By Rob Abruzzese and Joseph Staszewski
Joshua Wallace and his Holy Cross teammates were pleasantly surprised to see Paul Gilvary at Archbishop Molloy for their diocesan quarterfinal game Monday night.
It was the first appearance at a CHSAA game by the former Holy Cross boys’ basketball coach since the Queens district attorney’s office cleared him last week of any potential criminal charges after he was placed on paid administrative leave by Holy Cross in November.
The school’s admission’s director and chairman of the CHSAA boys’ basketball league was removed for allegedly watching his players shower, according to the New York Post.
“It shocked us to see him here,” Wallace said Monday. “We still had to play our game. We miss him a lot.”
He didn’t want to disappoint his former coach. He scored 14 points and senior Ryan Wilson had 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to help lead the Knights to a 60-40 win over Xaverian.
“Since he was here to support us, we know that he loves us as well,” Wallace said. “We were kind of like, ‘Win for coach Gil’, at least me personally.”
The 49-year-old Gilvary spent the game sitting, mostly stoically, in the corner opposite the Knights’ bench. He had numerous parents, former players and friends come over to him throughout the night. Gilvary downplayed his presence, declining to get into the emotion of seeing his team play from the sidelines after 16 years on the bench.
“I’m just here as the chairperson of the CHSAA, just like I’d always be,” he said. “Just doing my job.”
His former players have always been fully supportive of him. Terrell Williams never believed the allegations and was the first to say I told you so after Holy Cross beat rival St. Francis Prep Friday night.
“I knew it,” he said emphatically. “I knew it wasn’t true .… I never thought he did any of that.”
Even though Williams, a senior, will not be on the Knights’ bench next season, he expects Gilvary to be.
“Under the circumstances, [Coach Tom Marchesini] did a very good job,” he said. “But I still expect to see Gilvary back on the bench next year. He’ll be there.”
Gilvary’s future with the school is still uncertain, but a statement issued by his lawyer Joseph Tock said he was anxiously waiting his reinstatement.
Marchesini’s job is to keep the situation from becoming a distraction as the Knights compete in the playoffs. He insists it hasn’t been an issue all season.
“They’re not really worried about it,” Marchesini said. “We spoke about [Gilvary’s situation] on Day 1. Since then it hasn’t really come up.”
Wilson agreed with Marchesini, saying their attention has been on winning games and playing well. It will remain that way even with Gilvary cleared and him in the gym.
“It’s always been about basketball,” Wilson said. “We just have to keep our mind focused.”
