Thunderbirds Are Long Island Champions

The Thunderbirds boys basketball team celebrates the program’s first-ever Long Island championship following a 69-54 win over Uniondale on Photo/Half Hollow Hills School District

The Half Hollow Hills High School East Thunderbirds are Long Island champions.

One year after suffering a heartbreaking, one-point loss in the region’s title game, the Thunderbirds got back to the Class AA championship with a vengeance, knocking off Uniondale on Saturday, 69-54.

Hills East was led by all-star guard and Long Island’s leading scorer, Savion Lewis, who cashed in 21 points, seven assists and six steals.

Julien Crittendon scored 15 points of his own, and Kenny Mathurin registered a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The Thunderbirds are now headed upstate; they’re set to take on McQuaid Jesuit in the state semifinals this Saturday, 12:45 p.m. at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton.

With a win, Hills East would secure its first-ever berth to the state finals, which are scheduled to tip-off at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

–ANDREW WROBLEWSKI