Men's Varsity

Rawle Alkins and Adonis Delarosa of Christ the King among members of Daily News all-city boys basketball team
4/30/14 - 06:19 PM

Rawle Alkins and Adonis DelaRosa were named to the NY Daily News All-City First Team

Being named one of the five best boys basketball players in New York City isn't easy, and it's not an honor that comes overnight. It takes hard work and dedication. 

Here are the players we've selected as the best of the best, as well as the city's top coaches.

Rawle Alkins, Christ the King, Soph.

Think about what Alkins has already done in two seasons with the Royals and then try to think about how he can top it over his final two high school years. It won’t be easy but Alkins has the talent to go down as one of the city’s all-time greats. Already the owner of a pair of city championships and two state titles, Alkins fits in nicely among a group of Christ the King legends. It’ll be interesting to see where this explosive wing ends up playing college ball.

Khadeen Carrington, Bishop Loughlin, Sr.

Unless you consider not winning a city title in the toughest city to do so a disappointment, then Carrington met every challenge thrown at him. He was one of the CHSAA’s top stars for three years and did as much as he could to help the Lions win it all. If not for one of the league’s great dynasties — CK — they probably would have. Carrington will play for Seton Hall next season so don’t be surprised if the Pirates take a major step up.

Adonis Delarosa, Christ the King, Sr.

There certainly were more explosive players in the city, kids who could score more and fly higher. But it would be hard to find a more clutch player than CK’s big man, whose postseason performance helped the Royals win city and state crowns. That’s good news for St. John’s, who landed a good one. Delarosa became SJU’s first recruit of the year when he committed earlier this month.

Isaiah Whitehead, Abraham Lincoln, Sr.

Pressure? Whithead knows all about it. A great player at one of the city’s all-time great basketball programs is expected to do two things: Dominate and win a city title. Whitehead did both. While he didn’t match Lincoln legends Lance Stephenson and Sebastian Telfair with multiple rings, Whitehead won his as a junior. He’s also headed to Seton Hall and appears to be on the same path as Lincoln’s other stars, who all made the NBA.

Mike Williams, Bishop Loughlin, Sr.

Part of perhaps the top one-two punch in New York City over the past few seasons, Williams had Loughlin in contention for a title every year. He and Carrington were a picture of consistency in the rough and tumble CHSAA, where it’s never easy to stand out as a star because of the incredibly high level of play. Williams isn’t going too far for college; he’s headed to Rutgers.

SECOND TEAM: Desi Rodriguez, Lincoln, Sr.; Travis Atson, Christ the King, Jr.; Ray Salnave, Cardozo, Soph.; Jessie Govan, Wings, Jr.; Shavar Newkirk, Cardinal Hayes, Sr.

COACHES:

Brooklyn: Lawrence Pollard, Jefferson

Honorable Mention: Jacob Edwards, Brooklyn Collegiate; Ed Gonzalez, Bishop Loughlin

Queens: Ron Naclerio, Cardozo

Honorable Mention: Joe Arbitello, Christ the King; Cory Semper, HS for Construction

Bronx: Joe Lods Cardinal Hayes

Honorable Mention: Ryan Queen, Eagle Academy; Marc Skelton, Fannie Lou Hamer

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high-school/all-city-boys-basketball-team-best-best-article-1.1773121#ixzz30QFixe8C

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Adonis DelaRosa is NYDaily News Queens Player of the Year; Alkins and Atson Make First Team
4/30/14 - 06:14 PM

Adonis DelaRosa earned NY Daily News Queens Player of the Year after leading CK to back-to-back city and state titles

Queens boys player of the year

Adonis Delarosa Christ the King, Sr.

In a city dominated by guards and wings, the appropriately named Adonis was a mammoth presence all season long.

The 6-11 senior constantly created matchup problems and every season has lost weight - he’s down about 100 pounds since his freshman year - improved his footwork and displayed deft touch. He was always the difference-maker for the Royals as a defensive force who averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds a game. His offensive range has grown to add a quality mid-range jumper that gives him the ability to put up 30-plus points.

The St. John’s recruit finished his high school career with back-to-back city and state Federation championships.

Rawle Alkins Christ the King, Soph.

A freakish athlete who created a buzz as a freshman with highlight-reel dunks and stellar defense, Alkins showed enormous long-term potential in his first season as a starter.

Alkins was the second-leading scorer in the CHSAA's Class AA at 17 points per game. Perhaps his most remarkable attribute was his composure in clutch situations, scenarios Alkins says he lives for. Time after time he'd come up with a game-changing 3-pointer.

He has a well-rounded offensive game and can guard just about anybody, which is why he has a wealth of high Division I offers and interest.

Travis Atson Christ the King, Jr.

Atson came off the bench for Christ the King last season before earning a starting spot in the fall. The 6-5 forward was ready to breakout as he was further removed from an ACL injury that wiped out his freshman season, and boy did he ever.

The junior averaged 16.8 points per game and was an exceptional rebounder. Atson was named CHSAA 'AA' intersectional tournament MVP after the Royals won their second straight city title. He had 21 points and 10 rebounds in the title win and after previously holding just one D-I offer from Quinnipiac, he received an offer from St. Bonaventure after the city playoffs.

Second team: Andre Walker, Christ the King, Sr.; Jermaine Bishop, Holy Cross, Jr.; Francisco Williams, Cardozo, Sr.; Justin Wright-Foreman, Construction, Jr.; Michael Fields, St. Francis Prep, Sr.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high-school/adonis-god-queens-hoopsters-article-1.1770668#ixzz30QEGQoeX

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Congratulations Omar Calhoun; National Champion
4/18/14 - 06:15 AM

Omar Calhoun; Royal alum who is CK's all-time leading scorer, celebrates national championship victory with his UCONN Huskies

    Omar Calhoun might not be a starting player on the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball team, but he’s still a national champion nonetheless.

    The former Christ the King superstar and his Huskies teammates defeated Kentucky 60-54 on Monday to capture the NCAA national title, capping off an improbable run to the program’s historic fourth championship, all since 1999.

    All-American guard Shabazz Napier led the Huskies in nearly every statistical category this year, but Calhoun contributed four points per game and 1.4 rebounds.

    Calhoun often started or was the first player off the bench in his freshman season, averaging 11 points per game, but early season struggles combined with a more talented squad relegated the former New York State Gatorade Player of the Year to the bench.

    Calhoun is the Middle Village high school’s all time leading scorer with 1,770 points and he carried Christ the King to a state title in 2010.

    His sister, Sierra, just wrapped up her impeccable Royals career and will play her college ball at Duke in the fall.

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DelaRosa to St. John's; Walker to Loyola (MD)
4/14/14 - 07:51 AM

Adonis DelaRosa and Andre Walker both made commitments to play Division 1 college basketball next season

Christ the King senior center Adonis Delarosa will be playing his home games next season at the World’s Most Famous Arena. 

Delarosa made a verbal commitment on Wednesday afternoon to St. John’s University in a ceremony held at the Middle Village School. The 6-10, 265-pound center chose the Red Storm over Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Alabama and Miami. 

“I want to be with my family and also be an impact player soon as I come in,” Delarosa said. “It’s nothing better than just playing and putting it on for your city and you get to play at the Garden.”

Royals’ teammate Andre Walker also committed on Wednesday to Loyola (MD) of the Patriot League. Delarosa, an MSG All-city boys basketball second team selection, and Walker helped the Christ the King repeat as CHSAA and New York State Federation Class AA champions.

Family played a big part in the choice Delarosa made. The Bronx native, who averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds per game, moved up his commitment date after originally scheduled to announce on April 18 at the Jordan Brand Classic game at the Barclays Center.

Delarosa and his family have gone through tough times recently with his 24-year old sister Cindy battling leukemia in his native Dominican Republic. But the Royals senior will have his brother Joey Delarosa close to him. Joey enrolled this semester at St. John’s after transferring from Florida International where he played two years with former coach Isaiah Thomas. 

“I think he is very close to his family. All the support he has here. He is a true New York guy. A New York kid,” said Christ the King boys basketball coach Joe Arbitello. “He likes the bright lights and everything New York to have.

Delarosa stood by his choice despite the recent transfers of Red Storm shot blocker Chris Obekpa and sophomore Jakarr Simpson announcing his decision to enter the NBA Draft.  

“The difference between last year is they didn’t have an inside presence they can throw the ball into and score,” Delarosa said. “Definitely next year they will with me on the team. Net year I can come in and be an impact player.”

Arbitello always described Walker as the glue of the team in the last two seasons. But the point guard did not get as many offers while at times being overshadowed by other teammates. 

Walker remained patient and had an impressive post-season which he helped the Royals beat Bishop Loughlin in the CHSAA Intersectional championship and scored 25 points in Christ the King’s win in the Federation final over Long Island Lutheran. 

When Loyola (MD), who plays in the Patriot League, was not just the first to call, but kept the same level interest while others schools like Boston University and Niagara entered the mix.  Walker says he feels comfortable playing with Loyola coach G.G. Smith and his high tempo offense. 

“Every coach loved me there. The assistant coaches, the head coaches.  You want to go where you are loved at,” Walker said. 

Delarosa is glad to be staying home and wants to make an impression as soon as he can at St. John’s. 

“It feels great. You know your going to be home. You are going to have New York City behind you,” Delarosa said. “They are going to be the ones pushing you and stuff like that. It feels great. It’s a lot of weight off my shoulders.”

The school announced Christ the King Lady Royals forward Shannon Barrett committed to Molloy College, along with football players Deyshaun Tucker heading to Stony Brook and Kamran Raja going to West Virginia State University.

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/ck-s-delarosa-commits-to-st-john-s-walker-to-loyola-1.1593484#sthash.IY1SuVUT.dpuf

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Rawle Alkins Named Queens POY; Times Ledger
4/14/14 - 07:42 AM

Rawle Alkins is Times Ledger Queens Player of the Year Photo by Ken Maldonado

Queens had one of its best boys’ basketball seasons in recent years.

Christ the King won its fourth CHSAA intersectional championship in the last five seasons and its second-straight state Federation Class AA crown. To do so, it had to beat Benjamin Cardozo in the state semifinals. The Judges took down four Brooklyn schools to win their first PSAL city title since 1999.

Construction, after moving up from the ‘A,’ defeated the Judges for the Queens title earlier in the year, and Archbishop Molloy played its first season in 55 years without legendary Coach Jack Curran, who died last January. This year also marked the 45th and final season for legendary Campus Magnet Coach Charles Granby.

Here are the players selected as the best in Queens:

All-Queens Player of the Year: Rawle Alkins, Christ the King

The sophomore guard made clutch plays at the biggest moments of the Royals’ state Federation title run. He scored 24 points, buried a huge three-pointer and contained Loughlin star Khadeen Carrington in the CHSAA final.

Alkins, who averaged 17 points per game during the regular season, also hit the tying trey with 50 seconds to go in state semifinals against Cardozo. Alkins has lived up to the hype about him.

All-Queens Coach of the Year: Ron Naclerio, Benjamin Cardozo

The longtime Judges coach broke down crying after winning his first PSAL city title in 15 years. The victory washed away years of frustration for Naclerio, who takes each loss to heart.

He turned in one of his best coaching jobs this season. Naclerio picked his team back up after losing in the borough final and brought out the best in star sophomore Rashond Salnave and his hungry group of seniors.

All-Queens First Team

F Travis Atson, Christ the King

Atson burst onto the scene and emerged as one of the city’s best and most consistent players. The junior won the MVP of the Stop-DWI Holiday Classic and of the CHSAA intersectional final, where he scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Atson did all the little things to help CK succeed.

G C.J. Davis, Archbishop Molloy

The Columbia-bound point guard was again one of the five borough’s most well-rounded players. For Davis, posting a triple double — double digit in points, rebounds and assists — was not uncommon. He averaged 16 points per game and helped the Stanners to a third-place finish in CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens.

C Adonis Delarosa, Christ the King

Delarosa was a dominant presence in the paint and excelled in the big moments. The 6-foot-10 senior scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Bishop Loughlin in the CHSAA championship. His charge, on which a foul was called on Hayes, and late three-point play sealed a stunning CK comeback in the league semifinals vs. Cardinal Hayes.

G Ray Salnave, Benjamin Cardozo

The super sophomore arrived this season, proving he was worthy of being called the city’s next great guard. Salnave poured in 31 points in the PSAL quarterfinal against South Shore and hit two free throws with 2.5 seconds left to win Cardozo the city title. He is determined to make sure this year’s title isn’t his last high school crown.

F Francisco Williams, Benjamin Cardozo

The senior forward was a major reason the Judges can call themselves city champions. Williams averaged 11 points and six rebounds during the regular season and tallied a game-high 21 points in the final against Jefferson. Cardozo will miss his rebounding, defense and leadership skill next season.

All-Queens Second Team

F Marlon Alcindor, Construction

Alcindor, who came over from St. John’s Prep, was a force in the PSAL. He averaged 18.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. The senior tallied 25 points to help the Red Hawks win the Queens title.

G Jermaine Bishop, Holy Cross

The junior point guard had a dynamic influence on the Knights this season. Bishop, who could score in multiple ways, averaged 16.9 points and led a mid-season resurgence as Holy Cross had a big January.

F Jason Cethoute, Archbishop Molloy

Cethoute was a Mr. Everything for the Stanners. The senior was a major contributor in the paint and on the glass and the team’s second scorer behind C.J. Davis with 16.3 points per contest.

G Andre Walker, Christ the King

The senior quietly went about his business as other Royals grabbed the headlines. He then delivered his best game when it mattered most, scoring 25 points in CK’s state Federation Class AA final victory over Long Island Lutheran.

G Justin Wright-Foreman, Construction

The Christ the King transfer made an immediate impact at Construction. He averaged 21.6 points per game during the regular season. The junior had a huge third quarter in a 23-point performance against Dozo in the Queens final.

All-Queens Honorable Mention

G Moaiz Ahmad, Bayside

F Carl Balthazar Cardozo

G Nhoel Deverson, Monsignor McClancy

G Michael Fields, St. Francis Prep

G Gabe Kilpatrick, Archbishop Molloy

F Luis Hernandez, John Bowne

G Shane Herrity, St. Francis Prep

G Travis Raynor, Springfield Gardens

G Noah Vickers, Campus Magnet

F Joshua Wallace, Holy Cross

©2014 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

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MSG Varsity All-Metro Team
3/30/14 - 05:38 AM

Rawle Alkins (20) earns MSG Varsity All-Metro second team honors for his efforts in helping CK capture its second consecutive city and state championships

MSG Varsity honors the members of its 2014 All-Metro Boys Basketball Second Team. Congratulations to all.

All-Metro Second Team

RAWLE ALKINS - Guard - Junior
Christ the King, NYC.

The sophomore with junior eligibility was Mr. March for Christ the King, which won its second consecutive New York State Federation Class AA title. The athletic 6-foot-5 guard, who averaged 16.6 points per game, hit several big shots, including 3-pointers in the CHSAA final and the Federation semifinals. Alkins already has offers from a host of major Division I schools, including Cincinnati, Villanova, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Fordham, Hofstra, Minnesota and Miami, while also drawing interest from Kentucky and North Carolina. -- Dylan Butler

Honorable Mention

Travis Atson -- 6-4 junior swingman
Christ the King HS 

Adonis Delarosa -- 6-11 senior center
Christ the King 

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/2014-all-metro-boys-basketball-second-team-1.1588371#sthash.6kAm3qy6.dpuf

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MSG Varsity All-NYC Team
3/30/14 - 05:36 AM

1st Team All-City

RAWLE ALKINS

Christ the King, Junior Guard

The sophomore with junior eligibility was Mr. March for Christ the King, which won its second consecutive New York State Federation Class AA title. The athletic 6-foot-5 guard, who averaged 16.6 points per game, hit several big shots, including 3-pointers in the CHSAA final and the Federation semifinals. Alkins already has offers from a host of major Division I schools, including Cincinnati, Villanova, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Fordham, Hofstra, Minnesota and Miami, while also drawing interest from Kentucky and North Carolina.

Second Team

TRAVIS ATSON

Christ the King, Junior Wing

ADONIS DELAROSA

Christ the King, Senior Center

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/2013-14-all-nyc-boys-basketball-teams-1.1588579#sthash.4iIXCxAU.dpuf

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Walker wins MVP, DelaRosa and Alkins to All-Tournament team
3/23/14 - 09:15 AM

Andre Walker (3) was selected as the Tournament of Champions MVP

Andre Walker was rewarded for his outstanding effort in the state title game with the MVP award. Walker's 25 points led CK from a 13 points deficit to a thrilling 58-52 win over LuHi in the NYS Tournament of Champions "AA" Final. 

Rawle Alkins and Adonis DelaRosa were also honored for their stellar play with All-Tournament selections. 

Congratulations to Andre, Adonis, Rawle, and the entire Royals basketball program.

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Kings of New York; Royals Repeat as TOC "AA" State Champions
3/23/14 - 09:11 AM

CK celebrates its second "AA federation championship in as many years after their comeback victory over LuHi

ALBANY – Throughout the season, Rawle Alkins and Travis Atson showed why the future at Christ the King is so bright.

But in crunch time, it was the three seniors who stepped up the biggest to ensure the Royals won a second consecutive New York State Federation Class AA title.

Andre Walker, Bryler Paige and Adonis Delarosa each played pivotal roles to help lift Christ the King to a 58-52 victory over Long Island Lutheran at the Times Union Center Saturday night.

“I thought it was outstanding for them,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “Andre Walker saved his best for last and probably earned himself a couple of scholarship offers tonight.”

Walker scored 13 of his game-high 25 points in the third quarter, providing the spark Christ the King desperately needed after trailing by as many as 14 in the first half.

“It feels good,” said Walker, who earned tournament MVP honors. “I told you last game, you don’t want to go out with a loss. I can tell this five years from now, 10 years from now. I have a lot of buddies on [Long Island Lutheran] so I’m going to give them two weeks off and then I’m going to brag.”

Paige, the Royals unsung hero, had 10 points, going 7-of-8 from the foul line, including a pair of massive free throws with 11.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

“We have four scorers so I don’t have to score that much,” Paige said. “I just have to do the little things, get the loose balls, the rebounds. From there I was able to capitalize on the free throw line.”

With Alabama coach Anthony Grant watching courtside, Delarosa, the 6-foot-11 center, had six points and 13 rebounds. After struggling in the first half, he had a dunk putback with 1:58 left in the fourth to give the Royals a 55-50 lead.

“I think that dunk probably sealed the deal,” said Delarosa, who will announce his college decision in April.

Christ the King (25-6), ranked No. 3 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, survived a first half which saw them shoot 19 percent (4-of-21) from the field and have 10 turnovers to 0 assists.

“We didn’t play basketball for six quarters up here this weekend,” Arbitello said. “We played for two quarters and won a state championship. I guess we were pretty lucky.”

Led by Chris Atkinson, who had 16 points, three assists and two steals, and Devonte Green, who had 10 points, eight rebounds and four steals despite being hobbled with a sprained ankle suffered in a semifinal win over Green Tech, Long Island Lutheran (22-5), had a 24-11 advantage with 3:19 left in the second quarter.

But the Crusaders, ranked No. 5 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, suffered the same fate they did in the Federation final last March and in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in Binghamton when they squandered a 17-point lead in an overtime loss to the Royals in late December.

“It’s always tough to lose to anybody, but we’re having a difficult time against them,” LuHi coach John Buck said. “When we come back to workouts in November, hopefully we will be prepared and hopefully we will get the ‘W’ next time.”

After trailing through three quarters, Alkins (9 points, 10 rebounds) gave Christ the King its first lead at 49-48 with 4:31 left in the fourth. The Crusaders regained it moments later on a Elijah Bailey floater, but the Royals closed the game on a 9-2 run to send their three seniors out with another title.

“Being a two-time state champion just feels great,” Delarosa said. “Sometimes I used to use the games as an escape so I wont have to think about going to college next year. Now that’s over.”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/kings-of-new-york-royals-win-federation-title-1.1587490#sthash.K02Mx7vs.dpuf

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CK beats Cardozo, advances to TOC Finals game vs Long Island Lutheran
3/23/14 - 09:08 AM

Senior guard Bryler Paige (5) led CK in assists and steals vs Cardozo, and hit two crucial free throws to help CK advance to the TOC "AA" finals

ALBANY – Joe Arbitello is coining his own phrase.

Consider it the Christ the King coach’s take on the late Jim Valvano’s “survive and advance.”

“In March, you just win and survive,” Arbitello said. “A lot of teams did that yesterday [in the NCAA tournament].”

That’s just what Christ the King did Friday morning, surviving a fourth quarter scare to advance to the New York State Federation Class AA finals after beating Cardozo, 54-51 in overtime at the Times Union Center.

The defending Federation champions will face either Long Island Lutheran or Green Tech in Saturday night’s final.

“The one think I keep saying about this team they’re resilient,” Arbitello said. “We make the plays when it mattes down the stretch.”

For a while, though, the Royals (24-6), ranked No. 3 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, were on the ropes. Carl Balthazar scored all six of his points as part of a 12-0 run as Cardozo took its first lead and had a 48-43 advantage with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Judges were feeling good – too good.

“I think we got a little too excited and too over our heads,” forward Francisco Williams said. “Their defense was better today. I thought if we played the way we played in the first half we definitely could have come out with a win.”

Cardozo (30-3), ranked No. 10 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, was unable to provide the knockout punch and Rawle Alkins made them pay. The sophomore guard buried a tying 3-pointer from the top of the key with 50 seconds in the fourth quarter.

“That shot shifted everything,” Cardozo sophomore Ray Salnave said. “We were set up to not let him get a three and he came off a screen. Somebody should have hedged or the closest guy should have closed out.”

It was another big shot for a player who has plenty in his resume.

“I live for the clutch moments,” Alkins said.

Andre Walker had a chance to win the game at the buzzer, but missed a foul line jumper. The senior point guard wouldn’t be denied in overtime, though. His layup with 17 seconds left gave the Royals a 52-51 lead.

“I didn’t want to go home, not in my senior year,” Walker said. “No one wants to end their senior year on a loss. It’s the worst feeling.”

In a dual of sensational sophomores, Salnave (20 points) outscored Alkins by two. But both players downplayed any one-on-one battle.

“At the end of the day everyone has their own opinion,” Alkins said. “In my eyes I think I’m the best sophomore in New York.”

Adonis Delarosa had 13 points and Travis Atson added 10 points and nine rebounds for Christ the King, which will play in the Federation ‘AA’ final for the fourth time in five years.

Elijah McNeely had 12 points and Williams had 11 for the Judges, who opened eyes with an unexpected late March run.

“I’m not going to take this loss like I’ve taken losses over the year,” Cardozo coach Ron Naclerio said. “This would have been a tremendous cherry on top of the sundae, but nobody is going to take away the city championship, which is really want they want.”

What Christ the King wants is another state title.

“To go to back-to-back state [final] games is huge,” Arbitello said. “I’m happy for my guys and I’m happy for our program. I feel like it’s really grown.”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/royals-beat-cardozo-in-ot-to-reach-aa-final-1.1586902#sthash.Vgp998LG.dpuf

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Three Royals Earn All Brooklyn-Queens Awards
3/12/14 - 04:50 PM

The Tablet: http://thetablet.org/boys-h-s-basketball-all-stars-2014/

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

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

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Congratulations Travis Atson, Rawle Alkins, and Adonis DelaRosa; All-Tournament Awards
3/12/14 - 04:41 PM

Travis Atson, Rawle Alkins, and Adonis DelaRosa receive their awards after CK's city championship victory over Bishop Loughlin

Travis Atson earned CHSAA "AA" Tournament MVP for his 21 point, 10 rebound performance over Bishop Loughlin in the finals and Cardinal Hayes in the semi's.

Rawle Alkins (24 points, 4 rebs, 3 blocks) and Adonis DelaRosa (10 points, 15 rebs) earned All-Tournament Honors for their efforts in the semi's and finals. 

Congratulations to all three!

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Still royalty: Christ the King wins CHSAA crown
3/9/14 - 06:29 PM

CK celebrates its 4th city title in 5 years, and third over Bishop Loughlin

They are still the kings of New York City.

Christ the King captured a second straight CHSAA Class AA intersectional title, and fourth in five years, beating Bishop Loughlin, 72-61, at Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym Sunday afternoon.

“It feels just as good as it did with the first one,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “I thought the first one in 2010 we were the underdogs because we were missing Corey Edwards and I felt like we were the underdogs today.”

The Royals were considered underdogs because Bishop Loughlin won two of the three meetings between the rivals this year, including a 90-71 victory in the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan final two weeks ago.

But Christ the King (23-6), ranked No. 4 in New York City and No. 12 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, avenged that loss Sunday and did it by closing a tight, intense game out strong.

The Royals outscored Bishop Loughlin (23-6), ranked No. 2 in New York City and No. 5 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, 17-3 down the stretch.

A layup by Rutgers-bound Mike Williams with 4:29 left in the fourth quarter was the Lions last field goal.

“We mixed it up, went man, zone, man, zone,” said Arbitello, who gave a lot of the credit to assistant coaches Artie Cox and Greg Lemko. “I thought they got a little confused, took a few ill-advised shots and we were able to rebound the basketball and get some scores on the other end.”

The biggest score came from Rawle Akins, who knocked down a dagger from 3-point range in transition to put the Royals in front, 64-60, with 2:32 remaining in the fourth quarter. It came after Seton Hall-commit Khadeen Carrington missed a 3-pointer that would have put the Lions in front.

“There’s nothing to really say about it. It was just a regular three, but it happened at a clutch time,” Alkins said. “I hit threes like that all the time. I live for clutch moments.”

Alkins, who guaranteed a victory following Thursday night’s semifinal win over Cardinal Hayes, backed up his bravado. The 6-foot-4 sophomore swingman scored a game-high 24 points, grabbed four rebounds, had three blocks and two assists, while guarding Carrington on the other end.

“He does everything. He rebounds, we needed him to score today and he scored,” Arbitello said. “That’s what makes him a great player, not just a good player. He does whatever he takes to win.”

The same is true of Travis Atson, who was named tournament MVP. The athletic 6-foot-4 junior forward had 21 points, including 11-of-11 from the foul line, grabbed 10 rebounds and limited Bishop Loughlin senior guard Javian Delacruz to eight points.

“That’s just amazing,” Atson said of being named MVP. “It’s just an add-on to winning the championship.”

Point guard Andre Walker had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists and center Adonis Delarosa had 10 points and 14 rebounds for the Royals, who also beat Bishop Loughlin in last year’s final.

The rivals have played eight times over the last two years with Christ the King winning six times.

“Those games are what people remember for the rest of their lives,” Delarosa said. “I’m going to college next year, but I know for the rest of my life I’m going to talk about Christ the King-Loughlin games.”

Carrington had 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting and Williams added 17 points and four assists, but shot 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. The Lions shot a combined 3-of-21 from 3-point range.

“The shots we usually hit, we just didn’t hit today,” Carrington said. “I think we shot terrible from the threes. That’s our bread and butter. That’s the game right there.”

Christ the King, which captured the state Federation Class AA title last year, will take on Cardozo in the Federation ‘AA’ semis March 21 at the Times Union Center.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Alkins said. “I don’t know what to say. I just felt so good about this game.”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/still-royalty-christ-the-king-wins-chsaa-crown-1.1584749#sthash.DNe4Z8PH.dpuf

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CK will play Bishop Loughlin with the CHSAA "AA" Championship on the line today at Rose Hill
3/9/14 - 06:11 AM

Adonis Delarosa (1) helped put CK in the title game with his clutch shot and free throw in the semi-finals against Cardinal Hayes

In the last 10 years, the Royals have been to the CHSAA "AA" title game 8 times, including this season's title match-up against rival Bishop Loughlin.

In the previous 7 title appearences for CK, they have amassed a record of 4-3, with losses in 06' (Rice), 08' (Holy Cross), and 09' (Rice). The Royals 4 wins came in 07' (St. Raymond's), 10' (Bishop Loughlin), 11' (Rice), and 13' (Bishop Loughlin). This will be the third time in the last five seasons that CK will take on Loughlin for the championship. 

If you can't get out to see the game in person, MSG Varsity will have special live coverage of the game. The details are below:

Christ the King takes on Bishop Loughlin in the 87th edition of the CHSAA Class AA intersectional final at Rose Hill Gym Sunday at 3 p.m. live on MSGVarsity.com.

The game is a rematch of last year’s final, won by the Royals, 78-63.

Christ the King (22-6), ranked No. 4 in New York City and No. 12 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, is vying for its second straight CHSAA Class AA title and fourth championship in five years.

The Royals avenged a regular season loss to beat Cardinal Hayes, 49-47, in the semifinals Thursday night at Fordham. Adonis Delarosa, a 6-foot-11, 275-pound senior forward, had 12 points and nine rebounds and converted a huge three-point play with 14.3 seconds left to put Christ the King in front. Sophomore Rawle Alkins led the Royals with 18 points.

Bishop Loughlin (23-5), ranked No. 2 in New York City and No. 5 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, is making its third trip to the final in five years and is seeking its first city title since 1992 when Sherwin Anderson guided the Lions to a 63-44 win over Felipe Lopez and Rice High.

Loughlin booked its ticket into Sunday’s final by beating St. Peter’s, 89-77, in the semifinals at Fordham Thursday night. Rutgers-bound guard Mike Williams scored a game-high 30 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, Seton Hall-commit Khadeen Carrington, the school’s all-time leading scorer, added 22 points, Javian Delacruz had 16 points and Issak Bodon added 11.

This is the fourth meeting this season between Christ the King and Bishop Loughlin with the Lions taking two out of three games, including a 90-71 win in the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan final. Carrington netted a career-high 42 points in that victory.

Will Christ the King repeat as CHSAA champions or will Bishop Loughlin celebrate at Rose Hill Gym for the first time in 23 years? Find out live on MSGVarsity.com Sunday at 3 p.m.

A fully edited broadcast of the game will be available on demand on Optimum interactive Channel 614 between 48-72 hours later. Also, in a special one-time presentation, the game will also be re-aired in high-definition on Optimum TV Channel 414 on Tuesday, March 11, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with an encore presentation from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Viewers are also invited to watch a special edition of "Quick Hits - New York City," with high school sports guru Mike Quick breaking down the CHSAA finals, as well as Sunday's PSAL boys basketball championship action. The show will air from 8:30 p.m.-9 p.m. and again from 10:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Ch. 414.

We hope you'll enjoy this special coverage of one of the biggest tri-state area boys basketball events of the year.

GAME AT A GLANCE

Game day: Sunday, March 9
Game time: 3 p.m.
Location: Fordham University
Where to watch: MSGVarsity.com
Play-by-play: Jimmy Cavallo
Twitter:
Live updates: @Dylan_Butler
Highlights: @MSGVarsity_NOC

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/primer-christ-the-king-vs-bishop-loughlin-chsaa-class-aa-intersectional-final-1.1583815#sthash.GCwt4d6c.dpuf

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CK beats Hayes in semi's for second straight season
3/8/14 - 05:25 AM

It was not much of a secret to anyone at Rose Hill Gym that Christ the King center Adonis Delarosa was getting the ball late in the fourth quarter. 

With Christ the King down 47-45 with less than 30 seconds left, the 6-foot-11, 275-pound senior was the main option that Cardinal Hayes had to stop. With the St. John’s coaching staff, including head coach Steve Lavin watching from the crowd, the Delarosa wanted the ball and got his wish. 

Delarosa spinned inside the paint to hit the tying basket and also drew the foul against Hayes center Akintoye Ojo. The Royals senior completed the game-winning 3-point play with 14.3 seconds remaining to lift Christ the King to a 48-47 victory over Cardinal Hayes in the CHSAA Class AA Intersectional semifinal Thursday night. 

“I knew if I came down, I had to impose my will so I said to give me the ball next play,” Delarosa said. “I came down faced up, give him one jab, spin move up and under to the bucket.”

Delarosa finished with 12 points and 9 rebounds to lead the defending CHSAA and State Federation champions Christ the King (21-6 into Sunday’s final at Fordham University. Junior guard Rawle Alkins led all scorers with 18 points as the Royals face a familiar divisional foe in Bishop Loughlin, who recorded an 89-77 win in the other semifinal matchup against St. Peter’s.

“He’s [Delarosa] the MVP. He’s the guy,” said Royals coach Joe Aribtello of his senior center. “I keep trying to say the media do up Travis and do up Rawle. That’s next year. We go as far as Andre Walker and Adonis Delarosa takes us.”

Christ the King defeated Cardinal Hayes for the second straight year in the semifinals.  But the Royals, ranked No. 4 in New York City and No. 12 in the Tri-State season, was in danger of their season coming to an end.  

When St. Joseph’s bound point guard Shavar Newkirk hit a three-point play with 55.9 seconds left in regulation to give Cardinal Hayes a 47-44 lead, the momentum looked to be swinging in favor of the Bronx school. 

Delarosa would hit one of two free throws to cut the deficit to 47-45 and would then become involved in another game defining play. Hayes center Nathan Ekwu was for an offensive foul, as the referees believed Delarosa was pushed to the floor. 

“It was like watching a scary movie. I hate when referees really have a strong say in the outcome. To think our kid gave an arm bar to knock down a 250-pound kid is unrealistic to say the least.” Cardinals coach Joe Lods said. “I’m a big believer in letting the kids play it out at the end of the game.”

That call would give the Royals the final possession with 32.6 seconds left. While the Cardinals were incensed with the call, Delarosa admitted his fall to the floor was a bit Oscar worthy. 

“He [Ekwu] extended his arm and connected with my face,” Delarosa said. “I did a little acting job there but I had to do what I had to do the get the ‘W’. “

Defending CHSAA champions Christ the King (22-6), ranked No. 4 in New York City and No. 12 in the Tri-State, struggled to find points against a Cardinals team that had beaten them in the regular season. The Royals missed 10 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter and the narrow margin of the victory could have easily turned into an excruciating loss. 

“How many did we miss? We was terrible. We was horrendous. We was horrendous in the first half from the free throw line,” Arbitello said. “ I thought we was going to lose from the free throw line.  I had the speech all ready.”

Cardinal Hayes (26-2), ranked No. 3 in New York City and No. 8 in the Tri-State, had one final chance to win the game. Jamal Smith received a pass from Chris Robinson but the Cardinal senior missed his three-point attempt from the corner. Travis Atson hit one of two free throws with 1.7 seconds left and a full court shot from Clive Allen fell short. 

Newkirk had 13 points and was only the player on the Cardinals to record in double figures. The senior thought his basket to give the Cardinals a three-point lead would be the one to send his team to their first AA championship. 

“I tasted the championship after I got the play. All we had to do was a get a stops if we could and rebound, make free throws and the game is over,” Newkirk said. “That play changes the whole game and momentum and he [Delarosa] makes the And-1.” 

Christ the King has won once and lost twice to Bishop Loughlin this season, including the Brooklyn/Queens diocesan championship where Khadeen Carrington scored a career high 42 points. Alkins says the Royals are looking to be the last team standing on Sunday. 

“They think they're the almighty team, we're the best in team in New York,” Alkins said. “We're the best team in New York State. We just proved it right now and Sunday...this is a guarantee from me, we'll win the game Sunday."

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/royal-revenge-ck-beats-hayes-in-chsaa-semis-1.1583087#sthash.onhZgGIA.dpuf

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Former Royal Maurice Barrow Named MAAC 6th Man of the Year for the Second Straight Year
3/8/14 - 05:24 AM

Barrow (15) is 15th on Fairfield's all-time scoring list, and is 2nd in career games played at 137

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Forward Maurice Barrow (Queens, N.Y.) was named the 2014 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men's Basketball 6^th Man of the Year, the second straight year that the senior has captured the award. The award was presented at the MAAC's annual awards presentation at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Friday evening.

"It is an honor to be named the MAAC Sixth Player of the Year," Barrow said. "Whether I started or came off the bench, I always looked to provide a spark and to help the team in any way I could. I am grateful to the conference coaches for recognizing me with this award for the second time."

Barrow completed his senior season by averaging a team-best 14 points per game, and was the team's leading or co-leading scorer in six of the last eight games. During the season, he was the top scorer in 17 games, highlighted by his career-high 26-point performance against Iona in December. He completed the double-double that night with 10 rebounds.

The forward finished his career with 1,309 points which places 15^th all-time in school history, and added 709 rebounds throughout his career. He just missed the school record for career games as his 137 appearances was one shy of the mark.

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Royal Alum Malik Harmon wins NEC Rookie of the Year
3/5/14 - 05:55 PM

Malik Harmon, who led CK to last years state federation championship, earned the NEC Rookie of the Year for his outstanding play at PG for the Red Flash

SOMERSET, N.J. (March 4, 2014) – Saint Francis U freshman guard Malik Harmon (Queens, N.Y./Christ the King) has been named the 2013-14 Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Rookie squad, while junior forward Earl Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) headlines the NEC's Second Team, it was announced Tuesday.

Harmon joins Darshan Luckey (2002-03) as only the second Saint Francis U player to win NEC Rookie of the Year plaudits.  Brown's nod ends a three-year drought for the Frankies on the NEC's first and second teams.

In Harmon, the Red Flash may have found the centerpiece of the team for the next three years.  A poised and polished freshman point guard, Harmon helped spark a turnaround year in Loretto.  He leads all NEC freshmen with 9.1 ppg, 3.2 apg and 1.77 assist/turnover ratio, and ranks in the NEC top-10 in both assists and assist/turnover ratio.  Harmon, who played at fabled Christ the King High School, was a two-time Choice Hotels/NEC Player of the Week.

"Malik had a very productive freshman year," said second-year SFU coach Rob Krimmel.  "He did a tremendous job handling the pressures of being the starting point guard in a league where there are always great guards. He has such a good feel for the game and has the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways."

Brown was tabbed the NEC's Most Improved Player in 2012-13, but his upward trajectory didn't slow much this season.  The junior forward picked up right where he left off for the Red Flash, pulling down rebounds to the tune of 8.1 per game, the third-best mark on the circuit heading into postseason play.  Brown also lifted his scoring average from 10.1 ppg to 14.5 ppg, good for eighth in the NEC.  His nine double-doubles tie him for second in the league and he is the third most accurate shooter, converting 53.8 percent of his attempts.

"Earl has established himself as one of the best players in the NEC," said Krimmel.  "He had a very productive off-season and put himself in a position to have a great year.  As much growth as he has made on the court, he has made just as much progress as a leader of this team. Earl is never satisfied with where he is as a player and always wants to get better.  He is very deserving of the honor."

The Red Flash will make its first NEC Tournament appearance since the 2010-11 season Wednesday when it visits #3 Bryant for a 7 p.m. contest.

Read the full press release here: http://www.sfuathletics.com/news/2014/3/4/MBB_0304141921.aspx

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CK beats St. Ray's, Advances to the semi's
3/3/14 - 05:12 PM

Rawle Alkins (20) tries to block a shot in CK's quarter-final win over St. Raymonds

Joe Arbitello has coached dominant scorers like Omar Calhoun and Jon Severe, guys that can take over a game at a moment’s notice. But the sixth-year varsity coach says this year’s Christ the King squad is the most complete team he’s ever had.

Arbitello feels any one of his top four players can go off for 30 points, but the Royals didn’t need that Sunday against St. Raymond, as each had stretches of offensive proficiency at different junctures of a 77-53 win over the Ravens in the CHSAA ‘AA’ intersectional quarterfinals at Fordham University’s Rose Hill Gym.

“Coach always says ‘You’ve got to pick your poison,’” said junior forward Travis Atson, whose time came in the second half, when he scored 16 of his game-high 19 points.

Senior point guard Andre Walker paced the Royals (21-6) with 10 first-half points. Early in the third quarter, after St. Raymond cut the lead to five, it was senior big man Adonis Delarosa’s turn. He went on a 7-0 run by himself to build the lead back to 12. From then on it was mostly Atson and sophomore Rawle Alkins, who finished with 13 points.

“I thought we did everything we had to do,” Arbitello said. “I thought St. Raymond was a really good team. I thought if there was one team any of the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds didn’t want to face it was them.”

After scoring the opening bucket of the third, the Ravens (16-12) didn’t score again until there was 2:47 left in the quarter. The 6-11 Delarosa made things uncomfortable for Ravens’ 6-foot-8 junior Luis Santos, who had 13 points. The two have played together for the U-17 and U-18 Dominican national teams.

“I think Adonis had the best scouting report on Luis than any coach in New York City,” St. Ray’s coach Jorge Lopez said.

Senior Tory Ferguson led St. Ray’s with 15 points.

Christ the King will play Cardinal Hayes in Thursday’s semifinals after Hayes defeated Holy Cross in Sunday’s opening game. It’s a rematch of last year’s semis, when the Royals, the defending city and state Federation champions, won by six. Hayes won the regular season game in December by 21 points when the Royals were without Walker.

“If they think they’re gonna blow us out again,” Atson said, “it’s not gonna happen.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high-school/royals-roll-ravens-article-1.1708406#ixzz2ux5BZG00

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Updated Playoff Schedule
2/20/14 - 04:05 PM

Junior forward Travis Atson (15), a CHSAA

Christ the King Mens Basketball program has begun its postseason play, in hopes of winning city championships on all levels. Listed below are the updated playoff schedules for the freshmen, JV, and varsity teams.

Mens Varsity

Intersectional "AA" Quarter-Finals

Sunday, March 2nd

Christ the King vs. St. Raymond's

Time 2:45 PM, @ Fordham University 

Mens JV

Intersectional "AA" Championship

Saturday, March 1st

BQ#1 Christ the King vs. NY#1 Cardinal Hayes

7:30pm, @ Archbishop Molloy HS

Mens Freshmen

Intersectional "AA" Championship

Saturday, March 1st

BQ #1 Christ the King vs. NY #1 St. Raymond's

5:30pm, @ Archbishop Molloy HS

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Christ the King beats Molloy, 87-66, in semifinals of CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens boys basketball tournament
2/20/14 - 06:08 AM

Royals center Adonis DelaRosa (1) leads CK into the BQ finals with his 31 point, 13 rebound effort vs Archbishop Molloy

When Christ the King center Adonis Delarosa served the second of a two-game suspension for a flagrant foul on Bishop Loughlin’s Mike Williams on Jan. 31, Archbishop Molloy took advantage, handing the Royals just their third league loss on Feb. 7.

The No. 3 Stanners weren’t as lucky Wednesday night in the semifinals of the CHSAA ‘AA’ Brooklyn-Queens semifinals, as the 6-11 Delarosa dominated on both ends of the floor in an 87-66 win for No. 2 Christ the King at St. Francis Prep to advance to Friday’s championship game against No. 1 Bishop Loughlin.

Molloy (18-6) tried its best to contain the big man early, and it did hold him to zero points in the first quarter, but the Royals still built an 11-point lead behind the scoring of senior Andre Walker, junior Travis Atson and sophomore Rawle Alkins. With more attention paid to that trio, Delarosa took over, finishing with a game-high 31 points and 13 rebounds.

“Even though (Molloy) beat us last time due to my stupidity, I was suspended and they won, and they thought they were gonna come in and beat us and I wasn’t having it,” Delarosa said.

Delarosa has always possessed a wealth of talent and been one of the top big men in the CHSAA, but having slimmed down and gained experience over the last couple of seasons, his versatility has improved. He even showed off a smooth touch on a couple of outside jumpers Wednesday. 

“He allows our guys to score, and then he takes over in the third and fourth quarter because you kind of have to pick your poison with us,” Royals coach Joe Arbitello said. “So he just makes everybody around him better. When he’s playing at a high level like that, there’s no answer for him in the league. Zero.”

“I don’t think from the opening tipoff until the final buzzer we had a way to stop him,” Molloy coach Mike McCleary said of Delarosa. “He’s a tough matchup for us, a tough matchup for anybody in the league. We don’t have anyone close to that. I think that’s why they went to him. That’s what they’re supposed to do, they did it, and they did a good job of it.”

The Royals (20-5) as a whole couldn’t be stopped offensively. Atson finished with 24 points, Walker had 13 and Alkins had 12. But everything seemed to be working off of Delarosa’s presence. 

“He’s playing like a senior at Christ the King should play,” Arbitello said. “Omar Calhoun, Jon Severe, Sean Johnson, guys that are supposed to take the next step in getting us to the city championship.”

Delarosa’s confidence is brimming on the court and it’s helping him gain traction in his recruitment. He said Rutgers head coach Eddie Jordan offered him a scholarship Tuesday, and he says Rutgers is going after him hard now. St. John’s, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Alabama and Wichita State are other schools linked to Delarosa, who’s looking forward to the Royals’ third meeting with Loughlin Friday after the teams split the regular season meetings.

“We’re gonna play them the same way we played them at Christ the King,” Delarosa said, referencing a 67-49 win on Feb. 9. “We’re trying to win the Brooklyn-Queens championship, and I don’t think even Loughlin can stop us at this point. We’re just on a roll.”

CROSSED UP: Loughlin cruised to the final with a 93-63 win over No. 5 Holy Cross in the second semifinal. The Lions (20-5) opened up a 28-point lead at halftime.

Seton Hall-bound senior Khadeen Carrington, who recently was named league MVP, poured in 26 points and Rutgers signee senior Mike Williams added 22 points. 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high-school/christ-king-meet-loughlin-b-q-title-game-article-1.1620535#ixzz2ts3kGznN

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Four Royals make all-league team
2/18/14 - 05:45 AM

Rawle Alkins (20) was selected to the CHSAA "AA" All-League 1st Team

The CHSAA "AA" League has released it annual all-league team. Christ the King was well represented, with four players making the list of 18.

Travis Atson (Jr. forward) and Rawle Alkins (So. forward) were selected to the CHSAA "AA" 1st team.

Adonis DelaRosa (Sr. center) was selected to the CHSAA "AA" 2nd team.

Andre Walker (Sr. guard) was selected to the CHSAA "AA" 3rd team.

Congratulations to the Royals for representing CK.

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Delarosa returns to power victorious Christ the King
2/10/14 - 06:07 AM

Adonis Delarosa (1) returned to the line-up and helped CK defeat rival Bishop Loughlin with his 23 point, 13 rebound effort

It was the toughest feeling in the world for Christ the King’s 6-11 center Adonis Delarosa to be sitting in the stands wearing street clothes Friday night. 

Delarosa was serving the last of a two-game suspension Friday for committing a flagrant foul midway through the third quarter against Mike Williams of Bishop Loughlin on January 31. The 270-pound senior felt helpless with visiting Molloy recording a big overtime victory over his Royals. 

“It was a horrible feeling. I never wanted to see that happen again,” Delarosa said. “We took a loss to Molloy and I knew if I was on the court, I would have made a difference.”

Delarosa grabbed his opportunity in an important contest against Bishop Loughlin Sunday to give evidence why he is the most fearful post player in the CHSAA. The Royals center scored a game high 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help Christ the King gain a 67-49 victory in Middle Village. 

Delarosa was a defensive presence either altering or blocking shots, and scored 14 important points in the fourth quarter for the Royals (18-5), ranked No. 6 in the Tri-State and No. 3 in New York City by MSG Varsity. 

“He was incredible. He picked where he needed to go and gave us a lot of energy offensively and defensively,” Royals coach Joe Arbitello said. “It was the moment. It’s the most aggressive I have seen him play.”

Travis Atson added 17 points and Rawle Alkins (16 points) made big contributions as Christ the King went on a game changing 16-2 run down the stretch in the fourth quarter.

South Carolina coach Frank Martin and Rutgers coach Eddie Jordan was sitting in the stands to watch Delarosa force Bishop Loughlin to change their defensive focus, and the Royals offense greatly benefited.

“He finally realized that nobody in the league can guard him. He finally did what he was supposed to do every game,” Atson said. “He can do that against anybody in the whole league.”

The second matchup of the season between the rivals Sunday had none of the tense atmosphere that permeated on January 31 when Bishop Loughlin earned a two-point win.  

But the Royals were energetic from the start. The athletic 6-foot 5 Atson got his team off to a fast start with 11 first quarter points and gave a lead for the home team for the first half. 

Delarosa had been a presence only on the defensive end in the first half when he finished with just 3 points. The Royals needed more from their star center in the second half when the Lions chipped away at a double-digit deficit to just one point in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. 

“Beginning of the first half, I wasn’t getting off too good,” Delarosa said. “Coming out at halftime, we just ran our stuff and I got easy open shots.”

Bishop Loughlin 6-foot-8 center AJ Vernon picked up his fourth foul with 5:17 left, and that’s when Delarosa poured in points via layups or from the free-throw line. Royals point guard Andre Walker either found Delarosa or the rest of his teammates time and time again in the fourth quarter. 

Bishop Loughlin struggled mightily from the field with their two high scoring Division I bound stars Khadeen Carrington (Seton Hall) and Williams (Rutgers) eventually combining to score just 11 points in the game.

Javian Delacruz (11 points) was the only player to get to double-digits  for the Lions (18-5), who are ranked No. 3 in New York City and No. 4 in the Tri-State.

“When you have three leading scorers combine for 20 points, when we shoot 6 for 15 form the free throw line its very tough,” said Lions coach Ed Gonzalez said. “We made some shots, made a run then we let up. We was rushing shots.”

The Royals, who finished 14-3 in the league, can either earn the CHSAA AA Brooklyn/Queens division title outright or tie with Bishop Loughlin, who on Tuesday travel to Holy Cross in the final regular season contest. A Lions win improved them to 14-3 and a coin flip will decide who gets the first and second seed in the upcoming diocesan playoffs. 

If Delarosa can be the post presence, and Walker direct the offense at point guard, then the young Royals will have a greater chance to defend the CHSAA title. 

“You have to have your seniors step up and have a big game. I thought Adonis and Andre both did that. That’s what gave us the motor to win,” Arbitello said. “In order for us to win big games, we’re going to have our seniors step up like we did today.”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/delarosa-returns-to-power-victorious-christ-the-king-1.1569216#sthash.ahmKSZrg.dpuf

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CK Alums battle; Fordham, St Rose get wins
1/23/14 - 03:18 PM

CK Alum Mike Thompson has had a stellar career at St. Michael's College. He is currently averaging 10 points and 7 rebounds per game for the 11-5 Purple Knights

Five former Royals were in action on the college hardwood over the past week, playing against eachother in league play.

College of St. Rose traveled to St. Michael's College for a critical league contest. Dominykas Milka (10'), Kareem Thomas (10'), and Isaiah Cosbert (13') all played for St. Rose against former teammate Mike Thompson (11') of St. Michael's. 

St. Rose won the game by a score of 94-92. Mike Thompson had a great game for St. Michael's, scoring 14 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 3 assists in the losing effort. Milka led St. Rose with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Kareem Thomas scored 14 points and Isaiah Cosbert tallied 6. To read more about the game, click on the link below:

http://www.smcathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2013-14/releases/20140122nfixz9

http://www.gogoldenknights.com/news/2014/1/22/MBB_0122140524.aspx

In the Atlantic-10, former teammates Jon Severe (13') of Fordham, squared off against Corey Edwards (11') of George Mason.

Severe's Fordham Rams were victorious over GMU by a score of 76-70. Jon Severe scored 20 points for Fordham, while Corey Edwards score 5 points to go along with 3 assists for the Patriots of George Mason. To read more about the game, click on the link below:

http://www.fordhamsports.com/news/2014/1/22/MBB_0122144000.aspx

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Games vs Iona Prep have been scheduled
1/21/14 - 06:23 PM

Due to the inclement weather, todays mens triple-header against Iona Prep had to be rescheduled.

The games will take place on Saturday, January 25th, at Christ the King. The schedule is as follows:

Boys Freshmen vs. Iona Prep, 12:00pm

Girls JV vs. St. John Vianney, 1:30pm

Girls Varsity vs. St. John Vianney, 3:00pm

Boys JV vs. Iona Prep, 4:30pm

Boys Varsity vs. Iona Prep, 6:00pm

Go Royals!

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CK Advances to Semi's; Will Play #1 Montverde at Bass Pro
1/17/14 - 04:45 PM

Adonis DelaRosa (1) led the Royals in scoring in their opening round victory in the 2014 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions

The Varsity Royals were victorious in there opening round game of the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Missouri. They beat local power Kickapoo by a score of 49-46. 

The Royals trailed by as many as 10 points, and came back to win the game behind the stellar play of Adonis DelaRosa. DelaRosa finished with 17 points and 4 rebounds.

The Royals will now take on the unanimous #1 team in the country, Montverde Academy (Fla.) in the semi-finals. The game will be played at 10:30 local time.

CBS Sports Network will be broadcasting the game live. Verizon customers can find the game on channel 94, while Time Warner Cable customers will be able to see the game on channel 457 or 467. 

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Follow Varsity Royals in Missouri
1/16/14 - 05:02 PM

The Men's Varsity Royals are currently in Missouri participating in the 2014 Bass Pro Shop Tournament of Champions. 

You can follow the team tonight with live stats by clicking on the link below:

http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=41376

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DelaRosa comes up big for CK in win over Queens rival Molloy
1/11/14 - 12:52 PM

Senior Center Adonis DelaRosa (1), scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead CK to victory at a packed Jack Curran Gymnasium

There were Division I guards and athletic wings on both teams. But on Friday night, it was evident there was one big thing that separated Christ the King from host Archbishop Molloy.

His name is Adonis Delarosa.

The 6-foot-10, 270-pound dominated in the paint and helped lead the Royals to an 83-76 victory over the Stanners in a CHSAA Class AA content at a packed Jack Curran Gymnasium.

“I knew I was the biggest guy on the floor,” Delarosa said. “I said this is my bread and butter. This is where I’m going to take my advantage and I imposed my will tonight. I figured if I go right under the basket, these guys couldn’t stop me.”

Delarosa scored 12 of his team-high 18 points in the third quarter, turning a 13-point halftime lead into a 64-39 bulge in the third quarter for Christ the King (9-1), ranked No. 3 in New York City and No. 4 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity.

“I think he did everything great for us,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “Forget the offensive stats, he set screens and took charges and if he continues to play that way we’re going to be very good.”

Delarosa, who also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists, came to Briarwood highly motivated after a loss here last year.

“I came in here with that on my back and said listen I’m not leaving this building without a win,” Delarosa said. “As soon as I saw Molloy on the schedule, I said they’re done.”

Delarosa, who has lost about 100 pounds since his freshman year, played within himself and scored almost all of his points on putbacks in the paint.

“Nobody in the CHSAA I feel can guard me at this point,” Delarosa said. “Anybody that has to match up with us is going to have a problem.”

Sophomore Rawle Alkins added 16 points and six rebounds despite sitting almost the entire second half with an apparent hip injury. He quieted the raucous partisan crowd with a ferocious one-handed dunk that helped spark a 9-0 run that gave the Royals a 20-14 lead after the frenetic first quarter.

With Alkins and Delarosa, who fouled out early in the fourth quarter, on the bench, Archbishop Molloy (8-2), ranked No. 9 in New York City, made a late push.

Columbia-bound point guard C.J. Davis scored all 17 of his points after halftime, Gabe Kilpatrick netted 16 points and Jayson Cethoute had a team-high 19 points for the Stanners, who pulled within 77-69 with 51 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

But the Royals went 6-for-6 from the foul line in the final 47 seconds to seal a big road win.

“I want to say it’s the best win of the season so far,” Arbitello said. “We came out with great energy, we defended, we were very unselfish. We played most of the second half without Rawle and Adonis fouled out so some of my younger sophomores had to step up.”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/delarosa-comes-up-big-for-christ-the-king-at-molloy-1.1556263#sthash.5JBMA9sR.dpuf

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MSG Holiday hoops roundup: CK wins STOP-DWI in Bingampton
1/3/14 - 09:53 AM

Travis Atson earns MVP Honors; helping lead CK to a championship win in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic

Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello had one opinion about his team en route to Binghamton.

He had a completely different one when the Royals returned to Middle Village with a fourth STOP-DWI Holiday Classic title, beating Long Island Lutheran, 56-53, at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena Monday night.

It was a rematch of last year’s New York State Federation Class AA final, also won by the Royals.

“From how we left New York City after the loss to Cardinal Hayes, I thought we were in trouble,” Arbitello said. “As the tournament went on, we just kept playing harder and harder. That was the big difference. It really helped us grow.”

The Royals (6-1), ranked No. 3 in New York City by MSG Varsity, trailed by as many as 16 in the first half as LuHI went on a 19-5 run midway through the first quarter with Chris Atkinson and Robyn Missa combining for 10 points.

An Elijah Bailey jumper gave the Crusaders a 29-13 advantage, but the Royals went on a 14-4 run to close out the first half and send Christ the King into the locker room with a six-point deficit.

Led by Devonte Green (15 points, 7 rebounds) and Marvin Prochet (11 points, 13 rebounds), LuHI led 45-40 after three quarters and had a six-point edge with 2:48 left.

But highly-touted sophomore Rawle Alkins (16 points, 13 rebounds) buried a 3-pointer and Tyrone Cohen knocked down a pair of free throws to pull the Royals within one with a little more than two minutes remaining.

Following a defensive stop, Adonis Delarosa (10 points, 11 rebounds) scored on a jump hook with 1:24 remaining to put Christ the King in front, 52-51.

After Atkinson missed the front end of a one-and-one bonus, Alkins scored inside and then knocked down two free throws to seal the title.

Christ the King opened the tournament by beating St. Michael’s (Toronto), 70-69. Travis Atson, who was named tournament MVP, scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed 14 boards, Alkins added 15 points and Delarosa had 10 points and nine boards in the win.

The Royals defeated Philadelphia Math, Civics and Sciences, 65-63 in overtime in the semifinals with Alkins scoring a team-high 20 points, Atson scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 boards and Delarosa chipping in 15 points and eight rebounds.

Christ the King was just one of several New York City teams to compete in national tournaments around the country.

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/holiday-hoops-roundup-ck-wins-stop-dwi-classic-1.1554271#sthash.Ff8WTueF.dpuf

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Travis Atson Named MVP
12/31/13 - 07:37 AM

Travis Atson earns MVP Honors; helping lead CK to a championship win in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic

Congratulations to Travis Atson, MVP of the Mirabito STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in Bingampton.

Rawle Alkins and Adonis DelaRosa earned All-Tournament for their efforts in helping CK win the championship.

This was CK's 4th DWI Championship, a tournament record. They beat Long Island Lutheran High School by a score of 56-53. CK's previous victory over LuHi came in last seasons state federation title game, in which CK won by a score of 73-64.

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CK Wins Its 4th STOP DWI Championship
12/31/13 - 07:34 AM

The Royals and their cheerleaders celebrate their championship victory in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic

BINGHAMTON — Another game, another comeback for Christ The King. And this time, it secured the program’s fourth Mirabito STOP-DWI Holiday Classic championship.

From a 16-point second-quarter deficit, Christ The King climbed back to claim a 56-53 victory over Long Island Lutheran on Monday night at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Six-foot-10 senior Adonis Delarosa finessed home a jump-hook with 90 seconds remaining to give the Royals a 52-51 advantage — the team’s second lead since 10-7 — and a strong post move by sophomore guard Rawle Alkins made it 54-51 with 20 seconds left.

After Lutheran’s Elijah Bailey failed to convert a 3-point attempt from the wing with 10 seconds to play, Alkins tacked on a pair of free throws to put this one out of the Crusaders’ reach.

Six-foot-4 junior Travis Atson was named Most Valuable Player on the heels of a game-high 17-point outing that included 3-for-5 3-point shooting, and Alkins closed with 16 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore Devonte Green topped Lutheran scorers with 15 points, though his 5-for-13 shooting was part of a team-wide 35-percent night or the Crusaders.

Christ The King also captured STOP-DWI Holiday Classic championships in 1995, 1999 and 2009.

“I absolutely love the fight of my guys,” coach Joe Arbitello said of his squad, which emerged from tenuous jams in all three games.

The teams jostled for the upper hand early on before Lutheran took over the game for one stretch of the first half, turning a three-point deficit into a 29-13 lead in a span of 5½ minutes.

Chris Atkinson began that surge by spotting up and flushing a 3-point goal from the left wing to create a 10-10 tie. Robyn Missa followed with a tip-in, Marvin Prochet with a 15-foot jump shot off the dribble and Green with a 3-pointer to make it 17-10.

The Crusaders’ remaining goals of the opening quarter came on a steal-and-go by Missa, a mid-range jump shot by Atkinson and a short offering by Bailey after he worked his way into the lane.

Prochet opened the second quarter by banging home a 3-pointer and Green’s strike from the right wing to make it 27-12 prompted a timeout by Christ The King.

Back charged the Royals, with nine consecutive points before Atkinson answered to make it 31-22 with 1:29 to play in the half.

Christ The King was within 31-27 when Atson hit a 3-pointer after a Lutheran turnover, and it was 33-27 at halftime.

Lutheran’s lead grew to 36-27 before Christ The King strung three consecutive field goals — a transition finish and a 3-pointer by Atson, and a gravity-defying baseline drive for two by Tyrone Cohen that had the Royals within 36-34 three minutes into the third quarter.

A softly lofted shot in the lane by Delarosa with 1:51 left in the quarter gave Christ The King its first lead since the first quarter, 40-39.

Lutheran came back with the final six points of the quarter, capped by Green’s 3-pointer from the top after accepting an alert exit feed from Prochet along the baseline, and the Crusaders brought a 45-40 lead into the fourth.

Lutheran led by 51-45 after two free throws by Chris Burkley with 3:49 to play before Christ The King’s closing charge was ignited by a 3-pointer from Alkins.

“I think (Lutheran coach John Buck) had an unbelievable game plan realizing our point guard wasn’t there, just making everything so difficult and taking the next pass away,” Arbitello said, referring to starter Andre Walker, who did not play in the tournament.

“My young guys got a little rattled and tried to do everything on their own instead of trusting their teammates.

“But then we calmed down, got the game going up and down a little bit, eased into what we wanted to do and I thought we took the game over pretty well.”

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Royals Win Another Thriller; Advance to Championship Round
12/30/13 - 03:03 PM

So. Rawle Alkins (20) hit a three-pointer as time expired to send the Royals into overtime; a game CK would win by 2.

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CK Survives; Will Play Philadelphia MC&S In Semis
12/29/13 - 10:23 AM

Tyrone Cohen (So. #44) scores game winning basket in first round of STOP DWI Holiday Classic in Bingampton

BINGHAMTON — Tyrone Cohen scored the winning points with under five seconds remaining Saturday night, lifting Christ The King to a 70-68 win over St. Michael’s College School in the Mirabito STOP-DWI Holiday Classic.

Cohen ducked through a crack to receive a baseline inbound from Bryler Paige and lay in the decisive goal, and the opponent from Toronto was unable to get off a shot thereafter.

The outcome set up a National Division semifinal between Christ The King and Philadelphia Math, Civics & Sciences at 5:45 p.m. Sunday at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Travis Atson, a 6-foot-4 junior do-it-all, had eight of his team-high 26 points in the final quarter and added a game-high 14 rebounds for the winners. Sophomore guard Rawle Alkins added 15 points for the Royals.

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Former Royal Maurice Barrow Scores 1,000 Points for Fairfield
12/28/13 - 07:55 PM

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Maurice Barrow scored a team-high 15 points which included his 1,000^th career point, as the Fairfield University men's basketball team posted a 73-64 win over Bucknell University on Saturday afternoon. Barrow's prestigious point came on a three-point field goal with two minutes remaining in the first half.

"This was a really good win for us," Head Coach Sydney Johnson said. "I think this shows that we are a better team than we were just a month and a half ago and I am very proud of that. Our kids have been working hard at practice and this shows that the hard work has paid off."

The Stags were aggressive from the opening tip as Lincoln Davis' drive to the basket resulted in the game's first points just 17 seconds into the contest. After Steven Kaspar made one of two free throws, the Stags reeled off five straight points off a put back basket from Malcolm Gilbert and a three-point field goal from Marcus Gilbert. Kaspar stopped the run with a pair of free throws to make it 7-3 at the first media timeout.

Cameron Ayres' three pointer from the corner brought the home team within a point at 7-6, the Bisons' first basket of game at the 14:38 mark. Coleman Johnson stopped the five-point Bucknell burst with a corner jumper, set up by a dazzling spin and dish from K.J. Rose. That basket started a 7-0 run for the Stags that pushed the lead to 13-6. Kaspar converted a driving layup to make it 13-8 with 11:34 remaining in the half. That basket would start a 10-0 stretch for Bucknell, completely erasing the Stags' seven-point lead and pushing the home team in front at 16-13 with nine minutes left.

Fairfield responded with points on back-to-back possessions as Johnson made a pair of charity tosses and Maurice Barrow added a five-foot jumper to bring the Stags back into the lead at 17-16. The Stags still held a one-point edge at 20-19 before Ayers made a jumper to give the Bison the lead at 21-20 with 3:12 remaining. Barrow came down on the next possession and netted a three pointer to push Fairfield back in front at 23-21. The points were more significant for the senior as he became the latest addition to the Stags' 1,000-point club with the basket.

The Stags would push the advantage to four points in the closing seconds but Ayers tallied another three pointer to cut the lead to 27-26 at halftime. Nearly half of Fairfield's first-half points came in the paint, registering 12 of their 27 from inside the lane. Barrow led all Fairfield scorers with 10 points, while Ayers was the top scorer for Bucknell with 11 markers.

Fairfield used the three-point shot to open up some breathing room in the first seven minutes of the second half. Doug Chappell's three pointer doubled the Fairfield advantage from three points to six points, making it a 34-28 lead with 16:14 remaining. When the Bison came within two points at 36-34, Steve Smith made back-to-back three pointers to give Fairfield a 42-34 advantage at the 12:50 mark.

Bucknell was able to get within five points on two more occasions but the Stags stopped any further damage with quick strikes. When the Bison made it 44-39 after a three-point shot from John Azzinaro, Barrow and Marcus Gilbert answered with baskets on consecutive possessions to make it a nine-point lead at 48-39 with eight minutes remaining. The second time came at 48-43 but the Stags responded with eight unanswered points to take a double-digit lead at 56-43. Doug Chappell and Sean Grennaneach had a three-point field goal during that decisive run.

The Bison would remain in a double-digit deficit until Ryan Frazier's three pointer brought the team within nine at 68-59 with 50 seconds remaining. Still, the Stags were able to coast down the stretch to record their first road win of the season.

Marcus Gilbert also reached double figures for the Stags with 14 points while Ayers led all scorers in the game with 19 points. Coleman Johnson finished with eight points for the Stags, but also blocked five shots in 28 minutes of work.

The Stags will return to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play next week when they head to Marist College on January 2 and Manhattan College on January 4.

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STOP-DWI Holiday Classic Players to Watch
12/27/13 - 05:11 PM

Rawle Alkins looks to lead CK to a title at the STOP DWI Tournament in Bingamton

Adonis Delarosa

Christ The King

6-10 Senior

Among those recruiting the big man are St. John’s, Seton Hall, Wake Forest, Purdue, SMU, Fordham and Hofstra. … Averaged eight points and eight rebounds per game as a junior. … Breakout performance in postseason helped the Royals to last season’s State Federation championship. … Included was 14-point, 15-rebound outing in CHSAA Class AA intersectional final Brooklyn’s Bishop Loughlin. … “Adonis is ready to take the step as that championship guy, that senior that wants to lead and win,” CTK coach Joe Arbitello said.

Rawle Alkins

Christ The King

6-foot-5 Sophomore

Now one of the nation’s top-ranked sophomores, Alkins introduced himself in earnest as freshman to spectators during the State Federation tournament. … One of those games resulted in 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting in final against Long Island Lutheran. … Has attracted interest from Kentucky, Cincinnati, Villanova, Hofstra and Fordham. … “Rawle is a really good basketball player, but he’s playing his role, which is better than anything else,” coach Joe Arbitello said. “A lot of guys ranked (high) in the country act a different way than he does. He’s about the team and wanting to win.”

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Christ The King going for historic four-peat at STOP-DWI Holiday Classic
12/27/13 - 05:08 PM

CK looks to win its fourth overall STOP DWI Championship

Four-peat, perhaps?

That would appear a distinct possibility come Monday night’s conclusion of the 22nd annual Mirabito STOP-DWI Holiday Classic at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Christ The King, a Queens program that holds a record three tournament championships and began the season as New York’s top-ranked large-school basketball team, begins its quest for a fourth at 9:15 Saturday night against St. Michael’s College School of Toronto.

The 20-game tournament includes an eight-team National Division and two four-team Regional Divisions, with championship games to be played at 5:30, 7:15 and 9 p.m. Monday.

Christ The King will suit up a squad replete with potential Division I-caliber personnel as it targets a fourth championship in six Holiday Classic appearances. The Royals claimed their first title in 1995, and added top finishes in 1999 and 2009. Christ The King advanced to the 2011 final, only to absorb a 32-point beating from Neumann Goretti of Philadelphia.

The program’s other tourney appearance came in 2003 and brought an opening-round loss to another Philly opponent, Simon Gratz.

The Royals’ Day 1 opponent, St. Michael’s, is the second tournament participant from the Canadian province of Ontario, joining Ancaster High (1999). The Blue Raiders come into the tourney with an 18-1 record this season.

“I think sometime there’s a perception among kids to look at the best teams in your region and say, ‘Wow, that’s as high as it goes,’ ” St. Michael’s coach Jeff Zownir said. “We need to get them to understand that there’s better competition out there and we don’t have to go that far to find it.”

The first National Division game at 1 p.m. pits New Rochelle, last year’s state Class AA public-school runner-up, against Philadelphia’s Math, Civics & Science Charter School and 6-foot-8 Penn State commitment Michael Watkins.

That will be followed at 2:45 by Long Island Lutheran, 2011 and 2012 State Federation champion, taking on Holmes High of Covington, Ky. Holmes coach Jason Booher guided another Kentucky program, Shelby Valley, to third place in the 2007 Holiday Classic.

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CK Royals are MSG Varsity Preseason #1
11/30/13 - 07:50 PM

Senior Andre Walker will look to guide the Royals back to a city championship

Black Friday is a day to awake from a food coma and shop. Or relax and perhaps eat more turkey.

For the Christ the King boys basketball team, it’s a work day. So there were the Royals, an hour early for a 10 a.m. practice.

In a mixed bag of a preseason, this was a positive sign for the defending New York State Federation Class AA champions.

“Everyone was here, everyone was running hard,” coach Joe Arbitello said. “It’s tough to do after two days off, but they’re back in the gym ready to go.”

The Royals aren’t getting fat off their previous success, off a 28-3 season that was capped with a third-ever Federation crown. This team wants to make their mark and Arbitello said there’s early signs the DNA of a championship team is there.

Everyone on the team, one Arbitello believes has seven eventual Division I players on it, is already buying in.

“Everybody understands their role,” he said. “Our sophomores aren’t trying to start, they’re not trying to take time from Adonis [Delarosa] or Andre [Walker]. I think that’s our big positive.”

Leading the way for the Royals is Delarosa, a 6-foot-10 center who had a huge postseason a year ago. The senior, who has offers from Purdue, Wake, St. John’s, Fordham and Hofstra, had 28 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in the Royals first scrimmage.

“Adonis is ready to take the step as that championship guy, that senior that wants to lead and win,” Arbitello said. “He’s shooting jump shots, rebounding, he had three monstrous dunks off 3-on-2 breaks.”

Arbitello thinks Walker is ready for a breakout season, much like Jon Severe did a year ago. Severe spent his junior year in the shadows of Omar Calhoun before erupting into the first Mr. New York State Basketball in school history.

Similarly, last year Walker, who is being recruited by Boston University, took a back seat to Severe, who is having a red-hot start to his freshman year at Fordham.

“Andre Walker has been absolutely incredible,” Arbitello said. “He can score any time he wants, but he’s our point guard. He’s that guy who is going to be a stabilizer, plus he guards. In my opinion he’s the difference maker. People don’t know how good he really is.”

There’s no shortage of people who know how good Rawle Alkins is. Brought along slowly last year, the 6-foot-5 wing showcased his athleticism and shooting acumen during the Federation tournament.

Now he’s one of the top-ranked sophomores in the country who already has interest from Kentucky, Cincinnati, Villanova, Hofstra and Fordham. Yet, he’s still humble, a trait that reminded Arbitello of former Royals standout – and his teammate – Lamar Odom.

“Rawle is a really good basketball player, but he’s playing his role, which is better than anything else,” Arbitello said. “A lot of guys ranked [high] in the country act a different way than he does. He’s about the team and wanting to win.”

Travis Atson, a 6-foot-5 forward who has also drawn interest from BU and has an offer from Adelphi, is also a terrific shooter and athlete who allows Arbitello the luxury to really spread the floor with his offense.

Bryler Paige follows in the footsteps of Terrel Hunt, Jordan Fuchs and James Coleman as a guy coming from the gridiron to the hardwood.

“I love them because they’re the glue guys,” Arbitello said. “They know what it is to get hit.”

Arbitello said James Leonard and Thomas Caldwell are seniors who will lead off the court and in practices, while sophomores Yashawn Bright and Jared Rivers will bring athleticism off the bench.

“They’re really good, athletic, run the floor,” Arbitello said. “All they want to do is learn.”

And all these Royals want to do is win another CHSAA Class AA and NYS Federation title.

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/preseason-boys-hoops-no-1-christ-the-king-1.1545053#sthash.O9jVLa9i.dpuf

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Royal Alum Jovanni Chatham Named Region III Player of the Week
11/27/13 - 10:40 PM

Former Royal Jovanni Chatham helped guide the Royals to a Varsity B championship in 2012

Former Royals Jovanni Chatham has been named Region III Player of the Week for his efforts with Broome Community College.

Press Release: 

CONGRATULATIONS ! REGION III ATHLETE OF THE WEEK!!! 

 

Jovanni Chatham (Christ the King HS) averaged 21 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in the Hornets 3 contests this week. He shot 63% from the field and 6-12, 50% from the three point line. The 6'2 point guard also recorded 5 steals and 3 blocked shots from the point guard spot. Chatham is currently ranked 3rd in the nation in steals, 4th in the nation in assists, 10th in the nation in 3pt%, 21st in the nation in scoring, and 35th in the nation in defensive rebounding!

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Christ the King sophomore Rawle Alkins set to become next big player on New York City high school basketball scene
11/25/13 - 09:26 PM

Rawle Alkins paused for a moment to take in the question, before repeating it.

“Am I getting a lot of attention?” he asked.

Alkins shrugged his shoulders before admitting that he was. Rivals.com had ranked the Christ the King guard No. 19 in the class of 2016, a compliment that has augmented his national profile.

But the next question seemed to puzzle Alkins even more. And again, he repeated it.

“Is my goal to show that I’m the best player in the city?” Alkins said.

The 6-5 sophomore shooting guard with impressive leaping ability and a feathery shooting touch, frowned briefly. He sat in a back room of Bridies Bar & Grill in Rego Park in earlier this month for a team dinner, staring curiously at a reporter.

Alkins didn’t necessarily want to be interviewed for a story, he told Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello beforehand. But Alkins, who has offers from a number of high-major Division I basketball programs, as well as Hofstra — which offered him a scholarship after he jumped over Arbitello during the team’s Midnight Madness event — politely agreed.

“At the end of the day, guys are going to think what they want,” Alkins finally said of whether his goal is to prove he’s the best. “It doesn’t really matter to me.”

Quiet and soft-spoken with a low-key approach, Alkins has a unique skill-set that has established him as the top sophomore and one of the best players in the city, according to local recruiting analyst Tom Konchalski.

According to Konchalski, Alkins has a game beyond his years, mostly because there’s not just one thing that he does well.

“The thing that’s distinctive about him is that he really has a complete game,” Konchalski said. “He’s become a much improved three-point shooter; he can handle the ball and possibly his greatest asset is that he can defend multiple positions.”

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the 16-year-old rising star is that he already has the one trait that seems to set elite players apart from the rest.

“He’s someone who seems to like to work on his game,” Konchalski said.

“At this age, he might be the most complete guy that I’ve had,” said Arbitello, whose team opens its season Dec. 6 at Fordham Prep. “Because he does all the other things — defends, passes, shoots.”

Alkins seemingly burst out of nowhere last season to help Christ the King win the state Federation title. But he was already a highly-regarded, much talked-about figure before he scored 12 points, including a rim-rattling reverse dunk, in the state final.

Earlier in the season, rumors swirled of a talented freshman on the Christ The King roster, but the freshman didn’t suit up until Jan. 29 because Arbitello wanted him to focus on his school work. As his teammates practiced last season, Alkins worked with a personal tutor in the coach’s office through a program sponsored by Dan Klores, founder of the RENS AAU program, for which Alkins played for last summer.

Alkins didn’t attend middle school in New York, moving to Florida for two years to live with a cousin after his mother pursued a job there. Alkins briefly attended Palm Beach Central High in Wellington, Fla., playing on the varsity for “game or two” before he “pulled a disappearing act,” according to Palm Beach Central athletic director Ron Matella.

Alkins’ mother eventually ended her pursuit of work down south and Alkins moved back to Canarsie in late 2012, according to Alkins’ cousin and advisor, Rodney Labossiere.

As Alkins tells it, he was back in New York working out at a local gym when he was spotted by someone affiliated with the Christ the King program, who recommended him to Arbitello.

Now a sophomore who gets his tuition paid for by a private sponsor - a common occurance in the city’s Catholic and private leagues - Alkins will be counted on to be one of the linchpins of the Royals this season, along with big man Adonis Delarosa as well as Andre Walker and Travis Atson.

Despite the hype that surrounds him, Alkins seems almost charmingly unaware of his own growing celebrity among those in the closely-knit high school basketball community. He does, though, have a sense of the type of year he could have.

“I feel like it’s going tobe a big year for me,” said Alkins, who already holds scholarship offers from Seton Hall, Cincinnati, Villanova, Rutgers, Fordham and Hofstra. “I think my stats are going to be off the charts because of the type of team that we have.”

While that assessment may seem bold for a player with so much to prove, it’s hard to argue with.

“The sky,” said Konchalski, “really is the limit for him.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high-school/sophomore-alkins-set-city-hoops-royalty-article-1.1527023#ixzz2liMf2yC6

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Royal Alum Malik Harmon is NEC Rookie of the Week
11/18/13 - 07:24 PM

Malik Harmon earns NEC Rookie of the Week for his efforts as the starting point guard at St. Francis (PA)

Malik Harmon, Saint Francis U
Queens, NY / Christ the King
G
Freshman
5-11
194
View Full Bio
 

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Jon Severe Scores 28 in College Debut
11/9/13 - 03:26 PM

Former Royal Jon Severe scores 28 points in his collegiate debut at Fordham University

Bronx, N.Y. (November 8, 2013) - The last time Jon Severe was in the Rose Hill Gym he scored 19 points to lead his Christ the King team to the CHSAA Class AA intersectional championship last March as he took home tournament MVP honors. Despite that being a tough act to follow, the freshman guard managed to do it tonight as he scored a game-high 28 points, setting a Fordham record for points by a freshman in his first game, to lead the Rams to an 87-67 win over Saint Francis University in the Rose Hill Gym.
 
Severe shot a blistering 9-for-15 from the field, including an even better 7-for-10 from behind the arc, for his 28 points, He surpassed the former school record for points by a freshman in his college debut of 24 set by Trey Blue in 2008.

The Fordham offense wasn't a one-man show tonight as Bryan Smith finished with 18 points, Mandell Thomas added 15 and Branden Frazier netted ten. Smith shot 4-for-8 from three-point range and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds, tying his career-high, while Thomas added seven boards and Frazier chipped in with seven rebounds and a career-high three blocks.
 
The Rams won a season-opener for the first time since 2007, snapping a five-game losing streak in openers, and scored the most points in an opener since netting 100 against Adelphi in 1993. The 20-point margin of victory was Fordham's biggest since a 79-58 win over Lafayette in 2008.
 
The Rams trailed by two, 19-17, with nine minutes left in the first when a Thomas jumper knotted the game and ignited a 17-0 Fordham run as the Rams took a 34-19 lead following a Severe three-pointer with 4:50 remaining in the first. Severe had seven of the 17 Fordham points in the run.
 
The Rams took an 18-pooint lead into the break, 45-27, thanks to a Thomas jumper with 16 seconds left in the period and then opened the second half with a 12-4 spurt to take a commanding 57-31 lead on a Smith trifecta 3:36 into the second. Severe again led the run with three three-pointers in the stretch.
 
Fordham built the lead to as many as 27, 67-40, on a Severe three with 12 minutes left and the closest the Red Flash would get from that point was the final 20-point margin.
 
The Rams return to action on Tuesday night, November 12, as they travel to Syracuse to face the Syracuse University Orange in the Carrier Dome at 7:30 p.m.
 
Notes
Fordham evens the all-time series record with Saint Francis at 2-2 with the win… The Rams are now 73-32 (.695) in season openers since 1908, 77-18 (.811) in home openers… Both Fay brothers, Jared and Jake, hit a three-pointer in the final two minutes of the game… Frazier's previous career-high in blocks was two, which he accomplished twice, the last time versus Lehigh in 2011… Smith grabbed eight rebounds in a game for the third time in his career, the last coming at Temple in 2012… The Rams outrebounded the Red Flash, 41-35, and held the visitors to shooting 35.7% (20-56) in the game, 29.0% (9-31) in the first half… Severe faced off against his former high school teammate Malik Harmon, a freshman guard at Saint Francis… The entire Chris the King High School was in attendance.

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Men's Varsity Preseason No. 17 Nationally, USA Today
11/3/13 - 07:12 PM

Last years Royals took home the State Championship, and will be looking to repeat this year

USA Today recently ranked the Christ the King Royals the preseason #17 team in the country. The USA Today is widely considered the Gold Standard in HS Basketball rankings. 

17. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (28-3)
The Royals won the city and state AA Federation titles and have the nucleus of their team back. Sophomore All-City guard Rawle Alkins already has offers from Cincinnati, Villanova and Seton Hall, senior center Adonis Delarosa (12 ppg, 14 rpg) and senior guard Andre Walker (10 ppg, 2.5 apg) are among the team's eight returnees, along with sophomore Jared Rivers.

Read more at: http://www.usatodayhss.com/news/article/preseason-super-25-high-school-basketball-rankings-2013-16-20

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CTK Basketball Try-Outs; Saturday, November 2nd
10/26/13 - 09:00 AM

On Saturday, November 2nd, Christ the King will have basketball try-outs for Men's freshmen, jv, and varsity; as well as for Women's jv and varsity. The schedule for try-outs is as follows:

Men's Freshmen: 8am - 11:00am

Women's JV: 11:00am - 1:00pm

Men's JV: 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Women's Varsity: 3:00pm - 5:00pm

Men's Varsity: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Students should arrive 30 minutes prior to their scheduled start time.

Any student wishing to try-out must have a current medical on file in the nurse's office. Students without a medical will not be allowed to try-out.

Any students who is currently in-season with another sport (football, soccer, etc.) will receive a try-out when their current season is over. They should not attend try-outs if their teams are still playing. 

Any questions, please see Mr. Arbitello or Mr. Mackey during school hours. 

Good Luck!

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Student Sports Previews CK's 2013 - 2014 Season
10/20/13 - 04:24 PM

CK will look to repeat as state champions with a talented quartet of players returning from last year's squad; including Adonis Delarosa, Andre Walker, Travis Atson, and Rawle Alkins

Team Name: Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)
Head Coach: Joe Arbitello (120-28)
2012-13 Record: 28-3, 22-2 (J.V., City Runner-Up)
Final Ranking: No. 20 (FAB 50) No. 2 (East Region)
Returning Starters: 2
Returning Lettermen: 8
Players Most Deserving of Preseason Honors: C Adonis Delarosa 6-11 2014 (All-City, St. John’s, Pitt, Rutgers offers), G Rawle Alkins 6-4 2016 (All-City, All-State, Villanova, Seton Hall, St. John’s Minnesota offers), G Andre Walker 6-0 2014 (All-City, Niagara, Wagner, Stony Brook offers).
Newcomers Who Could Make An Impact: Jared Rivers 6-0 2016, Tyrone Cohen 6-3 2016, Yashawn Bright 6-4 2016.
Coach’s General Outlook: We should be able to effectively score inside with returning starter Adonis Delarosa and junior Travis Atson and talented sophomore Rawle Alkins. We are a strong half-court defensive team. Our weakness is the senior class we lost. Despite the losses, I think we are good enough to be ranked as a top 30 team.
Events Scheduled To Play In: Stop DWI (Binghampton, N.Y.), Bass Pro (Springfield, Mo.).
Team(s) On Schedule Deserving of Ranking: Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.).
StudentSportsBasketball.com Comments: CTK was the second best team in the East last year (behind St. Benedict’s of New Jersey) and it won’t be easy to repeat a season that saw the Royals win the program’s third state Federation Class AA title. Coach Arbitello is concerned about graduation losses (seven seniors total), but it’s more a case of the quality than the quantity. State Mr. Basketball Jon Severe scored 40 points in a state semifinal win and he averaged 22.5 ppg. His clutch gene and big-play ability will be missed, so it will be up to the talented Alkins and Walker to step up. The Royals will win a lot of games, but it remains to be seen who will lead them in close games that are sure to come in CHSAA play. CTK could give its national ranking a boost with a good showing at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in January, where teams such as Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) and defending FAB 50 champ Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) are scheduled to compete.
Fast Fact: The last New York Federation team to win the FAB 50 mythical national title was Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) in 2004-05. The only CHSAA team to win a National Prep Poll/FAB 50 title is now defunct Tolentine (Bronx, N.Y.) for the 1987-88 season. That team was led by the late Malik Sealy.

Read More at: http://www.studentsports.com/basketball/2013/10/09/national-previews-christ-king-nyc/

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Former Royal Dominykas Milka Named Preseason All-American
10/16/13 - 05:35 PM

Dominykas Milka (Class of 2010) helped lead the Royals to a BQ, City, and State Federation Champioship in his senior season at CK

BEAVERTON, OR –Senior center Dominykas Milka from The College of Saint Rose has been named a preseason All-American by Division II Bulletin.

Milka finished with 18 "double-doubles", second most in the country, and was in double-figures scoring throughout 26 games, including nine 20-plus point performances as a junior. He averaged 17.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per-outing for the Golden Knights (15-14/10-12 NE-10) who advanced to the semifinals of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship by upending two higher seeds on the road, before falling in a semifinal encounter at eventual league champion Southern New Hampshire.

Milka finished among the top-five players in the NE-10 in both scoring and rebounding and was fourth nationally in the latter category. He furthermore averaged 2.5 assists and 1.0 blocked shots, and was 10th in the league with a 50.2 field goal percentage (204-for-406). His 338 rebounds represented the fourth highest single-season mark in school annals.

Saint Rose is scheduled to open its 2013-14 docket at Holy Family University where the Golden Knights will meet Philadelphia University on Saturday, November 9 at 4:00 pm and then face the host Tigers the following day at 4:00 pm as well. Saint Rose will play its home-openers the ensuing weekend when it hosts the Northeast-10 Challenge that is presented by the Hilton Garden Inn-Albany Medical Center.

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Former Royal Maurice Barrow is Named to the Preseason MAAC Third Team
10/14/13 - 06:00 PM

Maurice Barrow helped lead CK to a city and state championship in his senior year at CK (2009-2010)

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Senior Maurice Barrow (Queens, N.Y.) earned a spot on the All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Men's Basketball Third Team. The team was announced by the conference office this morning. Barrow joins Michael Alvarado and Emmy Andujar of Manhattan, Ike Azotam of Quinnipiac, Rob Poole of Siena, as well as Chris Manhertz of Canisius on the team.

Maurice Barrow returns for his senior season as the team's top returning scorer with 8.9 points per game. He also averaged 3.9 rebounds and shot 45 percent from the field in his 35 appearances. Barrow was the MAAC player of the week after leading the Stags with a double-double against Rider. The forward was the team's top rebounder four times by himself and a co-leader once. Barrow was the only Stag to grab more offensive than defensive rebounds with 70 offensive and 68 defensive rebounds. The forward surpassed the 20-point mark twice last season. He netted a career-best 25 points in a home win against Rider, completing a double-double with 10 rebounds. He also tallied 21 points at Canisius on January 3, his first 20-point performance.

The Fairfield University men's basketball team, under Head Coach Sydney Johnson, will open the 2013-14 season against Sacred Heart University on November 9. The game is the third of three games that day at Webster Bank Arena, part of the annual Connecticut 6 Classic. The Stags play three of their first four games at home this year, also hosting the University of Hartford on November 13 and the College of the Holy Cross on November 20.

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MSG Varsity Player to Watch: Rawle Alkins
8/10/13 - 01:06 PM

Rawle Alkins started the year as a virtual unknown on a stacked Christ the King boys basketball team.

He ended his freshman year as one of the city’s rising stars after helping the Royals capture the New York State Federation Class AA title in Albany.

The uber-athletic 6-foot-4 guard arrived at Christ the King from Florida, where he lived for several years after being raised in Canarsie. Royals coach Joe Arbitello brought Alkins along slowly during the season.

Alkins didn’t make his debut until Jan. 29 against Archbishop Molloy. He quickly provided a spark off the bench with his athleticism and has already drawn comparisons to former Lincoln great Lance Stephenson.

While he opened eyes as a ferocious dunker, Alkins showcased his entire arsenal in the postseason. He scored 14 points in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional final against Bishop Loughlin and had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, in the Federation final against Long Island Lutheran.

“Rawle is really improving in the classroom,” Arbitello said. “He’s trying to add muscle since he’s played with our alumni [after the season]. He understands the importance of getting stronger.”

Fordham was the first to offer Alkins following his freshman year, but while competing with New Rens on the AAU circuit, Alkins has continued to impress and now also has offers from Cincinnati, Villanova and Seton Hall in addition to interest from a bevy of Division I schools.

“Everybody talks about his dunking, but I’ve been telling everyone he can really pass and he can really shoot it,” Arbitello said after the Federation final. “I think today you guys understand he can really shoot it.”

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MSG Varsity Player to Watch: Adonis Delarosa
8/10/13 - 01:05 PM

Adonis Delarosa is more than just the biggest player in New York City. The Christ the King rising senior is also one of the city’s best players.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward has worked to trim down over the last two summers and the dividends have been proven on the court.

Delarosa, whose brother Joey plays at Florida International University, worked with Christ the King assistant coach Mark McCarroll, a former CK and Pittsburgh standout forward, on his footwork and post skills.

One of his best games came in one of the Royals biggest of the season when Delarosa had 14 points and 15 rebounds in the CHSAA Class AA intersectional final against Bishop Loughlin. That came after he had a double-double in a 65-59 victory over Cardinal Hayes in the semifinals.

The rising senior with soft hands has an understanding of his role, unlike many other big men who try to play like guards. The fact he plays within himself has made him a valuable commodity with Division I coaches.

Delarosa has offers from Florida State and Drexel, as well as interest from Georgetown, Hofstra, Notre Dame, Providence and SMU.

A soft-spoken player in his first three years at Christ the King, Delarosa is also transforming himself into a vocal leader this year.

“He has continued to get his body in shape,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “And he is becoming the vocal leader we need him to be.”

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Rapper 50 Cent Visits CK's Basketball Team
6/16/13 - 08:14 PM

There were rumblings throughout Christ the King on May 31 that a special visitor was coming in, and when he did right at the end of the school day, hysteria swept through the halls on the Middle Village high school.

Rapper 50 Cent, a Queens native, stopped by to pay a visit to the Royals’ state Federation champion boys basketball team. Royals assistant coach Mark McCarroll and 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, grew up together and McCarroll asked the music star to spend some time with his players.

“The school went into kind of like a frenzy, because he showed up just as the bell rang,” Christ the King head coach Joe Arbitello said. “People were hearing that 50 Cent was coming by and people got really excited.”

McCarroll, who played collegiately at Pittsburgh, said 50 Cent used to watch him play when they were younger.

“He came to some of my playoff games when I played at Christ the King,” McCarroll said. “Since I’m an assistant coach at Christ the King I asked him to come down and see the kids and he said it was no problem, so he came down and met everybody.”

Most players were surprised to see their famous guest, though apparently one player found out early started to spread the word. 50 Cent hung out with all the players, who were said to be very excited to see him. He posed for photos with them and the coaching staff, and he left a good impression on Arbitello after the two chatted for a while.

“He's a great guy, honestly,” Arbitello said. “Smart, very much a good person even with all his fortune. There are things that he’s done that people don’t even know about.”

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