomore and a junior,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “I thought [Omar Calhoun] and [Edwards] stepped up big time tonight. They’ve been playing great for us. This was a true test for us. This is a tough place to come and play, a small court, a big crowd.”

When Edwards played his first varsity game at Loughlin last year, he admitted he was “scared to death.” But Calhoun felt right at home in the gym, a few minutes from his Park Slope, Brooklyn home.

“I love this gym, I love the intensity,” Calhoun said. “I just wanted to make sure I came out here and brought my intensity and let everything else come to me. Having the crowd as a sixth man, you just have to make sure you’re going hard because if something bad happens the crowd is going to get on you for it.”

Calhoun, a sophomore guard being recruited by a host of Big East schools, had 16 points, including a clutch 3-pointer from the top of the key to open the fourth quarter, giving Christ the King (11-3) a 50-43 lead.

“I thought it was the biggest play of the game,” Arbitello said.

Christ the King used its collective bulk inside to make things difficult on the Villanova-bound Pinkston, playing in front of future coach Jay Wright. The Post’s Preseason Player of the Year scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds, but he had none on the offensive glass and had nine of his team’s 22 turnovers.

“I felt that I was getting hit when I was driving and I wasn’t getting any fouls calls,” said Pinkston, who fouled out with 40.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter. “But I have to play through it.”

Dominykas Milka added 13 points and 12 rebounds for Christ the King, while Davonte Dunham had 13 points and Branden Frazier had 12 for Loughlin (13-4), playing without starting guards Anthony Givens and Kareem Canty, who were benched for violating team rules.

dbutler@nypost.com

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CK Rips Holy Cross, 67 - 34
1/23/10 - 07:18 PM

Maurice Barrow holds Holy Cross' Junior Evan Conti to just 2 points in CK's home opener

By DYLAN BUTLER

Last Updated: 7:30 AM, January 23, 2010

Posted: 2:16 AM, January 23, 2010

“We know we can score points,” the Royals junior point guard said. “Anyone on our team on any given day can score 20-25 points. It’s about how we play defense as a team.”

And on Friday night, in their overdue home opener, the Royals crushed Holy Cross, 67-34, holding the Knights to nearly 30 points below their season average.

“I’ve been telling them all week that we want to be perfect,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “I was happy, but it wasn’t perfect. In Missouri I think we hit our stride and hopefully we keep climbing from there. I still see room for improvement.”

Christ the King, No. 3 in The Post’s New York City boys basketball rankings, finished third in the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions last weekend. A semifinal loss to Milton (Ga.), ranked 18th in the country by USA Today, might well be the Royals turning point this season.

It is also the game sophomore sensation Omar Calhoun broke out.

“Omar played like he was the best player on the court, 21 points and nine rebounds. That was it,” Arbitello said. “He showed how good he is. I think Omar Calhoun is here. He’s definitely arrived.”

Christ the King (10-3, 4-1 B/Q) followed that loss with a 68-35 pasting of a Kickapoo (Mo.) team Arbitello said could compete in the CHSAA. The Royals took their confidence from that game, especially from their work defensively, and used it Friday night in a stunning blowout of Holy Cross.

“I just knew that I had to go out there and bring my game,” Calhoun said. “It wasn’t going to be a cakewalk, they were all tough competition. I just got mentally prepared for the tournament and performed when I was out there.”

Calhoun, who is already being recruited by just about every Big East school and a host of other Division I programs, scored a game-high 17 points and Maurice Barrow added 10 for the Royals. But Barrow’s biggest contribution was defensively. Arbitello challenged the senior forward during the week and Barrow responded, locking up Holy Cross leading scorer Evan Conti and limiting him to just two points.

“Mo shows no expression so I didn’t know if we got to him, didn’t get to him,” Arbitello said. “I guess we got to him based on his performance.”

Playing without injured point guard Bryant Fidele (ankle), Holy Cross (11-4, 3-2) was out of sorts offensively from the opening tip.

“I give Christ the King obviously a lot of credit, they play very good defense and they really made it difficult for us to do some of the things we wanted to do,” Holy Cross coach Paul Gilvary said. “We have to take some of the responsibility, too. We didn’t really run our stuff like we usually do, we weren’t as patient as we usually are and we took a lot of hard shots. It just makes for a very difficult night.”

Christ the King raced out to an 18-8 lead after one quarter, had a 33-21 advantage at the half and Holy Cross scored just four points in the third quarter as the Royals took a 21-point lead into the fourth quarter.

“That’s what we need,” Edwards said. “If we get that, we can beat any team -- Rice, Loughlin.”

Christ the King will get a chance to prove that on Sunday, when it takes on rival Bishop Loughlin in Fort Greene Sunday. Last year the Royals beat the Lions three times, including in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional semifinals.

“If we play the same way defensively, come out with a little more offense, we should blow them out the gym,” Calhoun said.

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CK Smothers Kickapoo to Take 3rd Place
1/17/10 - 11:44 AM

CK's Corey Edwards earns the Father John Savage Award at the Missouri TOC

Christ the King proved to be too much for Kickapoo, running away from the Chiefs 68-35 in the third-place game of the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions tonight at JQH Arena.

Christ the King outscored the Chiefs 37-16 over the middle two quarters for the large margin.

Sophomore Omar Calhoun scored a game-high 21 points as 10 Royals scored in a balanced effort.

Junior Tyler Hall paced Kickapoo with 11 points.

Father John Savage Award: Corey Edwards

All Tournament Team: Omar Calhoun

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CK Tops Hillcrest, Advances to Tournament of Champions Semi's
1/14/10 - 08:17 PM

Christ the King controlled the game from the opening tip in a 77-39 victory over Hillcrest in the Tournament of Champions opener.

The Royals opened the game on a 13-1 run and never looked back.

CTK's defense smothered the Hornets all night and forced 21 turnovers. A decisive height advantage also allowed the Royals to control the boards to the tune of 38-14.

Omar Calhoun led CTK with 16 points. All 11 players that entered the game for CTK scored.

Taylor Sade led Hillcrest with 16.

The Royals advance to Friday's championship semifinal at 8 p.m., against the winner of Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Chaminade (St. Louis). Hillcrest will play the loser in the consolation semifinal at 5.

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CTK Rebounds With Road Win vs. Xaverian, Improve to 7 - 2
1/11/10 - 07:29 PM

Christ the King used a balanced attack to earn a tough road win at Xaverian on Sunday following their one point loss at Molloy on Friday night. Senior guard Kareem Thomas who started in place of junior T.J. Curry and finished with 15 points helped the Royals to a quick early start when he drained two long three pointers. He combined with forward Maurice Barrow, who did great work inside to help the Royals earn a 69-58 win.

Though it took the Clippers a moment to find their shooting legs, once they did they were able to hang tough with a Royals’ team that has a decided size and strength advantage against them. Sophomore Brian Bernardi came off the bench hit a three from each corner on his way to what was almost certainly his best varsity game and senior Justin Exum scored effectively using both the drive and the jumper. Juniors Manny Thomas and reserve Greg Civiletti battled inside and made enough plays to compliment the strong perimeter attack and for Xaverian and keep the Clippers close. They trailed at the half by just 38-32.

For Christ the King, the decision by coach Joe Arbitello to start Thomas ahead of Curry had two other positive affects beyond Thomas’ quick start. First and foremost, the time spent getting into the flow of the game, likely helped improve his shot selection. It also made subbing for starting point man Corey Edwards with Curry a bit easier. And when that change was made early in the first half it helped the Royals immeasurably.

While Curry’s contribution on the stat sheet may have been negligible the Royals did move the ball and run better offense during his extended first half minutes. Their inside game was much more efficient than it had been Friday thanks in part to the patience Curry provided in the point guard role. Not only did Curry’s game help contribute to big games for Barrow, who finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and reserve center Roland Brown, who finished with 8 points in limited minutes, but it may have helped Edwards most of all.

When he returned to the lineup to start the second half, every part of his game was better. He connected on two triples, defended with his usual diligence and, most important to his development, kept the ball going inside to Barrow, Brown and Dominykas Milka. He finished with a solid 14 points 5 rebounds and 5 assists and more importantly, the rushed decision making that marked his play in the loss to Molloy was notably absent.

Xaverian continued to take runs at the Royals behind the hot shooting of Bernardi, who finished with a game high 18 points including 5 of 6 three point attempts, and Exum who added 17 in the loss. In addition to Brown, Thomas, Barrow and Edwards, soph Omar Calhoun added 14 for the Royals in what was a well earned and much needed win.

Written by: John Miccioto, www.nyhoops.com

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Molloy Upsets CTK
1/11/10 - 07:17 PM

In a nail-bitter Friday night, Archbishop Molloy and NYChoops.net #1 ranked Christ the King battled tooth-and-nail up until the final seconds of regulation.

Led by senior shooting guard Ernest Rouse's 34-point performance, the Stanners (6-4, 2-0 CHSAA 'AA') pulled out the upset victory over the Royals (6-1, 2-1), 60-59.

"It was great for the team's morale," said Molloy head coach Jack Curran. "It gives them a little more confidence, so they can start believing they can beat good teams because they're a great team, Christ the King."

Christ the King's aggressive defense did a great job forcing Molloy out of the paint early in the first quarter. The Stanners, having difficulty finding gaps in the defense, began to settle for jumpshots. And, by the 4:03 mark of the period, on a basket by senior forward Maurice Barrow (18 points), the Royals were up 10-2.

Soon after, Molloy went on a small 9-2 surge capped by a 3-pointer by Rouse. The Stanners were able to close the period out down by one, 12-11.

"From the opening tip, I noticed that someone was playing me straight up and I wasn't able to get the ball, so I noticed that it was going to be a long night," said Rouse. "But I noticed when we made that run in the first quarter to get under three points down, I realized we were going to stay with them and we had a chance to win this game."

The Royals, however, opened the second quarter on an 8-0 run, capitalizing on a few empty Molloy possessions and opening the game up 20-11 on a long-range shot by sophomore guard Omar Calhoun (12 points). Rouse soon stunted the deficit growth with a 3-pointer of his own at the 6:21 mark of the secondary phase.

Molloy's point guard George Davis (nine points) became a real game-changer, breaking down the CTK defense with great ball-handling and guard penetration. Davis and company were doing a good job at bringing the game within four points, but Christ the King stayed at work with a good hi-low game. The Royals' frisky defense was definitely back at work toward the latter minutes of the period, forcing Molloy turnovers and surging ahead 29-20.

Sensing the game was slipping away from them again, the Stanners went on to outscore the Royals 11-2 down the stretch. A great assist from Rouse to teammate Chris Dorgler (11 points) brought the game within one, 31-30, with about 30 seconds before halftime.

The score was 33-30 at the break.

At the 6:11 mark of the third quarter, a 3-pointer by Rouse and a pair at the charity stripe by Davis tied the game 35-all. Over the next two minutes, Christ the King made some stops and went on another 8-0 run to go up 43-35. An offensive foul on Davis gave the Royals the chance to make it a double-digit advantage, but the squad could not maximize on the opportunity.

Instead, Dorgler snapped the run with a trey, bringing the game within five points, 43-38. Though the Stanners chipped the advantage down a bit, with about a minute remaining in the quarter, Christ the King was up by nine again, 47-38.

A 5-0 Molloy mini run brought the contest within four by the close of the third.

In the fourth and final phase, both teams wanted to give one another the business and, as a result, the energy emanating from both squads was palpable.

With 7:28 on the clock, Barrow completed the conventional three-point play to bring the Royals up 50-43. However, by the 4:02 mark, after a Rouse 8-1 surge (including a pair of off-balance, contested 3-pointers), Molloy took the lead 53-52. Senior big man Dominykas Milka (16 points) regained the lead for the Royals on a putback.

"[Rouse] played great, when he plays like that, their tough to beat," said Christ the King head coach Joe Arbitello. "He had a special game tonight. I haven't seen him play like that in four years. He made some real tough shots."

Around the 2:37 mark, Davis went down with a bad leg cramp. But, Molloy kept trucking, fighting and trading leads with Christ the King three more times before the squads were knotted at 58 with 1:05 on the clock.

"We tried to get them to believe they can do as well, do better," said Curran of the squad going the extra mile down the stretch. "So, they've been getting better every game, we're very happy with them."

On the next Molloy possession, Rouse attempted a 3-pointer that rattled in and out and ended up in the hands of the Royals. Christ the King guard junior Terrance 'T.J.' Curry was fouled on the other end with 46.5 seconds and drained 1-of-2 from the line to give the Royals the lead 59-58.

"There was a sense of urgency, but since I noticed we were down . . . we wasted the clock on every possession so we could get out of here with a one-point victory, three-point victory because a win is a win and we'll take it as we get them," said Rouse.

As Molloy took the ball down the court, it lost its grip and Christ the King pounced all over the ball-handler. Thirty-two seconds remaining in the contest, the officials called a jumpball and the possession arrow was in favor of the Royals.

With Christ the King holding the lead, it looked as if the squad had the last possession of the game. However, a Royals empty possession ended up an outlet pass to Rouse on a fastbreak to the cylinder for the finish. Rouse gave Molloy a one-point lift, 60-59, with about 12 seconds to go.

Christ the King had the chance to take the lead and the game, but was not able to execute. Molloy came back down the court with the ball, and set up another outlet to Rouse. Rouse took it again to the rack but flushed the ball a nanosecond after the final buzzer.

Rouse netted 20 points in the second half, which included four of his total six three pointers. And, with the tough second-half push, Molloy served Christ the King its first loss in league play.

"One thing though, we can't let this gas our heads up right now," said Rouse, "we have to keep working hard because we have Loughlin on Tuesday and they're going to be just as hard as King."

Molloy will play cross-borough rival Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) next on the schedule in its first league road test on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

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CK Wins STOP DWI Championship
12/31/09 - 09:12 PM

*Article from www.pressconncects.com

BINGHAMTON -- Junior guard Corey Edwards scored 11 of Christ The King's final 12 points Wednesday night in a 52-49 victory over Boys & Girls for the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic's National Division basketball championship.

Tournament MVP Edwards closed with 25 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Royals, a Queens-based bunch that brought the program a third STOP-DWI tourney title in four appearances.

Christ The King, leader by 10 points in the closing two minutes of the third quarter, found itself in a 40-40 ballgame when Boys & Girls High point guard Antoine Slaughter connected on a 3-point goal from near the right corner with 3:48 to play.

Then, 6-foot point guard Edwards shifted into score-first mentality.

He burst down the lane for a tiebreaking bucket, and followed with a 3-pointer to make it 45-40 with 2:52 to play. He had opportunity to stretch the lead when, after ripping away a rebound and going end-to-end, he was fouled. But he missed the front of a one-and-one.

Boys & Girls, of Brooklyn, trimmed the gap to 45-44 on a penetrating score from Michael Taylor with 1:43 to play. After a free throw by Edwards, the Kangaroos' Jerry White drove the lane for a hanging scoop shot to tie it at 46 with 1:22 to go.

Then came the play that locked up -- if doubt remained -- MVP honors for Edwards.

With 44 seconds on the game clock and a fraction on the shot clock, Edwards buried a 3-pointer from the wing for a 49-46 lead. He tacked on two free throws to make it 51-47, and, after a Boys & Girls goal, teammate Dominykas Milka hit one of two from the line and it was 52-49.

Boys & Girls' last crack at an equalizer came in the form of a hurried and well-defended 3-point try by Slaughter, which fell short just ahead of the final horn.

Maurice Barrow had nine points and 16 rebounds for Christ The King, which also topped this tourney's field in 1995 and 1999. This title came despite an 0-for-11 shooting night by sophomore standout Omar Calhoun.

Leroy Isler had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Taylor 16 points -- though with a curious 1-for-9 night from the line -- for Boys & Girls, which needed a 3-point goal from Taylor with five seconds to play for a one-point, opening-day win over the Our Lady of Good Counsel squad from Maryland.

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Men's Varsity Basketball Reaches STOP-DWI Championship
12/30/09 - 10:28 AM

BINGHAMTON - The Christ the King Men's Varsity Basketball team advanced to the title game of the 2009 STOP-DWI Classic. They will meet NYC's Boys & Girls HS 9:15PM Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Arena for the National Bracket Championship.

*Article courtesy of pressconnects.com

STOP-DWI basketball: It's an all-NYC title game

By Kevin Stevens •kstevens@gannett.com • December 30, 2009, 12:55 am

BINGHAMTON -- For the second time in tournament history, it'll be an All-New York City final to determine top honors in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic.

Brooklyn's Boys & Girls High and Queens' Christ The King matched comfortable semifinal victories Tuesday night, setting up a title-game clash at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday back at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Boys & Girls was first to advance, rolling over Kentucky-based South Laurel, 69-40.

What followed was The Game That Threatened Not To End, an eyesore of a 56-40 victory by Christ The King over King's Fork High from Suffolk, Va., in which 56 fouls were assessed and 71 free throws were attempted.

Boys & Girls will seek a second tournament championship in as many appearances in the Binghamton event, the first coming in 2006.

Chris The King captured titles in two of its three visits to Binghamton, most recently crowned in 1999.

The Christ The King vs. King's Fork contest opened with a ragged first quarter largely devoid of flow or continuity, and only grew increasingly unsightly.

The final stat sheet revealed personal fouls outnumbering field goal attempts on the King's Fork side, 33-30. Three Bulldogs player fouled out. Christ The King did little in the way of capitalizing from the free throw line, making good on 25 of 44 attempts.

In the second half alone, the teams combined for 43 free throws.

Christ The King held the lead from the time point guard Corey Edwards struck for a 15-foot jump shot 32 seconds into the game. He finished with nine points and four assists.

A 9-2 spurt to open the second half left the Royals a 38-20 advantage midway through the fourth quarter. Included were back-to-back strong follow-up buckets by Dominykas Milka and Maurice Barrow, each with free throw opportunity tacked on but neither converted.

One lengthy parade to the line ensued in the final quarter, in which CTK attempted 18 and King's Fork 12.

Sophomore Omar Calhoun scored a game-high 17 points for the winners, with Milka collecting a game-high 12 rebounds.

The other STOP-DWI final pitting NYC against NYC came in 2004, when St. Raymond's defeated Holy Cross

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Christ the King Varsity cruise to 1st win at DWI Classic
12/29/09 - 10:29 AM

Second-quarter burst helps Christ The King romp

By Kevin Stevens •kstevens@gannett.com • December 29, 2009, 12:30 am

BINGHAMTON - Christ The King established itself as a strong contender for top honors in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic's National Division with Monday's 65-45 basketball victory over Villa Angela St. Joseph of Cleveland.

The Queens-based Royals took control with 20-5 command of the second quarter at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, leaving them a 34-18 halftime lead. In that eight-minute segment, Villa Angela St. Joseph was limited to a short jump shot by Devin Carter with 3:10 elapsed, and a 3-point goal by Sidney Weems with 2 seconds remaining.

Meanwhile, 6-foot-4 CTK senior Maurice Barrow put together a superb all-around effort in the quarter, scoring four times in transition on his way to a team-high 14-point total. It was Barrow converting Dominykas Milka's long feed ahead with 51 seconds to play in the quarter that completed a 14-0 Royals surge.

Barrow added six rebounds and three steals. Teammates Kareem Thomas tacked on 12 points _ with 3-for-4 3-point shooting, and Terrel Hunt scored 10.

The Royals will face King's Fork (VA) Tuesday 9:15PM in the semifinals of the National Bracket of the DWI Classic.

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Christ the King returns with potent basketball line-up
12/28/09 - 08:50 PM

Christ The King returns with potent basketball lineup

By Kevin Stevens •kstevens@gannett.com • December 26, 2009, 6:15 pm

Joe Arbitello first visited the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in the role of senior captain for a Christ The King squad that claimed the basketball tournament's championship on the strength of three victories by an average 25-point margin.

On Monday, Arbitello will return as head coach of a Christ The King squad targeting the program's third title in four appearances.

The Queens-based Royals open play at 2:45 p.m. Monday, opening day of the three-day, 16-team, 20-game holiday hoop-fest at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Two other past champions, Boys & Girls High of Brooklyn (2006) and Our Lady of Good Counsel of Olney, Md. (1997) will compete in the eight-team National Division, as will host team Binghamton. Regional play is broken into two four-team brackets.

Christ The King topped STOP-DWI Holiday Classic fields in 1995 and '99, each year bolstered by at least one National Basketball Association-bound player.

The '95 Royals remain among the finest teams -- if not the premier team -- to have played in the tourney.

The '95 squad featured three individuals who'd go on to be first-round draft picks -- MVP Craig "Speedy" Claxton and all-tournament selections Eric Barkley and Lamar Odom. The '99 Royals, winner of three games by an average 17.7-point margin, were led by point guard Omar Cook, 32nd overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.

Asked if the present Christ The King group, ranked third among New York's Class AA teams, belongs in the same conversation with either the '95 or '99 powerhouses, Arbitello said:

"We don't have that star-power guy like those teams did. We're not there yet. ... Ask me to compare teams, I don't think I could do that until after the season."

However, what the Royals have has attracted the attention of a slew of NCAA Division I suitors.

There is pass-first junior point guard Corey Edwards, who already has offers from Southeastern Conference and Big East programs; and 6-foot-5 Maurice Barrow, described by his coach as "A five-tool player. He can pass, shoot, defend, handle and slash to the rim;" and Dominykas Milka, a 6-7, 250-pounder being courted by Manhattan College among others; and senior guard Kareem Thomas, a 6-foot shooter and defender.

Oh, and wearing jersey No. 21 is a young man from Brooklyn who has been labeled the top sophomore in the five boroughs.

"He can really shoot it," Arbitello said of Omar Calhoun, the lone sophomore on a 15-player roster. "He's 6-4, athletic, and he defends and passes well."

Offers to Calhoun are on the table from Villanova, Pittsburgh and Louisville, Arbitello said.

Christ The King's return to Binghamton for the 18th edition of the event is thanks in part to an unwritten agreement between the New York City Catholic League and tournament organizers. Tournament director Rick Westfall said Ray Nash, coach of the Bishop Ford High squad that won the inaugural STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in 1992 and now the school's president, is instrumental in steering league members this way.

Other Catholic-school programs from the city to play in the STOP-DWI event include Xaverian, St. Raymond's, Bishop Loughlin and All Hallows.

"Basically, (Nash) will pick up the phone and say to one of the schools, 'OK, you're going next year,' " Westfall said.

The other New York City team in this year's field, Boys & Girls -- like Christ The King considered a City Championship contender -- will seek a second title in as many tournament appearances.

Junior guard Michael Taylor was MVP of Boys & Girls' rout of Xaverian in the recent Big Apple Basketball High School Challenge, and teammate Leroy Isler, a junior forward, had 29 points and 15 rebounds in a recent victory against Paul Robeson.

Boys & Girls will open at 7:30 p.m. Monday against Good Counsel. The Falcons are led by senior point guard Rodney Glasgow, a Virginia Military Institute signee who last season was a second-team all-star in the powerful Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

The 1 p.m. National Division opener pits Landstown High of Virginia Beach against South Laurel High of London, Ky. Landstown was STOP-DWI runner-up in 2005 with present-day Minnesota Vikings rookie speedster Percy Harvin in its backcourt. South Laurel's Matt St. John, a burly 6-9 senior, had a 19-point, 13-rebound, six-block game early this season.

"From what I've been able to find out, (Landstown has three really good guards, which is what they had the year they got to the final," Westfall said.

Christ The King's opening assignment is a Villa Angela St. Joseph squad making its third appearance in the Binghamton tournament. Six-foot-eight Vikings freshman Demonte Flannigan is projected as a big-time college recruit.

Binghamton, opening in its traditional 9:15 opening-night time slot, draws King's Fork High, Virginia's defending Class AAA champion. The Bulldogs figure to present big problems inside with 6-8, 300-pound Davante Gardner (16-point, 12-rebound averages last season) and 6-6 Jay Copeland (12 points, 10 rebounds). The team went 31-1 last season, but lost to graduation were guards that moved on to Cincinnati and University of Maryland, Baltimore County, respectively.

On the Regional front, the Division I bracket brings together two state-ranked Class B teams, No. 3 Seton Catholic Central and No. 15 Norwich, at 5:45 p.m. Monday. The other Division I opener pits Vestal, winner of five in a row, against Johnson City.

"We've played JC, so we know how good they are," SCC coach Chris Sinicki said. "Vestal has already gone out and tested themselves in non-leaguers. Norwich is playing well, very unselfishly, and they play that tough man-to-man.

"It's going to be one heck of a regional."

Of the Saints-Purple Tornado matchup, Westfall said, "They bring people, which is why we put them in that game."

Regional Division II gets under way Tuesday, with Chenango Forks opposing Susquehanna Valley at 11:15 a.m., and Chenango Valley facing Maine-Endwell at 5:45 p.m.

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CTK Outsmarts Cardozo
12/19/09 - 09:34 PM

Omar Cahlhoun leads the Royals to victory over Cardozo

Styles make fights and Saturday's NYC showcase game of the Holiday Hoops Festival at Fordham University, between the Christ the King Royals and the Cardozo Judges was a good fight. In battle between physicality versus experience, the Royals would have the where with all to capitalize on a misstep by the Judges to win, 57-54.

The challenge for CTK would be overcoming the big man game of Cardozo as Ryan Rhoomes spanked them early in the paint. With 5:35 left in the first, Dozo was on a 10-0 run as 6-foot-5 senior Malcolm Brooks scorched the Royals from the perimeter.

Omar Calhoun finally put Christ the King on the map with a mid-range and a reverse and Maurice Barrows followed with a stop n' pop as the Royals were undeterred by the Judges quick start. A methodical 12-0 sequence by the Royals capped off by a jumper by Barrows soon gave CTK a 2 point lead with 2:05 left in the quarter. Cardozo would fight back but Brooks would pick up his third personal foul early. A strong finish in the final minute along with Cardozo turnovers put the Royals up, 17-12 as the quarter ended.

Roland Brown began to compete with Rhoomes on the boards but 6-foot-7 senior, Dwayne Brunson and 6-foot-7 junior, Marquis Barnett, began to produce for the Judges. Still ahead 17-16, Brown scored on a turnaround but Rhoomes quickly countered on the other end of the court. Four minutes remaining and CTK was only able to remain ahead by one point. The Judges were cleaning up the rebounds on both ends of the court. The luxury of second, third and fourth offensive rebounds gave Dozo their first lead with 1:30 on the clock as Rhoomes scored on a putback. Transition baskets scored by Calhoun would give the lead back to the Royals as the half ended.

A 30-29 Royals lead to start the third could be flipped into a moral advantage to the Judges, who gave CTK all they could handle in the first half. For the Royals to pull away, head coach Joe Arbitello had to find a way to negate Dozo's height advantage and depth in the frontcourt. Rhoomes and Barnett continued to tag team 6-foot-7 senior, Dominykas Milka, and Judges tied the score early in the third.

Calhoun's offense would give the Royals a lead and Chris Gayot would counter for Cardozo. Straight out of a Rocky movie, each team would throw blows and exchange leads. With 3:15 left in the third, the Royals were up 38-37 but found it exceedingly difficult to score in the paint. The Judges had chances to pull ahead but missed conversions until 6-foot-2 junior guard, Sheldon Mickell, nailed a three to give Cardozo a 2 point lead with under a minute to play in the third. Playing for the last shot, PG Corey Edwards, who had been struggling offensively nailed a jumper as time expired in the quarter.

Tied at 42, Brown swished a midrange to give CTK a lead but then fouled Brunson on the defensive end and he scored freethrows to give Cardozo a 45-44 lead with 6:43 left in the game. The lead switched hands as both teams scored in transition. Cardozo may have winning the battle of the boards but the Royals began to win the battle of field goal percentage and with 4 minutes left in the game was ahead 52-47 as T.J. Curry netted.

With a 1:02 left to play the score was still 52-48 as both teams stepped up on defense. Rhoomes would pull the Judges two within two points going 2-2 from the foul line with 57.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Senior PG, Reynardo Walters, would commit an offensive foul, a critical mistake, as the Judges had a chance to tie. Edwards would then extend CTK's lead from the foul line, 54-50 with 21 seconds remaining. Judges head coach Ron Naclerio was livid, even though Gayot pulled Dozo to within 2 after being fouled with 15.5 seconds left in the game. An Eli Manning-esque out of bounds pass by Edward would score a touchdown to Calhoun who would get fouled attempting a layup and put the Royals up 56-52 with 9.5 seconds. Cardozo have one last chance, down by three with seconds left but a Gayot three from half court would strike air.

Omar Calhoun won most valuable player for Christ the King, scoring 19 points with Barrows contributing 18 points. Rhoomes led Cardozo with 20 points followed by Brunson with 10 points

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Curry Leads CK In A Hurry
12/19/09 - 08:17 AM

Christ the King guard T.J. Curry (No. 32), forward Maurice Barrow, (No. 15) and center Dominykas Milka (No. 40) surround All Hallows forward Omar Kellman as he dives for the ball

Junior runs point, helps carry Royals to season-opening 49-27 win

By DYLAN BUTLER

With junior Corey Edwards sidelined with a badly bruised left knee, Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello was looking for someone else on his deep roster to run the point for Friday night’s season opener at All Hallows.

So he gave the keys to T.J. Curry.

“He’s not naturally a point guard, but he does a great job,” Arbitello said “I saw it at practice. He’s smart enough to run the point…We don’t lose much with TJ at the point, with the exception of the normal flow of the game.”

Curry was informed three days ago, giving him enough time to mentally prepare.

“I was just thinking nonstop, getting the jitters out right then and there,” Curry said. “I came out today and I felt good. I felt like I was ready.”

He showed that in All Hallows’ cramped gym, helping lead Christ the King to a 49-27 victory against the Gaels in The Bronx.

Curry had nine points, four assists and four rebounds. He probably could have had a double-double if the Royals, No. 2 in the Post New York City boys basketball rankings, finished half of their open shots.

But what the Royals lacked on the offensive end, they made up for defensively and on the glass.

“I thought we did a great job [rebounding], I thought we did a great job running our offense, I thought we did a great job defensively,” Arbitello said. “We didn’t make shots. It was tough to watch at times, honestly.”

Highly-touted sophomore Omar Calhoun also made his varsity debut Friday night, displaying his versatility with a team-high 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.

“I was pretty anxious,” Calhoun said. “I hear all the other stuff going on, Rice and all the other teams playing and I just want to go out and show how good we were.”

Arbitello said he challenged the 6-foot-4 guard to battle on the glass and Calhoun, as well as the rest of his teammates, responded.

“He did a great job for us,” Arbitello said. “Omar’s one of the smartest kids I’ve ever coached. If you tell him something he’s going to try his best to do it.”

Kareem Thomas and Maurice Barrow scored nine points apiece, Roland Brown had eight points and seven rebounds and Dominykas Milka grabbed 11 rebounds for Christ the King, which led from midway through the first quarter until the final buzzer.

Omar Kellman was a one-man show for All Hallows (2-3), with a game-high 17 points. But without Manhattan-bound senior guard Michael Alvarado, who remained home with a stomach virus, the Gaels offense stalled like the traffic on the nearby Grand Concourse during rush hour.

While All Hallows got as close as 29-25 on a 3-pointer by Raymond DelaCruz with 3:53 left in the third quarter, Curry went on a personal 7-0 run and the Royals led 39-27 heading into the fourth, where the Gaels went scoreless.

“My general observation is simply this: Without him we lose a lot,” All Hallows coach John Carey said. “The other thing is kids today don’t want to run offense, they just want to play.”

Christ the King might be the last team in New York City to step on the court, but the Royals play their second game in less than 24 hours. CK meets Cardozo at Fordham University Saturday at 3 p.m., a start time pushed up two hours because of the impending storm.

“We’re just ready to play,” Calhoun said. “We had this game just to wet our feet and now it’s time for us to step up and go hard.”

dbutler@nypost.com

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CK Draws National Attention
11/20/09 - 08:35 PM

Corey Edwards is hoping to lead Christ the King back to the CHSAA Class AA intersectional title game.

Joe Arbitello doesn’t like distractions and he’s certainly no fan of preseason pub. The Christ the King coach would be a lot happier if scrimmages and practices at the Middle Village, Queens school were closed, especially to the media.

“We’ve had a lot of distractions,” the second-year Christ the King coach said. “It’s ridiculous, honestly. We just want to get back to playing basketball. That’s probably the hardest part of this year. Last year we snuck up on everyone, but this year we’re not.”

The Royals are ranked No. 20 in the nation in one preseason poll, a bit too lofty for Arbitello’s liking. And one national magazine came to the school for a lengthy photo shoot.

“Everybody else has their expectations very high,” he said. “We just want to go out, have a good time and play basketball. Everybody gets caught up in who’s ranked and unranked. I’m not worried about it and [the players are] not worried about it. Our expectations are just to play well and play hard and whatever happens will happen.”

Whether Arbitello likes it or not, the Royals, who lost to Rice in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional final last year, are bound to gain national recognition. After all, when the Royals open up the regular season next month, they’ll have four potential Division I players on the court and are considered a favorite to compete for the CHSAA crown again. The attention is likely to continue for years to come, especially with a loaded freshman squad.

Leading the way on varsity is junior point guard Corey Edwards, who has scholarship offers from Auburn, St. John’s and George Mason.

“You can see he’s ready to step up and be that leader on the court,” Arbitello said. “I think he’s going to be a real important part to what we’re doing out here this year. He’s shooting the ball a lot better, he’s making plays happen, setting guys up, he knows where the ball has to go.”

A year ago, Edwards matured as the season went on, but took a backseat to Sean Johnson, who finished second in the CHSAA in scoring and is now at Duquesne. But this year, Edwards is running the show.

“I’m taking control over my team,” Edwards said. “They’ve given me the keys and I’ve got to drive the car. I’ve got to work even harder this year.”

Joining Edwards in the backcourt is budding star Omar Calhoun, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard considered to be the best sophomore in the city.

“He could be great,” Arbitello said of Calhoun, who already has offers from Villanova, Pittsburgh, Louisville and St. John’s. “He could be one of the best players to ever come into the gym.”

But Calhoun, who shattered Christ the King’s freshman scoring record when he dropped 44 points in a loss to Xaverian last year, is taking the attention in stride.

“Everybody tells me how good I can be,” he said. “I don’t get cocky from it. I just take it as inspiration and continue to work hard and get better.”

The Christ the King frontcourt is big and athletic, led by seniors Maurice Barrow, who has drawn interest from South Carolina, Arkansas, Hofstra and Fordham, and Domniykas Milka, who is being recruited by Manhattan and Columbia. Six-foot-8 Roland Brown, 6-foot-7 junior Chris Ortiz, 6-foot guard T.J. Curry and 6-foot-4 Terrel Hunt, the quarterback on the school’s football team, come off the bench, while senior guard Kareem Thomas rounds out the starting five.

“We can go nine deep,” Arbitello said. “We can get up and down, press a bit more. We have a lot of guys who can play. I think we’re going to be a fun team to watch.”

dbutler@nypost.com

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CK Men's Varsity Outlook
11/19/09 - 10:18 PM

2009 - 2010 CK Men's Varsity

After a season in which the Royal's won the Bojangles Shootout in NC, the regular season and post-season Brooklyn-Queens Championships, and earned a 4th consecutive shot at the NYC CHSAA "AA" title, excitement is back again at Christ the King High School for the 2009-2010 season.

The Men's Varsity will once again begin their quest for the elusive city championship. The Royals will be lead by 2nd year head coach Joe Arbitello. Returning along Arbitello are assistants Arty Cox (4 City Championships as a JV coach), and Greg Lemko (5 City Championships as a Freshmen coach).

The Royal's also return 3 starters in senior center Dominykas Milka, senior foward Maurice Barrow, and junior point guard Corey Edwards. A strong class of experienced seniors, juniors, and a sophomore round out the Royal's roster.

Preseason accolades include a national #20 ranking by ESPN Rise, and a #34 ranking by Rivals.com.

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Omar Calhoun is Ready for Varsity Basketball
11/19/09 - 10:17 PM

Omar Calhoun goes for two in preseason scrimmage vs. South Shore

By By DYLAN BUTLER

There’s a large collage on the wall outside the athletic director’s office at Christ the King Regional High School. It’s the first thing the basketball players see as they make their way up from the locker room. It's an homage to the rich basketball history at the Middle Village, Queens school.

There’s Omar Cook, Erick Barkley, Erving Walker, Lamar Odom and Khalid Reeves to name a few.

Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello thinks Omar Calhoun could join that wall, be among the best in Christ the King history.

“He could be great,” he said. “He could be one of the best players to ever come into the gym.”

That’s not just hyperbole.

The 6-foot-4, chiseled shooting guard is the top sophomore in the city and he’s about to take the CHSAA ‘AA,’ considered by some to be the best league in the country, by storm.

“He’s more poised than any sophomore I’ve seen play in the city,” Christ the King junior point guard Corey Edwards said. “He can really score the ball whether it’s shooting or going to the basket. He’s explosive."

Calhoun showed glimpses of his potential greatness last year, breaking Christ the King’s freshman scoring record when he dropped 44 points in a loss to Xaverian. But that’s not why Arbitello thinks Calhoun has the chance to be one of the top Royals ever.

“You know what’s great about him? He’s a 95-student, his family is really involved and he knows what it takes to be great,” Arbitello said. “He’s got the whole package. That’s what he has over guys who could have been great and weren’t. If he continues to grow, and he’s going to continue to work on his game, I think the sky is the limit for him.”

Calhoun has heard that before. He’s a student of the game, so he understands who the players are on that wall.

“Everybody tells me how good I can be,” he said. “I don’t get cocky from it. I just take it as inspiration and continue to work hard and get better.”’

Indeed, while his potential is sky high, Calhoun remains grounded. He’s more mature than most 15-year-olds, especially those already offered scholarships from Villanova, Pittsburgh, Louisville and St. John’s.

“He’s as mature as they come,” Arbitello said of Calhoun, who will start on the varsity immediately. “That’s why he can be great because he’s very mature, he handles it very well. He’s got guidance from him parents and they won’t let him get off course.”

Indeed, Omar Calhoun Sr. is a major influence on his life.

“He pushes me on the court and off the court to be the best person I can be, the best man as well as the best basketball player,” Omar Calhoun said.

That includes in the classroom, where Calhoun is one of eight players on the Royals’ roster to be on the honor roll. According to Arbitello, the team’s cumulative average is 88. And that’s not points per game.

“I want to be a student-athlete,” Calhoun said. “I just make sure I have my grades right so I can play basketball.”

So Calhoun is a humble, mature, honor roll student who is also one of the top sophomores in the country. No wonder Arbitello beams when he speaks about him.

But Calhoun isn’t about to let the lofty expectations get to him.

“I feel like I’m ready to handle it,” Calhoun said “I played AAU and always been on a stage where I’ve had to perform. Coming here is nothing new. I just have to do what I have to do on the basketball court.”

dbutler@nypost.com

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Christ the King isn't satisfied with 1st Diocesan title in 3 years
3/4/09 - 02:40 AM

Christ the King defeats Xaverian for Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan crown, but Royals make it clear that they're still hungry for shot at Intersectional title and trip to Glens Falls for state championship.

BY Mark Lelinwalla
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Tuesday, March 3rd 2009, 2:44 PM

Christ the King was barely 10 minutes removed from winning the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan championship in Middle Village on Friday night, but it seemed as if the Royals had already moved on.

"City and state," CK coach Joe Arbitello said, as he led his players out of the locker room to speak to a gathering of reporters. "We know what our goals are. They know what's at stake down the road: the city and state championship."

The Royals will begin their quest for the 'AA' Intersectional championship against Holy Cross in the quarterfinals at St. Francis Prep on Thursday.

From the looks of Friday's 66-60 victory over visiting Xaverian, a win that gave the Royals their first Brooklyn/Queens title in three seasons, Christ the King will enter the Intersectionals at the top of its game.

The chemistry between starters Marion Smith, Corey Edwards, Sean Johnson, Maurice Barrow and Dominykas Milka is peaking.

Johnson, named season MVP by the league's coaches earlier last week, is playing the best basketball of his career.

Xaverian had pulled off a 46-44 upset over the Royals on Feb. 8 in Middle Village, but by pouring in 18 of his 29 points in the second half on Friday, Johnson made sure there was no chance for history to repeat itself.

The CK senior guard punished the Clippers with hard drives to the basket, pullup jumpers, three-pointers and free throws.

Johnson has never been a pure shooter and can be streaky at times, but he possesses the ability to heat up, catch fire and score in bunches.

Perhaps Edwards described it best.

"Sometimes he can be erratic, but if he hits one shot, he could hit (two), three, four, five," Edwards said. "When he gets hot, there's no stopping him. Players like that, you don't play with every day."

Added Arbitello: "It's nice to have the best player on the court."

When Arbitello took over for longtime coach Bob Oliva in November, he sat Johnson down in his office and instructed him to lead the team. Johnson assumed the role, tenfold, with no hestitation.

"I think I got (the MVP) because I put my team on my back," said Johnson, who's averaging 22.4 points per game. "We're a young team."

Arbitello said he's been impressed all season with Johnson's leadership.

"He does everything," Arbitello said. "He tells guys what they're doing wrong. He gets the bench motivated. There's nothing he doesn't do. His will to win and his temperament are just unbelievable, and it wasn't always like that."

Edwards, CK's sophomore point guard, has also been a work in progress. Flustered and forced into costly errors during losses to Boys & Girls and Rice earlier this season, Edwards of late has been the composed floor general the Royals hoped he would be.

Edwards is letting the game come to him, finding teammates and scoring within CK's system.

Simply put: big-game experience is helping Edwards to evolve into the consummate game manager.

Arbitello is always eager to remind that Edwards is only a sophomore, hinting that the best is yet to come from the South Jamaica resident.

"He's just learning how to play the game of basketball on the varsity level," Arbitello said. "I think you're seeing not only his progression, but what our coaching staff has done with him."

Having assistant Derrick Phelps - the former CK and North Carolina point guard - in his ear is only expediting Edwards' growth.

"He played at North Carolina, that's the hardest place to play in the country," Edwards said of Phelps, who played three games with the Sacramento Kings in 1995. "Most kids don't have that (as coach)."

To this point, Arbitello is thrilled with what the Royals have accomplished: a 20-win season; a championship in the Bojangles Tournament in North Carolina in December, and now the Brooklyn/Queens crown.

"These opportunities come very, very, very slim," Arbitello said. "I could go years without winning another national tournament.

"Winning the Brooklyn/Queens championship, we haven't won that in three years. I'm high on the season."

Still, everyone involved knows there's more important basketball to be played. Longtime Xaverian coach Jack Alesi likened the Diocesan tournament to the Big East championship.

And the Royals haven't satiated their appetite just yet.

"We got to get ready for the city championship playoffs," Johnson said. "That's what we really want to win."

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Gaining confidence, Edwards leads CK past Xaverian
12/22/08 - 06:26 PM

Corey Edwards scored nine points, including eight in a 25-10 run, to lead Christ the King to a 59-41 over Xaverian Sunday afternoon. Photo by Damion Reid

By Zachary Braziller December 21, 2008

Fiveborosports.com

On the side of each of Corey Edwards’ sneakers, confidence is written in pen. Interim coach Joe Arbitello advised the talented sophomore to write the word on them after his failed lay-up down the stretch cost Christ the King a victory in a 58-55 loss to PSAL power Boys & Girls in the PSAL-CHSAA Challenge at St. John’s University last weekend.

Edwards was expecting to take heat for the gaffe. Instead, the aggressive move impressed his teammates, particularly star Sean Johnson, who said it showed courage.

Those kind words helped his confidence. On Sunday, Edwards scored nine points to help lead the Royals past Xaverian, 59-41, in Brooklyn in both teams’ league opener.

Johnson led the way with 15 points, Marion Smith had 12 and Dominykas Milka had 10. But it was Edwards, who missed his freshman season because of shoulder surgery and whose father Dave Edwards starred at Andrew Jackson (now Campus Magnet), who ignited the game-changing 15-5 run to end the first half.

“He makes everyone better,” Johnson said.

With Johnson on the bench, Edwards set up Maurice Barrow for a three-point play, fed Smith for an open 3-pointer and knocked down his own trey at the horn to give CK (4-1, 1-0 CHSAA Class AA) a 10-point lead at halftime. He hit another trifecta to start the second half and added a long jumper, pushing the lead to 15.

“It was very important for me,” he said. “I had to grow up.”

The second-quarter run was important for all the Royals. Without Johnson, CK had blown a double-digit lead against Boys & Girls eight days ago. Arbitello has drilled his team since, running drills without the leading scorer for such an occasion.

Granted, Johnson put the game away once Xaverian got the lead down to 11 late in the fourth quarter, scoring six of his team-high 15 points. But other Royals built the lead up. Edwards was the distributor, Smith knocked down a few long jumpers that extended the Clippers’ zone and Milka was a force in the paint, cleaning off the glass and finishing on the low blocks.

“This was better,” Arbitello said. “Guys stepped up and took a little responsibility.”

Added Edwards: “It was encouraging for us. We needed to get some confidence without Sean.”

Edwards said he is still not feeling great about himself – he stills hears the doubts about his shooting and defense from critics – but his basketball esteem is a whole lot better than it was a week ago. Maybe it’s the shoes.

“I’m gonna write on them some more,” he said. “Confidence is a big thing.”

Xaverian (3-1, 0-1) doesn’t have much of it after dropping its first game. The Clippers’ five-guard lineup had trouble scoring and rebounding against the bigger Royals. Jamel Fuentes led Xaverian with 14 points and Rasheem King had 12. Xaverian was tentative, passing off shots and throwing the ball around the perimeter until one player had to take a desperation heave with the shot clock winding down.

“We were the equivalent of a baseball player taking third strike after third strike,” coach Jack Alesi said. “We were a mess today. The bad shooting was a byproduct of bad setting up of the offense.”

zbraziller@fiveborosports.com

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Christ the King's Barrow puts injury behind him
12/8/08 - 11:42 AM

Maurice Barrow

By Zachary Braziller December 5, 2008

Fiveborosports.com

The last thing Maurice Barrow remembers is going up for a dunk. What followed was a stunning fall to the hard floor, face first, that silenced a standing room only crowd last Jan. 25.

While on the court, the then-sophomore on the Christ the King junior varsity team suffered two seizures, his body shaking violently, and was taken to a nearby hospital where he was diagnosed with a severe concussion.

“I was really worried for his life,” JV coach and varsity assistant Artie Cox said.

Preparing for their game against Holy Cross, the Christ the King varsity only heard “boom, a loud thud,” senior Sean Johnson recalled.

“It was something we never want to relive again,” Althea Brisco, the wife of his AAU coach, Tom Brisco, who Barrow refers to as his ‘second mother’ said.”

“I don’t even remember,” Barrow said.

He’s tried to put the ordeal behind him. And the Royals are the beneficiaries. Barrow, Cox said, was the best player on the JV level in the entire city last year, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds. He retuned two days later as a bystander and suited up in the opening round of the playoffs, leading the Royals to the finals, a loss to Archbishop Molloy.

The imposing 6-foot-4 forward from Hollis with broad shoulders and a sculpted body fit for absorbing contact has slid in nicely with this new group of Royals, a starting forward on a team with high expectations. In two games, he has scored 24 points, tallying 16 in the season-opening win over Jamaica and eight in Friday’s 72-40 rout of Martin Van Buren. In fact, interim coach Joe Arbitello would like him to look for his shot more.

“We want him to be our second or third option,” Arbitello said. “He has a lot of tools. He can be a big-time player.”

Cox added: “He can handle the ball, shoot the ball, play inside, play outside. He makes everyone better.”

Already, Division I schools are interested in the versatile junior. Hofstra, Manhattan, Fordham and Arkansas, Cox said, have reached out to him. Obviously, Barrow has work to do. He needs to improve the range on his jumper and continue to work hard.

Just being in this position, Barrow said, is surprising. When he arrived in Middle Village as a freshman, he was in awe of the talent surrounding him: future Division I players like Ryan Pearson, Erving Walker, Larry Davis, Andrew Gabriel and Malik Boothe. He had to work hard just to compete on the freshman team. Now, he is not only playing in the late game – varsity always goes last – but starting and contributing, one of the keys to CK’s championship dreams.

“It’s a shock to me,” he said. “I feel like I’m a new man basically.”

Try as he may to forget the hard fall, it still follows him around. For weeks thereafter, classmates and teachers asked him how he felt. Barrow couldn’t answer. He didn’t know what happened. But it has had a profound effect on him.

“He was always determined, but now he’s on another level of determination,” Brisco said. “He wants to be that (special) player.”

zbraziller@fiveborosports.com

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First Varsity Victory Secondary to CK's Arbitello
12/3/08 - 01:55 PM

De facto Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello gives Ed Jurin and Jovani Nieves advice on Wednesday. Photo by Damion Reid

By Dylan Butler November 26, 2008

Photo gallery

Joe Arbitello calls this the greatest week of his life, and it has nothing to do with his successful debut as Christ the King boys’ basketball coach Wednesday night: a 104-54 blitzing of Jamaica in Middle Village.

That game was on his mind for weeks – that is, until his wife, Veronica, gave birth to a baby girl, Ava Noelle, on Monday at 6:53 p.m.

“God has a funny way of putting things into perspective for you,” Arbitello said. “There’s nothing in the world like having a baby. It’s such an experience. I never thought I would like something better than athletics.”

The nerves he thought he’d feel had nothing to do with the game. Sure the Royals jumped out to a 34-9 lead and were up 63-19 late in the first half, but Arbitello’s biggest concern was that Veronica had a fever, which led him to check his cell phone at the scorer’s table often.

Arbitello, the Christ the King athletic director, is the de facto head coach of the Royals in the absence of Bob Oliva, who coached for 27 years, but is sidelined with a heart ailment that resulted in a hospital stay last month. While the school hasn’t made an official announcement, it appears that Arbitello will likely be the head coach for the rest of the season.

And if Wednesday’s season opener is any indication, it is sure to be another exciting year for Christ the King.

“It’s a great start, but that’s what I expected,” he said. “I feel like we’re a lot better than this team, but we have to show we’re a lot better. We have to play like we’re better. It’s been a long time since Christ the King totally put a team away. For our first win, I think we did an incredible job.”

Senior Sean Johnson said he plans on waiting until the end of the season to make his college commitment, banking on what he hopes is a solid senior season. The guard got off on the right foot on Wednesday, torching Jamaica for 30 points in just over two quarters.

“I feel like it’s my team, took control of it and I just went out and played,” Johnson said. “I’ve been working on my shot and my ball handling – it has to get better.”

Johnson scored 12 of his team’s first 14 points and 19 in the first quarter alone. He had 26 at the half and the only mistake he seemed to make on the offensive end was a failed one-handed dunk on a two-on-none breakaway.

“It doesn’t matter what game of basketball you’re playing, you still have to make the shots he was making,” Arbitello said. “He shoots like that, he’s a big-time player.”

Maurice Barrow, a 6-foot-4 junior forward who has already garnered interest from Division I schools Hofstra, Fordham, Manhattan, South Carolina and Arkansas, added 16 points and Kareem Thomas had 12. Jermaine Johnson led Jamaica with 16 points, while Joseph Halloway added 14.

When the game was over, Arbitello was in his office. He had no idea how many points Johnson scored or even what the final margin of victory was. Instead, he was scrolling through his BlackBerry looking at photos of his newborn daughter.

“I can’t help but smile,” Arbitello said. “It’s a tremendous experience.”

dbutler@fiveborosports.com

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New Look Royals Prepare For 09' Season
11/19/08 - 01:37 PM

Flanked by assistants Artie Cox (l. to r.), Greg Lemko and Derrick Phelps, Joe Arbitello (second from l.) will coach the Christ the King basketball team in Bob Oliva's absence. Photo by Dylan Butler

By Dylan Butler November 6, 2008

Joe Arbitello is the head coach of the Christ the King boys’ basketball team – for now.

Arbitello, the school’s athletic director, is taking over for longtime coach Bob Oliva, who has been diagnosed with a heart ailment that resulted in a hospital stay last month.

Although there has been no official announcement – Arbitello hasn’t been named the interim coach and Oliva hasn’t made a decision on his coaching future – the 31-year-old is filling in for Oliva, who has a record of 549-181 in 27 years.

“This is a program and Bob Oliva always ran it like a program,” Arbitello said. “From freshman to JV to varsity, we all kind of did the same thing, so things aren’t going to radically change. I’m going to add a little bit of my own thing to it and if it is successful, we’ll keep it.”

Oliva, who coached several NBA players, including Lamar Odom and Speedy Claxton, faced accusations earlier this year of sexually abusing a minor 30 years ago. He denied the claim and no charges have been filed. His supporters, including two members of Christ the King’s board of directors, Thomas Ognibene and state Sen. Serphin Maltese, strongly backed Oliva.

The Royals, who lost to Holy Cross in last year’s CHSAA Class AA intersectional final, started practicing Nov. 1, but they did it without Oliva, who hasn’t returned since the accusations and his heart ailment.

“It’s a little different that Mr. O is not here,” senior guard Sean Johnson said. “But it’s the same, same team, same coaches this year.”

Arbitello, who said he speaks to Oliva daily, has been coaching at Christ the King for 13 years, almost immediately after graduating from the Middle Village school in 1995. He played for Oliva and was named a “non-playing captain” of the team that won the city championship in 1995.

“I was a pretty realistic kid,” Arbitello said. “I saw that Lamar Odom, Speedy Claxton and Erick Barkley were on the team and I knew I was never going to play.”

Arbitello went to St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, but served as a junior varsity assistant under Artie Cox. He’s also been an assistant for Oliva, a varsity ‘B’ head coach and the girls’ JV coach at Christ the King, where he’s worked full time for the past nine years.

“This is it for me,” Arbitello said. “Unless Duke comes in here and offers me the head coaching job there, I’m not looking to be anyone’s assistant coach, St. John’s or Manhattan or anything like that. I’m here and I plan on staying here for the next 20 years even if I’m not the boys’ basketball coach.”

Arbitello said he didn’t anticipate taking over for Oliva, certainly not with his wife, Veronica, pregnant with the couple’s first child. She is due Nov. 23, three days before the Royals’ first game of the season.

“To say this is something I wanted at this particular time in my life? No, this is not what I wanted,” he said. “Am I happy to have it? Sure. After Nov. 23 am I going to be happy to have it? I guess we’ll see.”

Helping make the transition seamless are assistant coaches Artie Cox, Greg Lemko and Derrick Phelps.

“I coached with Artie for eight years and I think he’s a great offensive game coach and the defensive principals and the skill work Greg does is great and nobody can ask anything more from Derrick Phelps,” Arbitello said. “I have a lot of confidence in those guys and my job is really easy, because I have them.”

Arbitello said he addressed Oliva’s situation in the first meeting with the varsity team – “It took two minutes,” he said – and Arbitello immediately told the team that, in his role as athletic director, he is taking over Oliva’s duties for the immediate future.

“I’m going to make the decisions and my decision is to let these guys take a little bit more of an active role out there,” he said of his assistant coaches. “They’re great at what they do. I couldn’t ask for a better staff.”

Arbitello said, despite Oliva’s absence, expectations remain high for the Royals, who lost Erving Walker (Florida) and Ryan Pearson (George Mason) to graduation.

The first test comes in three weeks against South Shore.

“I think about it a lot,” Arbitello said of his first game. “I’m not worried about winning and losing. I just want to make sure the kids play hard and we do what we always do.”

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Men's Varsity

NYPost 1st Team All-City: Omar Calhoun; 3rd Team: Jon Severe 4/22/12 - 11:28 AM

Omar Calhoun is NYPost Queens Player of the Year, Severe and Fuchs Honored 4/19/12 - 09:15 PM

Omar Calhoun Earns MSG Varsity All-City First Team 3/29/12 - 08:22 PM

Omar Calhoun is Gatorade NY Player of the Year 3/22/12 - 06:54 PM

CK's Arbitello to Coach in Jordan Game 3/3/12 - 09:44 PM

Playoff Schedule for 2/27/2012 2/28/12 - 09:53 PM

Calhoun is League MVP 2/22/12 - 10:13 AM

Playoff Schedule 2/19/12 - 10:10 AM

Calhoun is Scoring King 2/18/12 - 02:28 PM

Calhoun Ties Scoring Mark; CK Makes Wild Comeback To Win In OT 2/11/12 - 11:57 AM

CK Beats Hayes, Goes 2 - 0 Over The Weekend 2/5/12 - 08:31 AM

Much-maligned Calhoun Shoots Down St. Ray's 2/4/12 - 08:39 AM

Game Time Changes for Saturday's Games 1/30/12 - 07:47 AM

CK Flips Switch, Beat Loughlin At Home 1/28/12 - 08:19 AM

Calhoun Quiets Critics, Leads Royals Over Holy Cross 1/18/12 - 08:19 AM

CK Climbs Back, Beats Miller Grove in OT 1/15/12 - 07:17 PM

Severe Ties Record, CK Topples Xaverian to go 3-0 in League 1/9/12 - 07:51 PM

CK Beats Rival Loughlin in Brooklyn 1/7/12 - 06:50 PM

CK Beats Molloy; Harmon Picks Up Offer 1/4/12 - 08:11 AM

CK Beats Wings, Advances to Championship 12/30/11 - 01:03 PM

Severe Run Leads CK Past St. Rita, Into Semi-Finals 12/29/11 - 07:26 AM

Jordan Fuchs Wins Slam Dunk Contest 12/27/11 - 02:18 PM

Men's Varsity Prepare For Holiday Tournament 12/21/11 - 08:07 AM

CTK Beats Jefferson in Season Opener 12/4/11 - 08:12 AM

Legends Reeves, Barkley Return to CK 11/30/11 - 07:57 AM

NYPost Preseason Player of the Year: Omar Calhoun 11/27/11 - 03:11 PM

Sierra and Omar Calhoun Are Looking to Lead Their Teams to Championships 11/27/11 - 09:03 AM

2011-2012 CK Royals Outlook 11/13/11 - 08:32 AM

Calhoun, Nuss Sign Letter of Intent 11/10/11 - 10:17 AM

Calhoun Wins 2nd MVP Award In 2 Weeks 10/31/11 - 07:57 PM

Calhoun Wins All-Star Game MVP 10/23/11 - 09:57 PM

CK's Mike Thompson Earns Full Scholarship 8/14/11 - 11:15 PM

Calhoun Commits to National Champion Huskies 6/12/11 - 03:57 PM

Head Coach Joe Arbitello is NYDaily News Coach of the Year 5/11/11 - 09:17 PM

Calhoun is NYC POY, Edwards is 2nd Team All-City, NY POST 4/18/11 - 05:17 PM

Edwards, Curry, Ortiz Earn All-Queens Selection by the NY POST 4/15/11 - 09:03 PM

NYPOST: Omar Calhoun is Queens POY, Arbitello Earns Top Coaches Honor 4/15/11 - 08:53 PM

Senior TJ Curry Commits to Marist 4/2/11 - 10:01 AM

NYS Federation Tournament of Champions Preview 3/26/11 - 12:28 PM

A Successfull Hunt for Second Consecutive Title 3/14/11 - 03:55 PM

Christ the King Claims CHSAA Crown 3/13/11 - 03:41 PM

Edwards Shoots Christ the King back into the 'AA' final 3/10/11 - 03:18 PM

Calhoun Reaches Milestone, CK Advances to the Semi's 3/5/11 - 11:06 AM

Triple Crown: CK Beats Holy Cross for BQ Championship 2/26/11 - 01:38 PM

CTK Has 4 Players Voted On To All-League Team 2/24/11 - 10:43 PM

Royal Romp: CK Crushes Loughlin in B/Q Semi's 2/24/11 - 09:59 AM

Strong "D" Leads to Big "W" for CTK 2/12/11 - 08:07 AM

Rolling Royals Rout Terriers, Clinch BQ Regular Season Title 2/9/11 - 09:48 PM

Surging Royals Slide by Rice 2/6/11 - 05:17 PM

Revitalized Royals Roll Over Terriers 1/27/11 - 11:30 AM

CK Alum Maurice Barrow Making A Big Impression for Fairfield 1/10/11 - 09:02 PM

Edward's Return Bolster's CTK to OT Win 1/3/11 - 09:37 PM

CTK Bounces Back in City of Palms Classic 12/22/10 - 08:16 PM

CK Beats Jefferson, 71 - 67 12/4/10 - 11:54 PM

CTK is Preseason Top 10 in America 11/18/10 - 09:28 PM

3 Student Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent 11/18/10 - 09:14 PM

2010 - 2011 CTK Varsity Outlook 11/10/10 - 09:44 PM

CK's Calhoun Earns MVP Honors at Metro Classic 10/25/10 - 08:30 PM

Old School Edwards Finds New School At George Mason 10/19/10 - 08:21 PM

NY Post All-City Basketball Honors 4/26/10 - 07:22 PM

The Post's All-Queens Basketball Honors 4/22/10 - 08:09 AM

Royals Top Boys & Girls for State Title 3/29/10 - 08:31 PM

Curry points the way to title for CK 3/29/10 - 11:27 AM

Final Goal Within Reach for CK 3/28/10 - 09:42 AM

NY Post Athlete of the Week: CTK's Maurice Barrow 3/17/10 - 09:42 PM

Hunt Dedicates Title to Mother's Memory 3/15/10 - 09:48 AM

Thriller on Rose Hill: CK Crowned CHSAA CHAMPS! 3/15/10 - 09:46 AM

Going Deep: CK Beats St. Ray's to Advance to the Championship 3/11/10 - 07:09 PM

CK Outmuscles Molloy 3/5/10 - 10:08 PM

CK Repeats, Wins 2nd Consecutive BQ Championship 2/28/10 - 08:36 AM

Royals Criss Cross, Advance to the Chip 2/25/10 - 04:45 PM

Four Varsity Players Make All CHSAA "AA" Teams 2/22/10 - 08:45 PM

Royal Theft: CTK Steals Victory From Holy Cross 2/13/10 - 07:27 PM

CTK vs. Rice: The Greatest High School Spectacle Ever! 2/8/10 - 08:57 PM

A Super Sunday 2/8/10 - 08:16 PM

Fabolous Atmosphere at CK 2/8/10 - 08:04 PM

Super Win for CK Over Rice 2/8/10 - 08:00 PM

CTK Owns Molloy at Home 2/6/10 - 07:19 PM

CTK Crowns St. Peter's Prep 1/31/10 - 10:00 AM

NYPost 1st Team All-City: Omar Calhoun; 3rd Team: Jon Severe
4/22/12 - 11:28 AM

Omar Calhoun is NYPost Queens Player of the Year, Severe and Fuchs Honored
4/19/12 - 09:15 PM

Omar Calhoun Earns MSG Varsity All-City First Team
3/29/12 - 08:22 PM

Omar Calhoun is Gatorade NY Player of the Year
3/22/12 - 06:54 PM

CK's Arbitello to Coach in Jordan Game
3/3/12 - 09:44 PM

Playoff Schedule for 2/27/2012
2/28/12 - 09:53 PM

Calhoun is League MVP
2/22/12 - 10:13 AM

Playoff Schedule
2/19/12 - 10:10 AM

Calhoun is Scoring King
2/18/12 - 02:28 PM

Calhoun Ties Scoring Mark; CK Makes Wild Comeback To Win In OT
2/11/12 - 11:57 AM

CK Beats Hayes, Goes 2 - 0 Over The Weekend
2/5/12 - 08:31 AM

Much-maligned Calhoun Shoots Down St. Ray's
2/4/12 - 08:39 AM

Game Time Changes for Saturday's Games
1/30/12 - 07:47 AM

CK Flips Switch, Beat Loughlin At Home
1/28/12 - 08:19 AM

Calhoun Quiets Critics, Leads Royals Over Holy Cross
1/18/12 - 08:19 AM

CK Climbs Back, Beats Miller Grove in OT
1/15/12 - 07:17 PM

Severe Ties Record, CK Topples Xaverian to go 3-0 in League
1/9/12 - 07:51 PM

CK Beats Rival Loughlin in Brooklyn
1/7/12 - 06:50 PM

CK Beats Molloy; Harmon Picks Up Offer
1/4/12 - 08:11 AM

CK Beats Wings, Advances to Championship
12/30/11 - 01:03 PM

Severe Run Leads CK Past St. Rita, Into Semi-Finals
12/29/11 - 07:26 AM

Jordan Fuchs Wins Slam Dunk Contest
12/27/11 - 02:18 PM

Men's Varsity Prepare For Holiday Tournament
12/21/11 - 08:07 AM

CTK Beats Jefferson in Season Opener
12/4/11 - 08:12 AM

Legends Reeves, Barkley Return to CK
11/30/11 - 07:57 AM

NYPost Preseason Player of the Year: Omar Calhoun
11/27/11 - 03:11 PM

Sierra and Omar Calhoun Are Looking to Lead Their Teams to Championships
11/27/11 - 09:03 AM

2011-2012 CK Royals Outlook
11/13/11 - 08:32 AM

Calhoun, Nuss Sign Letter of Intent
11/10/11 - 10:17 AM

Calhoun Wins 2nd MVP Award In 2 Weeks
10/31/11 - 07:57 PM

Calhoun Wins All-Star Game MVP
10/23/11 - 09:57 PM

CK's Mike Thompson Earns Full Scholarship
8/14/11 - 11:15 PM

Calhoun Commits to National Champion Huskies
6/12/11 - 03:57 PM

Head Coach Joe Arbitello is NYDaily News Coach of the Year
5/11/11 - 09:17 PM

Calhoun is NYC POY, Edwards is 2nd Team All-City, NY POST
4/18/11 - 05:17 PM

Edwards, Curry, Ortiz Earn All-Queens Selection by the NY POST
4/15/11 - 09:03 PM

NYPOST: Omar Calhoun is Queens POY, Arbitello Earns Top Coaches Honor
4/15/11 - 08:53 PM

Senior TJ Curry Commits to Marist
4/2/11 - 10:01 AM

NYS Federation Tournament of Champions Preview
3/26/11 - 12:28 PM

A Successfull Hunt for Second Consecutive Title
3/14/11 - 03:55 PM

Christ the King Claims CHSAA Crown
3/13/11 - 03:41 PM

Edwards Shoots Christ the King back into the 'AA' final
3/10/11 - 03:18 PM

Calhoun Reaches Milestone, CK Advances to the Semi's
3/5/11 - 11:06 AM

Triple Crown: CK Beats Holy Cross for BQ Championship
2/26/11 - 01:38 PM

CTK Has 4 Players Voted On To All-League Team
2/24/11 - 10:43 PM

Royal Romp: CK Crushes Loughlin in B/Q Semi's
2/24/11 - 09:59 AM

Strong "D" Leads to Big "W" for CTK
2/12/11 - 08:07 AM

Rolling Royals Rout Terriers, Clinch BQ Regular Season Title
2/9/11 - 09:48 PM

Surging Royals Slide by Rice
2/6/11 - 05:17 PM

Revitalized Royals Roll Over Terriers
1/27/11 - 11:30 AM

CK Alum Maurice Barrow Making A Big Impression for Fairfield
1/10/11 - 09:02 PM

Edward's Return Bolster's CTK to OT Win
1/3/11 - 09:37 PM

CTK Bounces Back in City of Palms Classic
12/22/10 - 08:16 PM

CK Beats Jefferson, 71 - 67
12/4/10 - 11:54 PM

CTK is Preseason Top 10 in America
11/18/10 - 09:28 PM

3 Student Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent
11/18/10 - 09:14 PM

2010 - 2011 CTK Varsity Outlook
11/10/10 - 09:44 PM

CK's Calhoun Earns MVP Honors at Metro Classic
10/25/10 - 08:30 PM

Old School Edwards Finds New School At George Mason
10/19/10 - 08:21 PM

NY Post All-City Basketball Honors
4/26/10 - 07:22 PM

The Post's All-Queens Basketball Honors
4/22/10 - 08:09 AM

Royals Top Boys & Girls for State Title
3/29/10 - 08:31 PM

Curry points the way to title for CK
3/29/10 - 11:27 AM

Final Goal Within Reach for CK
3/28/10 - 09:42 AM

NY Post Athlete of the Week: CTK's Maurice Barrow
3/17/10 - 09:42 PM

Hunt Dedicates Title to Mother's Memory
3/15/10 - 09:48 AM

Thriller on Rose Hill: CK Crowned CHSAA CHAMPS!
3/15/10 - 09:46 AM

Going Deep: CK Beats St. Ray's to Advance to the Championship
3/11/10 - 07:09 PM

CK Outmuscles Molloy
3/5/10 - 10:08 PM

CK Repeats, Wins 2nd Consecutive BQ Championship
2/28/10 - 08:36 AM

Royals Criss Cross, Advance to the Chip
2/25/10 - 04:45 PM

Four Varsity Players Make All CHSAA "AA" Teams
2/22/10 - 08:45 PM

Royal Theft: CTK Steals Victory From Holy Cross
2/13/10 - 07:27 PM

CTK vs. Rice: The Greatest High School Spectacle Ever!
2/8/10 - 08:57 PM

A Super Sunday
2/8/10 - 08:16 PM

Fabolous Atmosphere at CK
2/8/10 - 08:04 PM

Super Win for CK Over Rice
2/8/10 - 08:00 PM

CTK Owns Molloy at Home
2/6/10 - 07:19 PM

CTK Crowns St. Peter's Prep
1/31/10 - 10:00 AM

Player of the Week: CTK's Corey Edwards
1/27/10 - 06:56 PM