KO Boys Basketball Headed to Playoffs

After an undefeated section season with an overall record of 20-2, the boy’s basketball team is headed to playoffs.

The boys finished their season Monday night with a 80-57 win over Brentwood in a nonsection game.

Coach Gene Mercuri said this is the first time the team has won a section season since 2003, and he thought it might also be the first time in KO history that the boys were undefeated in the section.

And the boys didn’t get to this point by luck, he said. It was a true team effort that got them to this level.

“We’re real proud of them. Every night it’s been someone different stepping up and carrying the load for us,” he said. “We have a mixture of youth and veterans. We have two seniors and one is our main point scorer, but we have eight sophomores who contribute.”

Senior Rocco Contristano scored his 1000^th career point during Monday’s game. He had a total of 23 points, and Ricky Rogers had 16 during the game.

Rocco and girls basketball senior were nominated as U.S. Army Players of the Week. To vote, see www.thesportsflash.com.

Also at Monday’s game, senior players and cheerleaders were recognized during a Senior Recognition ceremony held before the game. Photos of the students can be found in the Neighborhood Gallery.

A meeting was scheduled for Tuesday night to determine the playoff structure, and as of Tuesday afternoon, Mercuri said the team didn’t know who it would face in playoffs or when the first game would be.

“We’re not nervous right now because we don’t know who we’re going to play,” Mercuri said. “I could kill myself trying to look at 24 teams, or 26 teams, so we’re just wait to see who we’ll play and study those teams.”

But no matter who the team will face, Mercuri said he’s not worried.

“We’re not afraid to play anyone,” he said.