SEASON SAVED: New York Catholic High Schools Athletic Association to play an abbreviated spring schedule; all games to be hosted by Archbishop Stepinac

BENSALEM, Pa. — There is finally good news from New York City, where the Catholic High Schools Athletic Association will have a boys’ basketball spring season of sorts after all. Blue Star Media learned it will involve pool play with 22 of 31 member schools signing on.

The COVID-19 pandemic postponed and nearly canceled the league’s signature sport but a last-minute plan appears to have salvaged it.

According to the plan, teams will play at least four games within four pools and all games will be played at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains or in Westchester County, which sits over the Bronx borough line. All games will be streamed by LocalLive. No spectators will be allowed but approved media can attend. Only team personnel, school officials and league representatives will be permitted in the gym.

The games begin on April 19 and a tournament and playoffs would cap the season in late May. This tournament is a sanctioned CHSAA event and schools will wear their school uniforms and can be coached by their varsity coach.

Powerhouse programs and Blue Star Media Elite 25 regulars such as Stepinac, Christ the King (Middle Village), Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn), Cardinal Hayes (Bronx), St. Raymond (Bronx), Xaverian (Brooklyn), Monsignor Scanlan (Bronx), La Salle Academy (Manhattan), Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood) and St. Peter’s (Staten Island) are expected to participate in the spring season.

Stepinac (4-2) played six games this winter and held out hope that an abbreviated league campaign would emerge.

The schedules will be released later this week. — Christopher Lawlor