HAWKS 9’s TAKE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP;
PROGRAM CONTINUES TO FLOURISH

By Rob Stevens

In the early morning hours of August 8th, nine young student-athletes, representing the Riverside Hawks in the 9 and Under AAU National Division II basketball tournament, gathered at JFK International Airport along with coaches, parents, and siblings. They departed for Orlando, Florida and Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex, the site of the tournament, filled with determination and high hopes.

They returned on August 13th as national champions.

This marks the third national championship brought home by the flourishing Riverside Hawks organization in the past 13 months.

Under the astute tutelage of Coach and Program Director Mark Jerome and Coaches Keith Guerra and Mike Williams, the squad displayed the intelligence and physical abilities to win, learning and executing sophisticated offensive and defensive schemes and formations, while also demonstrating the commitment to a ”team first” mentality that is not always in evidence in youth sports.

Coach Keith put it well. “It takes a lot for nine 9 year-olds to sacrifice a little of their personal game for the good of the whole team” he said. “Each of our kids did that and enjoyed not only great chemistry on the court, but off it as well. Even the parents displayed a connection to the mission at hand and cheered for all as if each one had 9 sons on the court. That made for not only a wonderful tournament, but a wonderful trip”.

Make no mistake, the road to the championship had no shortage of individual achievements. The quality of play from starters Kylan Guerra, Ty Jerome, Donovan Mitchell, Wolfie Novogratz, and Michael Williams Jr., supported by the strong bench play of Brandon Aughburns, Thomas Capuano, Ellis Christmas Jr., and Charlie Stevens, would have warranted many a personal highlight reel, so much so that in the first six games, played against teams from across the country, the Hawks margin of victory was never less than 17 points.

Then there was the championship game, which turned out to be an all NYC affair, as the Hawks took on the I Love Our Youth team from Hollis, Queens, whose own intensity tested the Hawks in a way they had not yet experienced in the tournament. The lead went back and forth all game, and the situation, with less than 2 minutes to play, was best described by Coach Mark:

"I was amazed at the composure of this group of 9 year-olds. During a timeout, with us down by two with 1:30 remaining in the championship, the team was surprisingly calm. While I was talking to them they had a confident look in their eyes, and inside me, covered by a serious face, I was wearing a huge smile. I was so proud of this group, win or lose."

And win they did, utilizing their press to cause turnovers that resulted in easy baskets as the Hawks won going away, 34-30.

After congratulating their opponents on a game well played, the Hawks players, coaches, and families celebrated as one, cutting down the championship net, accepting the trophy, and, not losing sight of the fact that they’re 9 year olds, high-fiving each other well into the evening.

“We really have a great group of kids and parents,” Coach Mark said. “Everyone is supportive of each other and everyone contributed immensely. I'm grateful for all of the parents who raised the money for the trip and for the parents who helped out in a variety of ways.”

The Riverside Hawks, whose motto is “Champions In Books and Ball”, continue to demonstrate that scholarship and sports, as well as virtue and victory, belong together.

Mark Jerome, Executive Director of The Riverside Hawks, can be contacted at 212-870-6811 and at mmjerome@theriversidechurchny.org

Hawks win 10-and-under national title, too

By THE JOURNAL NEWS
FROM STAFF REPORTS

Someone had better clue in Jack Daly and Eric Paschall that winning national championships is not a common occurrence. But it would be hard to convince them — because, for them, it is.

The youngsters already have two national titles to their credit.

They helped the Riverside Hawks win the AAU basketball national 9-and-under title last year, and followed that up with the 10-and-under crown this summer at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Daly, from Eastchester, scored 25 points in the Hawks' 60-42 win over Potomac Valley, Md., in the championship game. Paschall, from Dobbs Ferry, had five points and seven rebounds.

The Hawks beat Richmond, Va., 53-46 in the semifinals, behind 24 points from Daly.

Daly and Paschall were key members on last year's 9-and-under national title-winning team.

This year's Hawks' 9-and-under team also won the national title, as reported in The Journal News and on LoHud.com on Aug. 21. Visit the LoHud.com archives to see that story.