Men's Varsity

MSG Varsity NYC Player to Watch: Jose Alvarado, Christ the King
7/9/16 - 10:53 AM

Jose Alvarado has become one of the city's premier players, and one of the top point guards in the nation

by Elio Velezz on Tue, Jul 5, 2016 8:16 PM — @eliovelez 

The month of July begins an important period for high school basketball players seeking to make an impression to some of the top college programs in the country. 

Christ the King’s Jose Alvarado will have a chance to display the skills that have made him one of the top guards in the Tri-State area this week in front of hundreds of Division I college coaches at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Peach Jam in South Carolina. 

Alvarado will participate with the New York Rens, who are considered one of the favorites to compete for EYBL Peach Jam title and will team up alongside Stepinac’s Jordan Tucker, rising guard Hamidou Diallo and Jordan Nwora. 

The Williamsburg native will play an important role as a distributor and a scorer but that is to be expected from the reigning CHSAA Class AA Player of the Year. Alvarado took another big step to become the floor general by scoring 15.4 points per game to power the Royals to the Intersectional semifinals.

The 6-foot-1 guard is one of the quickest players on the court who offensively can make the right pass to one of his teammates or drive past defenders towards the basket. Alvarado is a pass first point guard who has shown a confident ability on the court to make an assist in a half court setting or on the fast break. 

Over the spring, Alvarado has continued to attract strong college interest on the Nike EYBL circuit and has already received offers from VCU, Okalahoma State, Georgia Tech, Iona, Indiana, Miami, St. John's, Seton Hall, SMU and Butler. 

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/new-york-city-players-to-watch-jose-alvarado-christ-the-king-1.1808258#sthash.wlo12CTH.dpuf

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Royal Alum Andre Walker is named to the All-Patriot League Second Team
4/10/16 - 09:00 PM

Andre Walker helped lead CK to two consecutive city and state championships (2013 - 2014). Andre was named MVP of the State Federation TOC in 2014

http://www.loyolagreyhounds.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022916aaa.html

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Andre Walker, a sophomore guard at Loyola University Maryland, has been named to the All-Patriot League Second Team, an honor that is the highest for a Greyhounds player since the school joined the conference in 2013-2014.

Walker enters the Patriot League Championships as Loyola's leading scorer, averaging 14.2 points per game while also topping the squad in assists, steals, free-throw percentage and 3-point field-goal percentage.

Last year, Walker was a Patriot League All-Rookie Team player, and he moved into a role as the Greyhounds' starting point guard this season after playing both guard positions in his first season.

The native of Westbury, New York, did not see his scoring role diminish this season, as he tallied 10 or more points in 25-of-29 regular-season games while scoring 15 or more on 13 occasions.

Walker had four games with 20 or more points this season, capped by a career-high 31 points -- 29 that came after halftime -- in a double-overtime victory on Feb. 6 at the U.S. Military Academy. More recently, he scored 22 on Feb. 21 at Colgate University and finished with 25 on Feb. 27 at American University.

A graduate of New York City's Christ the King High School, Walker raised his game during Patriot League play, averaging 15.6 points against conference opponents, the No. 5 mark in the League. That scoring output boosted his season-long average by nearly three points from non-conference action, and he finished the regular-season seventh in the conference in scoring.

Walker was dialed-in as a distance shooter late in the season, hitting 43.8 percent of his 3-point attempts during Patriot League games. He went 6-of-6 from behind he arc on Saturday against the Eagles, tying Marquis Sullivan's 2007 school record for most threes made in a game without a miss. Over the last three games of the regular-season, Walker went 13-of-15 (86.7 percent) from 3-point range. His shooting has moved him into 10th place in the conference in 3-point percentage for the season. Overall, he shot 38.7 percent from behind the arc during the regular-season after making just 23.3 percent as a freshman. Walker is also third in the League in free-throw percentage, making 81.3 percent this season.

As a full-time point guard this year, he raised his assist total from 68 as a freshman in 2014-2015 to 108 (3.7 per game) this season. He also continued to be one of the top defenders in the conference, averaging 1.5 steals per game.

Walker is the second player to be named to an All-Patriot League men's basketball team since Loyola joined the League in 2013-2014, and his second team nod is the highest for the Greyhounds. Dylon Cormier garnered All-Patriot League Third Team laurels in an injury-shortened 2013-2014 campaign.

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Royals named to Times Ledger All-Queens teams
4/7/16 - 07:17 PM

Jose Alvarado, CK's starting point guard, was named the Queens Player of the Year by the Times Ledger

Conragtulations to Jose Alvarado for being named Queens Player of the Year by the Times Ledger.

Congratulations also to Jared Rivers and Tyrone Cohen, who were named to the All-Queens 1st and 2nd teams.

http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2016/15/boysallqueenshoops_2016_04_08_q.html

By Joseph Staszewski

The playoffs weren’t as favorable to Queens’ boys’ basketball squads as might have been expected, after some tremendous regular seasons from its power programs.Archbishop Molloy returns to the ranks of the elite behind a talented mix of youth and experience. The Stanners won the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens regular-season title, reached the diocesan championship game and earned an intersectional semifinals berth for the first time in 14 years. Christ the King’s quest for a fourth straight city championship was ended by Bishop Loughlin in the semifinals. 

The Royals weren’t the only team denied history. An upset loss to George Westhinghouse in the quarterfinals denied Benjamin Cardozo’s Rashond Salnave, Tareq Coburn and Amir Tutt the chance to become the school’s first players to win two city titles in their careers. However, Judges coach Ron Naclerio did move past Chuck Granby (Campus Magnet/Andrew Jackson) for first place on the all-time PSAL wins list.

Here are the players who made our list as the borough’s best: 

All-Queens Player of the Year: Jose Alvarado, Christ the King 

Like his team, the junior point guard kept getting better as the season went on. Alvarado improved his play, leadership and ability to make his teammates better, pushing Christ the King to six straight league wins to close the season, and gain a berth in the CHSAA Intersectional semifinals. The highly sought-after recruit averaged 18.1 points and six assists per game.

All-Queens Coach of the Year: Mike McCleary, Archbishop Molloy

Meshing young stars with established veterans is not always an easy task for a coach, but McCleary made it look easy at times. He kept star freshman Cole Anthony grounded, nurtured sophomore Khalid Moore and leaned on senior Isaac Grant. It resulted in the Stanners’ best season in more than a decade. Molloy went 22-6 and reached the diocesan final and intersectional semifinals.

All-Queens First Team

G Cole Anthony, Archbishop Molloy

The freshman lived up to the hype of being the son of an NBA player, and was a leader despite his age. His late heroics orchestrated a number of tight Stanners wins. Anthony led Molloy with 16.9 points and 6.9 assists per game, while making his teammates better as well.

C Isaac Grant, Archbishop Molloy 

Grant’s nickname is “Breeze,” but he was more like “Beast” for his senior season. He was the rock for the Stanners on both sides of the ball. Grant was a dependable scorer and a furious defender. The 1,000-point scorer averaged 16.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. 

G Jared Rivers, Christ the King

Rivers built off a strong junior season and was Christ the King’s second-leading scorer, to the tune of 14.4 points per game and he dropped in 20 or more six times. The Royals were a much tougher team to beat with the senior raining down threes, opening up the lane for his teammates.

G Rashond Salnave, Benjamin Cardozo

The Monmouth-bound guard was one of the best overall players in the city, after an up-and-down junior year. He sacrificed some scoring for the betterment of his team. Salnave averaged 17.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per contest for a Dozo team that won a Queens title.

G Aaron Walker, Benjamin Cardozo

Walker was the definition of a clutch player for the Judges. The Manhattan-bound guard won two games at the buzzer for Cardozo and was masterful en route to a second straight SNY Invitation title. Walker averaged 19 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest and is a superb defender. 

All-Queens Second Team

F Tareq Coburn, Benjamin Cardozo 

Coburn lived up to the early-season expectations and talk of improved play. The St. Bonaventure commit proved he could score inside and out, and his added strength made him a better rebounder. He averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest for the Judges.

F Tyrone Cohen, Christ the King 

The Holy Cross-bound senior was the ultimate glue guy for the Royals. Cohen did a bit of everything—rebound, score inside, hit the three and defend the opponent’s best player. He averaged 10.8 points per game, filling his role better as the year went on. 

F Christopher Kelly, Queens HS of Teaching

Kelly had a breakout junior season that propelled Queens HS of Teaching to a third-place finish and a spot in the PSAL “AA” quarterfinals. He averaged 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per contest. Kelly was instrumental in an early win over Jefferson.

G Wesley Nelson, Construction

The smooth-shooting senior was one of the borough’s best all-around scorers. Nelson averaged 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists a contest to help the Red Hawks to a second-place finish in the division and trip to the quarterfinals. 

G Chaz Platt, Holy Cross

The senior wing picked up right where he left off. Platt was Holy Cross’ unquestioned leader and it top scorer at 11.7 points per game. His athleticism and aggressive nature helped power the Knights to the CHSAA Intersectional quarterfinals. 

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Jose Alvarado Makes MSGVarsity All-City First Team, Rivers Honorable Mention
3/27/16 - 08:59 AM

Congratulations to Jose Alvarado. CK's starting point guard was named to MSG Varsity's All-City first team this past week. Alvarado led CK in scoring this season and helped them reach the final four of the CHSAA "AA" Intersectional Playoffs.

http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/2016-all-new-york-city-boys-first-second-basketball-team-1.1788564

Congratulations also to Jared Rivers, CK's second leading scorer, who was named as an All-City Honorable Mention.

http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/2016-all-new-york-city-boys-basketball-honorable-mention-1.1788573

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Royal Alum Rawle Alkins Commits to Arizona
3/8/16 - 09:24 PM

Rawle Alkins, who won three consecutive city championships with the Royals, has committed to play for the Arizona Wildcats

ESPN.com

By: Paul Biancardi and Jeff Borzello

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/mens/story/_/id/14924512/5-star-wing-rawle-alkins-commits-arizona-wildcats

Five-star wing Rawle Alkins announced his commitment to Arizona on Monday night on ESPNU.

Alkins, a 6-foot-5 small forward from Word of God Christian Academy (Raleigh, North Carolina), chose the Wildcats over St. John's, North Carolina, NC State, UNLV and others.Alkins saw his recruitment take several twists and turns over the past few months. The Brooklyn native announced multiple long lists of schools under consideration, with a variety of programs entering and exiting the picture. St. John's was in the mix early due to location, but Alkins left Christ The King (New York) for Word of God before this season, and the move saw NC State and North Carolina turn up the heat. Alkins took multiple unofficial trips to both Carolina schools and also went on official visits to St. John's and UNLV.

Arizona was on the list but really made a move once five-star point guard Kobi Simmons committed to the Wildcats in January. Simmons and Alkins were familiar with each other due to playing on the Adidas AAU circuit, and Simmons began recruiting Alkins to Tucson. Alkins took an unofficial visit to Arizona, then followed with an official visit a few weeks later.Sean Miller wanted a scoring wing in the 2016 class to round out a dangerous perimeter trio that is expected to include Simmons, current freshman guard Allonzo Trier and Alkins. All three players can create their own shots and will put pressure on opposing defenses.

Alkins, the No. 17 prospect in the ESPN 100, is a powerful scorer who uses his strength and aggressiveness to get to the rim consistently. He's a capable finisher who doesn't shy from contact at the rim, and he has plenty of athleticism to score over defenders or in transition. He also has worked on his body and improved his outside shot since moving to Word of God.

Alkins was one of the most consistent players in the country on the Adidas Gauntlet circuit the past spring and summer. He averaged 23.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and hit the 30-point mark in four of 12 games.

He joins a recruiting class that includes Simmons (No. 18 in the ESPN 100) and five-star forward Lauri Markkanen, a Finland native who would rank among the top players in the country if he played in the United States. With three five-star prospects in the fold, Miller has the No. 6 recruiting class. If the ranking holds, it will give Arizona a top-seven recruiting class in six straight seasons.

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CK vs. Bishop Loughlin Ticket Information
3/7/16 - 07:58 AM

Anyone interested in attending Wednesdays Semi-Final match-up with Bishop Loughlin, please read the ticket information below.

All Christ the King students can purchase tickets in school for $5.00.

Preseale tickets for adults and all other fans will cost $7.00 and can be purchased and printed on the website below:

https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/stjohns/EN/buy/details/chsaa

Anyone purchasing tickets at the game will be charged $10.00.

Game Info:

Wednesday, March 9th, 2016

Christ the King vs. Bishop Loughlin

"AA" Intersectional Semi-Finals

St. John's University, Carnesecca Arena

8:00pm

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No. 13 Christ the King seals double-overtime playoff win
3/7/16 - 07:53 AM

Tyrone Cohen scored 22 points on 10-13 shooting to help the Royals pull out a 79-77 double overtime victory over St. Raymond's on Sunday

MSGVarsity

By: Elio Velez on Sunday March 6th, 2016 10:06pm

Christ the King senior Tyrone Cohen has been in plenty of situations over the years where his team needs a critical basket or a defensive stop to secure a victory. Simply put, it was time to get it done on Sunday afternoon,

“We have 9 seniors and a big number of us play so we know what it takes to get the job done this late in the season,” Cohen said.  

The Royals needed two overtimes to finally dispatch St. Raymond, 79-77, in a thrilling CHSAA Class AA boys basketball Intersectional quarterfinal game held at Fordham University. 

Cohen hit on 10 out of 13 shots from the field and finished with a team high 22 points with 7 rebounds for Christ the King. CHSAA league MVP Jose Alvarado just fell short of a triple-double with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. 

“We just kept playing. Tyrone hit the and 1 one to tie the game up. We just kept playing hard and keep your head up,” Alvarado said. “You can truthfully say it, I thought we was going to be in a dogfight since from the get go.” 

Christ the King (19-8) will play for the fourth time this season against Bishop Loughlin on Wednesday night in a semifinal matchup at St. John’s University. Jared Rivers added 15 points along with Tracy Cleckley scoring 14 points for the Royals, who are ranked No. 13 in the MSG Varsity Tri-State Top 20 poll. 

It was at times a hair raising and nervous experience for coach Joe Arbitello, who said his team almost cost themselves down the stretch with some mental errors. An entertaining contest still favored an experienced Royals team that kept the dream alive capture a history making fourth consecutive city championship.

“It definitely helps. We been in the city championship 6 out of the 7 years and it definitely helps in games where we are not going to tighten up,” Arbitello said. 

St. Raymond (16-12) received a game-high 24 points from Omar Silverio along with Isaiah Washington almost sealing a triple-double with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. Sidney Wilson added 13 points for the Ravens before fouling out at the end of the first overtime. 

Christ the King had to display resiliency in key situations throughout the contest. Washington had connected on a 13-foot jumper to give the Ravens a 55-49 lead with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter. 

Rivers, who was battling a right shoulder injury suffered two weeks ago, drained a three-pointer to cut the deficit. With 47.6 left Cleckley drew contact with Silverio in the lane to score the basket and hit the free throw to tie the game at 55-all. Alvarado had one last chance in regulation but Washington came over to block the three-point attempt and sent the game into overtime. 

Things just got more hectic with St. Rays trailing for most of the first overtime. Silverio missed the back end of two free throw attempts but a forced turnover by the Ravens at midcourt would lead to the sophomore tying the game at 63-all with 55 seconds left in regulation. 

Washington got loose on a screen and connected on a jumper off the top of the key to give St. Raymond a 65-63 advantage with 30 seconds left. The Holy Cross bound Cohen saw open daylight to bank a left-handed shot into the net but the senior missed on the go-ahead free throw attempt as the game went into the second overtime. 

St. Ray’s wore down defensively according to coach Jorge Lopez after sparkling earlier in the game to take a one-point lead at halftime. Cohen scored the first basket of the second overtime and Alvarado connected five points to put the Royals up in the second session. Yet St. Ray’s wasn’t down and out even when it seemed that was the case as Rivers scored on an easy layup to make it 79-74 with 12 seconds left. 

Silverio was fouled shooting a three-point attempt and hit on all three free throws to cut the score to 79-77 with 6.5 seconds left. The Ravens forced Rivers to commit a turnover near their bench with 3.4 left and had a chance to win the game. But the Royals defensively made the big stop by forcing Dallas Watson (12 points) to air ball a 3-point game-winning attempt from the left corner as the buzzer sounded. 

Lopez was insistent his team will take the memories of falling just short of the defending champions and help fuel their 2016-17 title hopes. 

“It’s two possessions and a couple of missed calls against us that hurt,” Lopez said. “I think defensively our guys were locked in. We perhaps played our best defense all year. I think we began to wear them down but while doing it, we wore ourselves down.”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/no-13-christ-the-king-seals-double-overtime-playoff-win-1.1783569?p=#sthash.aeeiAsEc.dpuf

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Jose Alvarado is CHSAA "AA" Player of the Year
2/22/16 - 07:42 AM

Guard Jose Alvarado earned the CHSAA "AA" Player of the Year award

Congratulations to Jose Alvarado for being voted as the CHSAA "AA" Player of the Year by the league coaches.

Alvarado has averaged 15.4 points per game this year for the Royals, helping guide them to a 17-7 record and a second place finish in the Brooklyn-Queens division.

Alvarado is the 5th Royal to be named player of the year in the last 8 seasons, joining Sean Johnson, Omar Calhoun, Jon Severe, and Rawle Alkins.

Congratulations also to Jared Rivers, for earning CHSAA "AA" 2nd Team Honors. 

Rivers is the Royals second leading scorer at nearly 15 points per game, and is leading the team in three point shooting makes and percentage. Rivers excellent play down the stretch helped CK win 6 out of their last 7 games, including key league wins vs. Bishop Loughlin and St. Raymonds.

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CK erases 17-point deficit to tame Lions
2/22/16 - 07:37 AM

Royals center David Cole continued his exceptional play, helping lead the Royals to a comeback victory over rival Bishop Loughlin

Timesledger.com

By: Troy Maurello

If Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello had any doubts about the resiliency of his boys’ basketball squad going into the postseason, they were quelled on Valentine’s Day.

A lackluster defensive first half coupled with some outrageously hot shooting from Bishop Loughlin put Christ the King in a 17-point hole on the road midway through the second quarter.

But an experienced Royals roster that features nine seniors wasn’t about to lie down and accept defeat. CK clawed its way out of that hole as the game went on, and the Royals eventually pulled out a dramatic 72-69 win over host Loughlin to claim second place in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens division.

“Every one of these guys have been through this,” Arbitello said. “We’re never going to feel like we’re really out of it completely, and it showed. We kept our composure and we played.”

Robert Morris-bound center David Cole was instrumental in the comeback for CK. He scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.

“No matter if we’re down 30, we’re going to stay working, we’re going to stay positive,” he said.

Senior guard Jared Rivers added 13 points, including a clutch jumper with 1:20 remaining to give the Royals a 68-66 lead. Although Loughlin (15-7, 11-4) would tie the score with 1:03 remaining, a basket from Cole with 45 seconds left to play gave Christ the King a 70-68 lead that it would not relinquish.

The Royals (16-9, 12-3) forced a turnover as they hung on to a 71-69 lead with 17 seconds remaining, and after Jose Alvarado split a pair of free throws with 12.6 seconds left to play, it was time for one more defensive stop. Loughlin would get two looks in the closing seconds, one coming from sophomore Markquis Nowell and another from junior Keith Williams at the buzzer. Both of them would rim out, however, giving Christ the King the dramatic road win.

“I should have probably called timeout and said something to them,” said Loughlin coach Ed Gonzalez about his team’s final possession.

It was truly a team effort for the Royals, as four players scored in double figures on the afternoon. Alvarado and senior guard Tracy Cleckly each added 10.

For Loughlin, an extremely strong first-half performance wasn’t enough to earn a victory. Nowell scored 19 of his 28 points in the first quarter, as he hit five three-pointers in the opening half.

Nowell’s shooting left the Royals trailing 40-23 midway through the second quarter, before closing the first half on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to just nine at halftime and pull themselves back into the game. 

That run would continue as the second half got going, and CK would suddenly find itself trailing by just three, 54-51, heading into the fourth.

Christ the King took its first lead since the opening minutes on a 3-pointer by Rivers to grab a 57-55 lead with a little more than six minutes left.

The win is Christ the King’s sixth in its last eight games, with the two defeats coming by a combined six points. The three-time defending Catholic city champion Royals have some momentum heading into the playoffs.

“We haven’t really had that ‘Christ the King’ in us,” Arbitello said. “Just to keep our minds collected, it’s very good that it happened at this point.”

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No. 13 Christ the King rallies to defeat Bishop Loughlin
2/14/16 - 09:33 PM

David Cole helped CK rally from a 17 point deficit to defeat rival Bishop Loughlin

MSGVarsity

By: Elio Velez

David Cole maintained the same attitude his Christ the King teammates during the second quarter on Sunday afternoon. It could have been easy for the Royals to feel despair as Bishop Loughlin was entertaining the home crowd with a double-digit advantage on the scoreboard.

“At the end of day, if me and whole entire team has the same energy and push no matter what if we’re down, we’re going to stay working and positive,” Cole said. Nothing is positive if you come out being negative.”

Christ the King rolled up its sleeves and pulled off their largest comeback of the season by coming back from a 17-point deficit to earn a72-69 victory over the Lions in a CHSAA Class AA boys basketball game held on Valentine’s Day in Fort Greene. 

Cole continued to make a late regular season impact with the Robert Morris 6-foot-6 commit scoring 10 of the team’s final 12 points in the fourth quarter and ended with 17 points. Jared Rivers scored 13 points for the Royals, who built off an impressive win on Friday against highly ranked Long Island Lutheran to improve to a 16-7 overall record. 

The Royals also made big strides to secure the second seed in the Brooklyn/Queens diocesan playoffs as they improved to 12-3 and is one game ahead of the Lions. Christ the King, who is ranked No. 4 in New York City and No. 13 in the Tri-State Top 20 by MSG Varsity, can clinch second place with a victory at Mount St. Michael on Wednesday afternoon. 

Royals coach Joe Arbitello was impressed with the mentality and hard work that the three-time defending city champions displayed in a vital road win.

“To keep our minds collected, it was very good it happened at this point. The LuHi game and this game is such big steppingstones for a coach,” Arbitello said. “Its better than walking here and beating them by 20 points obviously. You know where the team’s focus is now and their mindset.”

Bishop Loughlin guard Markquis Nowell was a force on the offensive end by scoring 19 of his 28 game-high points in the first half.  The Royals called a timeout after the sophomore knocked down a three-pointer to make it a 40-23 lead for the Lions with less than two minutes remaining.

The Royals began to plant the seeds for their eventual comeback when they came on the floor. Jared Rivers scored an open layup with four seconds left and Christ the King had went on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 40-31 at halftime.

Bishop Loughlin began to slow down from its once frenetic pace and had trouble finishing on the offensive end in the second half. After missing a few chances to take the lead, Rivers hit a three-pointer form the left corner to give the Royals its first lead since the opening minutes at 57-55 with 5:53 left in regulation. 

The teams would trade the lead back and forth until the Royals turned to Cole to make things happen by grabbing some vital offensive rebounds to give the Royals extra possessions in the last three minutes. He made six of eight free throws and then converted the most important basket of the game with a layup off an inbounds pass with 42 seconds left to put Christ the King up 70-68. 

Cole remained patient when he was kept off the team by coach Joe Arbitello until January and had to work his way back into the rotation. In the last few weeks, Cole has made an impression with timely baskets and his defensive work down in the paint.

“When he is in there you can see he’s like a big monster and make a big impact on the court,” Rivers said of his teammate Cole. “He rebounds, makes free throws, defends and takes charges. For him to keep that mindset, it has been a positive for us.”

The Lions had a chance to tie the game but Nowell along with Keith Williams (20 points) each missed a three-pointer to fall to 15-7 on the season. Bishop Loughlin coach Ed Gonzalez says his team must clean up its mistakes to come out with a victory if it does wind up that the teams meet again sometime in the postseason.

“We let up a little bit. We had some empty possessions there at the end of the second quarter and also to start the third quarter, we was a little lethargic,” Gonzalez said. “Lets just hope we start peaking at the right time [in the playoffs].”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/no-13-christ-the-king-rallies-to-defeat-bishop-loughlin-1.1773770#sthash.kN6uO19d.WfV4t3vo.dpuf

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Cold, Cole World For L.I. Lutheran
2/14/16 - 07:52 AM

NYCHoops.net

By: Maurice Wingate

MIDDLE VILLAGE, NY - On Friday, Long Island Lutheran came back to the gym of the Christ the King Royals where they had recently destroyed Cardozo HS by almost 40 points during the CTK Apparel Challenge. This time actually playing against Christ the King, a Royals fan yelled out a reminder to the Crusaders saying, “This ain’t Cardozo!” The statement was prophetic as when it was all said and done, LuHi found themselves on the short end of the stick, losing 71-61 to a well-oiled Royals squad.

CTK's domination occurred on the boards and the primary dominator was Robert Morris-bound power forward David Cole ‘16. The 6’6”/220 lb big man crushed LuHi in the paint on both ends of the court, scoring 21 points to go along with double-digit rebounds. “My goal today was to get a double-double,” said the senior. “My college came [to the game] and said they wanted to see a double-double and I said no problem.”

The Crusaders on paper appeared to be the superior team in the front court with 6’8” Donatas Kupsas ‘18, 6’6” Chris Coalmon ‘17, 6’4” Charles Manning ‘16 and or 6’8” Rojaye Campbell ‘16 in the paint but Royals Head Coach Joe Arbitello told NYCHoops.net that he saw things differently. “I didn’t think they were physically bigger than us. I thought they might be taller than us.” The goal according the Coach Arbitello was to actually throw the ball inside and mix things up.

Christ the King led for the entire game except for early in the first quarter when Royals starters yielded to 2016 bench players for ½ a quarter in honor of senior night. To further stack the deck, it was also rumored that LuHi’s go-to-guy Devonte Green ‘16might not play due to a bout of bronchitis but the Indiana-bound guard was front and center at the tip off. Green seemed potent as ever at first, scoring 20 of the Crusader's 26 first-half points. Green’s offensive onslaught would not be enough as the remaining Crusaders could not seem to find the bottom of the rim. With Cole and the help of Yashawn Bright '16 and Tyrone Cohen '16 cleaning the boards, Royals point guard Jose Alvarado ‘17 kept LuHi defenders guessing, sending the Catholic school into its locker room at the half ahead by 5 points.

“When Alvarado’s playing that good, we’re hard to beat,” said Coach Arbitello. “He had the ball. He knew where it was supposed to go. He’s makin’ shots [and] he’s makin’ passes.” In addition to those stat lines, Arbitello added that the junior point guard is an underrated defender. “He’s as tough as they come. He gets his hands on a lot of basketballs.”

In the third quarter, the Crusaders did manage to heat up but with a porous defense were not able to keep stride with CTK. The Royals halftime lead doubled by the end of the third quarter as Jared Rivers ‘16 and Tracey Cleckley ‘16 began serving up points.

Frustration set in as LuHi had no answer for being beaten at the own game of superiority the paint. With 2:32 left to play, exasperation reached a boiling point when Kupsas committed his 5th foul on Cole and also picked up a technical foul as he exited the court. Cole calmly went to the charity strip and knocked down all his free-throws. The Royals now had a 16 point lead, the largest of the game, along with possession of the ball due to the tech. Last minute heroics by LuHi point guard Brandon Jacobs ‘17made the final score more respectable but it was clearly a decisive win for the Royals.

“For whatever reason we came out flat,” said Lutheran Head Coach John Buck. "Our defense was not aggressive and offensively, [we] never got our fast break going. Give Christ the King credit. They played really well and out worked us.”

Arbitello said that an additional incentive for his team was watching the game where LuHi demolished Cardozo a week earlier. “That’s a little extra motivation. [Knowing] if you don’t come out ready to play you’re gonna get beat by 40 on your own court and that [would be] a little embarrassing.”

Needless to say, Christ the King was far from embarrassed when the dust settled. While Cole led the way for the Royals, Alvarado netted 18 points with Rivers and Cleckley adding 9 points apiece. Although Green led LuHi with 25 points, he was reduced to only 5 points in the second half. Jacobs was the only other Crusader in double digits with 12 points (four three-pointers) all coming in the second half.

Christ the King improves to 15-7 while Long Island Lutheran falls to 19-3.

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MSGVarsity: No. 13 Christ the King outruns No. 4 Long Island Lutheran
2/13/16 - 01:10 PM

Senior Center David Cole made sure that CK's senior night was a good one, helping lead the Royals over rival LuHi 71-61

MSGVarsity.com 

By: Laura Amato

Jose Alvarado felt like he had run a mile on Friday night.

Or several miles. Or maybe even a marathon.

No matter what the distance actually amounted to, there were two things Alvarado was entirely certain of; he was very tired and he was very, very happy.

Alvarado had one of his best performances of the season, leading Christ the King to a 71-61 victory over Long Island Lutheran in a game that was fast paced to say the least.

“I ran all over the court, that's how I am, that's what my gameplan is,” said Alvarado, who finished with 17 points. “It was definitely fast. They kept on pushing and we kept on pushing. The good thing is my team just kept fighting and ran back on defnese.”

The matchup got off to a blistering pace from the get-go and both teams were more apt to be sprinting up and down the court rather than actually running any sort of set play.

While Alvarado did his best to help settle the Royals' offense, Devonte Green was a force to be reckoned with for Long Island Lutheran.

The senior scored all 13 of the Crusaders' first quarter points and finished the first half with 20. Long Island Lutheran (19-3), ranked No. 1 on Long Island and No. 4 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, finished with 26 total points in the first half.

“My thing was that, ok, he had 20 in the first half, but he could have went for 40,” said Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello. “I felt like we were in control in the first half. If he went for 40 and we were up, he's a good player, let him go for 40. I didn't think we were doing anything bad defensively. Devonte was getting his, but we weren't going to let anybody else get theirs.”

Despite Green's electric start, Christ the King (15-7), ranked No. 3 in New York City and No. 13 in the Tri-State by MSG Varsity, went into the break with a five-point cushion and came into the third quarter with a renewed sense of defensive purpose and offensive intensity.

The Royals found their edge on the block, sparked by the strength, and rebounding ability, of David Cole. The senior would not be denied in the post, battling for position and fighting the physical battle in the post with a determination that helped jumpstart his entire squad.

“I just try to put my opponent under the basket and find a way to score,” said Cole, who finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds. “I never want to do too much. I wanted to come out hard. If it's not on offense, it's on defense and I wanted to make sure we got this win.”

Christ the King's defense showed its prowess in the game's final 16 minutes, alternating between zone, man-to-man and a tough full-court press. The Royals also shut down Green, as much it's possible to shut down the standout, allowing just five second half points.

“We just started to play hard defense,” said Alvarado. “It was Christ the King defense. It was all about staying in front of your man. We might have a small team, but I think we have the biggest heart.”

As the Royals' defense locked in down the stretch and its offense continued to find success in transition, Christ the King started to pull away, frustrating LuHi on both sides of the ball.

That frustration finally came to a head with just over two and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter when Donatas Kupsas was whistled for a personal and technical foul on the same play, giving Cole the chance to rack up five points on just one possession.

However, even then, Christ the King never let up. The Royals weren't leaving anything to chance and, even with five-point plays in the mix, this squad was going to play until the whistle.

“We had to play all 32 minutes, until the buzzer goes off,” said Cole. “We had to play the whole entire time. We believe in playing as hard as you can. No matter how tired you are.”

Christ the King wanted to prove a point on Friday night.

The Royals watched Long Island Lutheran take down Cardozo 96-60 last week and, collectively, decided that would not happen on their home court.

So, the team ran and battled and won. Point proven.

“You have to realize our guys sat here and watched them beat Cardozo by almost 40,” said Arbitello. “So that's a little extra motivation. Like if you don't come out here and play your heart out, you're going to be down by 40 on your own court.”  - See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/no-13-christ-the-king-outruns-no-4-long-island-lutheran-1.1772954#sthash.T6lTrbeV.dpuf

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Christ the King grinds it out
2/2/16 - 01:37 PM

Seniors Tracy Cleckley and Tyrone Cohen help lead CK to a win over Molloy. Cleckley led CK with 12 points

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Alvarado & Royals beat Brentwood at SNY
1/30/16 - 07:13 AM

Alvarado finished with 16 points and 10 assists in CK's semi-final win over Brentwood

NYDailynews.com 

By: Reza Malek

Jose Alvarado proved why he’s now considered ‘the man’ at Christ the King.

The junior point guard scored 16 points, handed out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds in Christ the King’s 78-62 win over

Brentwood in the opening game of the SNY Invitational tournament at CCNY’s Nat Holman Gym on Friday night.

"He was great. He passed the basketball, he was our leader, he distribute the ball, he scored,” Royals coach Joe Arbitello said. “He did everything we needed him to do."

Alvarado also helped keep in check Brentwood’s Michael Almonacy, a senior point guard who will play at Stony Brook. Almonacy finished the game with four points, two assists and three rebounds while being guarded by Alvarado for the most of the game.

"He's a great player," Alvarado said of Almonacy. "I'm not taking anything away from him. I hope the best for him when he goes to Stony Brook next year. But its just my game, I'm a defensive player."

"Jose was guarding him really well," Arbitello said. "Our guys are physical, it's however we want to play. We sometimes let the other team dictate how physical we're going to be."

At the half, the Royals led the Brentwood 36-27, with Alvarado providing 10 points, five assists and three rebounds to that point.

Alvarado came into the season as the Royals’ new go-to guy after Rawle Alkins transfered out of the school over the summer. Alkins, considered one of the top talents in the country, is now at Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, N.C., due to eligibility issues stemming from games he played in Florida as an eighth-grader.

Alvarado’s defense helped Christ the King hold off a late Brentwood comeback attempt. Christ the King was up by eight with 3:59 left in the fourth but were eventually able to go back up by as many as 16.

"We just kept on playing," Alvarado said. "We came out playing Christ the King basketball."

"I thought we played well, thought we played hard," Arbitello said. "I thought (Brentwood) played really well, they're really well coached.

They made some tough shots."

In Saturday’s SNY title game at 4 p.m., Christ the King will play either Cardozo or Mount Vernon, who faced off in Friday’s late game.

"This is a wonderful tournament, I'm glad we're playing in it,” Alvarado said. “It's great competition, and I can’t wait for the championship game tomorrow."

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Alvarado finishes with near triple-double
1/30/16 - 06:10 AM

PG Jose Alvarado helped lead CK past Brentwood

By: Adam Zagoria

Zagsblog.com 

https://www.sny.tv/college-recruiting/news/cardozo-and-christ-the-king-to-stage-rematch-at-sny-invitational/163233226

NEW YORK -- Christ the King defeated Brentwood, 78-62, behind a near triple-double from Jose Alvarado to move on to the championship game at the SNY Invitational.

The Royals will face Cardozo on Saturday at 4 p.m in the championship game.

Alvarado finished with 16 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in front of St. John's assistant coach Barry "Slice" Rohrssen.

"[St. John's] is great," Alvarado said. "Chris Mullin, Mike [Abdelmassih]. They got great coaches around them. They are a great look. They are just another college to me, and I'll make my decision in the fall."

The junior's list includes St. John's, Seton Hall, VCU, Miami (Fla.) and Indiana, to name a few. Coaches from Cincinnati and Fairleigh Dickinson were also on hand on Friday night.

The workload for Alvarado has increased after teammate Rawle Alkins left for Word of God Christian Academy in North Carolina. Alkins took an unofficial visit to Arizona this week and will take an official visit to St. John's beginning Saturday.

Brentwood's Michael Almonacy, who will attend Stony Brook next season, finished with just four points going up against Alvarado.

"He's a great player," Almonacy said of Alvarado. "He can shoot. He's crafty. He gets to the lane. He talks. He talks junk, and I like that."

Brentwood's Jamel Allen, who finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, also noted Alvarado's trash talking.

"He's a good player," Allen said. "He's funny, He talks a lot of trash. Once he learns to keep his mouth closed, he'll be alright." 

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Jared Rivers, Talent Overflowing
1/29/16 - 11:15 PM

Jared Rivers is averaging over 15 points per game for the Royals this season

By: Mike Libert

NYCHoops.net

It's hard to imagine someone being overlooked when you come from such a storied high school program as Christ the King, but clearly one of the most overlooked players in NYC this season is Royals 6'1" guard Jared Rivers '16.

Averaging over 15 points and over 5 rebounds, and nearly 5 assists a game, Rivers does just about everything that Christ the King Head coach Joe Arbitello could want, and that's what is making his recruitment so perplexing.

During last season Rivers received his first offer from Maine, but since that point there has been no new offers come his way. He says he has been hearing from the likes of Vermont, Niagara, and NJIT, who Rivers says seem pretty interested, but it's still just the one offer, something that frustrates Arbitello in a major way.

"He does it on a national level against teams like Chaminade (MO) and Bishop Gorman (NV)," Arbitello stated. "He's putting up numbers against McDonald's All Americans, he is a full qualifier, I just don't know what the situation is. It's very frustrating."

The situation that Arbitello compares this too is the one that he dealt with a couple years ago with his former starting point guard Malik Harmon. 

Harmon led Christ the King in assists, was a key defender against opposing team’s top guards, and yet he went offer less for nearly his entire senior season, something that Arbitello says is because coaches were afraid.

"One college coach told me Malik didn't pass the eye test and I guess some coaches were scared to take a chance," Arbitello said of Hamon. "St. Francis (PA) took the chance and Malik went on to become NEC Rookie of the Year."

In much the same way someone took a chance on Harmon, Arbitello believes a school will take a chance on Rivers, not that there is much of a chance to take.

He plays exceptional defense, is a fantastic perimeter shooter, handles the ball well, and is learning to take the ball inside and finish with a soft touch around the rim, and while others may be wondering why things are taking so long for Rivers recruitment to really heat up, the guard himself isn't concerned believing his time is soon to come.

"I feel like I come out every game proving to colleges that I can play and that I am among the best guards in the city," Rivers said. "It doesn't both me that it hasn't really taken off yet. It happens for everyone at different times so I don't let that stuff bother me, and if I stay positive and keep doing my thing, I believe it will come."

With his game seemingly getting better game after game, Rivers is one of the major keys to Christ the King's success this season, and sooner or later more schools will be coming after him.

Maine head coach Bob Walsh was at the Royals game on Tuesday against Holy Cross, which is a good sign for their interest in Rivers, but if it were up to Arbitello, he would have already been snapped up because the coach knows how valuable a player some lucky school is going to be getting come next season.

"I really have no idea what's going on but Jared is a winner, and if I were a college coach I would be picking him up in a heartbeat."

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CK Finishes 2-1 in Missouri; earns 5th place in Bass Pro Tournament of Champions
1/18/16 - 08:19 PM

PG Jose Alvarado earned All-Tournament for his play this past week at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions

Ozarksportszone.com

By: Kai Raymer and Jordan Burton

Jared Rivers added 21 points for Christ the King, which shot over 60 percent from the field in the first half to take a 41-27 lead into halftime.

The Royals (8-4 overall) were coming off a lopsided loss to Chaminade in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

“We knew what (Kickapoo) can do to you,” Arbitello said. “I was concerned they were just going to start running circles around us because we weren’t ready and were a little down and out last night. The way we came out and responded tonight, I’m really, really happy with (my team). A coach has to be.”

Kickapoo junior Jared Ridder finished with 24 points, while Cam Davis scored 13 and Niekie Thomas-Fontley added 10 points.

The Chiefs (13-2 overall) suffered their second loss in as many days after entering the tournament undefeated.  Kickapoo shot 22-for-50 from the field, but only 6-for-20 on 3-point attempts.

"We're disappointed in our execution in the first half, disappointed in our effort," said Kickapoo coach Dick Rippee. "(Christ the King) shoots over 60 percent in the first half, we come out and guard a little bit in the second half and they shoot 38 percent. It makes a difference.

“Just disappointed in our guys not taking advantage of this opportunity, maybe taking it for granted a little bit, and not coming out with enough fire. We'll see if we come around tomorrow."

A Davis layup got the Chiefs within 59-51 midway through the fourth quarter, but Kickapoo didn’t make another field goal until the final minute.

Kickapoo got the deficit as close as six in the third quarter, but Christ the King built its lead back up to 53-41 going into the fourth.

The Royals scored 10 straight to start the second quarter, taking a 29-13 lead.

Niekie Thomas-Fontleroy hit a 3-pointer for the first basket of the game. Chris the King answered with three straight field goals – two by Cohen – and never trailed again.

Christ the King plays Bishop Gorman (Nev.) for 5th place at 4 p.m. Saturday. Kickapoo plays Bolivar for 7th place at 2:30, in a matchup of teams that won their respective divisions in the Blue and Gold Tournament last month.
 
Christ the King 72, Kickapoo 60
Christ the King 19 22 12 19 --- 72
Kickapoo 13 14 14 19 --- 60
 
Christ the King – Jose Alvarado 28, Jared Rivers 21, Tyrone Cohen 9, Yashawn BrightGonzalez 6, Malik Anderson 4, Tyson Walker 3, Tracy Cleckley 1
Kickapoo – Jared Ridder 24, Cameron Davis 13, Niekie Thomas-Fontleroy 10, Isaac Johnson 8, Derrick Roberson 3, Travis Vokolek 2

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USA TODAY: 6 time champion Royals return to Missouri
1/13/16 - 02:11 PM

PG Jose Alvarado will look to guide CK to a record 7th Bass Pro Tournament of Champions win in Missouri

By Rance Burger, News-Leader January 12, 2016

For a group of New Yorkers, they seem to enjoy a second home on a Springfield basketball court.

No team has won the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions more times than Christ the King Regional School of Middle Village, Queens, New York. The six-time champion Royals return to the national boys basketball tournament for its 32nd edition, and what will be their 16th entry.

Christ the King won the first ever Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in 1985. The Royals’ last Tournament of Champions title came in 2008.

As part of Team LeBron, the Royals receive playing gear from two-time NBA Finals MVP LeBron James and Nike. The Royals wear special editions of the shoes that James endorses in their maroon and gold colors.

Christ the King is off to a 7-2 start after going 24-5 a season ago. The Royals finished as New York’s Class AA Federation runners-up.

A pair of college-committed senior forwards and a sought after junior guard lead Christ the King into this year’s Tournament of Champions at JQH Arena, where the Royals will meet Chaminade (St. Louis, Missouri) at 9:30 p.m. Thursday in the opening round.

At 6-foot-0, junior Jose Alvarado is not the most intimidating looking player on the court, but Alvarado moves to find gaps in defenses and can creatively finish baskets in spite of being undersized. Indiana, Georgia Tech, St. John’s and Miami, Florida are among the college teams to make scholarship offers to Acevedo.

Seniors Tyrone Cohen and David Cole lead the Christ the King frontcourt. Cohen is committed to Holy Cross while Cole is committed to play for Robert Morris.

http://usatodayhss.com/2016/six-time-champion-christ-the-king-queens-n-y-returns-to-bass-pro-tournament-of-champions#sthash.gMu8mYht.uxfs&st_refDomain=t.co&st_refQuery=/Cm8CLSaO28

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Royals make key stops, baskets to defeat Molloy
1/10/16 - 08:07 AM

by Elio Velez on Fri, Jan 8, 2016 11:40 PM — @eliovelez

Updated Sat, Jan 9, 2016 8:40 PM

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/royals-make-key-stops-baskets-to-defeat-molloy-1.1763799#sthash.c1tn7G2u.dpuf

Christ the King arguably faced one of the toughest environments this season when stepping on the court Friday night in front of a sold out Jack Curran Gymnasium. 

The Royals overcame the loud crowd, showing grit and determination to leave Briarwood with an important 68-61 victory over Archbishop Molloy in a CHSAA Class AA Brooklyn/Queens boys basketball contest.  

Balanced point production and making tough defensive stops were the keys to victory as Christ the King, ranked No. 11 in the MSG Varsity Tri-State Top 20 poll, improved to 7-2 overall. Jared Rivers had 11 of his 14 points in the second half and Yashawn Bright-Gonzalez provided defense along with 13 points as part of a team effort, according to coach Joe Arbitello. 

“It’s been a balanced effort all year, but the one thing we were lacking was making those big defensive stops at the end of the game,” Arbitello said. “I felt like we weren't doing that, we were winning on talent and I thought we stepped up defensively and just got it done.”

Playing with poise against a young Molloy team coming off Tuesday’s win over Bishop Loughlin was needed as well. Arbitello blamed himself, along with the team, in describing what he felt was a complete meltdown in the fourth quarter last Saturday when they lost a 10-point advantage and fell at home to Bishop Loughlin. 

Christ the King’s veteran experience also played an important role with seniors such as Tyrone Cohen and the returning 6-foot-6 David Cole stepped up to take important charges, block shots and hustle for loose balls on the floor. 

“It was very big,” Bright-Gonzalez said. “He [Arbitello] was talking to us in the locker room, rebound, play hard, run the floor, everybody stick together no matter what and that’s what we did.”

Molloy (7-2) looked as if it was about to wrest momentum in the second half. Issac Grant hit two free throws and freshman point guard Cole Anthony (17 points) knocked down a three-pointer to give Molloy a one-point lead. Jon Herring had a fast break layup as part of a 7-0 run to give the Stanners a 47-46 lead at the end of the third quarter. 

Mollloy didn’t hold the lead long. Tyson Walker played a huge role off the bench with eight of his 11 points in the fourth quarter and the sophomore guard kept the Royals in front with starting Jose Alvarado sitting on the bench for most of the final minutes with four fouls. 

Arbitello praised Rivers, who has been a key perimeter scorer in the last few years, for becoming a clutch player Friday night in a variety of ways. Molloy did not defend a wide-open Rivers as he made a three-pointer and on the next trip drove inside to push Christ the King’s lead to six points. 

“First half my shot wasn’t falling,” Rivers said. “But I know I couldn’t let it get to me. Rebound, play defense and doing everything in order to keep my team in the game.”

Cole, who played his first game after sitting out for disciplinary reasons according to Arbitello, did a fine job holding the burly 6-foot-5 Grant (12 points) to just one field goal in the second half. He scored back-to-back buckets, with the second coming off a hustle play by Rivers to tap the ball back to the Robert Morris-bound center to put the Royals up 62-53. 

Molloy did not score a field goal for a three-minute span in the last quarter and missed key defensive assignments, according to Stanners coach Mike McCleary.  The loss will serve as a reminder for hi team to correct those mistakes Sunday in a tough road game at St. Raymond’s.

“We talk about focus. We have trouble sustaining our focus for 32 minutes,” McCleary said. “That’s a youth thing. Kids not doing, but i think definitely it was a tough environment, big crowd, boiling hot, every possession matters. I think some of those kids aren’t ready to do it for 32 minutes, but hopefully they get there."

Arbitello remembered last year’s championship team facing a similar pressure situation when they earned a 25-point season-opening win in Chicago against a talented St. Rita’s team that sent five players to NCAA Division I programs. He felt that was the catalyst for his players to lead Christ the King to its third straight Class AA Intersectional championship. 

Rivers hopes Friday night’s win will boost his team to make another championship run in March. 

“It was a huge win for us knowing they beat Loughlin and we lost to them, coming in here,” Rivers said. “It’s a crazy environment and we had to come in ready to play and just get the win.”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/royals-make-key-stops-baskets-to-defeat-molloy-1.1763799#sthash.c1tn7G2u.dpuf

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CK beats Stepinac, closes 2015 on six game winning streak
1/1/16 - 09:30 AM

Senior guard Jared Rivers helps lead CK to a league victory over Archbishop Stepinac

By: John Perez

http://www.jonperezsports.com/writing/alvarado-and-cohen-put-christ-the-king-over-stepinac

Christ the King and Stepinac lived up the hype.

 
Sparks and fireworks will start to fly as the world welcomes in Baby New Year less than 24 hours. But, The Royals and Crusaders gave 2015 one last run for its money. Christ the King side-stepped Stepinac 69-64 at home on Wednesday evening.
 
“The whole week we talked about defensively getting stops and making tough winning plays,” Christ the King head coach Joe Arbitello said. “I was really happy about that on the defensive end.”
 
Junior guard Jose Alvarado’s clutch plays in the fourth quarter launched the Royals (6-1) into the win column. After senior forward Tyrone Cohen’s layup gave Christ the King a 60-59 lead, Alvarado forced two turnovers on consecutive possessions. First, he picked the pocket of Stepinac’s Jordan Tucker and made a nifty behind-the-back pass to Yashawn Bright-Gonzalez for the two handed jam. Afterwards, Alvarado again picked up a loose ball and went coast to coast with a right-handed finger role.
 
Alvarado finished with 17 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds. Cohen paced the Royals with 21 points and seven rebounds.Bright-Gonzalez picked up a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Jared Rivers was an unsung hero with 11 points and 4 rebounds. 
 
After leading 34-27 at the half, Stepinac’s Makai Johnson caught fire. The junior guard hit four three-pointers, which included a half-court buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter to put the Crusaders (4-6) on top at the end of three quarters. However, the Royals made plays when they had to in the fourth quarter and Arbitello says it wasn’t just one player that shined.
 
“I think each guy won their individual matchup in the final four minutes of the game,” Arbitello said. “They were better than the guy they were guarding for the last four minutes. I thought that was what won us the game.”
 
High division-one prospect Jordan Tucker had a fast start in the first quarter by scoring 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. However, the Royals defense gave him fits the rest of the game. After the first quarter, Tucker shot 1-of-8 from the floor.
 
“We decided we weren’t going to let him catch and have some other guys beat us,” Arbitello said. “When you’re that good and you start blitzing every screen he takes and you get out on him and he’s got to give up the ball, you expect other guys to step up and make shots and I thought that’s what he did for them. It won’t show up in the box score for him but got the ball to the open guys and the open guys knocked down shots.”
 
Christ the King has now won six straight games and is entering a tough stretch in its schedule. The Royals will face Bishop Loughlin, Archbishop Molloy and Xaverian before traveling to Springfield, Missouri for the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions. However, Arbitello says that this stretch is what separates the good teams from the rest of the pack.
 
“If you’re going to go travel nationally like we do,” Arbitello said. “We’ve got to be able to play tough games back to back. That’s what you have to do when you decide to put on the Christ the King jersey.”
 
NOTES
 
Creighton assistant coaches Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy were in attendance to watch Stepinac’s Jordan Tucker. The Blue Jays are in town to play St. John’s on New Years eve at 2 p.m.
 
Rawle Alkins visited his old stomping grounds and spoke to the media about his recruiting process. 

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Royal rebound: Balanced CK gets bounce-back win over Cardinal Hayes
12/21/15 - 09:24 PM

Times Ledger

By Joseph Staszewski

Christ the King took the first step to finding its new identity without Rawle Alkins.

The Royals’ players struggled to fill their new roles in the first half of a season-opening loss to Iona Prep. But the three-time defending CHSAA Class AA boys’ basketball champions righted things quickly in its next game. It looked more like the team it hopes to be during an 81-67 victory over host Cardinal Hayes on Dec. 11. 

CK got balanced, with four players scoring in double figures. It showed off its depth and watched junior point guard Jose Alvarado do a masterful job of spreading the ball around in the second half. It was exactly how the Royals need to play with last year’s league MVP Alkins playing his senior season at World of God (N.C.)

“[Iona] was our first game without him, so guys were unsure about taking shots or who to pass to,” senior guard Jared Rivers said. “Today everyone was focused and confident. Everyone played their regular game.” 

Rivers (17 points) was the main catalyst to Christ the King grabbing control of the game. He connected on three of the Royals’ eight first-half three-pointers. The game could be the start of a breakout season for Rivers, who quietly played well behind Alvarado and Alkins a year ago. 

“I tried to tell anyone who would listen that he is going to be a guy that is going to lead us in scoring,” CK coach Joe Arbitello said. “He did a lot more than score today. He played some really good defense, made some really good passes.”

Tyson Walker (10 points) came off the bench to hit two of the Royals’ nine treys for the game and Rivers made one in the closing seconds of the second quarter. It capped a 14-0 CK run that gave it a 40-31 lead at the break. The Royals shot the ball well, cut down their turnovers and limited Hayes to one shot during the run. 

“It showed our grit,” Arbitello said. “We fought back and built a nine-point lead and never relinquished it.” 

The spurt hit 18-2, thanks to a two-handed slam by Yashawn Bright on a Hayes defender to make it 44-34 CK with 6:14 to play in the third. Alvarado scored 10 of his 17 points in the second half and Tracy Cleckley had 16. Clive Allen paced Hayes, who plays four underclassmen, with 25 points and Baron Goodridge had 14. 

Christ the King was again without Robert Morris-bound center David Cole, who was not even on the bench. Arbitello said his absence was not academic or disciplinary, but would not disclose a reason. He does expect him to return soon.

“He should be back in the middle of January,” the coach said. 

The Royals, who will play on without him, saw Hayes (1-2) pull as close as 64-57 on a three-point play by Allen with 6:04 left in the game. Christ the King (1-1) quickly shut the comeback down with a 13-4 run to pick up an important bounce-back win 

“It feels good,” Alvarado said. “There is more to come, but it felt good. It got our chests pumping.”

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All four one: Deep Royals seek historic crown
12/6/15 - 07:03 PM

Jose Alvarado looks to lead the Royals to a fourth straight city championship

Times Ledger

By Joseph Staszewski

It wasn’t long after missing out on being the first team to win a third straight state Federation Class AA basketball title that Christ the King’s focus shifted to its second chance at rewriting the history books.

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Royals prepare to go 4th without Alkins
11/30/15 - 07:25 AM

Tyrone Cohen, and CK's nine seniors, will look to win a record 4th straight city title this season

BY DYLAN SANTOS

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Saturday, November 28, 2015, 11:00 PM

Heading into the start of a season as the three-time defending city champion, most teams would be pretty satisfied. Not Christ the King.

After winning three straight CHSAA city titles, the Royals head into the 2015-16 season wanting to make history by winning a fourth straight championship in what is arguably the most competitive league in the country.

“I would be lying if I said I do not think about it,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “It is something that we all want to do and we feel like we can.”

And believe it or not, Christ the King actually has something to prove this season despite winning rings the last three years. That’s because each of those titles was won with Rawle Alkins leading the way. But Alkins — one of the most talented combo guards in the country — is now playing for Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, N.C. His senior year of eligibility at Christ the King was called into question, so instead of sticking around and risking having to sit out his senior season, Alkins left.

Now the Royals will have to make up for the 23 points per game he averaged last season and countless intangibles.

“Like every good high school basketball program, you must have guys step up and I feel like we have that,” Arbitello said. “I believe in the group of guys we have.”

The Royals still have nine seniors who return from last season’s team, led by Yashawn Bright and Tyrone Cohen.

According to Arbitello, Bright is a “very active” 6-4 guard who has improved on the defensive end. The 6-5 Cohen averaged 12 points per game last season and attacks the baseket.

The Royals also have experienced junior point guard Jose Alvarado, who suffererd a minor injury in the preseason and will return on Friday, as well as senior guard Jared Rivers.

Alvarado averaged 11 points and six assists a game last season.

“He really handles the ball well,” Arbitello said. “He has improved his court vision and his decision making with the basketball and the team feels confident when the ball is in his hands.”

So even without Alkins, Arbitello’s team is still one of the most talented in the city.

“We all know it is going to be difficult, but we know what we have to do to achieve that goal,” Artibello said. “I know it is something that they want. If we are able to get done, it will be something that they will be looking back upon and be proud of themselves.”

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Cavs star LeBron James gives a shout out to local HS hoops power Christ the King ahead of Garden showdown vs. Knicks
11/13/15 - 09:38 PM

By Christian Red/ NYDaily News/November 13th, 2015

The King gave a royal shout out to Christ the King Thursday night.

LeBron James, whose Cavaliers are in town to play the Knicks Friday night at Madison Square Garden, posted three photos of the Queens school to his Instagram account Thursday, including one of the boys' basketball team, with the message: "In NYC and #TeamLeBron Christ the King is out here ready to work! Want to send a huge shout out to CTK as they continue to #StriveForGreatness #BringYourGame #LeBronXIII."

Although James did not make an appearance at the high school - which is the alma mater of former Laker Lamar Odom and WNBA star Sue Bird - the Cavaliers superstar did make a point to express his appreciation Friday morning at the team's shoot-around at the Garden.

"Christ the King has been a school of mine for years now - our fifth or sixth year of being a Team LeBron school," James said, referring to various high schools around the country that he sponsors. "I give a lot of thanks to them for just highlighting, putting my logo on their school, representing my brand. I just try to give back to them. They’re going for a sixth straight city championship this year. Hopefully they get off to a great start."

Actually the Royals boys' basketball team is going for a fourth straight city title - something that even LeBron was not able to do when he played high school hoops at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio.

The Cavs are on a seven-game win streak and the game against the Knicks is the first of a three-game road trip.

"This is a great way to start a road trip, be here at the Garden. We need no extra motivation to be here. The fans are amazing," said James. "They know the game. It’s a Friday night in New York City, so, what else more can you ask for?"

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Try-outs for the 2015-2016 season this weekend
11/2/15 - 08:46 PM

Basketball Try-out schedule for all teams:

Saturday, November 7th, 2015

Boys Freshmen 7:00 - 10:00 am

Boys JV 10:00 - 1:00 pm

Girls JV and Girls Varsity 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Boys Varsity 4:00 - 6:00 pm

*Anyone interested in trying out should show up atleast 30 minutes prior to their scheduled try-out time with basketball attire. 

*Students who do not have a medical on file with the school nurse will not be able to try-out

Good Luck to all!

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Christ the King stars find perfect fit
10/7/15 - 08:26 PM

by Elio Velez on Wed, Oct 7, 2015 8:14 PM — @eliovelez

Christ the King forward David Cole was confident on Sunday that he had made the right choice on his college basketball future. Cole didn’t want to hold back the news but Tyrone Cohen spoke to his teammate and just be patient.

“Dave and I spoke to each other. Dave wanted to commit on Sunday,” Cohen said. “No. I wanted everyone to be there. We decided on Friday and today it happened.”

While wind and rain swirled outdoors, the Christ the King gymnasium proved to be the perfect venue for Cohen and Cole to announce their decision in front of friends, family and students on Friday.

Cole, the 6-foot-7 rugged forward, verbally committed to Robert Morris University and the athletic 6-foot-5 guard Cohen announced his decision to attend the College of Holy Cross. Both players were instrumental in leading Christ the King to its third straight CHSAA Class AA championship and the Brooklyn/Queens diocesan title.

Christ the King coach Joe Aribtello felt his players made the right decisions because they were comfortable with the schools and how it suits them in basketball terms.

“In this day and age you don’t get guys making wise decisions like that,” Arbitello said. “I think both guys went to schools that they were their prime target. They wanted Tyrone and they wanted David Cole.”

Cole, who was a vital sixth man and a spot starter last season, was pleased to choose a program that had made a strong push for months since he played at the Hoop Group event in July.

The senior was quite happy to hang out with his future teammates during a school visit and was sure that the Northeast Conference program was right for him. He also had interest from Manhattan, Maine, Wagner and St. Francis College.

“I see a lot of great things at that school happening for me,” Cole said. It felt wonderful and there were no fake vibes.

Cohen made an impact with his defense and ability to run the floor by coming off the bench and as a starter last year.  His 10 points and 7 rebounds were invaluable down the stretch as the Royals upended Xaverian, 59-56, to win a record-breaking third straight city championship.

Cohen says the Holy Cross coaching staff convinced him how good it was to play in the Patriot League. He didn’t have to think about visiting other schools because it felt like home.

“When I was talking to the coach [Bill Carmody], when I was up there, he told me he wasn’t looking for Patriots lead players, but players that are better than the Patriot League that decided they wanted to play in that league,” Cohen said.

Holy Cross kept their interest in Cohen despite making a coaching chance in the offseason when they hired Carmody, who in his 17 seasons guided Princeton and Northwestern to eight postseason tournaments. Assistant coach Kevin Driscoll told Cohen his ability to play multiple positions and be a defensive presence was better suited for the Crusaders.

“It stood out that he acknowledged that I could have went to any other school or higher than Holy Cross,” Cohen said. “When he said that it stuck to me that I belonged here.”

Cole and Cohen both said it was great to make a stressful making decision put to bed and concentrate on what is an important season for the duo. With the departure of 2014-15 CHSAA league MVP Rawle Alkins to Word of God Academy in North Carolina, Cole and Cohen will have to step up and be vital players.

“I just wanted to get all the weight off the chest. Now all I have to worry about is winning a state championship with my team,” Cole said.

Arbitello says his two stars are ready for the challenge not just to defend their title but also make a run at league history by winning a fourth straight city championship.

“They are not taking a back seat to anyone this year,” Arbitello said. “It will be their show.”

- See more at: http://www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/christ-the-king-stars-find-perfect-fit-1.1732952#sthash.eOdG1KPv.dpuf

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Seniors set to commit
9/30/15 - 08:34 PM

On Friday, October 2nd, 2015, CK seniors David Cole and Tyrone Cohen will announce their college decisions in the Father John Savage Memorial Gym on the campus of Christ the King HS.

Both Cole and Cohen were important parts of last seasons city championship team. They will attempt to lead CK to another title, which would be a CHSAA all-time record 4th in a row. 

Good Luck to both student-athletes on Friday. They have already made CK proud.

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MSG Varsity NYC Players to Watch: Jose Alvarado
8/5/15 - 08:24 PM

Royals PG Jose Alvarado helped guide the Royals to their third consecutive Catholic League City Championship this past season

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Times Ledger: Queens HS Best in Sports 2014-2015
7/12/15 - 02:53 PM

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Register for CK Basketball Camp
7/11/15 - 12:05 PM

CK will be holding its annual summer basketball camp on the campus of Christ the King High School. 

This year there will be three weeks for boys, and one week for girls.

All employees are current or former high school athletes and/or coaches.

CK's basketball camp is widely known as one of the best in the city.

For more information on where and how to register, click on the link below:

http://www.ctkny.org/featurecontent.aspx?rank=3&schoolid=2

CK Men's Basketball:

Three-time defending catholic state "AA" champions

CK Women's Basketball:

Defending catholic state "AA" champions

Be a part of the success with Christ the King Basketball!

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