CTK loses Davis after altercation

Christ the King’s star guard Larry Davis will miss the rest of the season, no matter how far the Royals go in the state tournament, after the Deer Park resident verbally abused referee Michael Bennett in the lobby of Fordham University’s Rose Hill Gymnasium following his team’s heartbreaking loss Sunday afternoon.
Bennett was the official who whistled Davis, the N.C. State recruit, for his fifth and final foul late in the fourth quarter of the Royals’ 62-60 overtime loss to Rice in the CHSAA Class AA city championship game. Bennett, who officiated the PSAL Class A quarterfinal game between Canarsie and Banneker earlier in the day at St. Francis College, is a highly-regarded referee.
Sources say shortly after the 6-foot-4 Davis and Bennett engaged in a heated argument, Davis’s uncle, Warren Davis, landed a punch to Bennett’s jaw. Also a high school referee, Warren Davis was charged with misdemeanor assault.
“After an investigation, the CHSAA and Christ the King worked very closely to protect the integrity of the school and the league,” said CHSAA president Ray Nash in previous publications. “He is suspended from basketball for the rest of the year. We applaud Christ the King for their actions.”
Christ the King athletic director Carolann Timpone confirmed the suspension. “He’s done for the year,” she said, referring to his basketball future at the Middle Village school. “This is a really difficult situation for everyone involved.”
The incident ends a great career for Davis, an exemplary student, and three-year starter on the Christ the King varsity. “He’s a great kid,” Timpone said. “He comes from a great family. Very often people make mistakes, I guess.”
Citing school policy, Christ the King Coach Bob Oliva declined to comment.