While it is easy to define a basketball game by its “winner” and “loser”, certain games hold a meaning that stretches far beyond the final score. Take, for example, the January 28th matchup between the varsity boys’ Lynbrook Owls and the Wantagh Warriors; the annual benefit game which raised awareness for the American Heart Association (AHA).
LHS students of all grades came out to support the Owls and this cause on the cold Tuesday night. The energy was electric from the opening tip-off. Before the game started, however, Bethpage High School junior Aidan Lyons delivered a powerful message to the crowd, players, coaches, and faculty in attendance. Lyons spoke about his battle with a disease known as Tetralogy of Fallot: “I had multiple holes in my heart, and my pulmonary valve was 99% closed,” explained Lyons. The pulmonary valve regulates blood flow to the pulmonary artery, which regulates the oxygen level in the blood. It is vital for humans to live, as problems with it can cause “an abnormal heart rhythm and not enough oxygen being produced and transported to the rest of the body.”
Lyons explained how much of his life was spent battling against this disease both physically and mentally, but he never let it define him. When asked if he could give any advice to someone who is in a position like his, he preached the importance of positivity coming from within. “[Don’t] be nervous, because everything is going to work out. You have people around you who will support you.”
When asked about the importance of raising awareness for this cause, varsity head coach Brian Donaldson was not short on words for why the AHA was the perfect foundation for Lynbrook to support this year: “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and to be able to bring awareness and raise funds to support research goes a long way in providing individuals with the help they need to live long productive lives.”
This cause, however, runs far deeper than basketball for the entire Lynbrook community. Last year, at the height of the basketball season, Joseph Cordes, father of LHS Alumni Max Cordes and junior Cooper Cordes, unexpectedly passed away. Joseph, who was 59, battled with heart disease. “He had a resounding impact on many of our players’ lives growing up. It was not even a question that this year’s benefit game should be in honor of Mr. Cordes and the American Heart Association.” reflected Donaldson.
Cooper, who is a member of the boys’ varsity basketball team, preached the importance of raising awareness for heart disease and other heart-related illnesses: “You never know when something like heart disease can affect you or someone close to you. It’s important to learn about it and raise money for it before it can negatively change your life.” Lyons corroborated this, saying that one of the most important things the AHA does is focus on educating people across the United States on factors and habits that can eventually lead to heart disease.
Nevertheless, Cordes was beyond grateful for the outpouring of support from the community for both his family and the team: “It was truly special to have everyone at the game. My family and I really appreciate the constant support and are so thankful for the money raised towards AHA…seeing all the fans meant a lot to me and the team, and there was some extra energy in the stands and that was amazing.”
As for the matchup between Lynbrook and Wantagh, this game was a high energy defensive battle from wire to wire. Senior Ismar Purisic, who leads Lynbrook in points-per-game on the year, fell into foul trouble early. Looking for someone to take Purisic’s role, Donaldson resorted to junior Jake Prince to man the paint. The Owls trailed by two after the conclusion of the first quarter, but a strong defensive half overall, as well as some help from senior Andrew Malinka’s buzzer beater, sent Lynbrook into the locker room down by one.
Then came the second half: the Warriors came out of the break hot, scoring eight unanswered points throughout the first minute of the third quarter to leave the Owls searching for answers early. After a timeout from Lynbrook to stop the bleeding, they outscored Wantagh, 11-8, over the remainder of the third to head into the final quarter of play, trailing by four. With eight minutes left to play, the Owls were looking for a spark to overcome the hump and retake the lead late.
“What’s special about this group is [that] every night is a collective effort,” praised Donaldson. “Junior Jaime Pereira hit a big three late and played fantastic defense all game. Cooper Cordes came in and hit some big shots, Jake Prince had a great all-around game. Andrew Malinka dominated on the boards, and Ismar Purisic while dealing with foul trouble still made his presence known.” Topped off by some last-minute defensive heroics from Prince, the Owls escaped with a narrow 39-37 victory– the perfect way to end the night in support of the AHA.
