CHSAA boys basketball beat writer Dylan Butler breaks down Friday’s Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan final between top-seeded Christ the King and No. 3 Holy Cross at Christ the King.
Who: No. 1 Christ the King vs. No. 3 Holy Cross
What: Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan title game
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Christ the King (68-02 Metropolitan Ave.)
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Christ the King Royals
Head coach: Joe Arbitello
Record: 18-6
Player to watch: Omar Calhoun
Holy Cross Knights
Head coach: Paul Gilvary
Record: 16-10
Player to watch: Evan Conti
Outlook: There are nine teams that play Class AA basketball in the CHSAA and Holy Cross has beaten them all at some point during Evan Conti’s career.
All, but one.
The senior swingman has made it a personal mission to finally beat Christ the King and after two failed regular-season attempts, Friday’s Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan final might mark his last chance.
“Everyone is extremely excited,” Conti said. “We wanted them again after we lost to them at home. We were one or two possessions away. We have to figure out a way to get it done.”
After ending the regular season with back-to-back losses, including the aforementioned 57-53 defeat to the Royals, Holy Cross crushed archrival St. Francis Prep by 26 points in the B/Q quarterfinals, avenging a 16-point home loss to the Terriers in January, and then edged Xaverian, 62-60, in the semifinals Wednesday.
“They are playing as well as anyone in the city right now,” Xaverian coach Jack Alesi said. “All year long I’ve been kind of waiting for Cross to put it together and I think they’ve peaked.”
The same could be said about Christ the King, which is starting to match its talent level. Since an overtime loss to St. Raymond at home on Jan. 28, the Royals have reeled off nine straight victories to reach the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan final for the fifth time in the last six years.
“They looked great [on Wednesday], but we’re playing our best basketball right now, too,” Conti said. “We know them very well, they know us very well. It’s going to be a dogfight.”
The Royals highly-touted backcourt of Corey Edwards, Omar Calhoun and T.J. Curry have been playing well, but of late the CK frontcourt has clicked. Chris Ortiz was a human-highlight film on both ends of the floor and sophomore Jordan Fuchs played above the rim as well in a 72-46 rout of Bishop Loughlin in the semifinals.
While Conti and Co. are looking for their first win against Christ the King, the Royals are aiming for a third consecutive Brooklyn/Queens title.
“They’re definitely going to be a tough team to beat,” Curry said. “They’re definitely coming out hungry and want to win as bad as us. But the way we’ve been playing, honestly, they can play as hard as they want, but we’re just going to come out with the win.”