West Islip Boys Varsity Basketball Holds Annual Senior Night

The West Islip Lions boys varsity basketball team is two wins away from making the playoffs and the team's supporters are calling for the community to come out and support the squad on Friday.

In the final home game for the 2011 regular season, the Lions will host long-time rival Bay Shore. Tipoff is 5:45 p.m.

Chris Hillier, a member of the West Islip Hoops Club and volunteer assistant boys JV Basketball coach, is calling out for the support of local residents in this time of need.

"The varsity team has won their last two games straight, making them 5-7," he said. "Friday they play against Bay Shore, and if they win that game then they play on Tuesday against Northport and if they win there, they head to the Playoffs. So this is a very, very big, important game. We need the people behind us."

In addition to playoff contention being on the line, Hillier said that Friday's game holds additional significance to the school.

"It's also our Senior Night," he said. "We do a couple of special things. First of all, the boys present a bouquet of flowers to their mothers for supporting us for the past four years. Then, each player presents each cheerleader with a long-stem red rose with a bow on it, thanking them for being there and cheering during halftime during Home games."

"We also present two bouquets of flowers to the coaches of the cheerleader teams, as well as the kickline coach," Hillier added.

Hillier said that if residents come out to support the Lions in their biggest game of the season, they not only promote community pride, but they also stand to get something else back.

"During halftime, we have our big raffle," he said. "We'll be selling raffles up until the first quarter of the varsity. First prize is a flat-screen TV, second prize is a laptop, third prize is a bike, and fourth prize is a six-foot hero. All of these prizes we've had donated."

In addition, the first 50 fans to be admitted to the game will receive a free West Islip Basketball T-shirt.

West Islip's game against Bay Shore is indeed a make-or-break situation. Complicating matters is the fact that the Lions will have to go into battle without one of the team's top players.

"It's is a big game for the seniors," Hillier added. "Unfortunately, team captain Kyle Turri, one of the Lions main players, suffered a stress fracture in his shin, and he's out for the rest of the year. He's shut down, unfortunately."

Regardless, if the Lions can get the support of the community behind them, Hillier is positive they can prevail.

"It's a very tough game to beat Bay Shore," he said. "But we'll just try to get the gym packed and show them that basketball is back. It should be a good game."