MaxPreps 2014-15 New York preseason boys basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

By Joe Lombardi Nov 10, 2014, 12:00am

Christ the King is our pick as the top team in New York. Also watch out for Cardozo, Greece Athena, Long Island Lutheran and Mt. Vernon.

Rawle Atkins, Christ the King
Rawle Atkins, Christ the King
Photo by Randy Kemp

MaxPreps 2014-15 New York Boys Basketball Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard

1. Christ the King (Middle Village)
2013-14 record: 25-6, champions, Federation champions
Head coach: Joe Arbitello

Athletic 6-foot-5 senior guard Rawle Alkins, who took official recruiting visits to Villanova and Indiana this
fall, is an outstanding outside shooter who averaged 17 points per game last season. Also back is 6-4
senior swingman Travis Atson, who has drawn interest from Binghamton, Boston University and Iona. CTK
is looking for its third-straight Federation title and fifth city title in the last six years.

View last season's New York boys basketball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard


2. Cardozo (Bayside)

2013-14 record: 30-3, PSAL AA champions
Head coach:
Ron Naclerio

Junior guard Rashond Salnave's clutch free throws with 2.5 seconds left gave the Judges a 55-54 win over
Thomas Jefferson in the PSAL AA city title game – Cardozo's first PSAL championship in 15 years. Salnave,
who had 16 points, four rebounds and four assists in that game had 20 points in an overtime loss to Christ
the King in the Federation semifinals, is one of the top players in the tri-state area and one of 10 returnees
for the Judges.

View last season's New York boys basketball playoff brackets

3. Greece Athena (Rochester)

2013-14 record: 21-2
Head coach: Jim Johnson

Senior point guard Jay Sarkis ignites an offense that has a low-post, go-to guy in 6-5, 215-pound junior center/forward Anthony Lamb, who averaged a double-double last season (14 ppg, 12 rpg). Sarkis, who averaged six assists, is a steady scorer who rarely turns the ball over. The Trojans are looking to win the Section 5 title for the sixth time in the last 10 years.



View last season's New York boys basketball stat leaders

4. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville)

2013-14 record: 21-5, NYSAIS AA champions
Head coach: John Buck

The Crusaders have advanced to the Federation title game the last two years, losing to Christ the King both times. They could be headed back for a third-straight season. Senior Chris Atkinson, a quicksilver 5-9 guard who is also a football standout, has verbally committed to Monmouth University. Also back are 6-7 senior forward Marvin Prochet and 6-2 junior guard Devonte Green. The Crusaders have already received some preseason inspiration in the form of a meeting with former Long Island Lutheran star Bill Wennington, who was a member of three NBA title teams with the Chicago Bulls.

View last season's New York boys basketball pro photo galleries


5. Mt. Vernon

2013-14 record: 21-2, Section 1 Class AA champions
Head coach: Bob Cimmino

Mt. Vernon has lost its top 2013-14 performers to graduation, led by all-state standouts Devonte Banner (guard) and Brandon Martin. But the Knights haven't won 13 Section 1 titles in the last 16 years without showing they consistently have the ability to reload rather than rebuild. One of the Knights' more intriguing players is 6-4 forward Noah Morgan, who was a varsity contributor as a freshman on a squad whose only regular-season loss was against nationally ranked White Station of Memphis.

Multimedia news and sports editor and producer Joe Lombardi is director of media initiatives and
managing editor of DailyVoice.com, as well as an analyst for Time Warner Sports Channel and primary
author of the most recent edition of "Lacrosse for Dummies." Follow Joe on Twitter @Joe_Lombardi or e-
mail jlombardi@dailyvoice.com.