Christ the King was a different team from the first time it faced St. Peter’s, its only loss of the season.
The Royals junior varsity team watched star freshman Sierra Calhoun get called up to the varsity team during Christmas break after playing just two games. CK fell by four points to the Eagles in Middle Village, without having a chance to practice prior because of a snow storm. From that point on the team continually improved, reshaped itself and became a family.
“You lose a kid like Calhoun, she is going to be one of the main kids for your offensive situations,” coach Dom Cecala said. “She is going to set your tempo defensively and try to do things. I thought down the stretch we became a smarter and a better basketball team. Even losing a kid like that I thought the maturity level of this team showed.”
Christ the King avenged that defeat by traveling to Staten Island and knocking off the Eagles, 60-44, in the CHSAA JV girls basketball city championship Tuesday. It is the Royals second title in three years and third for Cecala, who earned one at Archbishop Molloy. He felt his team dealt well with the adversity of foul trouble and with the fact that it was the final game played by a St. Peter’s girls team at home with the school closing in June.
“I really feel like this team had to grow up quick,” Cecala said of a squad that had just one sophomore.
Kollyns Scarbrough scored a game-high 27 points including 13 of the Royals’ 17 in the first quarte. Alyssa Gatti tallied 16, Kristen Drogsler nine and Shannon Barrett five. St. Peter’s (21-1) was led by Victoria Crea’s 20 points and Brittany Carroll added eight. The Eagles, who had only lost to St. John Villa prior, saw their top player Kristen Olsen moved up to the varsity early this month for the stretch run.
Christ the King (20-1) lead just 29-25 at the half, but Drogsler connected on a 3-pointer to open the third and Barrett, who had 13 points and 15 rebounds in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens final win over second-place Molloy, added a steal and score. Cecala praised the sharpshooting Drogsler as someone who carried his team offensively for a stretch of the season and Barrett and Destiny Marino’s improved efforts on the boards.
“People put it on themselves in these playoffs to go out there and do that kind of stuff,” Cecala said of the blue collar play.
His players grew more comfortable in their roles, with Scarbrough and Gatti having to pick up some of the scoring, as the season went on. The biggest thing was their commitment to defense and buying into what Cecala and assistant coach Joe DeLuca were telling them.
“In December, we couldn’t guard the salt and pepper shakers that sit on the kitchen table,” Cecala said. “Down the end of the year we really made things happened. They played team defense. It wasn’t man-to-man defense anymore. It was team defense.”
It all added up to a season filled with memorable wins including a hard-fought Brooklyn/Queens semifinal against Mary Louis. The Royals became smart enough and mature enough to handle whatever was thrown at them en route to a title.
“We grew up,” Cecala said. “We learned how to win a big basketball game.”
