North Babylon boys basketball's Cameron Serrano helps hold off Half Hollow Hills West to win Alexander Aurrichio Memorial Holiday Tournament
Cameron Serrano #2 of North Babylon draws a shooting foul on Anderson McMorris #13 of Half Hollow Hills West during the fourth quarter of the First Annual Alexander Aurrichio Memorial Holiday Tournament at Half Hollow Hills High School West on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. Credit: James Escher
Seemingly on the verge of wrapping up a boys basketball tournament title, North Babylon led Half Hollow Hills West by 10 with less than four minutes to play Saturday.
But Hills West refused to go quietly on its home floor, storming back with nine unanswered points. Anderson McMorris’ steal and layup made it a one-point game with 30 seconds left.
North Babylon junior guard Cameron Serrano was fouled with 17.3 seconds left and hit the second of two free throws to extend the Bulldogs’ lead to two.
North Babylon used its remaining three fouls to give, and Hills West had one final sideline out of bounds play with 3.1 seconds remaining. Ethan Saintjean’s potential winning three-pointer fell short at the buzzer and the Bulldogs captured the inaugural Alexander Aurrichio Memorial Holiday Tournament with a 46-44 victory in Dix Hills.
“It’s tough to get this environment during the season,” North Babylon coach Rakeem Vanterpool said. “We’re playing for a championship game today, so that environment is tough. I tell them every possession counts in a championship game.”
Serrano, who scored in bunches at the rim and posted a 10-point third quarter, scored 19 points for North Babylon (6-3).
“A lot of times Coach is telling me, ‘Stop settling,’ ” said Serrano, who is in his first season with North Babylon after transferring from St. Mary’s. “I need to get to the basket more because I shoot a lot. I’m a better finisher around the rim. I’m physical.”
Said Vanterpool, “That’s the best I’ve seen him play this year.”
Saintjean had 15 points and Jack Vafeas added 14 for Hills West (7-1).
The tournament is named in memory of Aurrichio, a former three-sport standout at Hills West who died at 30 years old in a cycling accident in Australia on June 8, 2020. Aurrichio was a three-year varsity basketball player and two-year captain who helped lead the Colts to the 2008 Suffolk Class AA title, the first in school history.
“He meant so much to my family, so much to the school, so much to the community,” said Bill Mitaritonna, who is in his 19th season coaching Hills West.
“His spirit will always live on because of this tournament. I want the younger kids to know how hard you need to work to get to that moment, to get to that spot that we want to get to.”
Aurrichio’s No. 25 is retired at Hills West. He played soccer and baseball at Columbia and went on to play Australian rules football professionally. He also was a coach and paraprofessional at Hills West.
Mitaritonna presented a postgame slideshow on Aurrichio, whom he called “a special human being,” in front of the fans and both teams.
After taking three charges Saturday, Hills West senior forward Emmanuel Saintjean earned the “Rooch” award, which honors the type of player that Aurrichio was — someone who does all the little things that might not show up in the boxscore.
“I’m just thinking as Mitaritonna’s talking, every team needs a player like that, a do-it-all guy,” Vanterpool said. “Sometimes the star players get all the recognition, but it’s the guys that do everything that don’t get recognized.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
