The sisters of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority are preparing to host their second annual charity basketball tournament, Phi Hoops, to raise money for children with mental disabilities.

The tournament will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Jewish Community Center located at 500 Clubhouse Road in Vestal. It will raise money for the Variety Child Learning Center, a school in Syosset that teaches children with autism and other mental disabilities.

“Our goals for this event are to recruit as many teams as possible and try to raise the most money we can,” said Jackie Weinstein, event co-coordinator and Alpha Epsilon Phi vice president of philanthropy. “This basketball tournament is a chance to bring many people together for a good cause while also having a good time.”

The event will also honor the memory of Stefanie Rieger, a sister of the sorority who graduated from Binghamton University in May 2008.

Rieger passed away last spring after she was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. Tara Blackman, co-coordinator of Phi Hoops, said they chose the Variety Child Learning Center to honor Blackman’s involvement with the center.

“We chose to donate to the … center in her name because Stefanie enjoyed volunteering there,” Blackman said.

The tournament is an all-boys, double-elimination tournament, in which teams of seven will compete. Five members of each team will play at a time. This year’s event will host between seven and 10 teams, most of which are made up of members of Interfraternity Council fraternities, according to Weinstein, a junior double-majoring in history and human development.

According to Blackman, a senior majoring in psychology, last year’s tournament raised approximately $2,000.

Teams can now sign up at the sorority’s table in the New University Union. Teams must pay an entrance fee of $175. Admission fees for spectators of the tournament are $3.

The winning team of the tournament will win the victory title and a gift certificate to one of the local bars.