Hornets and Riverview Otters Capture Gold in Top Divisions at Basketball Competition Opener at UMSV
Katelyne Maroney, one of the Manhattan Wildcats basketball coaches, looked at the tall Bronx Hornets on Saturday and knew the teams were headed for an entertaining and challenging game.
“It’s good to see them playing so well,” Maroney said. “They’ve been a rival of ours. We knew we had to use our speed.”
The Wildcats are headed to the USA Games in Minnesota in June, so they’re accustomed to playing at a high level. Having strong competition right here in New York City is sure to help the Wildcats raise their level this season.
Maroney’s sportsmanship and love for the game of basketball were shared by hundreds of players, coaches, referees, and volunteers on Saturday at the University of Mount Saint Vincent. The opening tournament of the Special Olympics New York summer basketball season showcased many of New York City and Long Island’s top basketball players and teams.
Ultimately, the size and determination of the Hornets prevailed, and the Bronx squad captured the A division championship. As the Hornets received their gold medals and celebrated, coach Brandon Marks beamed with pride.
“We wanted to break their zone, swing the ball, and wait until we had an open shot,” Marks said. “And I wanted the players to understand the intensity it takes to win at this level.”
The Wildcats played well twice, losing the opener to the Hornets then squeaking past the Brooklyn Knights by four points in the second game. The Wildcats have only recently ramped up their practices as they continue to prepare for the USA Games.
The Wildcats organization captured the D division title, as the recently formed Manhattan Hawks defeated the Long Island Lions and the Commack Sharks for the championship. Hawks coach Ned Gresham noted that the Wildcats program grew large enough that the Hawks practice separately in Harlem now and are building a strong second unit to complement the primary Wildcats team.
In the B division, a short-handed but talented team from Queens played extremely well from the jump and won the title. The Riverview Otters from PS277Q brought only seven players to the gym on Saturday, and it proved to be enough. The Otters battled the Dream A team all game and pulled out a win by just two points.
“We had a few players unavailable,” Otters Coach Frank Lonigro said. “These seven were able to make it and they did a fantastic job. We lost in overtime the last time we played them, and we were hoping for a second chance. This time we were more mature and better composed. Everyone did their jobs.”
Also doing their jobs were dozens of volunteers, including students from Mount Saint Vincent. The UMSV Bridge Program was well represented on Saturday, with students supporting Special Olympics NY during the torch presentation in the Opening Ceremonies, setting up and taking down tables and chairs, and even supporting the games through scorekeeping and other important responsibilities.
As the afternoon sun shined high in the Bronx sky on Saturday, players started packing up and heading for the buses. As they wore their medals and carried their bags, they hugged, high-fived, and chatted with other players and coaches. All shared a similar message: that it was great to have basketball competition underway once again.
By Randy Robertson, NYC Regional Storyteller
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