STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — By necessity, the College of Staten Island’s Tournament of Heroes has a slightly different format this season.

One thing that’s never different is the importance CSI men’s basketball head coach T.J. Tibbs places on the event, which more than once he has referred to as “the most important two days of the season.”

The event began in December of 2002 as a tribute to three former CSI players who perished in the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001 – Tom Hannafin, Curtis Aiken and Scott Davidson. Former CSI coach Tony Petosa, who played with or coached all three heroes, pushed to get the tourney rolling. Tibbs, who has played in it and coached in it, picked up the ball when he became head coach.

“This is the 23rd one,” Tibbs reminded. “We missed the COVID year. And we’ll go on as long as this basketball program has a program. for sure.”

The tourney is a Friday all day and Saturday afternoon event this year, with the CSI women holding their Conference Challenge Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

The twist on the men’s side this year, Tibbs explained, is six teams are involved. Two tournaments, including CSI, were short a team apiece. So the six teams will match up as follows. On Friday at CSI, it’s a triple-header. The matchups are: Chestnut Hill vs. Assumption (3 p.m.); St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Georgian Court at 5:15 p.m.; and CSI vs. St. Michael’s of Vermont at 7:30

On Saturday, St. Mike’s will play at Georgian Court in Lakewood, New Jersey. Meantime at CSI, STAC will face Assumption at noon in a rematch of last year’s NCAA regional final. CSI will oppose Chestnut Hill at 2.

The Women’s Conference Challenge, sponsored by Jimmy Max restaurant of Westerleigh, takes over Saturday evening with CSI facing Franklin Pierce at 5 and Holy Family meeting St. Michael’s at 7.

Sunday’s women’s twinbill has Holy Family vs. Franklin Pierce at 1 and CSI wrapping things up at 3 against St. Michael’s at 3.

As usual, both men’s and women’s tourneys have some strong entrants. Holy Family’s women were a NCAA Sweet 16 team last year. STAC’s men are perennial contenders in CSI’s league, the ECC. Assumption defeated STAC to make the Division II Elite Eight. St. Mike’s lost in the Elite Eight in 2024.

“Now that we’ve been Division II (for awhile), it’s been … one of the best opening tournaments,” Tibbs said. “We take a lot of pride in that. We’ve only won one game since we’ve been Division II in the tournament. So high level of basketball here. That’s the best thing. I mean, outside of hosting and everything, being a fan of the basketball is great.”

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NOTES: Tickets are now required for CSI events at the Sports and Recreation Center in Willowbrook. The site for purchasing is hometownticketing.com. Once there, search for College of Staten Island.

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