CHSAA boys basketball beat writer Dylan Butler breaks down the Class AA intersectional quarterfinals.
Here’s the schedule:
Thursday at St. Francis Prep
6 p.m. – Xaverian vs. St. Raymond’s
7:45 p.m. – Christ the King vs. St. Peter’s
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Friday at Christ the King
6 p.m. – Holy Cross vs. St. Francis Prep
7:30 p.m. – Rice vs. Bishop Loughlin
To check out The Post’s live blog, click here.
Xaverian Clippers
Head coach: Jack Alesi
Record: 16-8
Player to watch: Brian Bernardi
St. Raymond Ravens
Head coach: Oliver Antigua
Record: 16-10
Player to watch: Daniel Dingle
Outlook: St. Raymond’s had just picked up its biggest win to date, beating Christ the King on the road in overtime, but that became a distant memory two days later when Xaverian came to The Bronx, buried 13 3-pointers and pounded the Ravens, 81-64.
It was Xaverian’s most complete game of the year, while it was St. Ray’s toughest loss. That is until a 29-point defeat in the New York Archdiocesan final to rival Rice on Saturday.
“They’re a great team, well coached, very disciplined, a tough out for us,” St. Ray’s coach Oliver Antigua said. “They beat us already at home so I think they got our attention and we have to really come out and play a good game to beat them.”
While the Clippers have sharpshooter Brian Bernardi back from a bruised shoulder that sidelined him for two games, St. Raymond’s might be without starting guard Larry Graves, who suffered a badly sprained ankle against Rice.
“We know that [Daniel] Dingle and [Kerwin] Okoro are probably the best one-two punch inside, their guards are all steady,” Xaverian coach Jack Alesi said. “They’re just a solid team. We need to take care of the ball and it all comes down to how we defend.”
Christ the King Royals
Head coach: Joe Arbitello
Record: 19-6
Player to watch: Omar Calhoun
St. Peter’s Eagles
Head coach: Charlie Driscoll
Record: 19-7
Player to watch: Stefan Bock
Outlook: Christ the King searched for consistency throughout the season and the Royals seem to have finally hit their stride late in the regular season, taking a 10-game winning streak into the quarterfinals. That includes a third consecutive Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan title.
Now the goal is a second straight Class AA intersectional crown and although his team is a heavy favorite, Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello doesn’t think the Royals will overlook scrappy St. Peter’s.
“I don’t think they’ll take them for granted, especially when I keep reminding them about how the NCAA, how Robert Morris almost beat Villanova and how mid-majors end up beating someone from the Big East,” Arbitello said. “It happens all throughout basketball.”
St. Peter’s might play in relative obscurity on Staten Island, but the Eagles have opened some eyes with a regular-season win against a depleted Rice squad and followed with an impressive victory against Archbishop Molloy in the opening round Sunday.
The Eagles have multiple dangerous shooters, including Stefan Bock and Andrew Cannon and a point guard in Vernon Maddox who is tough as nails. Just two days after his grandfather was killed, the senior had 11 points, 10 in the second half, in Sunday’s 59-54 win against the Stanners.
St. Peter’s is also relishing its role as an underdog.
“On Staten Island and the city, everyone doubts us,” Maddox said. “They don’t think we’re going to play too well, so it gives us a chance to go 110 percent, show everybody what we’ve got and if everything goes well, we’ll win.”
Holy Cross Knights
Head coach: Paul Gilvary
Record: 16-11
Player to watch: Evan Conti
St. Francis Prep Terriers
Head coach: Tim Leary
Record: 13-13
Player to watch: Glyne Straker
Outlook: There won’t be much, if any, watching of game film for Tim Leary and Paul Gilvary this week. This will be the fourth meeting of the year between the bitter rivals and there will be no surprises.
St. Francis Prep stunned Holy Cross in the first of two regular-season games, beating the Knights by 16 on the road. Down Francis Lewis Boulevard, Holy Cross evened the series with a 62-52 victory and then crushed the Terriers 85-59 in the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan quarterfinals back at Holy Cross.
This time, though, the stakes are higher.
“We beat them earlier in the year, but that seems like three years ago by now,” Leary said. “I think [our players are] genuinely excited about having an opportunity to play again and for them just to win that game and get to St. John’s will really mean a lot for the seniors. We’ll be ready to play. We won’t lose on a lack of effort, I can tell you that.”
While the Battle of the Boulevard means everything to the students and alumni, Gilvary said the chance to advance to Carnesecca Arena to meet either Rice or Bishop Loughlin in the semifinals is more important than bragging rights.
“It’s an opportunity to keep your season alive, an opportunity to advance to the semifinals,” Gilvary said. “No matter who you play, you know you’re playing a good team and you know you’re going to have to play well. That overrides the fact that it’s St. Francis Prep.”
Rice Raiders
Head coach: Dwayne Mitchell
Record: 17-9
Player to watch: Jermaine Sanders
Bishop Loughlin Lions
Record: 12-13
Player to watch: Travis Charles
Outlook: It seems a day doesn’t go by that Dwayne Mitchell isn’t mentioning the Rice tradition, challenging his players to meet those lofty expectations of past Rice teams.
They did that and more Saturday in a stunning win against archrival St. Raymond to claim a sixth straight New York Archdiocesan title. Now a young Bishop Loughlin team is standing between Rice and a berth in the semifinals.
A win against Bishop Loughlin, though, surely won’t come easy. The Lions have exceeded outside expectations already and have a 53-45 win against Rice already on its resume. But that was before Davonte Dunham injured his foot and Khadeen Carrington hurt his ankle in separate games at Christ the King.
That will effect Loughlin’s chances of a second win against Rice this year, but it would be a mistake to count out the Lions.
