Giddy about my first regularly scheduled Sunday off in forever, I went up to the Bronx yesterday for the CHSAA “AA” championship game at Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym.

Defending champ Christ the King HS (Queens) knocked off Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn). The final was 72-61. It was an exciting, see-saw contest that was closer than the final margin would indicate. The opening few minutes were filled with bad shots and miscues but both teams settled down to play at a high level for much of the final three quarters.

New York City’s Catholic high schools generally play a better brand of basketball than their public school brethren. In this city anyway, the Catholic schools own better facilities and typically have a greater appreciation for athletics as a way to enrich the educational experience. Problem is, you gotta pay to go. According to Christ the King’s website, tuition and fees for the current school year totals $8355. At Bishop Loughlin, the number is $9190.

The best player on the court in this game was junior Travis Atson of Greenpoint, Brooklyn (pictured above center with crew cut). Atson was 11 of 11 from the free throw line and beautifully worked the give-and-go with CTK sophomore teammate Rawle Alkins.

Atson was named MVP of the CHSAA playoffs. He reminds you a bit of Chris Mullin but will need to sharpen his stroke to succeed at the next level. Alkins has the body of a fullback and did a wonderful job blanketing Loughlin’s Seton Hall-bound scoring machine Khadeen Carrington (pictured above).

I’d estimate the crowd at about 2000. It was a wonderful audience. The fans behind the Bishop Loughlin bench (pictured above) were especially into it. They agonized or rejoiced demonstratively after nearly every play.

It’s kinda complicated to explain how New York state’s high school hoops tournament works and how schools are organized, but the bottom line is that Christ the King will play in the state championship semi-finals for big schools against Cardozo in Albany a week from Friday. The winner of that game then plays the next night on the same floor against either Long Island Lutheran or one of four non-NYC schools playing through their own bracket this upcoming weekend in Glens Falls.

Cardozo won New York City’s public school title for the first time since 1999 on Saturday. Dozo’s coach Ron Naclerio sat behind the northeast goal on Sunday at Fordham to scout his next opponent. On the way in, he accepted congratulations from city hoops fans who this year enjoyed a rare break from dominance by one of the Brooklyn powerhouses.

What we have now my friends is Queens parochial vs. Queens public a week from Friday in a game that likely produces the next state champ.

Before Sunday‘s game, I had a chicken parm hero at Mike’s Deli on Arthur Avenue. It was magnifico. After the game, me and Montclair Mike had a couple cold Pelham Bays at the Bronx Beer Hall.

The top story in the latest edition of Fordham’s weekly student newspaper (available at a rack outside the gym) said that 27 students have reported symptoms consistent with the mumps the first two months of this year despite the fact all but one of them had been vaccinated for the viral disease.

As mentioned at the outset of this post, I’ve finally escaped the deep, dark rut of working weekend nights. My move to a new schedule means I exit the job Saturday afternoon and don’t return until early on Wednesday. I‘m very pumped about this. Not only will I have a consistent starting time and sleeping schedule, I’ll have a good chunk of the weekend off. I’ll get to see people. The 9 to 5’ers. I’ll get to watch football in the fall. I’ll get to see the city when it’s jumping. I’ll no longer zig when everybody else is in the zag. The vibe on Fordham Road Sunday afternoon was an immediate example of why it’s so great to be off on a Sunday. Everybody was out celebrating a day of leisure. It was great being out there in the middle of it.