By TONY BELLISSIMO
"There's a tremendous amount of confidence around here," coach Denise Schatz said. "The girls realize they're capable of big things and they're working hard to make it happen. The program has come a long way over the past five years and we want to keep it on the upswing."
The Lady Eagles were seeded seventh in the county tournament last season and pulled off a few upsets en route to the final, where it lost to Massapequa. The two teams will not meet during the regular season, but it's quite possible it'll happen sometime in February.
"We have the potential to have more depth that we did last year," Schatz said.
The offense has what it takes to be successful with senior Kerri Kelty running the show from the point guard position. "The offense will be in good hands," the coach said. "Kerri sees the court well and makes things happen. She's unselfish and does a good job of finding the player that's open."
Junior guards Danielle Castelli and Lisa Longo are hard workers with smooth strokes. Longo has the rare ability to score from the perimeter as well as drive the lane. Senior Meghan Mannion returns to the frontcourt and spearheads the Lady Eaglesâ rebound efforts, while senior Kerry Sass has looked strong in practice and is the likely starter alongside Mannion.
A deep bench could prove to be the difference for Central in the long run. It comes in the form of seniors Josefa Lopez and Stephanie Bulko, junior Nermeen Azab, and sophomores Vanessa Martinez, Melissa Abadala, Kelly Holmes and Ellysa Delva.
"We just have to go out and execute," said Schatz.
Seven-year junior varsity boys coach Hayward Alfred will try to get the Eagles executing as much as possible after taking over the helm from Kevin Steingruebner, who is now serving as the varsity assistant.
"It's a smooth transition for myself and the kids because we know each other well," said Alfred, who stresses pressure on defense and disciplined on offense. "The system is pretty much the same throughout the program, so everyone knows what to expect."
Central has a legitimate shot at reaching the playoffs. It's part of a well-balanced conference that includes Island Trees, Oceanside, Massapequa, Farmingdale, Great Neck North and New Hyde Park.
"We're not too big, but we'll be a gritty, hard-working and good-shooting team," Alfred said. "I think the early part of the season will be crucial in gaining momentum and confidence."
The starting lineup features four seniors: Dan McMenamin at small forward, John Palladino at point guard, Derrick Smith at shooting guard and either Randy Parmarand or Darren Stephenson at center. Junior D.J. Debrosse is penciled in at power forward, and versatile junior Everest Campbell will play a major role as well.
"The Freeport and Hewlett tournaments should get us ready for the league," Alfred said of the four-team events this week and next.
Valley Stream North
Spartans shouldn't be taken lightly
By TONY BELLISSIMO
After three winless campaigns, the Valley Stream North boys basketball team proved last season that opponents can no longer expect just to show up and collect an easy win against the Spartans. That's simply not the case anymore.
Under first-year coach Billy Williams, North won three times, including an impressive decision over playoff-bound Wantagh. "We're still bouncing off that win," he said. "I think that's part of the reason we're feeling good about this season."
Another reason is the addition of senior guard/forward J.P. Prager, a transfer from St. Mary's with All-County potential. Prager will start along with junior guards Anthony Forgione and Chris Schacca and senior forwards Ankur Rajput and Sean Mondelice. Juniors Jake Tauber, Alex Pena and Dan Maywald bolster the front line.
"We're not going to hide the fact that the playoffs are the goal," Williams said. "We expect to be competitive with every team in our conference and win our share. We've got nice height and we'll look to control the boards. We're going to run when we can and we're going to work hard on defense."
The Spartans, who open conference play at home versus Kennedy on Jan.3, have potential to shine on offense with Forgione dictating the tempo from the point and Schacca serving as one of the shooters. But Prager, who can play any of three spots, may develop into the go-to guy. "He's got a quality jumper and he can also drive the lane," Williams said of Prager. "We're excited about having him, even if it's only for one season."
For the third time in as many seasons, the Valley Stream North girls have a new coach. It's Gerald Davis, who has been impressed by the Lady Spartans' work ethic in the early going.
"So far, so good," he said. "I'm implementing a system that's new to the girls and we're working a lot on fundamentals. If we can manage a little success in the beginning, it can go a long way."
With three victories over the past three seasons, North has nowhere to go but up. Non-league games against Hewlett, Lawrence, Valley Stream South, Uniondale, Wheatley and Clarke will serve as measuring sticks.
"I'm behind the 8-ball as far as knowing opponents, but that'll change with time," Davis said. "Right now I'm concerned with us and what we have to do to improve."
The plan is to run and excel in transition, and guards Stacey Krasnoff and Caitlin Prager should allow North to do so. Krasnoff is coming off a solid sophomore season, while Prager is one of the most experienced eighth-graders in the county.
"We have the kind of guards it takes to make things happen on the fast break," said Davis, who is assisted by Kathy Gray. "We want to press and force turnovers and turn them into points."
Sophomore Michelle Vasopoli can play either guard or forward and is a strong defender, as is sophomore Dilmarys Pena. The frontcourt is to be led by senior co-captains Gina Barricelli and Liz Rini, junior Katie Russo and sophomore Lauren Hecker.
Valley Stream South
Falcons seek return to playoffs
By TONY BELLISSIMO
For the third time in as many seasons, the Valley Stream South boys basketball team opened on a positive note by winning the Bellmore-Merrick Tournament. Behind MVP Willy Lopez, a junior point guard, the Falcons knocked off Mepham and Calhoun to capture the event.
"We have a bunch of returnees and we're looking to get back to where we were two years ago," said coach Dom Fontana, who guided South to an overall record of 8-10 in 2001-02. "We should have been a playoff team last season, but we lost too many close ones. I think we can get back to the playoffs as long as the guys stay focused and concentrate on what they're trying to achieve."
Lopez had 33 points to lead an 81-62 triumph over Mepham and 18 points in the final, a 72-60 victory over Calhoun. Senior forward Charlie Viana had 39 points in the tourney, while senior Derrick Coleman stood out on both ends of the floor.
"Willy and Charlie will make us go,"
Fontana said of Lopez and Viana. "Overall, we have a lot of good shooters and decision makers. We'll be a hard-nosed team that can play with anyone in the conference."
Coleman and senior John Ignacio will be counted on to provide sparks from the shooting guard position, while senior power forward Kurt Ellis and sophomore center John Viggiano take care of business in the low post.
South continues its preparation for the conference schedule by facing Lawrence this week and participating in the Hewlett Tournament on Dec. 27-28. The Falcons meet Valley Stream Central in the opening round of the tourney. Within the conference, perennial power Jericho, Bethpage and Lynbrook figure to be tough.
"Every game is going to be a war," Fontana said.
The Valley Stream South girls reached the second round of the Nassau Class B playoffs in coach Deirdre Gordon's first season at the helm but lost four starters to graduation and will be hard-pressed to match its double-digit win total.
"We're looking to make up for the inexperience and lack of height by playing aggressive and forcing opponents into mistakes," Gordon said. "Transition will be a key for us."
The Lady Falcons could develop a solid inside-outside game with senior center Colleen Northcutt and sophomore guard Jenna Hutchinson as the focal points. "We'll depend on Colleen to lead us in rebounding and Jenna got good experience running the offense as a freshman," Gordon said. "She's still young but sees the court well and she'll be asked to do a lot."
Senior Danielle Barreto and sophomore Laurie Guarneri are expected to start at the forward spots, while senior Adriana Crescenzi heads a talented group of guards that will play alongside Hutchinson. Junior Heather Respol, sophomore Jessica Corea and freshman Nicole Benko make the backcourt deep.
"I think we can be a solid defensive team," Gordon said. "We'll need to box out well and hold our own and work for rebounds to make it happen."
The new-look Conference IV schedule appears to be a competitive one with Seaford, Island Trees, Bethpage, Roosevelt, Manhasset, Mineola, Clarke, Lynbrook, Great Neck North and Roslyn.
