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NEW ORLEANS — Ryan Arcidiacono had that One Shining Moment in the blink of an eye when he flicked the ball to Kris Jenkins for that forever shot that won Jay Wright and Villanova their national championship in 2016 against North Carolina — and now little brother Chris will be trying for his moment in Saturday night’s Final Four semifinal against Kansas to help Wright win his third.
Chris Arcidiacono was at NRG Stadium in Houston that unforgettable night with his parents, Joe and Patti.
“I remember after Marcus Paige hit the 3-pointer to tie the game, it was a crazy shot, and it seemed like we were gonna go into overtime, and I just remember no one guarding Kris Jenkins the whole floor up, and Ryan just flipped it back, and bang! I just remember the confetti and all the stuff just flew out right as it went in,” Chris told The Post.
On Saturday night, Joe and Patti will be watching Chris. And Ryan, who plays for the Knicks at 1 p.m. Saturday before a game on Sunday in Orlando, will undoubtedly figure out a way to watch his former AAU and Neshaminy (Pa.) High School water boy.
“It will be a proud big-brother moment when I see him out there representing our family and Villanova at the highest level,” Ryan said via text.
Ryan, a 6-foot-3 point guard, and Chris, a 6-5 point guard, are six years apart.
“Chris and I have a great relationship and always have since he was a kid,” Ryan said. “Probably of him being my biggest supporter growing up and looking up to me. I tried to set a good example for him of what hard work and commitment could get you in basketball.”
Ryan proudly mentioned Chris’ state-record 51-point explosion for Neshaminy against Lower Merion to advance to the Pennsylvania Elite Eight in 2018.
“I was FaceTiming my little sister trying to watch it after I heard he was having a big game,” Ryan said.
“Ryan grew early and often, so he was really tall at a young age,” Joe told The Post. “Chris was a quintessential late bloomer, and as such his recruiting was less, but he had more monster games that I saw of him than I saw Ryan’s.”
Joe graduated Villanova in 1981. He was an offensive lineman. He says he never pushed the school on his sons. Ryan, the fourth child of six, chose Villanova over Florida. Chris and twin Courtney are the final two. “I always wanted to come here,” Chris said.
Ryan was co-winner of the Big East Player of the Year as a junior and Most Outstanding Player of the 2016 Final Four.
“In terms of their personalities, Chris is probably a little quieter innately than Ryan,” Joe said. “But he’s a great, great kid. Both boys were three-sport athletes growing up. He and I spent a lot of time together on the golf course just having a blast together.”
As a junior, Chris has had to bide his time behind Collin Gillespie.
“I would like to say that we play in similar styles,” Chris said. “We try to just be the toughest-playing guys on the floor. I think Ryan plays more on the ball instead of off.”
You play quote-unquote Villanova Basketball or you do not play. The brothers work out together now in the summer.
“I would say I’m more chill a little bit compared to Ryan,” Chris said. “But on the basketball court we’re the same, we’re both very feisty and we don’t want to lose.”
Chris will be asked to play a bigger role against Kansas with Justin Moore (Achilles) out.
“It’s not just on me, the whole team’s gotta step up and do a little bit,” Chris said. “It’s gonna take a little bit of everyone to lift up what we’re missing out without having Justin.”
“We love him very much and we feel horrible for him, but we know that he’s got our back and we’re always gonna have his back.”
Joe and Patti flew into the Big Easy on Wednesday night.
“It’s really surreal that we’re going through this again,” Joe said. “Obviously Ryan’s status if you will or position on the team was a little different, but Chris is growing as a player and he’ll do what he needs to do and hopefully when he’s called upon he’ll play well. The range of emotions are just incredibly thrilled and happy for him to follow his brother.”
Chris was 15 when his big brother helped Wright and Villanova get the monkey off their back and became the last team standing.
“It was truly unbelievable, because a lot of people were piling on Villanova for a little bit with their Tournament in previous years,” Chris said, “but Ryan and the team just grinded their way through and they just were able to just be the best they could at the end of the year and that led them to the national championship that year.”
Joe: “That kinda thing is reserved for UCLA and Duke and all the complete blue bloods, and for that to happen it was just an incredible moment for us as a family, and obviously for Ryan.”
Chris flashed back to meeting up with Ryan after the 2016 national championship victory at the team hotel.
“It was just a moment that none of us will ever forget,” Chris said.
Now he chases One Shining Moment of his own.
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