South Shore’s Jasmine Odom will try to lead the Vikings to an upset of Christ the King on the Royals’ home court. (Damion Reid)
New York Post girls basketball beat writer Marc Raimondi takes a look at the game between Christ the King and South Shore at the New York Post CHSAA vs. PSAL Girls Basketball Invitational, scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday at Christ the King.
Christ the King Royals
Head coach: Bob Mackey
Record: 9-3
Player to watch: Bria Smith
South Shore Vikings
Head coach: Anwar Gladden
Record: 10-2
Player to watch: Jasmine Odom
Outlook: Right now, Christ the King is playing with a chip on its shoulder. The Royals are angry and have been competing that way since a Dec. 7 loss to Bishop Ford – just their second league defeat in a decade. South Shore, on the other hand, has had its up and downs. The Vikings can look so good at times – and have a boatload of talent – but the youth that comes with a rotation filled with sophomores has been evident.
They haven’t played a team like Christ the King this year, either. The Royals are one of the marquee teams in high school girls basketball history, producing luminaries like Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw and recently Carrem Gay and Tina Charles. This year’s group is striving to prove doubters wrong who say it isn’t as good. Junior guard Bria Smith is one of the most heavily sought-after guards in the country and senior forward Ariel Edwards is headed to Penn State next year.
South Shore’s marquee player is also a junior: Jasmine Odom. At her best, she’s one of the top guards in the city and a surefire Division I player. But she also can’t do it alone. The kiddie corps needed to step up more in blowout losses to Mary Louis and Bishop Ford. The Vikings are playing better lately, with sophomores Jenice Winter, Shelby Powell and Fannisha Price and senior defensive stopper Taylor Lloyd realizing their potential. Freshman Aliyah Cooley, a 6-foot sharpshooter, is the future – not just for South Shore, but the city.
Is this a past and present versus the future matchup? Christ the King isn’t ready to pass the torch yet. The Royals are incredibly motivated now and have gone toe to toe with some of the country’s best teams already this year at the Nike Tournament of Champions. South Shore can take claim to a bit of the present – the Vikings did make the PSAL city title game last year – but there’s no doubt how bright its future is. Can the Vikings grow up fast enough to beat the legendary Royals? Find out Sunday night.