Joe Gaskin has already bounced back.
The Long Island High School basketball umpire who had cardiac arrest while calling the Nassau County Class A Final between Floral Park and West Hempstead is proud to say he will return to the court for next year's 38th season.
“When my doctor said, 'Do you have any questions?” One of the first things I said was, 'Can I refer again next year?' ” Gaskin told the post from his hospital room.
“He said, 'I don't know why.'
Gaskin, a longtime beloved member of the basketball community who followed in his father's footsteps, is unaware of the full court press that kept him alive on Saturday.
Nurse Tiffany Vargas, Monique Carrie and Darleen Shika, along with the doctor, rushed out CPR from all stands, and his best friend, Wantagh Athletic Director Jennifer Keane, quickly prepared an automatic external defibrillator (AED), which was used to resuspend the Franklin Squareman.
Riff, who will return home in the next few days, is emotionally grateful to those who plan to save him and advocate for maintaining AED devices at sporting events.
“I had an angel in the stand that day.”
Verdict: She is the winner
She can finally hold her breath.
Long Island track standout Zariel Macchia and Olympic hopeful Zariel Macchia are delighted to see a dramatic, court-filled end in the winter season after becoming state champions.
A few days before Staten Island met last weekend, she had to speak in court after her family sued Nysphsaa after her family was banned from racing skills with college athletes representing the school.
She destroyed the 3,000-meter event with a victory time of 9:21.73, running the anchor legs of Suffolk's cross-relay, winning the William Floyd team at 10:02.06.
“I'm proud to be true to my values and that I wasn't too caught up in trying to destroy everyone just because I had to go to court,” Mackia told her Trial Post this weekend before competing with the Nationals at Armory.
It's worth the wait
Stella Walsinski is a real super senior.
A lifelong Port Washington resident has crossed the moon after witnessing a juvenile basketball team defeating the '78 Nassau title drought. She was, after all, a student during two championships before the school in 1946 and 1947.
“I went to all the games…you know, it's a small town. Every time there was a game, everyone went, so it was just full,” Walsinski, who gets a live update from his family during this year's playoffs, told the Post.
Now, Portwash is ready to accommodate Half Hollow Hills East for Sunday's LI title, so Walsinski is ready to take root with the Vikings for the biggest game of his life.
“The fact that they're there is great,” she said.
