Jerry Kokkinos, founder of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Youth Organization basketball program in Astoria, thought he was just one of five finalists for the eighth annual Jr. Knicks Coach of the Year ward visiting Madison Square Garden on Feb. 19 before a game against the Detroit Pistons.

He was speaking about the program until Knicks guard Mikal Bridges walked into the room carrying the trophy and came to shake his hand. Knicks legend John Starks also was on hand to offer his congratulations.

The winner of the annual award, sponsored by the Knicks and the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, is chosen from among 15 nominees. The top coach receives $20,000 and is entered into the National Basketball Association’s national Coach of the Year contest. Two new York City finalists received $5,000 each.

“I didn’t get into youth sports for any recognition 17 years ago,” a stunned Kokkinos said in a video provided by the Knicks and HSS. “And it’s very humbling. I appreciate the opportunity for our program to be showcased like this. It’s a community-based award. It’s not about coach of the year. It is about what it is representing for our neighborhood, our coaches, our families and our kids. This is for them.”

The formal presentation was made courtside with Dylan Wasserman, manager of global sports marketing and business development at the HSS, and Dr. Daphne Scott, the Knicks’ lead team physician and chief of Primary Sports Medicine at HSS.

Kokkinos, who is the director of human resources at Columbia University and now serves as Immaculate Conception’s volunteer athletic director and parish athletic representative, began with a girls CYO team at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy.

The program has grown to 11 teams that give girls an opportunity to learn and enjoy basketball while growing spiritually, intellectually, physically and socially.

It allows them to play without having to be placed on and compete against boys’ teams, which a press release said is a common reality for many CYO programs.

Kokkinos also runs an instructional program for children ages 4 to 7 who later will be eligible to play for teams in grades two through eight.