By Dylan Butler
Former Molloy basketball star Kevin Diffley was arrested last week following a fatal hit-and-run in Roswell, N.M.
Diffley, a Bellerose native attending New Mexico Military Institute, was arrested on charges of being involved in an accident involving death or personal injury and tampering with evidence. The 19-year-old posted $100,000 bond Feb. 4.
Diffley struck and killed Alfonso Ortiz, 52, as he was crossing the street, the criminal complaint said.
Witnesses near the scene saw Ortiz flying in the air after being hit by a white car, according to court records.
Driving a borrowed car, Diffley and Military Institute basketball teammate Travis DeGroot said they turned the corner and pulled into a parking lot and then walked back to Ortiz, according to statements in a court affidavit.
Diffley and DeGroot said a man wearing what appeared to be a badge around his neck told everyone to leave the scene and the two went back to the car and drove back to the school, where they played in a basketball game an hour later.
While there were no police officers at the scene yet, Roswell police spokesman Robert Giles said claims that the person may have been a security guard at a local store is being investigated.
After the game Diffley, a sophomore, returned to his room where he saw a television news report about the accident. He said in a statement he was going to call police, but officers arrested him before he could do so.
Diffley earned TimesLedger All-Queens second-team honors as a senior at Molloy, when the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 11.1 points per game.
Historic commitments
For the first time in school history, the Christ the King football program had four athletes sign Division I national letters of intent as Andre Redd, Steven Morrison, Elsmore Gabriel and Anthony Lazarus became the school’s first Division I football players since Willie Poole in 1999.
The four made it official at a ceremony at the Middle Village school Feb. 4., the national signing day for NCAA Division I football.
Redd will be attending the University of Toledo in Ohio. The wide receiver/defensive back from Jamaica caught 23 passes for 367 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions — two for touchdowns — for 161 yards. He won the defensive MVP of the CHSFL and a TimesLedger All-Queens selection.
Morrison will also be attending the University of Toledo. The strong safety from Flushing had 114 tackles — 15 for losses — and two interceptions. He made Second-Team All-District and was a TimesLedger All-Queens selection.
Gabriel will be attending Clemson University. The linebacker/tight end from Brooklyn totaled 126 tackles, 10 sacks and three fumble recoveries. Due to an injury, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound team captain and team leader in quarterback sacks played in just four games this year.
Lazarus will be attending Division I-AA C.W. Post in the fall. Lazarus ended his senior year as the top running back in the CHSFL AA, rushing for 1,762 yards and 21 touchdowns. The South Jamaica native, the all-time leading rusher at Christ the King, was named TimesLedger Player of the Year, All-League and was the runner-up for the league offensive player of the year.
The four led Christ the King to the CHSFL AA championship, beating rival Holy Cross in the title game.
Men’s basketball
Queensborough CC 92, Nassau CC 82. Dewayne Thomas had 24 points, Lamar Richburg had 21 points, and Tori Begho added 15 points and 16 rebounds for Queensborough (12-10, 5-10 Region XV) Monday night. Caheem Broaus had 25 points and former Bryant standout Fleans Dervishi added 19 for Nassau (13-10, 8-5).
Women’s basketball
St. John’s 83, Providence 75. Kim MacMillan had 23 points, Kati Kurtosi had 13 points and Nora Gyuris added 10 for St. John’s (9-12, 3-7 Big East) Sunday at Alumni Hall.
Villanova 63, St. John’s 50. Angie Clark had 14 points and five rebounds, and Danielle Chambers added 10 points and seven boards for the Red Storm Feb. 4 at Alumni Hall. Clark was named co-Big East Freshman of the Week after averaging 14.4 points and 5.5 rebounds in the two games.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
