By Marc Raimondi
But flying under the radar for the Royals is junior forward Ryan Pearson, who quietly scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Christ the King to a 74-63 win over Wings Academy in the first game of the annual Nike Super Six at Madison Square Garden.How can that stat line – and shooting 10-of-14 from the field – be called quiet? Well, Pearson wasn't even named the game's most valuable player. That award went to Walker, who scored 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting for Christ the King (10-2).”That's my man,” Pearson said. “At least one of us got it, it doesn't matter.”But Pearson is used to being overshadowed by his high-Division I backcourt. He's just happy to have Boothe (11 points, 9 assists, 0 turnovers) and Walker (6 assists) dishing him the ball.”It's fun,” Pearson said. “I know they look for me on the break or on the block….I do all the dirty work for them.”There was nothing dirty about his shooting percentage. Coach Bob Oliva has seen Pearson grow as a player since joining the team midway through last season – now he can even shoot the three, Oliva noted. It's hard to believe he's only been playing with the Royals for one calendar year.”I think everybody is overshadowed, because all the attention goes to the backcourt,” the coach said.Oliva took his team out on the Garden court about two hours before the 1 p.m. game to get the jitters out – it was the Royals' first time playing at the World's Most Famous Arena, except for Walker, who played in a youth league scrimmage at halftime of a Knicks-Pacers playoff game when he was 8. Of course, Boothe will be playing home games on the court next season with St. John's.”I said this is going to be his court, most of you will probably never get back here again,” Oliva said. “Forty years from now they'll be telling people, 'Oh I played at the Garden.' And they wouldn't be lying.”Jamie Harris, headed to Drexel next year, led Wings (8-2) with 22 points and 7 assists and David Williamson added 20 points.Pearson felt the energy rush immediately when he set foot on the hardwood, an electric current running through his body.”It was passion,” he said. “It's the greatest feeling I'm going to have as a high-school basketball player, playing in the greatest arena ever. I just had to perform.”And he certainly did. Even if he doesn't have the MVP award to show for it.”Once I made my first basket,” Pearson said. “I knew I had any more coming.”Reach reporter Marc Raimondi by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 130.
