Basketball Preview 12-19-2024

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TEAM INDEX

West Hempstead’s boys captured the Nassau County and L.I. Class B championships last season.

Photo by Ross Farber

Makayla Daube, Mepham High School

Photo by Ron Manfredi

By DYLAN BUTLER

Ayear ago, Baldwin was a young and inexperienced team that captured a fourth consecutive Nassau County Class AAA title, knocking off Port Washington in the finals, before falling to Bay Shore in the Long Island Championship.

The Bruins won’t get a chance to defend their crown because they have been reclassified into Class AA — for one season only.

And head coach Darius Burton’s squad will navigate those unchartered waters young and inexperienced again after point guard Peyton Howell transferred to Long Island Lutheran for his sophomore season and center Dylan Cudjoe reclassified as a sophomore at Lawrence Woodmere Academy.

That leaves just two returning starters.

“Our goal always is to win a county championship, but it’s going to be a work in progress,” said Burton, who is in his 25th season at the helm. “We’ve got some early injuries, we’re a little nicked up, we’re inexperienced, but I’ve got a good group that’s going to work hard. I think we’re going to get better throughout the season.”

Young and inexperienced, but not lacking talent.

Senior Chase Timberlake is entering his third year as a starting guard and was a secondteam All-Long Island selection a year ago.

Gabe Phillips, who earned All-County honors as a sophomore last year, is poised for a breakout junior season, with the forward named MVP of the Alzheimer’s Classic last month.

After serving as Howell’s backup last year, junior Ethan Sainsbury will be the starting point guard, while Mike Saint Jean is a sophomore Burton

thinks will “surprise a lot of people this year.”

The Bruins are again playing the same challenging non-league schedule, highlighted by games against Suffolk powerhouses Hills East and Floyd, in addition to annual battles with Uniondale and Thurgood Marshall from the Bronx, as well as Amityville in Baldwin’s annual Christmas tournament.

A matchup with defending Long Island Class AA champion Elmont could follow in that tournament and might be a county championship preview

BALDWIN AIMS TO RESTORE GLORY

For the first time in a decade, the Baldwin girls’ basketball team is entering a season not as the defending county champions.

And there’s a veteran squad back from last season’s loss to Syosset in the Nassau Class AAA title game, ending the Bruins’ nineyear reign atop the county.

“It was a tough pill to swallow. But I also think, looking back, maybe it was what this group needed to hopefully take that last step this season,” said 16th-year head coach Tom Catapano. “We have a lot of returning players. I know that loss stung everybody involved in our program, so it’s something we’re definitely using as motivation. We’ve got to go out and finish business this year.”

Leading the returners is point guard Payton Dulin, one of six seniors on this year’s squad. The George Washington commit is a 1,000-point scorer and a six-year varsity player.

“Having her back makes the world of a difference,” Catapano said.

Senior forward Toni Smith, in her fourth year on varsity, is a double-double machine who brings old-school toughness and is a co-captain with Dulin.

Also returning are senior guard Monique Echols, a threeyear starter, as well as junior guard Alyssa Polonia, who is coming off a strong offseason.

Sophomore guard Chinaya Okogeri, a starter since eighth grade, is an athletic lockdown defender; senior forward Madison Guillory, another four-year varsity player, brings a ton of big-game experience, and sophomore forward Ajeya Nicholas has the potential to be the program’s next special player.

Adding to the uniqueness this season is the temporary move to Class AA this year. And while that will be different, the non-league schedule, which includes New York City programs Holy Cross and Nazareth as well as national powerhouse Long Island Lutheran, is again stacked.

Can Baldwin get back atop

Bruins in unchartered territory BALDWIN

the mountaintop? That’s the edict by Baldwin alum Shania Iglesias,

a senior on the Oswego women’s basketball team. “You’ve got to make sure we let everybody know that Baldwin is still the best,” Catapano said of her message.

Photos by Ron Manfredi

Chase Timberlake

Payton Dulin

CALHOUN

Colts bringing a new style

By MARC BERMAN

It was a down season for Calhoun’s boys basketball team, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016 while crashing to a 6-14 record.

To get back to where it once was, Calhoun will rely on a new style – less size and more smallball spacing of the floor.

The expectation is more scoring talent than last season’s squad that was inconsistent offensively.

“This team is not going to be pounding it inside and relying on size like we have in the past,’’ said head coach Jay Kreutzberger, in his 18th season.

“This team is going to excel in open space - 4 out and 5 out on offense. And through ball movement, we’re a team who will play a quicker pace. Maybe even play more four guards around one forward.’’

Senior point guard Riley Bhunut is Calhoun’s star, a returning All-County selection who averaged 16 points and hit 55 3-pointers. “They got to respect that range,’’ Kreutzberger said. “He’s gotten stronger and is a better finisher. We’ll see a more versatile offensive player.’’

The second scoring option is Matthew Weidenbaum, a senior small forward and experienced scorer.

The biggest boost is freshman 5-11 shooting guard Ashton Pierre Charles. “He’s got an elite shot,’’ Kreutzberger said. “He’s going to help us space the floor. I could see it from the first day of all workouts – good mechanics, confident.’’

Luca Facciponti is a junior point guard who played last season in the rotation, averaging 4 points. “He’s definitely a sparkplug - a lead guard who will play a significant role,’’ Kreutzberger said.

In addition, two forwards coming back of significance are

Amir Ibrahim and Andrew Hutchinson.

Kreutzberger blames Calhoun’s downfall on a rough conference that saw three teams make last seasons Final Four.

“We have a lot of optimism for this year because we ‘ve got a group more capable offensively,’ Kreutzberger said. “We have a bunch of guys who found their way to 8-to-12 minutes a game as role player and ready to take the next step.’’

CALHOUN FUELED BY STRONG DEPTH

Last season’s Calhoun girls lived and died with senior point guard Ashleigh Coyne. And she suffered an injury midway through the campaign.

Coyne has graduated after Calhoun finished 9-11 and disappointedly missed the playoffs when it lost its season finale to Elmont by 1 point. The theme this winter is a larger rotation will lead to better distribution.

gelica Kasimitis, who at 5-foot-9

ball-handling scorer will be filled by sophomore power forward Angelica Kasimitis, who at 5-foot-9 averaged 5 points and 10 rebounds but got hurt in midJanuary. On varsity since eighth grade, Kasimitis may be more point forward.

“She’s more or less a Swiss Army knife - can play the low post, stretch the floor, can handle the ball and she may bring the ball up this year,’’ head coach Dan Catapano said.

The starting point guard successor to Coyne was an unknown entering camp. Julia Kopelman and Lia Biscardi were battling it out. Neither will be relied on to score.

Perhaps Coyne’s void as a

Carrying that load will be junior shooting guard Katie DiPaola, who averaged 7 points with 4 assists last season. “She’s our shooter,’’ Catapano said. “Katie came on really big late in the season and took a bigger role because of injuries. She found her role as defensive-minded player but also a player who can space the floor and hit open spot-ups.’’

Senior Lauren Rosario, a senior forward who averaged 5 points and 3 steals, is known as very athletic who can play multiple defensive positions. Then there’s 5-10 senior center Sam Guida (4 points, 6 rebounds) who is big, fast and excels in transition.

Senior Keira Brown is also in the point guard mix and is a returning varsity player who can make the most of a new opportunity.

Another senior, Sophia Hanellin, is a power forward who’ll provide rebounding off the bench along with defensive toughness.

very athletic who can play multiple points, 6 rebounds) who is big, fast the playoffs,’’ Catapano said. “We

“We’re in a tough conference but with the athleticism and people we brought back, we should compete to get back to the playoffs,’’ Catapano said. “We have a bunch of quality athletes and the playoffs are definitely attainable.”

Photos by Donovan Berthoud

Katie DiPaola

Riley Bhunut

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CAREY

Seahawks eyeing some sizeable improvement

By NIKO SCARLATOS

Carey’s boys basketball program is entering a new chapter under Laurence Reid as the head coach.

Having spent last season as the JV coach and serving as Sewanhaka’s JV coach for seven years, Reid brings a bunch of experience and a fresh perspective. As a football coach, he is known for instilling a sense of toughness in his athletes. He plans to bring that same mentality to the basketball court this season, emphasizing a high-energy, fast-paced style of play.

“We’re going to compete from Day 1,” he said. “The score doesn’t matter if we’re not competing. I want my guys to give it their all, and I want them to know that every day we’re getting better, whether that’s in practice or in a game.”

Improvement is the main goal for this season. Reid aims to build on the success of last year’s JV team, which had a strong campaign. “We have a good group of guys and I expect them to keep improving,” he said. “We’ll rely on more than just the starting five so it’s going to take everyone to succeed.”

The Seahawks’ lineup is filled with talent, with key returners such as junior Kelvin Persaud, Theo Andrikopolous, and Ryan Kunkel. Senior Kevin Colvin, who has shown leadership qualities, is expected to be the emotional and on-court leader for the team. Along with Colvin, players like Jack Degnan and Ryan Boubsis will play vital roles.

Reid is also placing a strong emphasis on team development and growth. “Last year’s games are a good benchmark for us but I don’t want to focus on the scoreboard alone,” he said. “Rome wasn’t built in a day so

we need to take small victories wherever we can.”

Taking on the varsity role is a new challenge for Reid, but it’s one he’s excited about. “It’s a chance to stay fresh and young in my approach,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with these guys last year, and they’re a great group. It was a no-brainer for me to go with them to the varsity level.”

LEADERSHIP TO GUIDE CAREY

Carey’s girls are led by head coach Anthony Turco, in his sixth season.

His sights are set on taking the team to the next level. After a season where expectations didn’t align with results, Turco is excited about an athletic and conditioned team.

With several key players returning, improvement and growing together is the focus. “We have decided to take a more athletic approach this season,” he said. “We have done a lot more conditioning and the players have noticed a difference.”

A major strength is its experienced roster. Leila Paz, a four-year starter, anchors the offense with her ball-handling skills and ability to shoot from anywhere on the floor. She will reach 1,000 career points early in the campaign.

Alongside Paz are three-year starters Mikayla Depaolo and Alessandra Varuzzi, who provide solid leadership both on and off the court. “They know their role and are stepping up as leaders,” said Turco. “They are constantly coaching up the rest of the team which is good to see.”

Sophomore Amelia Kalamaris, a two-year starter, is another key contributor. “She’s a big soccer player but still buys into playing basketball,” said Turco. “She’s such a strong defender for us.”

Andrea Arias, a starting forward this season, is also making a big impact in her second year on varsity. Though she didn’t start last season, Turco said she’s eager for the opportunity and ready to make a difference. The depth has also gotten stronger with the addition of guards Isabella Giordano and Sophia Cavilere, both players who will contribute significantly after coming up from JV.

As Turco reflects on his years coaching, he’s learned the importance of balancing discipline with freedom, letting the players be themselves while fostering a supportive team culture. “There’s so much negativity in the world, but seeing them cheer for each other makes all the difference,” he said. “That’s the kind of culture I want to continue building.”

The Seahawks face Glen

Cove, Mepham, Sewanhaka, New Hyde Park, Valley Stream North, Garden City, Calhoun and Roosevelt in conference play.

Leila Paz

Photos by Brian Ballweg

Kevin Colvin

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Optimistic Rams look to compete CLARKE

By MICHELLE RABINOVICH

Clarke boys’ basketball is cautiously optimistic coming into this season, where the team finished at the bottom of the conference, returning only two of last year’s starters and its sixth man.

“We are looking starting fresh, a little bit,” said head coach Joe Hasbrouck. “They’re working really hard and playing with really good energy so far, for the first week and a half.”

Starting point guard Kai Destine is back, and Hasbrouck explained that Destine is also stepping into a leadership role. With him is his older brother and also returning starter Christian Destine, who Hasbrouck highlighted as a good shooter with a high IQ for the game. In sum: he expects the two brothers to combine for more than some buckets.

There’s also Luke RiccioMcAniff, who came off the bench as the back-up point guard, but it’s his behind-closed-doors approach that shows what kind of asset he is.

has high energy, he is coachable and he really worked on his game in the offseason to be a little more of an offensive threat,” Hasbrouck said. “He’s the type of kid that every program on the island needs.”

There’s also some newer folks to keep in mind, as the above mentioned have been returners only. A key fresh face to keep in mind in the coming weeks is Yaya Segura, and the main thing Hasbrouck wants him to work on his self-confidence mid-game. There’s also Damien Chanoine, a wing/big who Hasbrouck says that he wants to plug in for defense reasons.

Overall, it appears the Rams progressing in the right direction. They’re in a stacked conference that includes defending county champ Elmont, Manhasset, South Side and Hewlett.

“They’ve been super coachable so far, which is kind of the biggest thing, because they’re willing to accept the constructive criticism and trying to make those adjustments,” Hasbrouck explained. “So from day one to today has been lightyears.”

fact that eight senior players graduated Clarke, providing a vacuum to be filled.

Enter the two captains, junior center Althea Borleo and senior forward Lia Addeo. Borleo averaged around 7 points and 5 rebounds per game, and Addeo has plenty of experience coming off the bench from last season with a starting spot.

“[Borleo]’s taken it to another level in terms of her preparation and her work in the off season,” Fean said. “She went to a bunch of camps and clinics and really worked on her game and we’re really seeing that play out within the first week of practices.”

Something big that Fean is counting on is how much the former JV players are going to be stepping up, like junior Christina Boyle, sophomore Leila Thakkar ad sophomore Despina Papoutsakis. Fean explained that all three have guarding and shooting opportunities, all showing varying range on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

“He’s vocal for all two hours of practice, he

CLARKE COMES OFF 12-WIN CAMPAIGN

After a 12-9 season last year, the Clarke girls are itching to get back to the court, according to head coach Shaun Fean.

“It was a strong year for us, we went to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons so we were really proud of that,” he said.

“To make the playoffs back to back seasons was a big success for us, and now we’re back to the drawing board a little bit. As a coaching staff, we’re

Interestingly, Fean highlighted the fact there’s a few freshmen coming in at the varsity level, including Ella Gorlesky. What stands out to him about her is her ability to listen and apply the feedback she receives from the coaching staff so quickly.

It’s part of a larger feeling for the Rams: “That’s what I’m most excited about this season, seeing these younger kids and seeing where they were on day one and already after a week we can see some pretty big strides in development, and im really pumped to see what that looks like in January and February when things are really getting cooking.”

The major difference is the

Althea Borleo

EAST MEADOW

Expectations sky high for Jets

By TONY BELLISSIMO

With 30 combined wins over the past two seasons and five seniors expected to comprise its starting lineup, East Meadow boys’ basketball is on a heater.

The Jets, coming off a 17-win campaign, figure to be among the top contenders for the Nassau Class AAA crown after reaching the Class AA quarterfinals last season.

“Let’s face it, we have eight returning seniors who have helped us win a lot of games the past two seasons,” head coach Tom Rottkamp said. “We’re confident and people are saying we’re one of the teams to beat. All I can say is we’re determined to win the conference and hopefully peak come playoff time.”

At center is 6-5 senior Zay Richards, another All-Conference honoree and a major paint presence. He’ll lead the team in rebounds and steps up in big games, as last season’s 18-point, 14-rebound performance at Jericho proved.

Senior wing Isaiah Perkins is a high flyer with energy. He’s steady at both ends of the floor and sparks the transition game.

Among the key reserves are junior Bryant Sewell, the JV’s leading scorer last season at 16 ppg, and junior Harrison Haber, another guard with a touch of varsity experience.

EAST MEADOW OFF HISTORIC SEASON

It was a storybook 2023-24 campaign for the East Meadow girls. They made program history winning their first-ever county title

and added the Long Island crown a week later.

Manhasset for the Nassau Class

The Jets, who topped Manhasset for the Nassau Class AA championship and Westhampton for the L.I. title, went 20-6.

ton for the L.I. title, went 20-6.

slight and rode the wave. It was a

“It was quite a run that we’ll never forget,” head coach Peter Olenik said. “Once we got the 7-seed, we took that as a slight and rode the wave. It was a historic season, there’s no better way to say it.”

Two integral pieces graduated, 15-point scorer Charlotte Viola and tenacious rebounder Keziah Phillip, but the Jets return a ton of talent along with a host of newcomers from an undefeated JV coached by Brian Johnson.

for the JV. Junior Hailey Lipack provides height and depth behind Zaradich.

“We have another close-knit group and that extends to how they perform on the court,” Olenik said.

Senior point guard Allie Twible is the team‘s pilot and coming off a First Team All-Long Island season. The Pace University commit poured in 20 points in the county final and enters this season 50 points shy of the 1,000-career point plateau.

With four-time defending county champion Baldwin in Class AA this winter, back-to-back runner-up Port Washington, Syosset and Uniondale figure to be in the mix with the Jets.

East Meadow’s entire starting five already has two seasons of varsity basketball under their belts, including returning All-County selections Mazin Ibrahem and Nick Destefano.

“Allie is just the complete package,” Olenik said. “She’s a special kid and one of the best players in the county.”

Junior Kayla Lederer is the defensive tone-setter and the quickest kid Olenik said he’s coached. “She’s a one-person press,” he said.

Ibramen is considered one of the premier shooting guards in the county and averaged 14 points per game a year ago. Destefano, a 6-foot-4 forward who helped lead the volleyball team to the Division I county finals, is a consistent double-double (points/rebounds) provider, Rottkamp said.

Angelina Cronin is a dynamic shooting guard who’s also capable of running the point and will do so her junior and senior years. As a freshman she was Honorable Mention All-County and had 13 points against Manhasset in the title game.

Senior Will Casseus is an All-Conference point guard who’s

Senior Will Casseus is an All-Conference point guard who’s become a complete leader on and off the court, the coach noted. “He’s very shifty and hard to guard and a great defender at the top of our press,” Rottkamp said.

“He’s very shifty and hard to guard our press,” Rottkamp said.

Cronin is one of four sophomores in East Meadow’s projected top six. Forwards Emily Zaradich, Kate Barnett and Lila Doyle will all contribute a lot, Olenik said. Zaradich will be counted on to make some noise in the paint and haul down rebounds. Barnett is a talented multisport athlete and Doyle last season posted four straight games of 25-plus points

Nick Destefano

Kayla Lederer

EAST ROCKAWAY

Experienced Rocks starting to roll

By BRIAN KACHARABA

The East Rockaway boys’ basketball team showed marked improvement last season as its six overall wins were twice as much as the previous two campaigns combined. And it could continue that upward trend with most of the team returning.

The Rocks’ record was good enough to return to the playoffs, where they fell in the semifinals to Carle Place. A key to the turnaround was a team defense that allowed just under 50 points a game after yielding just over 57 during their one-win campaign of 2022-23.

“The speed and the quickness is unparalleled right now,” head coach Paul Collins said of training camp. “Defensively, the hands are always moving, the feet are always moving, we’re in on every loose ball, we’re in the lane trying to get every pass. Defensively, four days of practice, we just attack where we left off last year.”

Senior point guard Antonio Buzzetta improved his point total by almost two points to 10.1 last year on the strength of 11 double-digit efforts, including a season-high 22 against Carey last December. Collins said his hard work during the offseason could pay even higher dividends this season.

who will consistently supply the offense.

The third-highest scorer last season was Sophia Poppas, a six-foot senior who averaged just two points a game. Several other players from last year are also returning, but they all fell underneath that threshold.

“Obviously, that is a concern,” Poland said of the offense. “Poppas, they way she’s coming into the beginning of the season, I feel confident. She was injured a little bit last season, so I feel like those numbers weren’t truly a representation of what her abilities are.”

“He spent a lot of time this summer in workouts and summer league games working on his midrange game,” Collins said. “When he comes down, it’s not always just take it to the rim, it’s also just seeing the smart play and the easier play sometimes when the defense goes back on their heels to pull up from the foul line. He did a great job improving that aspect of his game.”

Joe Ventura (5.6 ppg) is an adept passer who could improve his scoring numbers and fellow senior Edwin Abreu-Lopez (5.8 ppg) brings plenty of energy down low. Junior Cameron Peeples has improved his shooting, according to Collins, and the rebounding should come from 6-foot-5 senior C.J. Bertolotti and 6-foot-1 junior Sean Smith.

Junior Edwin Espinoza is a quick guard who starred on the JV team last season.

EAST ROCKAWAY LEANS ON DEFENSE

This season was already going to be bittersweet for girls’ head coach Cheri Poland with her daughter Emma graduating to Molloy College after starring for the Rocks for four years. But now that her second-leading scorer from last winter is now at St. Anthony’s, Poland may be wondering

Senior shooting guard Sofia Tizio is the only returning Rock to have a 10-point game last year, doing so against West Hempstead last Jan. 13. She did average over five points a game as a sophomore two seasons ago and still remains an offensive threat, according to Poland.

“Two seasons ago, Tizio was very important in some of the wins that we had and she’s a three-point threat,” she said. “So, between Poppas and Tizio, I do believe that would be great.”

Rachel Burch “really worked hard in the offseason”, Poland said, and is expected to be a contributor at both ends of the floor.

Fellow senior Norah Rose was an All-Conference selection two seasons ago and Poland is hoping her athleticism will return after being plagued by a knee injury last winter.

Sophomore newcomer Paulina Cuthbert is also quick and athletic and will also be vying for minutes with Colleen Lynch, who has offensive and defensive potential. Senior returnee Ashley Wilkerson is a presence down low and junior rookie Emily Valdebenito can shoot the ball while displaying a strong court IQ.

Freshman Leila Perez and junior Danilynn Fardella will both add depth at point guard.

Edwin Abreu-Lopez

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By GARRETT D. URIBE

Arlyn Brown’s buzzer-beater to stun Half Hollow Hills East sealed the Spartans’ first Long Island title under head coach Ryan Straub last season – a pivotal win in Elmont’s march to the boys’ Class AA state championship, its second state title in eight seasons.

While Elmont’s title-winning roster takes a hit, with four first-stringers lost to graduation, key links remain in Brown – a starting guard last season before a sprained ankle limited his minutes – and fellow senior Nassir Edwards, a second-year-starting forward.

The returning tandem – along with senior All-Conference sixthman center Ebubuenna Nwabadu and senior combo guard Khalil Muhammad – a Spartans co-captain alongside Brown – should help Elmont absorb the shock of its personnel shift, said Straub, who begins his fifth season at the helm as the Spartans enter Nassau Conference AA5 defending a host of titles.

“Our captains are like coaches, holding everyone to account,” Straub said of Brown and Muhammad. “Each plays on and off the ball, keeping us versatile, and guard you 94 feet.”

“Both Ebu and Nas (Edwards), our big men, are athletic,” Straub added. “Ebu’s a beast on the glass, and Nas can finish at the rim with both hands.”

The six-foot-six Ebubuenna led Elmont (23-4 overall) in scoring off the bench with eight points per game, while Edwards (6-4) –whose 14 points against Half Hollow Hills were a game high in the Long Island championship – gave Elmont similar length and power down low on offense.

That Elmont’s bigs can score is something of a bonus, however. As Straub is quick to stress, the Spartans – league leaders last winter in AA4 allowing 44.2 points per game – once again intend to hand their hat on defense.

“To play in transition, as we do, you have to get stops,” Straub said.

Spartans reigning state champs ELMONT

up his club’s offensive scheme

up his club’s offensive scheme and go inside-out this season – a change, said Lawson, that will see Elmont shift from a midrange mindset to process through the 5-11 Hines and fellow senior captain Kaitlyn Paulino, an Honorable Mention All-County honoree at forward.

see Elmont shift from a midrange

of shooters,” said Lawson, whose opening round of the county Class

“Last year we had a bunch of shooters,” said Lawson, whose team – which returns three starters in Hines, Paulino and junior shooting guard Kayla Latiff – finished 14-7 overall and reached the opening round of the county Class AA playoffs. “This year, though, it’ll be about competing, about being tougher. As far as that goes, things will revolve more around Hines and playing in the post.”

tougher. As far as that goes, things

“Shooters are good, though,” added Lawson. “They can always shoot you back into a game, and we’ve still got some.”

Senior six-four forward Jordan Cook looks to succeed Nwabadu at sixth-man, while sophomores Aaron Kelly and Kaedon Brown are top reserves at guard for Elmont.

Latiff (7.4 ppg) – team second-leader with 28 threepointers – is joined in the Spartans starting backcourt by senior point guard Kyla Moore, who averaged six points a game as a reserve at both guard spots, reaching double digits three times.

“It’s a new lineup,” Straub said. “They’ve worked hard and they’re excited to defend a title.”

ELMONT FEATURES NICE PAINT PRESENCE

“Kyla’s dynamic; she can light up the place,” Lawson said. “Becoming our distributor, it’s hard. But she’s talented.”

Charlotte Hines finished fifth in scoring in Conference AA2 last season, pouring in 265 points at a career-best rate of 12.6 per game – a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that none were from outside the arc.

Five-ten sophomore Carrington Barrett is poised to crack Elmont’s first rotation in her second season on varsity, having averaged close to five points last season in limited minutes at the two and three spots, while Spartans senior Samaya Jeffers looks to make a move at forward.

Indeed, the two-time AllCounty forward’s performance proved somewhat seismic for Elmont, causing fourth-year Spartans head coach Pete Lawson to shake

“This year we could put it all together,” said Lawson, whose team moves to AA3. “We can’t rely on shooters as much, but we could be more well-rounded. The girls have more experience, which should make us more competitive.”

Ebu Nwabudu

CLASS AAA

• Academy Charter

• East Meadow

• Farmingdale

• Freeport

• Hempstead

• Herricks

• Hicksville

• Massapequa

• Oceanside

• Plainview

• Port Washington

• Syosset

• Uniondale

• Westbury

CLASS AA

• Baldwin

• Bethpage

• Calhoun

• Carey

• Clarke

• Division

• Elmont

• Garden City

• Glen Cove

• Great Neck North

• Great Neck South

• Hewlett

• Jericho

• Kennedy

• Long Beach

• MacArthur

• Manhasset

• Mepham

• New Hyde Park

• Roosevelt

• Roslyn

• Sewanhaka

• South Side

• V.S. Central

CLASS A

• Floral Park

• Friends Academy

• Island Trees

• Lawrence

Helping immigrants become a vital part of tHe community

We continue to support families in need in these uncertain times and bridge cultures for stronger communities.

our work includes:

• Grocery delivery to seniors and shut-ins

• Food distribution

partnering with coalitions on community and state issues like:

• redistricting

• education

• housing

• immigration

• Census initiatives

• healthcare

• Civic education

• Locust Valley

• Lynbrook

• Malverne

• Mineola

• North Shore

• Plainedge

• Seaford

• V.S. North

• V.S. South

• Wantagh

• West Hempstead

• Wheatley

CLASS B

• Carle Place

• Cold Spring Harbor

• East Rockaway

• Evergreen Charter

• Oyster Bay

We appreciate your past support and look forward to your continued support of our work. please visit our website for more information. www.theelmontculturalcenter.org

MiM i Pierre Johnson, President (516) 362-3027

info@theelmontculturalcenter.org

- elmontculturalct

elmont

Senior-led Dalers will contend FARMINGDALE

By BRIAN KACHARABA

The Farmingdale boys’ basketball team could be extra motivated this season after falling as the third seed to No. 6 Hempstead in last year’s Class AAA quarterfinal playoff matchup following a 15-win regular season. But could this be the team’s final chance for that elusive county title with a senior-heavy roster?

The Dalers have lost their last four quarterfinal appearances since last winning a playoff game in 2019. This year’s squad could be the group to buck that trend with seniors holding four of the five starting spots – including three that averaged better than 10 points a game in 2023-24 – and about nine on the roster overall.

“They’re focused and ready to rock,” head coach Jimmy Pastier said of his team. “They have one common goal in mind right now.”

gets eased in following his football season. The Dalers also boast two giants in 6-foot-6 senior Andrew Dillon and 6-foot-4 junior Dylan Coleman, who will defend the rim and provide rebounding and shot blocking.

Junior guard Benjamin Mear is strong on both ends of the court with his defensive prowess and ball handling skills..

FARMINGDALE REMAINS A PLAYOFF STAPLE

Like their male counterparts, the girls’ team has consistently made the playoffs in recent years before stalling in the quarterfinals. But unlike the boys, they are already incorporating more youth into their lineup.

The Dalers went 7-5 in Conference AAA play last season (10-9 overall) but lost their only two double-digit scorers to graduation. But head coach Dave Stein feels that his team still has plenty

of talent to remain competitive this winter.

of talent to remain competitive this

Jake Mangio was one of the top scorers in Nassau County last season with a 17.1 average, almost three points better than his junior campaign. He had eight games of at least 20 points, including 32 against Roosevelt last Dec. 29, and had exactly 20 in the playoffs.

“This year he has matured,” Pastier said. “He’s seeing things as a coach on the court. He just grew up a little. It’s clicking right now for him.”

Senior Erik Kubelka was deadly from beyond the arc in his rookie varsity season with a 12.4 scoring average boosted by 66 3-pointers and a quick release. J.J. Collins (10.7 ppg) emerged as a double-double machine last year as the 6-foot-4 forward collected eight of them after having just one as a junior.

Senior Cameron Frontino had a strong training camp and will start until junior Mateo Morales

“We’re a different team, but I think we’ll be a competitive team,” Stein said. “We’re young. I have seven sophomores, two freshmen and an eighth grader on the team. But my three seniors are very capable of leading us in that direction and we should be able to go deep on the bench.”

freshmen and an eighth grader on team. Ruby

One of those seniors is point guard Ruby Seaman, who missed most of last season due to injury and her absence was felt in the lineup.

“I think if Ruby plays all year, we could have been a semifinalist if not go to the finals last year with her,” Stein said. “She’s back healthy and playing great. I think Ruby will be one of the best guards in Nassau County this year.”

Another senior, Kaitlyn Quinn, is the top returning scorer from last season with three double-digit point games. Junior forward Katie Hecker is back with the team and is a presence on the post with a high court IQ.

high court IQ.

“Katie, for us, is what we lost

“Katie, for us, is what we lost in terms of size,” Stein said. “She’s not big, but she plays big.”

not big, but she plays big.”

Rounding out the potential

O’Connor, who Stein tabbed as who gained valuable experience as an 8th grader last season and will with

Rounding out the potential starting five is sophomore Regan O’Connor, who Stein tabbed as one of the best defenders in the county, and freshman Isabel Aristy, who gained valuable experience as an 8th grader last season and will help quarterback the offense with Seaman.

Sophomore rim protector

Sophomore rim protector eighth grader Molly McNamara

the bench.

Ja’Kiya Arthur, “super quick” eighth grader Molly McNamara and versatile sophomore Juliann Brzeski should all provide depth off the bench.

Jake Mangio was one of

Photos by Michael Scro

Jake Mangio

Ruby Seaman

FREEPORT

By BRIAN KACHARABA

It’s a good news-bad news scenario for the Freeport boys’ basketball team.

Under first-year head coach Daryl Johnson, the Red Devils went 8-12 in 2023-24 after winning just four times in their previous 44 tries and were victorious in their final two contests. But carrying that momentum into this season will be challenging after all five of their top scorers either graduated or elected not to return.

The team did inherit some young talent via transfer students and the JV team to help fill the voids, leaving Johnson optimistic that there won’t be much of a drop off in talent.

“I like the makeup of our team right now,” Johnson said. “We’re going to be young and I’m going to have five new starters.

Most of these kids put in the work during the spring and the summer as well as the fall, so I’m looking for some great things from this group.”

Sophomore point guard Noah Patterson averaged around 15 points a game at St. Mary’s High School and has excited Johnson with his speed.

“This guy has a motor,” Johnson said. “He can go.”

Junior Tyrel Williams and sophomore Bryan Thomas are both making the jump from JV and could be in the opening day starting lineup possibly with incumbent seniors Jayden Wong and Shawn Broyles. Thomas is an athletic player who can hit from three-point range and Broyles, the JV’s leading scorer two seasons ago, had a pair of double-digit point games last season.

Williams and the versatile Wong both bring a defensive presence to the lineup.

Senior Jacob Jordan is another long-range shooter who can also drive to the basket, and Johnson is hoping that senior Joshua OseiSefah can make an impact after missing all of last season following knee surgery. Sophomore Ethan Richardson also returns and brings size and inside scoring to the team.

“It’s going to be a whole new starting five, but I like the chemistry because these kids played together throughout the offseason,” Johnson said.

FREEPORT LEANS ON EXPERIENCE

Last year’s girls’ team was a lot younger than the squad that won 18 games in 2022-23, but still went 9-12 to return to the playoffs. They too lost their top scorer to graduation as well as another productive starter who transferred out of Freeport, but still have plenty of talent in place to reach double-digit wins.

“The pieces are definitely all there,” head coach Meredith Jones

Red Devils reset after 8-win season

said. “We ended up only having one senior graduate that had considerable playing time. The younger players got so much time last year. Our tenth graders this year don’t play like tenth graders. Experience wise, they were all starters all last year and they’re ready to go now.”

Sabrina Ligonde (7.3 ppg) and Madison Harris (6.4) both had strong freshman campaigns and Jones is confident that they can elevate their games this season. Ligonde had five double-digit point games last season, including a season-high 21 against Hicksville on Feb. 9, and Harris can score from anywhere as evidenced by her 15-point performance against a tough Syosset team on Feb. 3.

one siderable players play wise, year and Ligonde season-high Hicksville her players of always reflect it, partially because Madison Starks

“She, to me, is one of the top players in the county,” Jones said of Harris. “Her stats last year didn’t always reflect it, partially because we weren’t that strong. She has such a good sense of the floor [and] she doesn’t quit on a play so she gets a lot of second and third chances.”

Madison Starks was mostly known for her defense at the start of last year, but suddenly emerged as an offensive threat midway through the season. Fellow junior Leah Gaddist was a starter for most of last season and has played with a lot more confidence at both ends of the court during training camp, Jones said.

of last season and has played

Sophomore Shaniya Bonny is a “good shooter” and a “strong, quick defender” who could also see valuable minutes. Among the newcomers who could make an impact are junior Chrissa Alexander and freshmen Whitney Whitmore and Ja’Niyah Eady.

Photos by Justine Stefanelli

Shawn Broyles

HEWLETT

By TONY BELLISSIMO

Hewlett boys’ basketball comes off a 13-win season that ended with a firstround playoff loss at Sewanhaka.

The Bulldogs have the pieces to go further, as long as they qualify.

“If we can get in, we’ll be beyond battle tested,” head coach Andy DeBernardo said. “Our expectations are super high, except we’re in the conference from hell. Four of the past seven state champions we’re playing twice apiece. I know it’s a cliché but we really can’t worry about more than one opponent at a time.”

Hewlett will tangle with defending state champion Elmont, Manhasset and South Side in conference play in addition to Roslyn, Bethpage, Kennedy and Clarke.

Despite the major competition, the Bulldogs will be tough

to match in the backcourt with their All-County tandem of Justin Ogilvie and Justin Ortiz. They poured in 19.5 and 16.5 points per game, respectively, last winter and DeBernardo believes they can combine for 50 any given night. Both will run the point at times and be backed up by junior Christian Champagne, up from JV.

“They both play travel ball and just love the sport,” DeBernardo said. “Both improved since last season, Ogilvie improved his jump shot and rebounding, and Ortiz worked on his defense and free throws. We’ll go as far as those two can take us.”

Senior Lincoln Williams is another guard who can put up double digits in points. He has a high basketball IQ, the coach noted, and active hands on defense to create turnovers and make things happen in transition.

tougher on paper but we have to focus on one game at a time.”

The Bulldogs, who must battle

We’re putting a bigger emphasis

Bulldogs face daunting schedule

The Bulldogs, who must battle the likes of Manhasset, South Side, Elmont and Kennedy twice apiece, return nine from last season’s roster including three starters. “We’re counting on the continuity and chemistry to carry over,” Pallatto said. “The girls are familiar with one another and get along well. We’re putting a bigger emphasis on defense.”

ter including three starters. “We’re chemistry to carry over,” Pallatto said. “The girls are familiar with

averaged 10 points per game

successful.”

In the frontcourt, three-sport senior athlete Daniel Lankri (football/lacrosse) is Hewlett’s glue gun, DeBernardo said. “He a grinder who does all the things like rebounds, takes charges and sets screens that a team needs to be successful.”

Also keys to the frontcourt are junior Kobe Cox, a solid defender with good touch around the basket, freshman Gabe Bowery, who played all summer with the varsity and thrived as a scorer, rebounder and shot blocker, and junior Stefano Borsellino.

HEWLETT WORKS TO CLOSE GAP

The Hewlett girls are coming off a season that started promising but didn’t end well, resulting in a 4-10 mark and no playoffs for a second straight campaign.

“We never regained our momentum after the holiday break,” head coach Alex Pallatto said. “This season we’re looking to be much more competitive against the top teams and close the gap. It’s a daunting schedule that’s even

Kayla Owens and sophomore point guard Mia Koloden are returning

Junior guard/forward Kayla Owens and sophomore point guard Mia Koloden are returning award-winning starters. Owens averaged 10 points per game and was All-Conference; Koloden averaged 13 points, hitting over 50 three-pointers, and earned AllClass. Both chipped in 5 rebounds per game.

50 three-pointers, and earned All-

“Kayla doesn’t settle for outside shots, she goes right to the basket and isn’t afraid to take a charge if someone is doing the same when we’re on defense,” Pallatto said.

Koloden is a floor leader and the team’s best dribbler, the coach noted, and started every game as a freshman. “We already know she can hit from outside and want her to create some higher percentage shots for herself and her teammates,” Pallatto said.

Senior Sienna LaPaglia is a returning starting guard who’ll set the tone at the defensive end. “She’s our quickest player and brings a lot of defensive energy,” Pallatto said.

In the frontcourt, seniors Rachel Cafaro, Taylor Amitrano and Emily Mukamal all saw significant minutes last season and will again with any two likely completing the starting lineup on a given night.

Up from JV, Pallatto is looking for juniors Ella Fahy, Guiliana Oliviero and Orya Nahoom to provide depth in different areas.

February

December

January

Photos by Eric Dunetz

Justin Ogilvie

Cougars begin a new era KENNEDY

By TONY BELLISSIMO

It’s a new era for Kennedy’s boys’ hoops program as Rory Block retired as head coach after an incredible 32 years at the helm. Longtime assistant and former JV head coach Mike Gattus takes over an has many familiar names on the roster to work with.

“I coaches most of these kids when they were freshmen and sophomores on JV,” Gattus said. “It’s an exciting time. It was incredible to work under Rory for so many years and he taught me so much. I’m going to take things from him and other coaches I’ve played for and worked with and develop my own style.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge the Cougars are facing once again is arguably the strongest conference in all of Nassau. It features

defending county and Long Island champion Elmont, runner-up South Side, perennial power Manhasset, and talented Hewlett and Roslyn.

“It’s been a tough conference for years,” Gattus said. “We just want to focus on ourselves. We want to keep building the program and give those teams a hard time and one day be right up there.”

The Cougars return five with varsity experience, including senior forward Ari Salama who was their second-leading scorer behind standout Leo Ferry last winter. Salama averaged 7.5 points per game and has the ability to double that production. “Ari can get to the basket and has shooting range,” Gattus said. “He can score in a variety of ways and continues to work harder on defense.”

finished rivals

finished 5-9 against conference rivals last winter and missed the playoffs by a few wins.

Balanced scoring will be a key, Gattus noted. Sophomore point guard Aaron Jacobs runs the show and is a tenacious defender. “He’s an excellent decision-maker and in line for a breakout season,” Gattus noted.

Senior guard Jake Wexler is aggressive to the rim and dangerous in transition, and senior Hayden Felman is a guard projected to see increased minutes.

aggressive to the rim and danger-

Hayden Felman is a guard projected to see increased

In the frontcourt, sophomore power forward

Luca Kaplan brings a combination of size and skill, and 6-foot-10 senior center Mike Kovac is back in the fold after sitting out last season.

KENNEDY BRINGS PLENTY OF PIECES

Kennedy is looking to not only end a recent playoff drought but make noise when it gets there.

looking to not only end a recent for Cougars,

Head coach Mallory Freely is cautiously optimistic all of the pieces will fall into place for the Cougars, who

“We have smart, experienced and talented girls,” Freely said. “They’re all fast learners and we’re way ahead of last year’s pace. Our goal is always to make the playoffs and see where we can go from there.”

“We have smart, experienced and “They’re fast we’re way goal and we from

In addition to a healthy amount of returnees, the Cougars received a boost when Tristan Montalbano decided to rejoin the program after a one-year absence. A volleyball standout, the versatile 5-foot-11 2022-23 All-County basketball selection is capable of posting a double-double any given night.

transition as well.

“She’s a unique player who gives us everything including more height,” Freely said. “It’s a gamechanger for us so we’re excited to have her back.”

Senior point guard Jolie Yablon is a fourth-year varsity player with Honorable Mention All-County and All-Conference seasons under her belt. She averaged 12 points and 6 assists a season ago and is a tremendous three-sport (soccer, flag football), Freely noted. “Jolie’s a great kid who makes smart decisions all the time,” she said.

Also returning to the backcourt is junior Jordi Wohlleben, who brings quickness and plenty of offensive punch.

Senior 5-10 center Ashley St. Surin is another four-year member of the varsity coming off an Honorable Mention All-County campaign that saw her average 11.8 points. “She’s cool, calm and collected and strong at both ends of the court,” Freely said.

There’s plenty of depth with seniors Katie Kliers and Liyana Ashurov, sophomore Lindsay Nashtatik and eighth-grade backup point guard Val Alfieri.

Sophomore forward Katelyn Kuhl is also 5-10 who along with Montalbano helped lead the volleyball team to the county semifinals. Kuhl started some games last season and has excellent leaping ability and makes things happen in

is another four-year member of the ability

Ari Salama

Jolie Yablon

LAWRENCE

Golden Tornadoes set new foundation

By TONY BELLISSIMO

After spending last season helping coach Lawrence’s girls’ program, Chris DeMarzo takes over as head coach of the boys. He’s been a head coach at the varsity level in a ton different sports and this is his first go-round on the hardwood.

“I want to build up the program as much as possible,” DeMarzo said. “Not having a JV makes it tough, but we have 14 kids on varsity and everyone has been showing up and putting the work in. The team has chemistry and a good personality. I don’t know how we’re going to stack up, but we want to be as competitive as we can.”

The Golden Tornadoes were unable to get a victory last season and with so much to cover during camp, DeMarzo didn’t schedule

any scrimmages. “The practice time was more important,” he noted.

Senior 6-foot-1 forward

Nahmire Young is the most accomplished player on the roster and had some big scoring games a year ago. He’s expected to garner plenty of defensive attention but will be counted on to score and rebound in double figures every game. “He’s pretty much our everything,” DeMarzo said. “He’s a great kid with good skills and leadership qualities.”

Junior Melvin Beltran will run the point and has ability to be an offensive force. He brings a strong handle and quickness, the coach said. Also part of the starting backcourt is senior guard Ayden Diaz, a high-energy defender whose motor never runs out of gas.

Sophomore guard Khalil Brasell might not be the biggest kid but shoots well from the outside and can help bring the ball up the floor. Serving as an ignition switch off the bench will be senior Joshua Paez, who can knock down some threes to keep defenses honest.

In terms of the win/loss column, the coach noted the Golden Tornadoes “can only go up from last season” as they were unable to win a game. He’s also hoping to field a JV squad but the numbers are making it no sure thing. “It’s going to be tough but we’re trying,” Manhardt said.

Junior forward Yaslin Bonilla is 5-foot-11 and a presence in the middle. “She helps deter opponents from driving to the basket and working on her own post moves and mid-range jumper,” Manhardt said. “We’re counting on her to provide leadership and she’s already delivering.”

Guard Andrea Aguilar, another junior, is a fiery defender who operates at the top of the zone and hustles all over the court. “She’s quick and has an outstanding conditioning level,” Manhardt said.

Schedule

Another sophomore, center Logan Davis-Kee, can score in the paint, rebound and block shots.

Lawrence’s conference rivals are Friends Academy, North Shore, Seaford, Malverne, Island Trees and Wheatley.

LAWRENCE REBUILDS WITH FRESHMAN CLASS

Losing seven to graduation and a key piece to relocation, with the varsity roster to join a handful

Losing seven to graduation and a key piece to relocation, Lawrence’s girls’ program is back to square one with six freshmen on the varsity roster to join a handful of returnees.

“It’s close to a completely new team,” second-year head “We’re younger with girls who are ing more plays. They’re eager and can threes to keep defenses honest. paint, rebound and block shots.

“It’s close to a completely new team,” second-year head coach Craig Manhardt said. “We’re younger with girls who are dedicated to the sport and that’s a positive. We’ve been implementing more plays. They’re eager and we’ve had competitive practices.”

Up from JV and with a small taste of varsity experience, sophomore Priscilla Jimenez runs the point. She scored 11 points against North Shore last season and not only can get to the rim but also knock down an occasional perimeter shot to keep defenses honest.

Also contributing to the backcourt will be junior combo guard Ava Abramov, who can provide an offensive spark, and sophomore Analeigh Humphries, who brings energy.

Two of the freshmen, forward/ guard Tianna Cunningham and center Elyse Francis, will be key pieces. Francis is locked in to start despite just picking up the sport recently. “She’s 6-foot and quickly learning the game and looks great in practice,” Manhardt said. Cunningham is making the jump from middle school ball and has shown the ability to put the ball in the basket and rebound.

February

Photos by Sue Grieco

Yaslin Bonilla

Nahmire Young

2024-25 BOYS HEAD COACHES

DARIUS BURTON - Baldwin

LAURENCE REID - Carey JOE HASBROUCK - Clarke

TOM ROTTKAMP - East Meadow PAUL COLLINS - East Rockaway

RYAN STRAUB - Elmont

DARYL JOHNSON - Freeport

ANDY DEBERNARDO - Hewlett

MIKE GATTUS - Kennedy

BRIAN MAINI - MacArthur

JAY LYNCH - Seaford

JASON ALLEN - Sewanhaka

JERRY D’ANGELO - South Side

MIKE WIMMER - V.S. Central

MICHAEL MCVEIGH - V.S. North

MATT SIMEONE - Wantagh

ERIC RUBIN - West Hempstead

CHRIS DEMARZO - Lawrence

SCOTT MARTIN - Long Beach BRIAN DONALDSON - Lynbrook

DARROLL LOPEZ - Malverne

ED RISENER - Oceanside

JAMIE ADAMS - Mepham

MIKE O’BRIEN - V.S. South

JAAZ STYLES - Uniondale

JAY KREUTZBERGER - Calhoun

JIM PASTIER - Farmingdale

CHRIS CAFIERO - Massapequa

JOHN MATEYKO - Plainedge

2024-25 GIRLS HEAD COACHES

TOM CATAPANO - Baldwin

ANTHONY TURCO - Carey SHAUN FEAN - Clarke

PETE OLENIK - East Meadow CHERI POLAND - East Rockaway

PETE LAWSON - Elmont

MEREDITH JONES - Freeport ALEX PALLATTO - Hewlett

MALLORY FREELY - Kennedy

DAVE RADTKE - MacArthur

STEPHANIE BARTKUS - Seaford

ALEX SOUPIOS - Sewanhaka

DAN FERRICK - South Side

MALYSSA THORNGREN - VS Central

DAN LODATO - V.S. North

STAN BUJACICH - Wantagh

CHRIS VAN KOVICS - West Hempstead

CRAIG MANNHART - Lawrence BLAKE MILIZIA - Long Beach KOREN PENA - Lynbrook

AMANDA MASSON - Malverne

JARED STOLER - Oceanside

JIM MULVEY - Mepham

DOMINIQUE SERPICO - V.S. South

NOLAN DUNKLEY - Uniondale

DAN CATAPANO - Calhoun

DAVE STEIN - Farmingddale

BILLY HERR - Massapequa

SARAH TANSEY - Plainedge

By MICHELLE RABINOVICH

Last year, Long Beach boys’ basketball went 10-7 overall and 6-6 in conference play, enough to clinch a playoff spot. This left quite the appetite for head coach Scott Martin & Co.

A solid returning core includes the likely candidate to be the starting point guard is senior Jamar Burns, but Martin anticipates that other players will get reps in the shot-calling position, and Burns’ experience at shooting guard spot makes it that much easier to adjust the schemes on the fly.

“Jamar is a good shooter, he’s a real fast kid and he finishes well in the lane,” Martin said.

There’s also Brody Schuh, who Martin said could play multiple positions but anticipates using him as a three or a four forward.

“He’s probably about six-foot-two [so] he provides mismatches when guards play him

and he can

give mismatches when forwards play him,” Martin said. “He’s versatile, he’s a good kid, he’s a captain-in-character type of material.”

Matt Hayes completes the trifecta of returners. Hayes started balling for the Marines in his sophomore year, and is now labeled by his coach as a great shooter, expected to set up real estate in the four spot.

Two sophomores stand out to Martin, Zach Brymer and Jeron Burns, Jamar’s younger brother.

“[Zach] shoots really well, he’s got pretty good basketball knowledge, he’s just really getting acclimated to things that we do, the way we run offense and defense and transition. We think he can be a starter as a sophomore and he’s close to that role,” Martin said. “Jeron is a very good athlete. He passes the ball well, shoots the ball well, has really good awareness and above-average skills.”

Marines hungry for success LONG BEACH

bring the ball outside and

The centerpiece, pun intended, is 6-foot-4 center Ben Orner, who’s going to see more minutes. “He’s a bigger kid, he’s strong,” Martin said. “He played mainly reserve roles last year, he didn’t see a whole lot of time; he knows what to do but now is his opportunity to make a step up.”

LONG BEACH OFF PLAYOFF SEASON

Last year, was a unique

Last year, was a unique season for the Long Beach girls. Head coach Blake Milizia was at the helm for his first season there, the Marines had been in a playoff drought for a few years up until that point and he capped it off by making the dance in his first go-around.

They finished 8-13 overall, 7-7 in conference play.

They finished 8-13 overall, 7-7 in players back, he’s look-

Now, with most of his players back, he’s looking to repeat that success, especially with four seniors, three juniors and a handful of sophomores and freshman to round out the roster.

Seniors Regan McCarthy and Delaney Chernoff, the team’s starting center and forward respectively, are a key component of this year as part of a larger plan en route to success.

three juniors and a handful

“We’re looking to be able to increase our basketball knowledge of packing the paint more, giving the ball to our bigs,” he said. “We have forwards and centers, that we trust and try to take advantage and capitalize on their strengths and really try to feed the ball inside more this year.”

Milizia also highlighted the work done to improve the transition offense, pressing his players to find more open shots based on their motion offense, where the one and two spots come in.

Brianna Bothell, a sophomore who can play the point and shooting guard slots, was described by her coach as someone who has a true knack for the game with her versatility. Milizia also expects the go-to point guard to be Jordan Soriano, a sophomore who he said has great ball handling and defense-reading skills.

To round out the starting five is senior Alexis Richards at the three, with the capacity and flexibility to play guard or forward as needed.

Someone to keep an eye out for is sophomore Anima Taylor; typically, Milizia said, she pops of the lacrosse scoresheet but those skills transfer just fine on the basketball court according to her coach.

“She is extremely athletic, she is one of the most competitive people I ever met and she just has a desire to win,” Milizia said.

LONG BEACH OFF

Milizia was at the helm

Brody Schuh

Reagan McCarthy

LYNBROOK

Owls ready for a rebound

By MARC BERMAN

The Lynbrook boys are primed for a resurgence after last season’s 5-15 flop.

The Owls lost just one starter – albeit their leading scorer, Tim Mingo. Lynbrook returns nine players from the rotation, including four seniors. “We have continuity,’ second-year head coach Brian Donaldson said. “It’s a big strength. We expect a big bounceback year.’’

Donaldson is excited about senior James O’Donovan, an AllConference player last season who averaged 8.2 points while shooting 37 percent from 3. “He spaces the floor for us,’’ Donaldson said.

But the player with the biggest upside is 6-foot-4 senior big Ismar Purisic, who averaged 5.1 points in 2023-24 in his first year on varsity. Purisic has excelled in spring/fall leagues. “Ismar had an adjustment from JV to varsity,’’ Donaldson said. “He’s done a lot in the offseason and has been a big plus for us. Teams will have to

adjust to him. He’s a big but plays like a guard. The traditional big will struggle at the perimeter with him.’’

The fight is on for starting slots. “What’s going to help us is we can match up in different ways,’’ Donaldson said. “We can play big against some or spread the floor against you. There’s no set-in-stone lineup.’’

The other two seniors are Michael Werzinger, a point guard, and 6-4 forward Andrew Malinka.

Werzinger averaged 5.1 points as a three-level scorer. Twice, Werzinger rang up 23 points last season, including against Plainedge when he hit the game-winner from mid-range. “He operates our offense and gets us into sets,’’ Donaldson said.

The tall Malinka will be relied upon to increase production. The senior played sparingly and averaged 1.6 points.

won the whole enchilada since 1978.

It is not as long as the New York Knicks’ championship drought since 1973, but it’s close. “If Lynbrook is going to get a title, this is going to be the team that’s going to get it done,’’ said second-year head coach Koren Pena.

There are three juniors who could be impactful - wing Jaime Pereira, guard Cooper Cordes and big man Jake Prince. However, each averaged less than 5 points with Prince leading the way at 4.8.

The Owls have returning players who averaged a combined 42 points. At last season’s training camp, that number was 6 points. “We expect to make some noise,’’ Donaldson said. “It was growing pians last year and we

LYNBROOK’S DYNASTY

LYNBROOK’S DYNASTY SHOULD ROLL ON

The Owls return four starters from last season’s 17-4 Conference 1 champion squad. Lynbrook now goes for a conference three-peat with four returning seniors - Brooke Mazzei, Cate Jennings, Sophia Dwyer and Kaitlyn

from last season’s 17-4 Conference Benedict.

But there is bigger fish to fry. Lynbrook has made either the Nassau County semifinals or finals the past three seasons. The Owls haven’t

semifinals finals the past three sea-

it done,’’ said second-year head with Mazzei, the point guard who played 75 percent of games in injuries. She broke her nose, and soon after returning, broke her most dynamic player in Class A

Lynbrook is loaded, starting with Mazzei, the point guard who played 75 percent of games in 2023-24 because of two separate injuries. She broke her nose, and soon after returning, broke her foot. She missed the playoffs that ended in the semifinals.

Mazzei averaged 12 points, 4 assists and 3 steals. “She is the most dynamic player in Class A and possibly the county,’’ Pena said.

Mazzei and 5-foot-11 for-

Mazzei and 5-foot-11 forward Jennings have been integral players for the last three prosperous seasons. Jennings averaged 11 points and 9 rebounds. She also shot a team-leading 75 percent from the free-throw line.

seasons.

“She excels in rebounding and free throw percentage,’’ Pena said. “She can also handle the basketball and has great court vision as an inside player.’’

A slashing wing, Dwyer averaged 9 points last season, is tall and long who defends the passing lines.

Adding to the embarrassment of riches is Kaitlyn Benedict, a 3-point sniper and playmaker. Last season, she broke the single game 3-point record by dropping 8 three-pointers against Island Trees in the first round.

In addition to the senior core, sophomore rising star Jessie Vuotto is a key cog - 5-10 forward strong on defense and unafraid at going hard to the basket.

Lynbrook has height and tall aspirations.

February

GIRLS

December

January

February

Brooke Mazzei

Generals aim to make strides MacARTHUR

By ANDREW COEN

While the record may not have reflected it, MacArthur boys’ basketball established a building block during its three-win 2023/24 season competing in one of Nassau County’s most challenging leagues that fifth-year head coach Brian Maini hopes pays dividends this winter.

The Generals battled hard last season in Conference AA-III dropping five games in single digits going up against some of the area’s top teams. MacArthur returns key players who earned valuable minutes against fierce competition including senior guard Mike Kondyra, who averaged nearly 20 points per game.

“He had a pretty strong season for the competition that we went up again,” Maini said of Kondyra, who had a season-high 32 points in a narrow 59-57 loss at Long Beach last season. “We are going to rely heavily on him to

lead the way for us.”

Complementing Kondyra.in the backcourt is senior point guard Keidyn Cheng, who produced 13 points including nine in the fourth quarter in a 49-40 victory against Bellmore JFK as a junior.

Senior center Anthony Vargas also gives the Generals an experience inside presence after improving his play over the second half of last season. He chipped in six points in a 78-53 loss to East Meadow last January.

Sophomore Raj Singh and Vincent Szucs are also expected to be key parts of the lineup after getting varsity time as freshmen. The 6-3 Singh started a few games at forward last season while Szucs made strides at shooting guard.

Junior guard Danny Lopez also returns to give MacArthur some additional backcourt experience. Lopez registered 17 points in a 64-57 non-league loss to Carle Place during the Jim Colligan basketball tournament last tDecember.

MacArthur’s already grueling conference got even tougher for this season with the addition of defending Nassau County Class AAA champion Baldwin. The league also features Jericho, Great Neck South, Mepham, Long Beach and Valley Stream Central.

be,” Maini said. “Hopefully we can

“The conference is back to being as competitive as it could be,” Maini said. “Hopefully we can be in the mix.”

MACARTHUR OFF 18-WIN SEASON

much of its starting lineup from

The MacArthur girls return much of its starting lineup from last year’s team that reached the Class AA semifinals and is seeing another deep postseason run in a more challenging league this winter.

The Generals, who return three full-time starters from an 18-4 team that fell to East Meadow in the county semis, will see increased competition vying

for a championship with longtime county power Baldwin joining Class AA for this season.

“We’re going to be competitive, but the conference is going to be tough,” said 11th year head coach Dave Radtke “We have Baldwin and East Meadow who are two of the better teams in the county.”

The Generals bring back junior center/power forward Meaghan Campbell, a reigning All-County player who tallied 18 points in MacArthur’s 58-50 quarterfinal win against Division last season. Campbell was also conference co-defensive player of the year with teammate Ysabelle Perillo, a returning junior guard.

Gabby Nicolini is also back after earning All-Conference accolades and is among 11 juniors on the roster. Junior point guard Caitilin Kilian, who started some games last season, will lead the backcourt.

Radtke said that Campbell and Nicolini will be the key toward how far the team goes this season with their offensive skills.

“Campbell’s our star and our big girl and we’re going to go as far as she goes,” Radtke said. “Her and Gabby Nicolini are the best we’ve got.”

Senior Caitlin Barry and junior Ella Mancini add athleticism on the court after both gaining experience off the bench last season. Radke is also expecting contributions from newcomers that include the twin sisters of Abby Clarkson and Olivia Clarkson along with Gina Iannuzzi and eighth grader Angela Lopez in his uptempo system.

“We’re going to run and gun, press and trap,” Radtke said. “Our best offense is our defense and our press because they are just so athletic.”

MacArthur will compete in Conference’s League 3 which consists of Baldwin, East Meadow, Valley Stream Central, Great Neck South, Great Neck North, Long Beach and Jericho.

by Karen Millindorf

Mike Kondyra

Meagan Campbell

Mules begin quest for 52 MALVERNE

By BRIAN KACHARABA

A51st straight playoff berth appeared to be in jeopardy for the Malverne boys’ basketball team last January, but five wins in the final eight games put the Mules at 7-5 in the conference and back in the postseason, where it beat Plainedge before falling to Friends Academy in the Class A quarterfinals.

But making it 52 will again be a challenge for Malverne, which graduated all five starters from last season and 11 seniors overall.

“We’ve got a very young squad, maybe a couple of seniors,” associate coach Walter Aksionoff said. “The kids that we have, they come from a JV season [where] they were very good, very quick. Now, they have to learn how to play really good defense.”

The backcourt will likely

consist of senior returnee Lorenzo Maione and junior Christopher McIntosh, a 6-foot-2 athlete who Aksionoff is hoping can be effective driving to the basket and drawing fouls. Sophomore Tristan Inswood, who was called up late last season, provides depth at point guard with his ball handling and shooting skills.

Aksionoff, a longtime assistant under multiple head coaches including Darroll Lopez, is also excited to see the play of raw 6-foot-10 senior Spencer Sexton and took a unique approach to get him acclimated to varsity basketball.

“He has to run,” Aksionoff said. “So, I got him with a track coach, [go] box to box, work on some strength. But I see him in our rotation right away because he can get some rebounds, outlet, and [go] where we’re going to go. You can’t teach height.”

team upwards.

Smith is coming off the football

an accurate shooter who could also see plenty of minutes and

Sophomore forward Isaiah Smith is coming off the football season and Aksionoff has penciled in among the top seven of the rotation. Six-foot-two sophomore forward Andrew Innocent is an accurate shooter who could also see plenty of minutes and senior Jamar Smith is an excellent defender with a high court IQ.

Players who also see court

Anderson and Julien Dumornay, senior defensive stalwart Rayshard

Shane Lee.

Players who also see court time are juniors Alexander Anderson and Julien Dumornay, senior defensive stalwart Rayshard Cerisier and quick lefty sophomore Shane Lee.

SENIORS LEAD OTHERWISE

SENIORS LEAD OTHERWISE YOUTHFUL MALVERNE

A pair of five-game losing

dropped from nine to six last year

A pair of five-game losing streaks ended up being too costly for the girls’ team as their win total dropped from nine to six last year (4-8 Conference A2). Three of the team’s top four scorers from 2023-24 are gone, but there is still plenty of talent that could again point the

Head coach Amanda Masson changed her schemes during training camp in hopes of better results and is focusing on a defense that did allow an average of just over 44 points a game last season.

“We do have a very young team, so we’re just definitely trying to just take a different approach on how we’re going about things,” she said. “We’re working on defense as much. So far, it’s been OK.”

Offensively, Ty’Zanae Reed improved her scoring average by more than two points a game to 8.3 last season while admirably filling in at point guard when injuries struck the roster. She had nine double-digit point games and hit 15 3-pointers on the campaign.

defense as much. So far, it’s been improved her scoring average by ing in at point guard when injuries double-digit point games and hit 15 3-pointers on the campaign.

“I expect a lot from her,” Masson said. “She worked so hard over the summer. She’s definitely taking that senior role to another level, and I expect so much from her just being a leader.”

Senior Hazel Whitfield averaged just over four points a game last season and will co-captain the team with Reed. Masson is hoping that the pair can help inspire their younger teammates for future seasons.

Junior Makiyah Harris is one of the top defenders on the team and is often responsible for guarding the opposition’s top scorer. Freshman Dana Sobers is an athletic guard who can also defend and grab rebounds and eighth grader Nevaeh Lopez will see lots of minutes with her offensive skills and rugged play on the court.

Sophomore point guard Naveah DeJesus returns and improved her skills at both ends of the floor during the offseason. Sophomore Gabrielle Allen and eighth graders Autumn Williams and Olivia Elleston add more depth.

Photos by Sue Grieco

Lorenzo Malone

High School Basketball Preview

MASSAPEQUA

Thinking big: Chiefs aim high

By DYLAN BUTLER

The Massapequa boys’ basketball team had a makeover for the 2024-25 season — a super-sized one.

The Chiefs are thinking big with the largest team Chris Cafiero has had in his five years as head coach.

Not in terms of numbers, but rather in length.

Massapequa is a vastly different team from the one that went 14-7 last year, losing to Syosset in the Nassau Class AAA quarterfinals. While the backcourt of Giuliano Camporini and Brian Kopp is gone, there’s a bevy of height, led by 6-foot-4 Mike VanRoten, a versatile senior who can play multiple positions.

Another returning starter is AJ Molenko, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound senior center who is one of three standouts on the Massapequa football team, along with Tyler

Byrnes, a 6-foot-4 junior who is a returning All-Conference performer and 6-foot senior guard Frank Romano.

They’re late to joining the basketball team after helping the football team win a second consecutive Long Island Class I title.

Seniors Matthew Pettis, who started late last season, and Anthony Pastier are defensive standouts on a team Cafiero believes can go nine deep.

“This team’s identity better be on the defensive end and rebounding,” Cafiero said. “If we give up an offensive rebound, it’s basically going to be like having a turnover on offense. We have to be able to rebound and just play lockdown defense. That’s what this team’s got to be built on — creating offense from defense.”

If Massapequa can do that, Cafiero is confident his hardworking team can make a deeper playoff run this year.

But first, there’s a challenging regular season, which starts with a tournament at Wantagh, includes league games against Syosset, Uniondale and Hempstead, and the annual highly-anticipated non-league showdown with rival Farmingdale.

that

from a team that went 14-8 and lost to Baldwin in the Nassau AAA semifinals.

constantly moving the ball, we’re

because they have to worry about coach

“My ideal setup is never knowing who’s going to be our leading scorer because we’re constantly moving the ball, we’re all constantly attacking and then we’re spreading out that defense because they have to worry about everybody,” head coach Billy Herr said.

Leading the way this year is senior captain Paige Garguilo, who Herr calls “one of the best defenders I’ve ever had” as well as someone who can score in double digits if given the chance.

Junior Savanna Appleton is a 6-foot-1 senior forward who can handle, shoot and is good for three to four blocks a game.

Senior guard Isabella Grosso, arguably the Chiefs’ most athletic player, has proven to step up in the postseason, specifically in the loss to Baldwin a year ago and senior Cassidy Morrow, a Siena-bound lacrosse standout, creates offense from her pressure defense.

“If we take on our identity and understand how we need to play, I think the sky is the limit for this group,” Cafiero said. “If we play defense and take care of the basketball, I really think we could compete with anybody.”

MASSAPEQUA HAS COUNTY TITLE HOPES

One of the players up from a junior varsity team that went 19-0 last year is sophomore point guard Liv Morgan who can dish, drive and facilitate and is “the fastest kid I’ve ever seen,” according to Herr.

The Chiefs will be tested from the jump in a tone-setting December that includes Manhasset, Plainview-JFK, Walt Whitman, Sacred Heart, St. Anthony’s and St. Dominic’s.

To make a run at a ninth county championship in program history, and first since 2013, the Massapequa girls are going to have to get out and run.

Part of that plan is to make the most of the team’s strength — its athleticism throughout its deep roster. And also out of necessity after graduating leading scorers Briana Neary and Grace Trotta

And while the semifinal defeat to Baldwin stings, Massapequa isn’t thinking of revenge, especially with Baldwin dropping a classification. Instead, their target is on the defending county champions.

“Our goal is to beat Syosset this year because that’s who’s at the top of the mountain right now,” Herr said.

Paige Garguilo

Michael Van Roten

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Pirates have pieces to build MEPHAM

By DAVID WEINGRAD

First-year head coach Jamie Adams has seen enough to believe he has the foundation to build a perennial winner.

The Pirates will feature a mostly returning roster of upperclassmen, and Adams said he’s enjoyed his early days getting to know them all. “I’m really happy with how they are acclimating to me,” said the former Lynbrook head coach of nine years. “I really feel like these kids just bought in.”

One of the first players to catch his eye is senior Owen Heller, whose athleticism will make him a top playmaker and scorer. Heller was one of the top quarterbacks in Nassau an led the Pirates to the county finals. “He really has a good handle on the mental side of the game,” said Adams. “He sees the game almost coach-like.”

a 6’3” forward who can also play the perimeter, and senior guard Tyler Ranancher, a gritty defender who will match up with opposing big men.

With eight returning seniors and a promising junior class, Adams is excited for this year and what lies ahead. “I think we’ll build a really strong foundation for what the future can bring,” he said. “This is the start of something hopefully.”

CONFIDENT MEPHAM READY TO MAKE NOISE

A run to the AA quarterfinals last year has instilled confidence in an experienced Mepham squad led by their star forward senior Makayla Daube.

“We’re coming off a really good experience and bringing back a lot of kids who contributed,” said head coach James Mulvey.

Daube, an All-State and twotime All-County forward – and the class valedictorian, to boot – enters the final season of her illustrious

They’ll get a boost from senior forward Will Gallagher, a sharpshooter who missed all of last season with an injury, and junior Rhyan Arias, a transfer from St. Dominic’s, who has also showcased his talent early this season and has impressed Adams and his staff.

Complementing these scorers will be Tommy Kayantas, a power forward who is not afraid to be physical and help his team in the trenches by crashing the boards and setting screens.

Rounding out their rotation is senior Andrew Graf,

The goal, said Adams, is to play an up-tempo style and control the pace of the game. A major key to that is a trio of speedy guards who will bring versality to the squad – seniors Rodney Michel and Kyle McQuillan, and junior Colin Kohut. “I’m really excited to see them buzz aorund, handle the ball, play defense,” said Adams.

career after averaging 17 points and 19 boards per game last year. On pace to reach 1,000 career and points and 1,000 career rebounds, Mulvey said she’s among the top five players he’s coached in his 22 years at Mepham. “We want her to get a touch every time on the offensive end,” he said. “She’s so fundamentally sound.”

and 19 boards per game last year. points and 1,000 career rebounds, Mulvey said she’s among the top years at Mepham. “We want her to get a touch every time on the She’ll have a strong supwho Mulvey called a fearless guard

She’ll have a strong supporting cast alongside returning All-Conference senior Sophia Beck, who Mulvey called a fearless guard who plays an unselfish, hardworking game.

Complementing the pair is senior Grace Skulavic, a hardnosed forward who Mulvey said will be a key defensive piece often guarding the opposing team’s highest scorer.

At point guard, senior Sierra Barbosa is a stellar athlete who is not only a floor general but who Mulvey expects to rack up steals with her lengthy wingspan.

Depth and defense will be a key for Mepham, and Mulvey thinks they can wear down opponents with their aggressiveness. A key to that strategy is senior Leah Smith, who is a major factor in their transition game turning turnovers into offense.

ponents with their aggressiveness. A key to that strategy is senior in their transition game turning

freshman Bree McGovern who will the sophomore and has impressed Adams and his will be Tommy Kayantas, a power trenches by crashing the boards

With plenty of star power and confidence, Mulvey said his team is rearing to go. ”I don’t feel like we’ll be phased by much this year,” he said. “We’re battle tested.”

Some new faces include freshman Bree McGovern who will serve as a spark off the bench, as well as sophomore Mia Troiano, who led junior varsity in scoring last year. Juniors Gabby Caminiti and Sienna Linekin, as well as senior Gabby Fitzgerald will also be contributors.

Photos by Ron Manfredi

Will Gallagher

Sophia Beck

OCEANSIDE

By MARC BERMAN

It will be virtually a new team and perhaps a new record.

Injuries haunted Oceanside’s boys team during a 5-15 campaign. All-Conference stars Ben Zito and Adam Elbehiry had their seasons cut short. They were among 11 seniors who graduated but all isn’t lost. The Sailors’ two returnees, 6-foot-5 junior Josh Gamarra, and 6-3 shooting guard Kyle Singh, project as stars.

As a sophomore, Gamarra earned All-Conference, averaging 12.5 points, 10 rebounds. He got invited to fall’s Alzheimer’s Classic pitting Nassau versus Suffolk.

“He’s had a great offseason, is explosive, can shoot the 3 and is a leader,’’ head coach Ed Risener said. “He’s a true gym rat.’’

Meanwhile, Singh, will elevate from bench role to second-most important player. The lanky 6-3 shooting guard averaged 7 points. “He got better and better as the season went on,’’ Risener

said. “He’s a traditional scorer.’’

After the Gamarra-Singh duo, Oceanside will field varsity newcomers but that’s not a bad thing. “This group, even though they’re new to varsity, they’ve had a lot of cohesion being together on middle school and JV,’’ Risener said. “This group’s chemistry is better than any group I’ve had in my five years.’’

The three most notable firstyear varsity guys are sophomore guard Dylan Alfaro, 6-1 junior forward Max Caine and 6-1 junior forward John Grimaldi.

Alfaro is a natural scorer. “He had a great JV season,’’ Risener said. “He’s a bucket-getter. He’s going to have a big impact.’’

The coach considers Caine “the glue to our team on both ends of the floor’’. “He facilitates and he’s a quarterback of the defense - the loudest guy on the court,’’ Risener said. “He does all the stuff coaches love and is a relentless rebounder.’’

ees to man the backcourt - senior point guard Camryn Weinberg and junior shooting guard Karley Handleman.

Sailors count on returning duo

Weinberg started last season

Weinberg started last season and averaged 5.6 points, while Handleman came off the bench.

“Between Camryn and Karley, wings. There’s no Brianna. It’s her last season so Weinberg will have to pick up scoring slack. “Camryn er said. “She’s a really quick point from

“Between Camryn and Karley, the ball will be in their hands most of the time,’’ head coach Jared Stoler said. “We’ll go as far as those two will take us. Not that Camryn has been waiting in the wings. There’s no Brianna. It’s her time to shine.”

Amenta averaged 16 points last season so Weinberg will have to pick up scoring slack. “Camryn wasn’t a top option last year,’’ Stoler said. “She’s a really quick point guard with a ton of skills. She’s electric and can shoot from outside and get to the rim. It’s a matter of her putting it all together.’’

the basket. She doesn’t back down those

Handleman could be her perfect complement. “I expect big things from (Handleman),’’ Stoler said. “She’s tough as a bull, gets to the basket. She doesn’t back down and can also shoot. Between those two. I have two players who can get the ball in the net but have a lot of inexperience after them.’’

Grimaldi won’t be asked to score much but will facilitate and guard different spots. Another rotation player is senior 6-2 forward Dan Bekker, who played garbage-time minutes. Bekker is a point forward - a ball mover athletic enough to get to the rim and be a versatile defender. “They’re a tight group,’’ Risener said. “I want to see how it translates to the varsity.’’

Sophomore wing Ella Murray, who played JV, will be needed to play beyond her years. “She might one of the best athletes we have,’’ Stoler said.

OCEANSIDE HAS PLAYOFFS ON RADAR

Another sophomore starter is 5-10 center Bella Marsicano, also on JV last season. She has rebounding potential and is developing a post game with her aggressiveness. “She’s very talented and very raw,’’ Stoler said.

Two seniors, guard Lana Landa and small forward Juliana Ewashko, will be thrust into the rotation.

Despite graduating 11 seniors from last season’s solid squad, the Oceanside girls’ team has not given up on being in the playoff

With superstar All-County guard Brianna Amenta graduating, Oceanside will rely on two return-

the hope is

Last season, Oceanside lost out on a final playoff spot by dropping its final game to Port Washington, finishing 9-11. Despite a tough conference, the hope is Oceanside will take it to the final game again.

Photos by Justine Stefanelli

Camryn Weinberg

Josh Gamarra

PLAINEDGE

Red Devils will stand tall

By MARC BERMAN

What are they putting in the water in North Massapequa these days?

The Plainedge boys will field one of its tallest teams in history as the Red Devils seek a third playoff berth in four years.

Plainedge is known more for its football but fourth-year head coach John Mateyko has grown a respectable program off a 12-9 playoff campaign. Malverne knocked out Plainedge in the first round of the Class A playoffs.

Only two key players were lost in starters Kevin Keavney and top scorer Lucas Emmanual, but Plainedge returns a lot of seniors and height.

Mateyko has coached for 30 years - known as the last basketball coach at Dowling College, which closed in 2017.

“We’ll definitely have size, very tall for Plainedge standards

especially,’’ Mateyko said. “Our conference isn’t very big. Very seldom do you face big players. To start three guys 6-5 on the front line is pretty big for our league.’’

The top returnee is returning All-Conference 6-2 senior Owen Donnellan, who averaged 14 points and is a three-year starter. He’ll shift from point guard to wing. “He’s very fast and is a scorer,’’ Mateyko said.

The size comes from 6-5 senior forward Brian Keavney, 6-6 senior Alec Anderson and 6-5 Jackson Torres.

Keavney, whose brother graduated, is the most electric of the trio. His 7-point average is expected to increase as a swingman. Anderson will play center and comes over from football. Though Anderson netted 22 points in a game, he averaged 7 but that should rise. “He wasn’t asked to score a lot last year,’’ Mateyko said. “Alex played “D” and got rebounds. This year we’ll ask him

made it to the Nassau County Class A quarterfinals.

Torres is touted more for being the football quarterback but projected as a power-forward force as a sophomore.

The addition of senior AJ Gulino, an All-State soccer player, is huge as he’ll play point guard. Gulino opted out of basketball least season due to knee issues.

Also returning from injury is senior shooter Matt Barry. “I have a nucleus of kids since the 10th grade,’’ Mateyko said. “We’re hoping to (make the playoffs) again and think we can.’’

DEFENSE TO FUEL PLAINEDGE OFFENSE

Scoring might be a chore for Plainedge’s girls team. The Red Devils lost their leading scorer, Lucy Younghans, an All-County selection who provided 18.5 points per

There are no seniors on the team and just one returning starter from last season’s 14-7 squad that

So when asked where the Plainedge offense will come from, veteran head coach Ssrah Tansey paused and said, “We use our defense to score. We’re defensiveminded. We have a lot of athletes. Our offense will be fueled by our defense.’’

The pressing, end-zone defense is a staple of a Tanseycoached team. “We don’t get a lot of basketball-first kids but we get a lot of athletes,’’ Tansey said. “We create havoc.’’

That pressure will be needed more than ever with a lack of returning scorers. The lone returning starter is Lucy’s sister, Allie Younghans, a point guard who averaged about four points.

“She did a lot of things for us that didn’t always show up in the box score,’’ Tansey said. “We will look for her to lead the team this year as one of our few returnees. Her role last year wasn’t to score. We’ll look for her to score more but she’s a facilitator.’’

Two other returnees are sophomores, guard Peyton Wise and Michela Netto. Both started only a few games last winter as freshman. Peyton averaged 4.8. Netto, a star soccer player, averaged 2 points and 3.5 rebounds.

“They were more role players but this year we’ll be looking for them to score,’’ Tansey said. “They rebound really well and are good defenders.’’

Plainedge will also have to depend heavily on two s sophomores in guards Giovanna Pannitti, who can shoot the 3, and Samantha Zaccaro whom the coach calls “a phenomenal athlete who defensively creates from chaos.’’

Two juniors in 5-11 center Franki Maiello and forward Julia Truncalo played junior varsity last season and are touted for their rebounding.

This extreme youth is new territory for Tansey, in her ninth season. “I’ve never not had a senior,’’ Tansey said. “Even if we don’t have seniors, the young girls got playoff experience last year. Even though we’re young, we’re not too inexperienced. But it’s different in terms of not having a senior leader.’’

Allie Younghans

By ANDREW COEN

Seaford boys’ basketball begins a new era this winter with its first season in more than four decades not led by Ralph Rossetti.

The longtime Seaford head coach retired after the 2023//24 season with 403 career wins including a county title in 1999. Jay Lynch, Seaford’s JV head coach last season, takes over for Rossetti and will look to carry forward the winning tradition.

“It’s an honor to take over for Ralph after 40 years of dedicating so much to the Seaford community, students and alumni,” said Lynch, a former Seaford girls basketball head coach who has also led women’s college basketball programs at Briarfliffe and Berkeley College. “Winning 400 games is something Long Island basketball might never see again and got those wins with class and respect.”

Lynch inherits a program with four returning players from last year’s 11-10 team that fell to Cold Spring Harbor in the first round of the Class A playoffs.

Seniors Kyle Britton, Ayden Das and Justin Betz bring veteran leadership to a team with many newcombers who were part of a JV squad under Lynch that went 16-3 last year. Britton and Das are guards who will play pivotal roles guiding the younger players adjusting to the varsity level while the 6-6 Betz will be a big inside presence at center.

The Vikings also have a talented junior class that features forward Dylan Alt, who Lynch said is poised for a breakout season. Center/forward Brian Hennnessy, point guard Mike Spinella, sharpshooter Mark Villeck and versatile athlete Brian Falk also bring plenty of skills to help spur a winning formula.

the Vikings nearly upset North Shore as the seven seed in the quarterfinal round before falling 51-46. Barktus is now hoping with another year of eperience her veteran team is poised for a deeper run this winter.

“We have some very high expectations and some aggressive goals,” Bartkus said. “We remember sitting after that North Shore game and thinking about how it could have been us.”

Seafood has a large senior class led by center and team captain Skyler Secondino. Bartkus said Secondino, who is also a standout softball player, is emerging as a big scoring threat to go along with her rebound skills.

Senior Sophia Santenalla at 5-10 brings versatility and can play any position. Jessica Grzelaczyk, an All-Conference forward the last two seasons, has the ability to earn All-County as a senior, according to Bartkus, when she takes on more of a shooting role.

The junior class also includes guards Tate Gatto and Will Ryan along with big men JJ DiPietro and Justin DiScala. The deep roster also features Johnny Renck, who can play any position on the court and three-point threat Logan Anzalone,.

“We will push the ball up at an tempo pace and rely heavily on three-point shooting,” Lynch said.

Seaford will compete in League 8 this season with Lawrence, North Shore, Island Trees, Malverne, Wheatley and Friends Academy. The Vikings also tackle a challenging non-league schedule that includes early back-to-back games against Valley Stream Central and CHSAA powerhouse All Hallows.

LOFTY GOALS FOR SEAFORD

Fourth-year Seaford girls head coach Stephanie Bartkus returns plenty of talent from last year’s team that neatly knocked off second-seeded North Shore in the Class A quarterfinals.

With a heavy junior class,

The Vikings’ senior-laden roster also includes Ashley Tuohy, who has committed to play women’s lacrosse at Long Island University and will often guard the other team’s top scorer. CJ Block, who shined on the volleyball court in the fall, adds another scoring and defensive threat to the floor.

“I have such a variety of players to work with,” Bartkus said. “We’re going to be an aggressive team hoping most of our offense comes from our defense.”

Sophomore guard Emily McGowan also brings experience as a third-year varsity player who Bartkus has high expectations for after rebounding from an injuryplagued freshman season.

Freshman guard Bridget Grosser also has potential for a breakout season after competing on varsity as an eighth grader

Seaford’s League 7 foes are North Shore, Island Trees, Malverne, Lawrence, Wheatley and Friends Academy.

Vikings launch post-Rossetti era SEAFORD

Seaford will compete in

head coach Stephanie Bartkus

With a heavy junior class,

Photos by Karen Millindorf

Brian Hennessey

Skylar Secondino

New-look Ravens ready to roll SEWANHAKA

By DAVID WEINGRAD

Anew-look roster with only two returning rotational players will take the floor for a Ravens team that advanced to the Nassau AA semifinals last year.

But as a perennial playoff program that reached two county final fours in the last six seasons, head coach Jay Allen strongly believes that once his team starts to jell, they will be in the championship conversation come year’s end.

“There’s now an expectation that when you play here, it’s going to be at a high level,” he said.

Sewanhaka’s most experienced returner is senior point guard Miles Gurley, who was a key piece to their success as a floor general and dogged defender. “We’re really excited about what he can bring to the table as a scorer, defender, passer, all the phases of the game,” said Allen.

Braylon Metellus also returns as a role player last season who will now play a pivotal role. The versatile senior is one of the team’s most athletic players and top defenders.

Junior guard Nehemy Fresnel did see some time at varsity last year before an injury ended his season. This year, Allen expects him to be a major contributor after he showed some bright spots last season.

Much of the remaining roster will be new to the varsity level, including freshman Lance Williams, a classic “3-and-D” guard; junior Dante Anderson, an offensive threat who puts major pressure on opposing defenses; senior Wayne Odenville, who will provide a boost upon his return as he recovers from an injury; and junior Jayden Spaulding, a tough defender.

And for the first time in his career, Allen said, he’ll have an eighth grader on varsity – Robert Shaw, who the coach believes will emerge as a key piece.

“This year there’s a lot of teaching,” the coach said. “But they work really hard and that’s why we’re excited. I think they understand we’re trying to build a culture. That’s something these guys are looking forward to.”

SEWANHAKA PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Head coach

Alex Soupios strongly believes this could be the season it all comes together for his current girls

With a core that’s now played together for three seasons, their combined growth and maturity has been exciting to watch.

“This group has had the potential for quite some time,” he said. “They’ve put in the work and there’s an opportunity for us all to take the next step.”

At the forefront is senior All-County forward Janiya Grant, whose all-around skills regularly fill the stat sheet. “She’s one of those players that can do a little bit of everything well,” Soupios said. “She’s not just a lockdown defender. Not just a scorer.”

All-County whose all-around skills regularly fill the players everything well,” Soupios said.

Senior forward Saniya Moreau is a breakout candidate whose work ethic was defined by an anecdote Soupios recalled this summer. “She sent me a text message and said, ‘Soup, I know I am in Florida but I want you to see this.’” he recalled. “She found a gym down there and she was working on her up-and-unders to make her a better basketball player. It was so cool to see.”

Fellow senior Gabby Dawson serves as a perfect complement to the starting lineup, said Soupios, as her instinct is to set up her teammate rather than score.

Moreau candidate whose by an anecdote Soupios recalled this message and said, ‘Soup, I know I am in Florida but I want you to see a gym down there and she was working on her up-and-unders to

At guard, junior Lilah Lopez is another breakout candidate who is laser quick on the floor and has vastly improved her shooting and ball handling. And Soupios sang the praises of his junior backup point guard Tamia Williams, who, in addition to her improved game, he considers an extension of the coaching staff by her tendencies to run over to the sideline during stoppages to strategize.

Other contributors will include senior Aniya Marriott, sophomore Alexi Stewart – Honorable AllCounty last year – and freshman Gabby Brown.

“With all the development we’ve put together the last few years in the regular season and offseason,” said Soupios, “I think this team has the potential to make a statement.”

Saniya Moreau

Nehemy Fresnel

By ANDREW FANTUCCHIO

South Side’s boys’ basketball team enters the new season with a new identity.

Coming off a season in which they reached the Nassau Class AA championship game by dominating in the paint, the Cyclones are being forced to put a new spin on things by switching to an offense predicated on shooting from the outside with former all-county big men Patrick Mullin and Ryan Kennedy graduating at the end of last season.

“It’ll be an adjustment for the boys, for us as a program,” head coach Jerry D’Angelo said. “We are adaptable. I don’t think it’s an adjustment for us as a team as much or for myself as a coach. It’s more of an adjustment that kids may have

certain roles that will be different.”

After spending last season in a supporting role, junior guard John Pericolosi will be the linchpin for the Cyclones, with their offense flowing through him. Pericolosi set a high standard for himself as a sophomore, earning All-Conference recognition, and has even higher expectations.

“We’re expecting John to be better,” said D’Angelo. “John is about three inches taller than he was last year and probably about 10 pounds heavier with more muscle.”

Joining Pericolosi in the starting lineup is fellow returner Ryan Schmitt, as well as Connor Fernandez, whose three-point shooting will be pivotal to the strategic change, while Sean Arnott will fill the voids underneath the rim left by Mullin in Kennedy.

From the top down, South Side sports a roster full of athletes. Whether it be Ellie Lenon, Ella Burbige, Molly Reardon, Katelyn Mullin, Reese Long, or Taylor Hansman, there are multiple players who can handle the ball, shoot, and are difficult to defend.

With so many weapons to use, it makes sense for South Side to feature a run-and-gun style of offense.

“You never pass up a shot,” said Ferrick. “It’s the mindset of you get the ball, and the first thing you do is that you’re looking to score. The whole idea is to put pressure on the other defense.”

The whole idea is to put pressure on

The Cyclones utilized that same strategy last season, and it carried them all the way to the county semifinals, where they narrowly fell to Manhasset by a slim five-point margin.

Cyclones to display new identity SOUTH SIDE

Taylor Hansman

Schedule

But replacing the talent of their former star players isn’t so much the issue for the Cyclones. Rather, it’s replacing their leadership.

Many of the players who played in that game team are back this year, but the one who may make the biggest difference didn’t.

they played a lot last year,

“We’re definitely going to be on the inexperienced side for a good bit,” D’Angelo said. “I’m hopeful that someone like John, someone like Sean, or someone like Connor or Ryan, because they played a lot last year, they can help the progress a little faster.”

Along with Charles

Charlotte Rathjen returns to the South Side lineup after missing all of last season with a back injury. A former All-County selection, the senior has the ability to make an instant impact as soon as she steps back on the floor.

Munro, Patrick Sweeney, and

like she wasn’t around. Learning the

are looking to make another deep

Along with Charles Munro, Patrick Sweeney, and Dylan Walsh providing added depth off the bench, the Cyclones are looking to make another deep

SOUTH SIDE HAS UNMATCHED DEPTH

head

“She runs like a deer and is sixfoot-one,” Ferrick said. “She did get to watch all last year, so it wasn’t like she wasn’t around. Learning the different systems isn’t a big deal for her. It’s just a matter of knocking off the rust, which we’re doing every day. She’s going to be fine.”

But for all the depth and talent the Cyclones have, their effort defense is what will define their season.

what to do with it that’s the prob-

Depth is not an issue for Dan Ferrick as the head coach of the South Side girls’ team. It’s knowing what to do with it that’s the prob-

“I have 15 girls who can play,” Ferrick said. “Some teams might go seven deep. Some teams might even go eight. But I could put 15 girls out there.”

Ferrick said. “Some teams might go seven deep. Some teams might girls out there.”

“We have to buy in on defense so that we can turn it into offense,” said Ferrick. “That’s the whole idea. Play defense, and then attack on offense.”

“We have to buy in on defense

Photos by Brian Ballweg

John Pericolosi

Youthful Knights loom dangerous UNIONDALE

By TONY BELLISSIMO

Uniondale boys’ head coach

Jaaz Styles is prepared for his youth-filled team to make its share of mistakes this season, but at the same time is bursting with excitement thinking how far the Knights can go if they jell sooner than later.

Last winter, Uniondale won 11 games and snapped a two-year playoff drought. “When you start two eighth-graders, there’s a learning curve and I feel we fulfilled our potential last season,” Styles said. “Now we’re trying to get to the next round. We still don’t have an overwhelming amount of experience, but the talent level is high.”

Barrows improved by leaps and bounds during the offseason and will not only serve as a major presence in the paint but also boasts a smooth perimeter game.

Returning starting forward Jayden Oden brings all the intangibles and is a crowd favorite.

“He’s the type of kid who crashes the boards and takes charges,” said Styles, who plans to call upon junior forward Darren Brown and senior guard Dion Morris often.

EIGHT IS ENOUGH FOR UNIONDALE

While the girls’ roster only features eight names this season, head coach Nolan Dunkley doesn’t feel if will affect practices or the Knights’ chances to do as much

So just how young are the Knights? Well, Styles projects a starting lineup consisting of three freshmen, a sophomore and a senior.

damage as last winter when it finished 14-6.

damage as last winter when it it’s talented,” he said. “We won’t

“We have a small squad, but it’s talented,” he said. “We won’t have as many chairs on the bench as our opponents, but I feel we have a chance to win the conference and go far in the playoffs.”

have a chance to win the confer-

With perennial powerhouse Baldwin no longer in Class AAA, defending champion Syosset heads the list of top contenders. Massapequa, which nipped Uniondale by three in the first round of last season’s playoffs, also figures to be in the mix despite its own youth. There’s only one Class AAA conference and all teams will face each other once.

“Last year we played all the top opponents on the road,” Dunkley said. “This schedule is more favorable.”

“We’ll need to develop some leadership to go deep in the playoffs,” he said. “Someone needs to be an extension of the coach on the floor.”

The lone starting upperclassman, senior Nisiah James, an All-Conference combo guard, is 6-foot-3 and never gets rattled. He’s a skilled passer and defender, and Styles is looking for him to be more vocal.

The offense expects to get a lift from sophomore Dylan Hickman, a transfer from Holy Trinity described by Styles as the team’s best shooter. The 6-1 guard has plenty of range and can also dribble and drive.

Running the point is freshman Morell Toney, an All-Conference selection as an eighth-grader. He’s a 6-3 floor general who makes the offense tick, Styles said. “He started every game and averaged 10 points and 8 assists,” the coach noted.

Up from JV, freshman 6-7 wing Jayden Barrows “can block shots with his elbows,” Styles said.

Third-year varsity performers Zahara Saintyl, Eniola Adisa and Kayla Reid — all juniors — lead the way.

Saintyl, a 6-foot center who can also play point guard, has been on a steady rise with All-Conference and All-Class campaigns under her belt. “She’s a three-level scorer and a strong rebounder who put in a lot of offseason work,” Dunkley said.

with more quickness or size, respectively. Depth comes in the form of sophomore Makayla Grier and freshman Greydi Velasquez.

Adisa’s leadership is starting to shine, the coach noted, and the All-Class point guard averaged about 10 points and 5 assists.

Defense is Reid’s passion and she’ll get the toughest assignment every game, Dunkley said, as well as spark the Knights in transition. She’s 5-11 and can stretch defenses with her shooting range.

will be sophomore 6-2 forward

Providing a jolt to the offense will be sophomore 6-2 forward Shyi’Ann Talmadge, a transfer from Roosevelt who led the Rough Riders in scoring. “She’s a huge addition who gives us another presence inside,” Dunkley said.

The fifth starter could be a rotating part between junior Amaya Grier and freshman Kelsey Green, depending if Dunkley wants to go

The fifth starter could be a ro-

if

wants to go

Jayden Barrows

Zahara Saintyl

V.S. CENTRAL

By DYLAN BUTLER

Mike Wimmer is excited. It’s hard not to be for the Valley Stream Central boys’ basketball head coach.

There are four starters back from last year’s squad that returned to the postseason and hung tough with East Meadow in the first round of the Nassau Class AAA playoffs, nine players in a deep and versatile rotation, including two up from a JV squad that went 16-3.

And they start his third year as head coach healthy.

That was far from the case last year, when injury and illness meant the starting five weren’t on the court together until the sixth game of the season.

“I’m excited and the reason is because I’ve got 16 kids on my team who really dedicate themselves to improving as basketball players,” Wimmer said. “We’re very appreciative of the fact the kids have bought in so quickly.”

to finish around the rim. He’ll be joined in the post by Nelson Frias, a 6-foot-5 junior who is coming off a solid football season.

In junior Bryan Bhushan, the Eagles have a big guard who shoots the ball well, gets to the basket and makes good decisions, while guards Julian Vera and Logan Douglas can both score the ball and defend their positions.

YOUTHFUL VSC LEARNING TO FLY

A winless season and a leading scorer lost for the year before one bounce of the ball would indicate storm clouds for the Valley Stream Central girls team.

But there’s a bright future forecasted for a team that will only graduate one player this year.

“Next year we’re going to basically have the same team, hopefully all going well, a year older, hopefully our nucleus is here,” 10th-year head coach Malyssa

Thorngren said. “We’ve got some young ones. Hopefully we can start to build and move forward within the program. Barring injuries or transfers, hopefully we will have a nice foundation for a few years.”

Thorngren said. “We’ve got some we forward scorer nior basketball

had

Eagles poised to move forward

Amyah Byas is the leading scorer from a year ago, but the junior suffered a knee injury playing basketball during the summer and had surgery before school started in September.

That puts the onus on eighth-grader Gabby Francois, a forward who has impressed Thorngren in the preseason with her basketball IQ.

“She has a nose for the game, she knows about various situations and where she should be and what’s happening on the court at all times,” Thorngren said. “I was surprised by how far advanced her basketball knowledge was. I knew she was very athletic. I was surprised at how well-rounded she was.”

Sophomore Jaiya Vera started last year as a forward and Wimmer believes he is a double-double machine who not only has developed his jump shot but his understanding of the game as well.

Back is Sean O’Neil, a junior who was a two-time All-Conference selection and a starter since December of his freshman year. He runs Valley Stream Central’s offense while guarding the opposition’s best player.

Junior Alyssa Haughton is a returning shooting guard and the team captain — a lot of the leadership, and perhaps scoring — will be on her shoulders.

Who else can pick up the scoring void in a young guardheavy squad? That’s one of the big questions for Valley Stream Central.

“It’ll be interesting to see how we gel and how we mold and who steps up,” Thorngren said.

Senior Jamin Legagneur is a returning starter on the wing who has unmatched athleticism and an innate ability to explode to the basket. Fellow senior Kyle Thomas is a good distributor, an important pass-first cog in the offense.

Simar Singh, a 6-foot-6 sophomore backed up at center last year, but is more confident and in better shape this season

For those returning players, it will be important to put last year behind them. The best way to do so is to get an early win. There are opportunities, Thorngren believes, on a schedule that includes Malverne as well as Valley Stream North and Valley Stream South.

Photos by Brian Ballweg

Sean O’Neil

Alyssa Haughton

V.S. NORTH

By JUSTIN JOSEPH

Valley Stream North’s boys’ team hopes to build upon their 16-5 record from last season and fourth year head coach Mike McVeigh believes they have the perfect team to do it.

“If we just stay together and keep trying to have a focused mindset of getting better everyday we will get where we need to be this season,” Mcveigh said.

Junior guard Vincent Rienzie is one of the most versatile players on the roster and will be counted on to allow the Spartans to make an impact in multiple aspects. “He’s a good passer a good outside shooter and he’s a team leader,” McVeigh said

huge test.

North, which went 11-1 in conference games last winter, is part of a conference that includes neighboring Valley Stream South, Mineola, Lynbrook, Floral Park, Wantagh and Plainedge.

VSN

LOOKS TO ITS YOUTH

Valley Stream North’s girls team will be relying on its youth this season now more than ever before.

The Spartans will be one of the few varsity teams to not boast a senior in their starting lineup and inversely will be counting on big contributions from two special eighth graders who second-year head coach Daniel Lodato feels have blossoming potential.

“They are two very competi-

be big impact players for us

Spartans will rely on balance

That appears to be the theme for North – to rely on its youth, athleticism and chemistry to improve on its 6-11 record from last year.

tive basketball focused athletes,” Lodato said about young guards Celeste Lyle and Emily Weir. “In practice I see it every day, they are a step ahead. I believe they will be big impact players for us this season,” he added.

Sophomore guard Tristan Mitchell is described by his coach as a really high IQ player. He started last year as a freshman on the team and looks to bring his experience from last season to help North make a return to the playoffs.

Senior forward Zeke Morris is the defensive stalworth of the team and gives his team great energy on both sides of the ball. Senior guard Omarion Holder is another great perimeter defender who is expected with Morris to keep other teams offense at bay with his lighting quick speed and great defensive instincts.

McVeigh said senior Gavin Fererria is one of the better shooters on the roster and stretches a defense by being able to knock down wide open threes. Junior Matt Hunt is an athletic slasher who is adept at getting to the rim and finishing for the team, especially in the open court of transition.

is fender who is expected with Morris ried about the end result as of yet, improve and build together each day during practice and in games

Speaking on the goals for this season McVeigh says he’s not worried about the end result as of yet, he wants the Spartans to gradually improve and build together each day during practice and in games because the conference will be a

“What I preach to them is I want to compete even further in league ball in a very good league,” Lodato said.

“What I preach to them is I program

Returning is junior Alessia Nunnari who has been with the program since she was a freshman and will one of the team captains this season. “She’s just a leader, she’s basketball through and through. She’s the voice of the team… the girls really listen to her,” Lodato said.

Sophomore forward Paige Fessler is also making her return and was described by her coach to be the most athletic player on the court. “She’s just a work horse… she played pretty much the entire game every game on varsity last year,” Ladato said.

Junior guard Jasmine Harrison

Junior guard Jasmine Harrison is what her coach described as an energizer because she’s always flying up and down the court. She’s very versatile and does a little of everything for her team.

Sophomore forward Jada Jones coming from JV last season is expected to man the paint for the team and grab a lot of boards and hustle for her team to gain extra possessions.

“We feel like we have a good group of underclassmen that all love basketball and want to compete and want to win so it’s about putting that confidence in them,” Lodato said.

Alessia Nunnari

Vincent Rienzie

V.S. SOUTH

Falcons aiming for playoff berth

By NIKO SCARLATOS

The Valley Stream South boys are excited to embark on a new season.

After winning just five games a year ago, head coach Mike O’Brien made sure to have his guys ready to go. “We did a ton of offseason work,” he said. “We’ve been in the gym since May and got in as much work as we possibly could.”

The good news for the Falcons is they’re returning a good amount of key players from last season. Senior standout guard Brady DelValle returns as one of its captains and leading scorer. “I’m trying to get him to be a little bit

more vocal,” said O’Brien. “But in terms of his play on the court, he’s a 1,000-point scorer.”

Keith Bernardin was a player who took big strides last winter. “He stepped up really nicely last year,” said O’Brien, who enters his 7th season at the helm. “He continues to get better and better. After what we saw from him in the summer league, we’re hoping for big things.”

Another rising star within the program is sophomore Landon Jones. “He’s one of the smartest players we have on the team,” said O’Brien. “He’s always in the right spot and understands the game better than most.”

While DelValle is the team’s offensive leader, O’Brien believes that junior Jaden Pryce has the chance to be option number two. “He’s a very versatile player for us,” O’Brien said. “He has all the potential in the world to be a dangerous scorer.”

Other key contributors for the Falcons this season are junior power forward Shane Grant, who O’Brien called a ‘dark horse player’ and senior center Gavin Reynolds.

The goal this season for O’Brien and his coaching staff is simple. “I want to continue to build the culture here by staying positive,” he said. “If you’re not evolving, you’re not in the right business and that’s what I’ve learned during my seven years.”

Despite the inconsistencies last season, the expectation level is still high. “I’ve been looking forward to coaching this exact group for a while now,” said O’Brien. “I am confident that they can be the ones to break our playoff drought.”

now,” said O’Brien.

IMPROVEMENT

EXPECTED FOR VSS

Valley Stream South’s girls team is also aiming to improve from last season.

The Falcons won just one game in the 2023-24 campaign

but head coach Dominique Serpico is excited to begin a new chapter.

“We have put in the work this offseason to be competitive,” she said. “Our nonconference schedule is definitely more favorable compared to last year.”

One of the Falcons’ senior leaders is Jayla McLean. “She’s one of the strongest players we have,” said Serpico. “She’s always leading by example with her hustle on the court and effort on defense.”

McLean’s leadership can go a long way in helping mold one particular young superstar, eighthgrader Adelynn Espinal. “She has such a great knowledge of the game,” Serpico said. “Her ball handling and shooting skills are tremendous. We’re intrigued to see how she’ll do against girls that are older than her.”

more favorable compared to last mold to showcase their abilities.” give up, that’s where they lose the most. I don’t really care about our

Another senior leader the Falcons are counting on this winter is guard Lisa Jean-Antoine. “She’s someone who leads on the court,” said Serpico. “She is always giving it 110 percent whenever she’s out there. Her and McLean will put up the most points and be the most motivational for the rest of the team.”

Other key players for the promising Falcons include senior forward Ysabel Clesca, junior shooting guard Melanie Mallon, and junior small forwards Naima Brown and Jessica Dyer.

When you’re coming off a 1-19 season, it can be tough to find the positives within the program. But in her third season as head coach, Serpico is finding ways to stay positive and motivate her team to keep trying.

“The number one thing I tell my players is to never give up no matter what the score is,” she said. “Play at maximum capacity the entire game. If they start to

Brady DelValle

Jayla McLean

Warriors carrying championship mindset WANTAGH

By ANDREW COEN

With seven football players on the roster, Wantagh boys basketball got a later start than most teams practicing with a full squad for a good reason.

The Warriors won the Conference IV county title on Nov. 22 followed up a week later with a Long Island championship win against Bayport-Blue Point on Black Friday nearly two weeks after the start of basketball practice and three days before the first game.

“They will be thrown to the fire a little bit which is fine because the main goal is to be playing our best basketball towards the end of the season,” said fourth-year

head coach Matt Simeone, who is also an offensive assistant on the football staff. “We’ll slowly get them back in and there is no doubt in my mind they’ll be ready to go.”

Seniors Kevin Gutfleisch and Oliver Iacobazzi are the two returning starters from last year’s team that reached the Class AA quarterfinals. Gutfleisch was an All-Conference at forward last year while Iacobazzi, a football standout, made strides at guard as a junior.

Juniors Devin Paccione and Joe Nicholson are expected to be starters this year after earning key minutes as sophomores. Paccione is slated to be the starting point guard and Nicholson will take on one of the forward spots inside.

Seniors Joe Valentino and Cole Spinelli will be rotating at the center position. Both shined on the football field as a lineman and tight end, respectively.

Defense will be a huge focus this season with Simeone hoping the team can reclaim its status from two years ago as the top defensive team in the county playing a straight man-to-man when Wantagh reached the semifinals.

“We pride ourselves on playing tough defense,” Simeone said. “This group that I have is very athletic and they’re tough kids and work hard.”

Wantagh will compete in League 6 this season which features Valley Stream North, Mineola, Lynbrook, Floral Park, Valley Stream South and Plainedge.

WANTAGH FRESH OFF FINALS APPEARANCE

Wantagh’s returning starters ship pedigree.

Wantagh’s returning starters enter the new girls basketball season with plenty of championship pedigree.

The Warriors reached the Class A finals last winter and much of the roster has also been part

of title runs with Wantagh girls

of title runs with Wantagh girls lacrosse in the spring and soccer this fall. Longtime head coach Stan Bujacich said his many returning players are fueled by nearly achieving the program’s first county crown since 2006 and wanting to replicate the success of lacrosse and soccer.

“These girls have either won counties or been in the county finals either in basketball, soccer or lacrosse so they know what it’s like to play big games,” Bujacich said. “We lost in the finals last year but the year before we were 5-15 so that was a big turnaround for us.”

the year before we were 5-15 so

“The key is going to be staying focused one game at a time,” ” Bujacich said. “We can’t look ahead and need to respect all opponents.”

Class A title on Nov. 7. Cerasi, who

Bujacich returns three fulltime starters including senior Juliana Cerasi and sophomore Kayla Mannix, who both led Wantagh girls soccer to the program’s first Class A title on Nov. 7. Cerasi, who has committed to play women’s lacrosse at James Madison University, led the Warriors’ girls lacrosse team to a Class C title in the spring against Manhasset.

Junior point guard Sabrina Asadurian also returns to the lineup and will lead the backcourt. The Stony Brook women’s lacrosse commit tallied a key goal in Wangtagh’s 11-10 county title win against Manhasset in May.

Senior center Riley Forthofer, who was also on the soccer and girls lacrosse championship teams, provides an inside presence after starting some games as a junior.

Sophomore Isabella Ferraro is also slated to start this year after moving up to varsity for the playoffs as a freshman. She was also part of Wangtagh’s summer league team that won a title in the Town of Babylon.

league team that won a title in the

Wantagh boasts plenty of depth with Ella Perfetti, Gianna Paccione, Camryn Mitchell and Makayla McNeil all expected to contribute valuable minutes off the bench.

off the

Photos by Karen Millindorf

Kevin Gutfliesch

Julianna Cerasi

Rams are defending champs WEST HEMPSTEAD

By JUSTIN JOSEPH

The West Hempstead boys are the reigning Long Island Class B champions from and are looking to back it up with another big season.

The Rams finished with a 19-5 overall record and were 11-3 in conference, which was good enough to finish first and earn Nassau’s top playoff seed.

Head coach Eric Rubin, who has been with the program for the past three seasons, expects the team to try to win in a different way. “Last year we graduated three starters and eight seniors total,” he said.

Four players return from the

senior Evan Wilson who Rubin says is “very quick and has improved his shot a lot to where he’s a good shooter.”

Senior Isaiah Blunt is considered one of top players in the county last season and is expected to have an even bigger impact out on the court. “He’s tall, can shoot well and runs the court well in transition,” Rubin said. “He’s our best scorer.”

Setting the defensive tone and bringing some intangibles is junior guard Jonathan Houston. “He sees the court really well and is a terrific passer,” Rubin said. “He’s probably our best defensive player overall.”

Chris Van Kovics, head coach of the program for 23 years, believes getting back on the right track is as simple as improving little by little.

“Try to find ways to get better every single day,” Van Kovics said. “Try to get better offensively, defensively, shooting, rebounding, its all we are looking to do. Coming to practice, working hard, trying to get better.”

The Rams will look to leading talents such as senior Constance Berry-Rowley who according to Van Kovics can play any position. “She is very athletic and will be a leader on the floor for us,” he said of Berry-Rowley.

championship team, including

Senior forward Riley Leddick is what his coach describes as a tremendous role player. “He doesn’t need the ball to be effective, good rebounder and defender, he does all the dirty work for us,” Rubin

Senior Madison Cates “ is a tough athletic player and will look to bring the ball up for us on offense,” Van Kovics said.

rebounder and defender, he does said.

play the one, two, or three and will

One of the varsity newcomers, sophomore guard Alex Davis, will likely be the teams sixth man. “He’s quick and is a great slasher driving to the rim, he’s very strong with the ball and givers us another option as a ball handler.”

likely

Also returning is junior guard/ forward Daniella Healy. “She’ll play the one, two, or three and will be asked to run the offense and score for us,” Van Kovics said. “She gives us a little size underneath if we need it. She’s a smart athletic tough player.”

center. He’s got as great head for

Rubin also expects production from sophomore Jamir Houston who is the brother of Jonathan. “He’s very versatile and can play anything from the point to the center. He’s got as great head for the game,” the coach noted.

With a revamped roster, Rubin thinks defending at a high level will be a focus. “Scoring shouldn’t be an issue, but how well we play defense will be key in how far we go,” he said.

WEST HEMPSTEAD WORKS TO IMPROVE

The West Hempstead girls didn’t have the season it wanted in 2023-24. The Rams finished 0-12 in Nassau AB-III conference play and hope to visit the win column as much as possible this winter despite a difficult schedule.

In the frontcourt, sophomore Isabella Salimbene will be asked to provide scoring and reounds in the paint. “We need her to play great post defense,” Van Kovics said.

Another sophomore, Willow Stern, “will give us a spark of the bench and will be at the top of our press,” the coach noted. “She is quick fast and athletic.”

One of the team’s better post players according to Van Kovics is junior Jazmyn Russell. “We will ask her to help us rebound and will operate a lot out of the low post.”

junior Jazmyn Russell. “We will ask

There are many keys to the Rams’ success. “If we stay healthy, follow the blueprint, work hard, play tough, play smart, play together, we should be much improved,” Van Kovics said.

Photos by Brian Ballweg

Isaiah Blunt

Located in Rockville Centre, Molloy University is home to one of the premier NCAA Division II athletic programs in the East Coast Conference. The University recently expanded its athletic offerings by introducing sprint football as its 23rd intercollegiate sport. The Lions proudly competed as the newest member of the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) this past fall.

Molloy combines academic excellence and leadership with personal mentoring. The University offers 70 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral academic programs and a variety of student clubs and activities including a co-ed equestrian team, and men’s and women’s rugby.

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