Christ the King rebounds to claim ‘A’ title

When Christ the King saw their 23-year run as CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Diocese champions end, their entire team thought the season was over.
Told they had more games to play in the Catholic State Class A playoffs, the response was not overwhelmingly positive. Many Royals found it odd to be competing in the lower-tiered tournament.
“At first a lot of people were not up for it,” senior Jael Pena said. “It’s not the same.”
Prior to their first practice following the upset last Monday, Coach Bob Mackey symbolically erased the disappointing season by gathering together the team’s press clippings, statistics, and regrets written on paper in a box and stored it in his closet. Afterwards, guards Geleisa George and Pena made sure their teammates were determined to finish the year appropriately.
“I told them we have a second chance,” Pena recalled. “We can win a state title. Let’s not let that go to waste.”
The Royals aptly responded. They knocked off Holy Trinity of Long Island, 51-46, Sunday at Hofstra University to take the ‘A’ crown, four days after besting St. John Villa of Staten Island, 70-56. George and Pena, who didn’t play up to capabilities during the upset to Archbishop Molloy in the Brooklyn/Queens final, led the charge with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
“They put it all behind them and stepped up,” Mackey said.
With standout freshman Bria Smith limited to a season-low seven points, their contributions were integral.
Pena (four assists, three steals), Mackey noted, took over late. After the Titans erased the Royals’10-point fourth-quarter lead, going ahead on Terry Green’s jumper, her 1,000th career point, with 4:07 left, Pena scored in traffic and knocked down two clutch free throws. She set the tempo over the final minutes while applying pressure defense on Julia Finlay (20 points), Holy Trinity’s dynamic guard.
“Jael put the team on her shoulders,” Mackey said.” She refused to give up. Jael’s a fighter.”
Thanks to her efforts, basketball in Middle Village is not over. March 28, the Royals will meet the PSAL Class A representative, either John Bowne or Curtis, in the State Federation Class A semifinals. It is not the prestigious ‘AA’, the division the Royals (15-12) participated in 17 years in a row - hoisting the crown 13 times - before falling short last year, but is nonetheless enticing.
“It does feel a little different, but we still get to go to Glens Falls,” George said. “We still get that experience. We’re still happy.”