Bellport basketball Hall of Fame unveiled

Aside from maintaining Bellport boys basketball’s rich tradition, the first thing that came to Rich Brown’s mind this past summer when he was named the Clippers’ varsity head coach was to honor those responsible for making the program among Long Island’s most successful.

Brown’s idea became reality last month when the inaugural class of Bellport’s basketball Hall of Fame was announced. A four-person committee made 11 selections. The honorees were all boys, but girls are expected to be included in the not-too-distant future.

“I’m a historian and I wanted to play my part in acknowledging the legends we’ve had here,” said Brown, a former standout point guard for the Clippers, who graduated in 2006 and followed in his mother Linda Brown’s footsteps, a 1977 Bellport grad. “It was a magical weekend,” he added.

The 11 Hall of Famers were celebrated at halftime of the Bellport-Deer Park game on Jan. 9 and at a formal banquet the following evening at the Knights of Columbus in Patchogue.

The graduates’ classes ranged from 12-year NBA veteran Randy Smith in 1967 to Jarrell White, the school’s all-time scoring leader with 2,100 points, in 2019. Other inductees were former St. John’s University star David Russell (1979), George Garrison (1979), Russell’s high school and college teammate, Wesley Correa (1980), Todd Banks (1982), David Garrison (1985), Victor Correa (1985), Steven Branch (1985), and coaches James “Moose” McGowan (1980-2003) and Earl Maddalena (1964-79.)

Smith, who died in 2009, played a dozen seasons in the NBA and was a two-time All-Star, including the MVP of the 1978 All-Star Game. He spent one season with the Knicks and the basketball court at Bellport High School is named in his honor.

Wesley Correa was the 1980 state tournament MVP when the Clippers brought home the crown. Banks was a sophomore role player on that team. Two seasons later, Banks led Bellport to a county title and went on to play at James Madison.

David Garrison, Victor Correa and Branch starred on the 1985 county title-winning squad.

McGowan coached the 1979-80 state Class B championship team, the 1981-82 Suffolk Class B championship team, and the ‘84-85 Suffolk Class A championship team. Bellport also captured the 1978-79 Suffolk Class AA title in Maddalena’s final season at the helm.

Brown said the inaugural class of inductees will be recognized in the trophy case outside the gymnasium with photos and a plaque.

“We’re looking to add to the Hall of Fame every three or four years,” Brown said.