League Champions
A league championship has come back to the hardwood of Hills West. After beating Westhampton on Friday, February 6, the Colts were able to achieve a 19-1 record overall, with their only loss on the road at Westhampton.
Throughout January, the Colts had to deal with injuries, missing Kamari Vernot, Jack Vafeas, and Anderson McMorris in their loss to Westhampton. When legendary coach Bill Mitaritona made his return to the court, there was a culture shock for the program.
Since Mitaritona’s return, the Colts have continued to have regular-season success; however, they have lacked the same winning pedigree in the playoffs, not winning a playoff game in three years. In Mitaritona’s first stint as the Head Coach, he turned Hills West into a powerhouse, causing Hills West to be widely recognized as one of the top programs in the state.
The Colts were a very disciplined team throughout the regular season, often getting out to early leads. There have been contributions across the entire roster, whether it has been scoring or a hustle role. Specifically, senior Vince Corso averages 16 points per game, while also consistently putting up numbers in the assists and rebound columns.
Additionally, junior Anderson McMorris has had a breakout start to the season, averaging 14 points per game and having a significant presence felt on defense. Ethan Saintjean averaged 15 points per game throughout the season, being a major catalyst for the team. Finally, Christian Jean averaged 11 points per game, helping the team with floor spacing as he is consistent from behind the three-point line.
On Friday, February 6, the Colts hosted the Westhampton Beach Hurricanes for the league championship and the two seed for the Suffolk County playoffs. With the stage set, everyone from the community came together to support their classmates on their hunt for a championship. The game was close throughout the entire 40 minutes, with both teams going on runs. However, with one minute left, Coach Mitaritona put faith in sophomore Christian Jean to do what he does best: make a three-point shot. That is what he did. According to the sophomore “it felt good I just want to thank my Coach for believing in me to take that shot.” The relentless effort that Jean has demonstrated throughout the season was a major reason why not only the coach but the team put faith in him. After making the shot, the Colts went back on defense, where captains Vince Corso and Anderson McMorris combined for a steal and a transition layup, clinching the Colts a league championship.
A major reason for the Colts success was due to the fans. According to Vince Corso, “the energy from our fans, I think, just uplifted our whole team and really lit us on fire in the second half. That’s the type of energy we need every playoff game, and we can go far.” This point was emphasized by fellow senior captain Ethan Saintjean, “The energy of the game really made the game very exciting, and having a large home crowd gave us even more motivation to defend our home court and beat a very competitive team in Westhampton.” Not only was this the league championship, but it was the senior day for the sophomores who walked on the court for Coach Mitaritona’s return. This only made the game more important for the team.
There has been a culture shift from walking off the court at Smithtown West to winning the league championship. One factor was the appointment of Ryan Szypula and Desmond Hyatt as the Director of Statistical Analysis (DOSA) and Director of Basketball Operations (DOBO).
In addition, the involvement of the community. For all home games, the stands were filled with students cheering on their fellow classmates. The energy was contagious and assisted the Colts in ways that people are unable to see.
Going into the season, the goal for the Colts was to win a New York Championship. During winter recess, the Colts will host the winner of the Easthampton versus West Islip game. The time of that game is 5 pm on Friday, February 20, if you are home, go to the Stable to support your classmates.
