Leading off today: Bob Oliva, the New York City boys basketball coach who has been accused of sexual abuse, will resign this week after 27 years at Christ The King, The Daily News reported late last night.

   "I'm finished," Oliva told the paper. "I'm going to walk away from the program. It is a terrible way to go out."

   Oliva, 64, has been on a leave of absence all season, citing a heart condition he believes was aggravated by the abuse allegations. In April, Oliva informed CTK administrators that a Florida law firm representing a longtime family friend was alleging sexual abuse 30 years ago and seeking $750,000 and Oliva's resignation. Oliva denied the allegations, and school officials said they believed he was innocent.

   The Daily News reported two former players also have recently alleged that Oliva sexually abused them. Gerard Marrone, a lawyer representing Dennis Sullivan, said his client has suffered substance-abuse problems because of years of abuse by Oliva during the 1980s.

   Oliva said the new allegations are also false. "It never happened," he said. "There is no truth to this at all."

   Oliva has gone 549-181 with five city championships at Christ The King. Joe Arbitello, the athletic director and interim coach, will take over on a permanent basis. The Royals are 9-1 following a 62-45 win over St. Raymond yesterday and are ranked 14th in Class AA by the NYSSWA.

   CTK president Michael Michel said the school did not pressure Oliva to quit. "He's been with us many, many years -- since before I got here -- and it's his decision," Michel said.

   Shen shenanigans: Shenendehowa school officials are scheduled to meet today to determine disciplinary action against an estimated 12 hockey players accused of smoking marijuana last week, The Times Union reported.

   Sources told the paper the accusations stem from an overnight trip while the team, Section 2's six-time defending Division I champion, competed in a tournament at SUNY Morrisville. A message left for coach Juan de la Rocha by the paper yesterday was not returned.

   Principal Donald Flynt and AD Chris Culnan are among those who will attend today's meeting. The school's athletic code of conduct lists possession and/or use of drugs or alcohol as a violation punishable by game suspensions for a first offense.

   Shen is 3-7-1 following a 3-2 loss to LaSalle over the weekend.

   Record-setting win: A 61-35 win yesterday over Minisink Valley made Pearl River's Lorraine Moylan the winningest girls basketball coach in Rockland County history with 448 victories. Only Gina Maher of Irvington has more among active Section 1 coaches.

   More than 20 former players attended the championship

Also worth checking out Boys basketball page

round of the Pearl River tournament to see Moylan set the mark in her 26th season. Her 448-121 record includes two state championships at Albertus Magnus and a 7-1 start this winter.

   Dollars and sense: The Journal News did a story last week on how the implications of the 2008 financial meltdown could affect high school sports in the near future.

   Faced with a financial crunch that will get worse this spring when the new state budget is passed, Section 1 schools are currently voting on a proposal to make geography the overriding factor in forming realigned leagues starting in the fall. With rare exceptions, "power leagues" formed from across the section would be replaced by the "local, local, local" mantra as a means to cut transportation costs.

   The mail vote will conclude this month and the proposal is likely to pass. Conference 1 would be Dutchess, Putnam and parts of northern Westchester, Conference 2 would be southern Westchester, Conference 3 would be central and parts of northern Westchester, and Conference 4 would be Rockland County. Each conference would be divided into leagues as necessary.

   The only exceptions will be football because of concerns about physical mismatches in a collision sport and sports (such as gymnastics or skiing) in which there are relatively few teams.

   "As much as people will argue it, football is different," said John Jay AD Rich Beckley, who chaired the alignment committee. "The state recognizes it as different -- it mandates medical coverage at the game."

   Section 1 has already trimmed the regular season for spring sports by four games in baseball/softball and two in lacrosse. Calculated across varsity, JV and modified lines, that change alone will save several school districts in excess of $15,000.

   Also, the basketball tournament will feature fewer games at the Westchester County Center to cut rental costs. As a result, semifinals will be played on the home courts of higher seeds, a development that Journal News columnist Rick Carpiniello noted has implications. Albertus Magnus coach Joe McGuinness wonders if teams might schedule cupcakes to try to lock up the home court rather than risk losses in events like the Slam Dunk Tournament.

   "Ultimately you know what you're saying?" asked Peekskill coach Lou Panzanaro. "That it's really not very important, sports in education. I just think it's the wrong message for superintendents to send to kids and parents.

   "We want kids to get involved in sports. There are positive things that come out of that. And not everybody might see it that way, but that's my feeling. I think it's a real shame to take the semifinal games out of the County Center."

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