WPH Press, New Hyde Park, NY, 3/17/24
The ICHA was proud to present the 42nd Annual Long Island Handball Championships on the third weekend in March at the New Hyde Park LA Fitness. 148 players entered the championships in twenty-eight divisions, making it one of the biggest draws of the handball season.
Men’s Small Ball Singles
Tyree Bastidas captured the Men’s Small Ball Singles championships, escaping his quarterfinal clash with New York’s rising star Jianneng Wu with a 15-10 tiebreaker win. Bastidas then ousted 2024 Canadian Nationals tournament director Jerome Santerre in the semifinals in two games, 15-10, 15-10.
“I was playing good and I was feeling good in the court as well (in our semifinal match),” stated Santerre. I just think I missed some important opportunities towards the end of my games and those are key to pulling off the match. Tyree opted for a defensive strategy where he always wrapped around the ball without trying to kill it, putting pressure on my shots to end rallies. He was also serving really good during the last points of each game, making quick points. Overall, it was a good match and a good experience against one of my really long-time handball friends!”
Tyree faced fellow cross-over star Isaac Acosta in the final after Acosta advanced with a semifinal forfeit over Killian Carroll, who suffered an injury in his quarterfinal match. Tyree was too strong for Acosta in the final, dropping the Flushing, NY product in two games.
“Tyree was playing the ceiling the whole tournament,” stated Jared Vale. “He said he wanted to show the ceiling game matters. I think he enjoyed the long rallies. Tyree played a ton of matches back-to-back. Incredible stamina to even continue standing up.”
“Tyree played so many games this weekend with the big ball events as well,” stated Santere. “He is a really good athlete! Happy for him that he was able to win this one. I’ll get my revenge next time!”
Final: T. Bastidas def Acosta 15-12, 15-8
Men’s Big Ball Singles
Big Ball legend Samzon Hernandez made the three-thousand-mile trip from Southern California to Long Island to add another title to his resume that includes more than five hundred, winning the 4-Wall Big Ball Open singles with impressive victories against Eric Lee in a tiebreaker in the quarterfinals, Sheikh Hossain in the semifinals and Ignazio Accardi in the final.
“Great players that I had never really seen,” stated Samzon. “Young guys. And like four that I knew about that can play too. Thought it was going to be easy but (almost) cost me lol.”
Final: Samzon def Accardi 15-7, 15-4
Women’s Big Ball Open Singles: Tiffany Lau Wu def Serena Lee 15-9, 15-14
Men’s Small Ball Open Doubles: Team Bastidas def Team Acosta/Wu 15-11, 15-4
Men’s Big Ball Open Doubles: Team Carrillo/Duenas def Team Bastidas
Long Island player pictures courtesy of Jared Vale.
Follow all of the draws from the 2024 Long Island Open HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer