Sports

Local ballers bring the heat to Laurel in new charity tournament

By Angela Colangelo

Three men play basketball, one with an amputated foot using a prosthetic foot.
Aldrich Sports League and NoFo Kid Connect brought the best of the best to Laurel Saturday.(Credit: Daniel Franc)

The Aldrich basketball courts in Laurel were full of quick passes, pivots and picks-and-rolls in the inaugural Community Kids Basketball Tournament Saturday. In a collab between the Aldrich Sports League of Mattituck and NoFo Kid Connect of Greenport, four teams chock full of local basketball talent with community kids mixed in went head-to-head. Each game was exciting, with rapid lead changes and a few of the decisions coming down to the buzzer.

Four teams: The First Responders, Chef Currys, Faculty Flames and Community All-Stars battled it out to win the championship. (Credit: Angela Colangelo)

The concept for the community tournament and fundraiser came from Joe Aiello and Francis Buonaiuto of Aldrich Sports League. They said they wanted to jump start their third season of the 5 vs. 5 soccer league and other tournaments with a fundraiser.

Destiny Salter of NoFo Kid Connect said the two contacted her organization because of their successful Cops Vs. Kids basketball game in January and their Greenport Summer Basketball Tournament — this year’s happening July 26. The proceeds, still being counted at press time, are destined for North Fork community youth sports and scholarships for graduates involved with athletics.

Photos by Daniel Franc

A Black man attempts to dribble a basketball passed a white man.
A Black boy shoots a basketball from the free throw line
Three men play basketball, one with an amputated foot using a prosthetic foot.
Two Black men jump really high for a jump ball to start a basketball game. Their hands clasp together with up-stretched arms. Other players and a referee wait to see where the ball goes.
A Black man shoots a basketball toward the hoop while seven other players wait to see if it goes in.
A Black man dribbles a basketball down the court. His teammates run with him and his opponents get ready to guard him.
A Black man jumps really high to defend a basketball from going into the hoop. Other players watch to see what will happen.
The man calling the basketball stands on the sidelines holding a microphone and wearing a backwards blue cap.
A Black man jumps really high to shoot the basketball over his opponent's head. The opponent has his arm extended up to attempt to block the shot. Two other players
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Aldrich Sports League and NoFo Kid Connect brought the best of the best to Laurel Saturday.(Credit: Daniel Franc)

Beyond the captivating action of the basketball tournament, the day included family fun like a dunk tank and half-time show, burgers and dogs cooked to order, raffles and a host of goodies available from Black Sheep Bagels in Jamesport.

Both organizations considered the Community Kids Basketball Tournament a success and plan to build it into an annual event moving forward. They each have lots going on this year with Aldrich Sports League’s King of the Campo and King of the Court soccer and basketball tournaments happening in Laurel and NoFo Kid Connect’s youth basketball clinics happening in Greenport.

Congratulations to the champions, the First Responders. Put it way down here so as not to spoil it. (Credit: Angela Colangelo)

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