Sports

Girls Basketball: Emotional night ends with league title


ROBERT O'ROURK PHOTO | Riverhead senior Melodee Riley scored a career-high 21 points for the Blue Waves against Smithtown East.

BLUE WAVES 66, BULLS 26

The game began with Riverhead players fighting back tears. It ended with a joyous celebration.

Before the opening tip Thursday night against Smithtown East, the Blue Waves honored Christopher Timpone, a fourth-grader at Aquebogue Elementary School who is battling Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. The crowd at Riverhead High School gave him a standing ovation as he walked into the gym, which was decorated in support of the Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser.

While many of the players were visibly moved as the game began, the Blue Waves turned up the energy in a near flawless performance to clinch the League III championship with a 66-26 victory.

Senior Melodee Riley scored a career-high 21 points on the same day she inked a track and field scholarship with the University of Connecticut. Shanice Allen added 17 and Jalyn Brown scored 13.

The Blue Waves led from start to finish for their 15th straight victory that improves their record to 10-0 in league.

The Blue Waves did it with a relentless defense that forced 24 first-half turnovers.

When the game ended, the Blue Waves each took a turn cutting down a piece of the net. Timpone got the honor of starting the ceremony.

The fundraiser netted $1,000.

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ROBERT O'ROURK PHOTO | Christopher Timpone was presented an autographed basketball before the start of Thursday's game. Timpone is a fourth-grader at Aquebogue Elementary School who is battling Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer.