Boogie Fland poured in a game-high 31 points, as Archbishop Stepinac held off Christ the King 68-64 in Middle Village Queens on Sunday night. Fland knocked down five triples and connected on 8 of 10 from the stripe, including 6 of 7 in the final frame, despite tiptoeing around foul trouble for most of the second half.
Stepinac took a nine point lead at 57-48 after Jordan Gabriel's 3-pointer with 6:38 left, but Christ the King went on a 13-2 run, taking a 61-59 lead after a one-handed dunk by Dwayne Pierce and back-to-back reverse layups by Markell Alston. A putback by Benjamin Lyttle tied the game at 61, and Christ the King was in position to regain the lead after a traveling violation before Alston was whistled for a costly technical.
Fland made both technical free throws, and he connected on two more after being fouled on the awarded possession, putting the Crusaders in front 65-61. Alston answered for the Royals with a 3-point play to make a one-point game at 65-64, and Stepinac left the door ajar after Hassan Koureissi made 1 of 2 after being fouled on the ensuing possession. Christ the King came up empty on the next trip, and Fland sealed it with two more from the stripe.
Lyttle added 12 points and Howard Eisley Jr. scored 10 for the Crusaders, who are now 7-2 in CHSAA league play and 10-6 overall. It was the first league loss for Christ the King, who is now 8-1 and 12-4 overall. The Royals had four players score in double figures: Qinfang Pang (13), Pierce (12), Devin Vanterpool (11) and Alston (10).
Video highlights (added 2/14/23)