Chris Ortiz has emerged as a legit threat in the second half of the season. (an rong xu)
CHSAA boys basketball beat writer Dylan Butler breaks down the Christ the King Royals in advance of Sunday’s Class AA boys basketball intersectional championship game at Fordham University’s Rose Hill Gym.
Christ the King
Nickname: Royals
Head coach: Joe Arbitello (3 years)
Record: 21-6
Starting five: G Corey Edwards, G Omar Calhoun, G T.J. Curry, F Terrel Hunt, C Chris Ortiz
Key reserves: G Isaiah Lewis, F Jordan Fuchs, G Jon Severe
Team notes: Christ the King is making its record sixth consecutive trip to the final at Rose Hill Gym, going 1-4 in the previous five games … That one win, though, came in last year’s game, a triple-overtime classic against rival Bishop Loughlin, the Royals fifth city title … Played one of the nation’s most difficult schedules with games against nationally-ranked opponents at the City of Palms Classic, Spalding HoopHall Classic and Cancer Research Classic … Former standouts include Lamar Odom, Derrick Phelps, Speedy Claxton and Jamal Faulkner.
SCOUTING REPORT
(from league coach under condition of anonymity)
“The guy who is going to be a big key for them is Chris Ortiz. [Omar] Calhoun and [Corey] Edwards are going to give you good games along with [T.J.] Curry, but Chris Ortiz played well against St. Raymond’s and he’s a guy who can surprise some people. I’d look for him to have a big game against [Joshua] Gomez. CK can hurt you in a lot of ways and they have the antidote to the press, which is Corey Edwards, the best point guard in the league. He doesn’t turn it over.”
PLAYER CAPSULES
Corey Edwards
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Height: 6-0
Notes: Known as the best pure point guard in the city, has stepped up to hit some huge shots in the postseason … Had seven of his 16 points in overtime, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 32.4 seconds left in overtime in a 70-67 win against St. Raymond, also banged a go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter as the Royals clinched a third straight Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan title … Missed the first month of the season because of a school-issued suspension for cursing in the hallway … Will play for Archbishop Molloy alum Jim Larranaga at George Mason next year.
Arbitello’s take: “A leader, the point guard, what the team was missing when we went through our rough patch, a three-year varsity player who is as solid as any guard we’ve had here as far as running the team.”
Omar Calhoun
Year: Junior
Position: Guard
Height: 6-5
Notes: Tried to do too much during Edwards absence, but is back to his old form over the last 12 games and is a big reason why the Royals are on a 12-game winning streak … Became only the second player in Christ the King history (after Khalid Reeves) to reach the 1,000-point plateau as a junior … Averages a team-high 20 points per game … Has drawn interest from high-major Division I schools, including Pittsburgh, Connecticut, North Carolina and Villanova.
Arbitello’s take: “The chemistry wasn’t there early on, but it seems like in the last 13 or 14 games, he’s been the best player in the CHSAA. He’s making shots, getting to the line and grabbing real big time rebounds for us.”
T.J. Curry
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Height: 6-0
Notes: A fearless competitor, always seems to make the big play when the lights are brightest … With Edwards out injured, assumed the point guard position and was instrumental in leading the Royals to the Class AA title last March … Had 14 points and six rebounds in semifinal win against St. Raymond … Has received interest from MAAC schools Marist, Manhattan, Siena as well as New Hampshire.
Arbitello’s take: “Another reason why we’re playing so good, the guy gets to every loose ball, locks up the other team’s best player and bangs every big shot you can possibly make. He was huge [against St. Raymond].”
Terrel Hunt
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
Height: 6-3
Notes: An all-city football player, he signed a national letter of intent to play quarterback at Syracuse … A hard-nosed competitor, does all the little things to help the Royals win … Emerged as a hero of last year’s championship game, hitting the clinching free throws just two months after his mother, Katrina, died after losing a battle with ovarian cancer … Father, Darryl Dockery, died of kidney failure a day before he signed with the Orange.
Arbitello’s take: “He’s a tough, hard-nosed basketball player. He’s come to terms with the fact he’s going to hang up his uniform after the season and just play football, but he wants to win a championship because he’s a competitor.”
Chris Ortiz
Year: Senior
Position: Center
Height: 6-8
Notes: One of two senior starters – Edwards the other – who didn’t win the title last year. Ortiz was asked to leave and transferred to Lincoln, but never played for the Railsplitters and returned to Christ the King in September … Has emerged as a threat both defensive and offensively and elevated his game during the last month … Averages 10.2 points per game, good for second on the team … Has received interest from NEC and MAAC schools.
Arbitello’s take: “He’s played at a real high level for a couple games and a not so high level in other games, but I thought on Wednesday he was the reason we won. He’s really athletic and is a big part of the offense and become real aggressive, I don’t think there’s another big guy in the league that’s better than him.”
BENCH
Notes: Lightning quick sophomore scorer Isaiah Lewis has already drawn interest from high-major schools Arizona, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State and Oregon State and started several games when Edwards was suspended …. Jordan Fuchs is another highly-touted sophomore who, at 6-foot-6, 195 pounds, already has the strength to battle inside … Slightly behind the other two sophomores because of an early-season injury, Jon Severe had eight points in 12 minutes off the bench in a nationally-televised tilt against Westchester Country Day (N.C.).
Arbitello’s take: “Isaiah is an incredible scorer with a great pull-up game … Jon can really shoot, get to the basket and he’s ridiculously athletic … Jordan does all the little things for us and he’s going to be a big-time talent, he sets screens, rebounds, has a mid-range jump shot and can handle a little bit.”
COACH
Arbitello took over for Bob Oliva three years ago and is making his third consecutive trip to the Class AA final, no small task. Perhaps Arbitello’s greatest strength as coach is his ability to trust and work with his staff of Greg Lemko, Artie Cox, Jerel Cokley and Nicky Sanchez
“Greg has been here 17 years and he’s our defensive guy, he’ll give me his input on what he wants to do defensively and 99 percent of the time I’ll go with that,” Arbitello said. “Artie is our offensively guy. I’ve known him for 14 or 15 years and I respect him tremendously as a basketball coach … Jerel is young, has a lot of energy, is a great skills guy and knows the game really well … Nicky is our alumni guy, my biggest supporter and the most loyal guy you’d ever meet.”