Royal Heartbreak-CTK drops city championship to Rice in overtime on a buzzer-beater

Late Sunday afternoon, gut-wrenching heartbreak reached western Queens. Christ the King’s dreams of a city championship - what would’ve been their first since 1995 - died at Fordham University’s Rose Hill Gym when Rice’s Kashif Pratt sank a running floater off the glass along the right baseline at the buzzer in overtime, sending the Raiders to their first CHSAA Class AA city championship, 62-60, since 2002. “When it left my hands,” Pratt said, “I knew it was going to drop.”
With the Royals double-teaming the 6-foot-9 center Curtis Kelly in the post, Pratt beat Rob Hampton, slow to rotate over, off the dribble, floating the game-winner over the outstretched fingertips of center Andrew Gabriel, and setting off a raucous celebration from the Rice contingent, who immediately stormed the court.
Hampton hit the deck, sobbing uncontrollably. Larry Davis, the N.C. State-bound guard who fouled out with 2:57 left in regulation, looked on in bewilderment. Christ the King Coach Bob Oliva, standing by the scorer’s table with his right hand on his hip, stared motionless at the celebration for several minutes.
“I’m mad at the world,” said Davis afterward, just outside the somber Royals locker room. “I just wasn’t there for my team in overtime.” Hampton, still watery-eyed, said, “My heart dropped. I didn’t know what to do. I knew it was over.”
Courtesy of their Brooklyn-Queens Diocesan title, the Royals could get another crack at Rice in the CHSAA Class AA state championships if they can get past the Long Island representative, St. Dominic (Oyster Bay), in the semifinals. Yet, that was no consolation after the heart-wrenching defeat. “This was the whole thing,” Oliva said. “We don’t give the rest much credence.”
Christ the King was ahead most of the way, leading 30-18 late in the first half behind 12 first-half points from Davis.
But with Davis and Gabriel in foul trouble, the Raiders rallied, getting even late in the fourth quarter on the strength of a 16-5 run, capped by senior Vincent Johnson’s lay-up. Davis answered, dropping in a pretty step-back jumper. Unfortunately, he committed his fifth foul on the ensuing possession.
The Royals (24-4) had a chance to win it at the end of regulation but sophomore Erving Walker, who shot 0-for-7 from the field, misfired. With less than a minute to go in overtime, Johnson’s 3-pointer put Rice up 59-57 but Walker tied the game with a pair of free-throws with 18.8 remaining. The sophomore’s lone two points, however, would set up Pratt’s theatrics.
Hampton took over with Davis on the bench, scoring 14 of his team-high 16 points after halftime. Davis finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and four assists and Gabriel scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Edgar Sosa, the Louisville-bound guard, earned MVP honors and led Rice (24-4) with 15 points. Kelly added 11 points and 12 rebounds and Pratt scored 11.