By Laura Amato
Jose Alvarado doesn’t really need to prove he’s a good basketball player anymore – it’s common knowledge at this point.
The Christ the King senior didn’t get that memo, however, lighting up the scoreboard once again as the Royals cruised to a 75-63 over Cardinal Hayes Friday night.
“We’re being led by the best player in New York City,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello said. “The guy’s got back-to-back 30 games and he only took 16 shots today. It’s amazing.”
Alvarado – who will head to Georgia Tech next season – finished with a game-high 32 points, despite a relatively slow start, content to make the extra pass and set up his teammates. Kofi Cockburn and Jared Harrison-Hunte hit their stride early and Hayes’ defense was forced to respond, crowding the paint and effectively giving Alvarado breathing room on the wing.
He made good use of it.
“I just felt it,” Alvarado said. “I think I got my swagger back, but I just felt it today. It just went in. There’s not much I can say.”
Alvarado racked up 20 points in the first half – opening up a perfect four-for-four from behind the arc – and the Royals went into the break with a more-than-comfortable 37-24 cushion. It also left Hayes desperately searching for some kind of defensive answer.
“We were just kind of paralyzed by how well he was playing,” Cardinals’ coach Joe Lods said. “I thought it was like paralysis by over analysis. We were [looking] like deer stuck in headlights while he’s shooting his threes.”
The Royals didn’t slow down in the second half, padding their lead as the entire roster settled into an offensive rhythm. Tyson Walker seized a bit of the spotlight in the third quarter, scoring nine of his 11 points in the period. Cockburn also continued to move well in the post, using his height to his advantage to finish with 13 points.
It was a late-game team effort the Royals have been waiting all season to see.
“It just seemed like we were clicking, we were playing hard and just running up and down the floor,” Arbitello said. “I think guys are starting to get more sure of where they’re supposed to be on the floor.”
Christ the King opened up the fourth quarter on a 12-6 run, grabbing a 20-point lead when Alvarado drained a jumper midway through the period. The Royals attacked from every angle down the stretch – even falling into a zone defense at one – and the squad felt electrified as the minutes ticked off the clock. “It’s all been starting in practice,” said Alvarado, who also chipped in seven rebounds and three steals. “There’s no breaks, we’re just going tough in practice and bringing it out in the game. It shows.”
It’s been an up and down season for the young Royals squad, but Christ the King is hoping a victory like this can keep things on track. A postseason run won’t be easy, but with Alvarado firing on all cylinders and the rest of the squad settling into their roles, the Royals are confident.
“It’s fun, it’s the way it’s supposed to be,” Arbitello said. “It’s just going to be very tough to win a city championship this year for any team.”
