Gabriel finds new home close to old one

Bob Oliva has coached enough Division I basketball players to know when one is making the wrong choice. It has happened before, former Royals overestimating their ability and heading to a college that did not make sense.
“I’ve seen players go places in my heart I know wouldn’t be a good fit,” he said.
That is not the case with center Andrew Gabriel. The athletic 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior recently signed a national letter of intent to attend Manhattan College of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) this September.
“It’s a perfect match, perfect,” Oliva said. “That’s the level for him. It’s a great choice.”
As other colleges were turned off by Gabriel’s rather ordinary regular season, Manhattan paid close attention throughout the winter to the versatile big man who was often overshadowed by his high-level backcourt of Erving Walker and Malik Boothe. Once the playoffs started, their interest was validated, as Gabriel gained consistency, even dominance with two 20-rebound performances, leading the Royals to their first CHSAA Class AA city championship in 12 years.
When Coach Barry Rohrssen offered up a full scholarship, Gabriel, who averaged 9.9 points point per game and 9.2 rebounds in addition to being a Queens Courier All-Borough second team selection, didn’t have to think about the decision too much.
The Riverdale school was close enough to his Brownsville home so his family could continue to follow his career, and former adversaries in the Catholic league, such as Holy Cross center Laurence Jolicoeur, All Hallows guard Darryl Crawford, and Rice big man Arturo Dubois, were there already, too.
“I’m excited about it,” he said. “I was thinking about Manhattan for a while. It’s a big load off my shoulders.
“Now I don’t have to worry about traveling to any A.A.U. tournaments or any exposure games,” he continued. “Just finish my high school year.”