By Joseph Staszewski
Christ the King dominated the borough and the city, winning its second state Federation Class AA title in four years. John Adams nearly took home a Class A state Federation crown after winning the school’s first PSAL city title.
Cardozo claimed another Queens AA division crown, but Bayside knocked them off for its first borough title. Archbishop Molloy was one of just three teams to beat CK this year, before losing in heart-breaking fashion in city quarterfinals. Holy Cross showed promise under first-year Coach Tom Marchesini after Paul Gilvary was removed.
Here are the players selected as the best in Queens:
All-Queens Player of the Year: Jon Severe, Christ the King
The senior guard was not only the best player in Queens, but also in New York state. Severe took home Christ the King’s first Mr. Basketball Award and led his team to the state Federation Class AA title. His desire to win and score helped him break the Federation tournament Class AA single game and overall scoring mark with help from a 40-point performance in the semifinals.
All-Queens Coach of the Year: Joe Arbitello, Christ the King
Christ the King was expected to win another state title. Pulling it off and in such dominant fashion is another thing. Arbitello got all of his talented players to buy into and execute their roles without question, resulting in just three losses. The way he slowly brought along talented freshman Rawle Alkins was the masterstroke that ultimately sealed the crown.
All-Queens First Team
G C. J. Davis, Archbishop Molloy
The junior guard did a little bit of everything for Molloy. He was the consummate leader and distributor, making everyone around better. Davis scored when needed to the tune of 17.3 points per game and 23 points in a quarterfinal loss to Cardinal Hayes.
F Jordan Fuchs, Christ the King
Coach Joe Arbitello called Fuchs “The Engine” because he gave the Royals energy, points, rebounds and defense. The senior never had a problem mixing it up and locking down other teams’ best forwards. He averaged 11.8 points per game.
G Malik Harmon, Christ the King
The St. Francis College-bound point guard was one of the unsung heroes of Christ the King’s Federation title run. He was often their second leading scorer, made key free throws late in big games and ran the Royals’ offense to perfection.
G Austin Williams, Bayside
The athletic senior guard was a spark plug for the Commodores. Williams, who was fearless going to the basket, averaged 15 points per game and five rebounds during the regular season. He dropped in 21 points in the Queens title game.
G Omar Williams, Benjamin Cardozo
The Judges had different stars on different days, but it was Williams who shined the brightest. The senior averaged 12.3 points during the regular season, leading Cardozo’s fast-paced attack. He had 32 points against Bayside to seal the division title.
All-Queens Second Team
G Cantrell Barker, Bayside
Barkers’ determination and will rubbed off on his teammates. The senior guard was capable of carrying the scoring load when needed. He averaged 16.5 points during the regular season.
G Jermaine Bishop, Holy Cross
The sophomore guard was a huge bright spot for the Knights. Bishop averaged 14.6 points per game and showed the ability to break down defenders. He flourished in Coach Tom Marchesini’s motion offense.
C Adonis Delarosa, Christ the King
Delarosa was never afraid to get his hands dirty. Christ the King was a more formidable team with the hulking center dominating the boards and scoring in the paint like he did during the city playoffs.
G Darnell Holmes, Benjamin Cardozo
Holmes was a jack-of-all-trades for the Judges. The 6-foot-2 senior wing averaged 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds for the undersized squad. He could be found leading and finishing the fast break.
G Chaz Watler, Archbishop Molloy
The senior burst onto the scene this season and became the CHSAA’s most prolific and dynamic scorers. Watler averaged 17.3 points per contest. He had 29 points and buzzer beater to beat Holy Cross.
All-Queens Honorable Mention
G Michael Fields, St. Francis Prep
F Romario Fletcher, Pathways
F Markell French, John Adams
F Austin John Huggins, Monsignor McClancy
F Ahmed Kone, John Adams
F Marko Kozul, Archbishop Molloy
G Dupree, McBrayer, Springfield Gardens
G Nosike Obanya, Thomas Edison
G Noah Vickers, Campus Magnet
G Terrell Williams Holy Cross
