On Monday, Nov. 27, Mamaroneck High School’s Palmer Gymnasium played host to the unofficial kickoff for the basketball season, as the the school’s boys and girls varsity teams hit the court for revival of “Tiger Madness.”
The school’s hardwood stars took part in scrimmages and skills competitions—which involved ball-handling and shooting events—in front of a crowd of friends, families and community members who turned out to cheer on the Tigers as they prepare for competition in the 2022-23 winter season.
Monday night marked a return for the event, which had been growing in popularity before it was suspended in 2020, explained boys head coach Tyrone Carver.
“We started Tiger Madness three or four years ago,” said Carver. “But this is the first time we’ve been able to bring it back since COVID.”
The night also featured performances by Mamaroneck’s varsity cheer squad and the school’s drum-line, the Force, as well as chances for the town’s youth basketball players to interact with the varsity stars.
Building a connection between generations is important, noted girls assistant coach Gabe Yizar, who recalled looking up to past Tiger greats as a youth.
“I grew up in this gym, my father coached in this gym, and I remember seeing former Mamaroneck players like TJ Hild play here,” said Yizar. “And getting to see that as a little kid, that was everything for me and it made me want to be a Tiger.”
Carver added that forging those bonds with younger players is integral to the sustainability of a program.
“It’s very important, we want to try to build a community here, we want them to have something they can look forward to,” he said. “We want them to be involved today, but also in everything that we do.”
The girls basketball team will begin its regular season on Friday, Dec. 2, when they travel to Sleepy Hollow to take part in the Horsemen’s Holiday Tournament. The boys will open up on Dec. 9 when they take on Harrison at White Plains High School.
