Tom Robinson Tournament Won By OBHS Champion Baymen

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Tom Robinson Tournament Won By OBHS Champion Baymen

Written by Dagmar Fors Karppi Friday, 21 December 2012 00:00

Beloved coach remembered in 10th annual games

Walking into the Imhof Gymnasium at the Oyster Bay High School on Friday, Dec. 7, you could hear the Baymen fans cheering “Boo-ya, boo-ya.” It was the 10th Annual Tom Robinson Memorial Tournament, sponsored by the Oyster Bay Athletic Booster Club and held in the Imhof Gymnasium on Dec. 6 and 7, with two rounds of competition at 5 and 7 p.m. each day. On Thursday the Baymen played the Plainedge Red Devils and won; North Shore High School Vikings played the Roosvelt High School Rough Riders and won.

On Friday at 5 p.m. Roosevelt played Plainedge (who won) and at 7 p.m. the winners of Wednesday’s games, North Shore and Oyster Bay played for the championship. Oyster Bay won at the end of an exciting game with 41-38.

The game successfully concluded the team clapped for the MVP announcement. Photo by DFK.

The Baymen supporters stood in a solid pack of about six rows deep at the top of the stands and worked as a team to encourage the players. It was a great game to watch.

Coach Tom Robinson’s tactic had been to have his basketball team play schools in December, to up their game before the regular season began. Plainedge, Roosevelt and North Shore are in Conference A and Oyster Bay is in Conference B.

At halftime the game was 25/26. Art teacher Karen Crowley was keeping score during the game as she has for 22 years. Assistant Coach Brian Boyle said at halftime, “So far they are doing well. They won last night. They survived.” He agreed that it was Coach Robinson’s aim to stretch the team in preparation for the coming season.

Ms. Crowley remembered Coach Robinson, who was also a physical education teacher in the elementary school. “He also wrote poetry. Sometimes he read them on the bus coming home from an away game. He was thoughtful, reflective and passionate about kids in the community and dedicated to helping them. And he was a gentleman,” she said.

The score kept advancing, 29-20, 37-25, 37-30, 37-34, 38-34, 35,35 to 38-38 and time was running out. Oyster Bay scored and it was 41-38 and the Baymen won. They jumped up, hands held high, in a tight circle. [It would have been a great photograph.]

Nasssau County Champion Varsity Volleyball Coach Erin Murcott said, “I think it was a great way to memorialize Mr. Robinson and it’s always great when they come out winning.”

Awards Time

The game program said, “Tom Robinson was a fixture in the Oyster Bay community. His dedication to the basketball program began in high school as a player. He reunited with Oyster Bay as a teacher and basketball coach who would go on to win five Nassau County championships. This tournament reminds us of how beloved ‘Coach Rob’ was to the community and helps his memory live on.”

Athletic Director Kevin Trentowski and Marilyn Robinson, Tom’s sister, presented the award plaques.

Plaques went to MVP players in each game: John Donielo of Plainedge, Kahalil Wilson of Roosevelt, Adam Bell of North Shore and Nick Carbone of Oyster Bay. The touirnament MVP award went to David Carl of Oyster Bay. The championship plaque went to Oyster Bay.

It was a very spirited game and was exciting right down to the end,” said Tom Gould, media specialist who was photographing the game for the athletic department and supplied a few great shots for this article.

The Baymen team members are: Nick Carbone, Andy Galgano, Dillon Robinson, Jason Velasquez, Bret Mattel, Collin Martinez, Austin Seaman, Brandon Perez, David Carl, Ki-Jana Walker Michel, Chris Papantoniou, Chris Sadocha and Rob Venegas.

News

Taste Of The Town

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

The streets of Oyster Bay were full with enthusiastic supporters of the Oyster Bay High School PTSA, coming out in force to enjoy a Taste of the Town. This was the first annual Taste of the Town — Restaurant Stroll, and, judging by the crowds and the happy smiles in evidence all evening, it will be the first of many successful events.

This event, previously known as the Taste of the Gold Coast, had been held in catering facilities. This year, the committee felt strongly that they wanted to support the local restaurants and businesses that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The local restaurants and businesses are very generous to the community, whether to the PTSA, sports clubs or local nonprofits. The Chamber of Commerce enthusiastically supported the idea, and a wonderful concept came to life.

Heart Of The Harbor

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

No Dolan Fireworks This Year

“There won’t be any fireworks on July 4,” said Caroline DuBois. She said letters have gone out to residents of Cove Neck from the Dolans telling everyone the news. Charles and Helen Dolan have celebrated their wedding anniversary with fireworks on the Fourth of July for many years. Having attended one of them was a great boon. It was a massive production and needed the cooperation of their neighbors, who were all invited to the party. We parked in an area along the road and with our invitation to show, we were picked up by a van and driven to the estate.

The entire beachfront was filled with tables and chairs. Food stations dotted the area. There was a carousel in the section where you first arrived. The food was served on china with real silverware: no paper plates and plastic forks. We sat with a basketball pro and his lovely family. When the party ended there were teddy bears for the children and stationery for the ladies. You knew you had been to a great party.

Sports

Golf Tournament Benefits Boys & Girls Club

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club held their Annual Golf Tournament, named for the late World Golf Hall of Famer Joseph C. Dey Jr., on Monday, May 6, at Meadow Brook Club in Jericho. Hugh R. O’Kane, President of Hugh O’Kane Electric Company, chaired this year’s event.

“This year’s outing was an overwhelming success due to the tremendous support from both our corporate and personal friends. We attracted a sold-out crowd across a broad spectrum from both the Long Island and New York City communities,” said O’Kane. “We are thankful to all those that both attended and supported our outing this year.”

Nick Carbone Helps Fight Alzheimer’s

Thursday, 16 May 2013 00:00

According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, more than five million Americans are suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

Troubled by these statistics and personally affected, Long Islander and NBA draftee Gordon Thomas founded the Alzheimer’s All-Star Basketball Classic Committee, a group of professionals dedicated to raising awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia.