 Vito kicked off the inaugural Staten Island Borough President’s Cup for high school girls’ basketball teams with these words during a press conference at the College of Staten Island. “I guess the simple thing for me to say is ‘it’s about time, right ladies?' It’s about time that we have a Staten Island High School Basketball Tournament for the girls. We know the boys have had it for many, many years and we just thought it was long overdue for the girls to participate and enjoy what the boys have enjoyed for many, many years.” All 13 girls’ basketball programs in Staten Island high schools -- eight from public schools, four from Catholic schools, and Staten Island Academy -- will play in the tournament. The tournament’s inaugural round of games begins Friday at Moore Catholic High School at 5 p.m., followed by round two on Sunday split between two sites -- St. Joseph Hill Academy and Staten Island Academy. The quarterfinals will be played on Tuesday, Jan. 30, and the semifinals on Thursday, Feb. 1, both at the Petrides School. It will culminate with the championship game -- “The Staten Island Borough President’s Cup” -- at the College of Staten Island at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. As a bonus, the games will be streamed live on Community Media of Staten Island -- Channel 34 on both Spectrum and Verizon, as well as on their free app. Momentum for the tournament had already been building with an Instagram page created by the players, featuring photos and videos thanking Vito for organizing the tournament. “These girls have been waiting,” said Kristine Zieris, a committee member and former player and coach at St. Joseph-by-the-Sea High School. “They’ve watched the boys. They’ve seen the big crowds. Now, it’s their turn to finally get their recognition. All these teams are wonderful, they are enthusiastic, and they can’t wait to show you what they can do. So, it’s about time.” Samantha Giordano, a member of the Port Richmond High School Raiders, has been playing for as long as she can remember. “I’ve been playing basketball for a really long time and with most of the girls standing behind me since I was a little girl,” she said. “So, to be able to bring us all into one tournament is something that makes the younger girl inside of me really happy.” Danielle Williamsen is graduating from St. Joseph-by-the-Sea High School this year. “It’s going to be a great competition, especially knowing some of these girls behind me -- it’s a bunch of friendships that I will have forever,” she said. “So, playing against them and seeing who’s the best is a great way to go out.” Borough President Fossella left the girls with a message. “At the end of the day, you talk about experiences, friendships, competition, and coming together,” he said. “This is a team, this is a family, but most of all ladies, we are doing it for you. We hope you have a great time, a great experience. Play hard, make new friends -- and on February 3rd, we hope this place is packed for the championship game.” Comments are closed.
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