Thursday, October 1, 2026
There are three pillars to success for the South Side boys' basketball team.
“We need to defend, we need to rebound, and we need to run,” head coach Jerry D’Angelo said. “But if you can’t defend, you can’t rebound, then you can’t run.”
Through 11 games, the Cyclones are humming in the first two categories. And while there’s room for offensive improvement, the 10-1 start has been impressive.
“I like our energy,” D’Angelo said. “I think we’re playing well from an energy standpoint. I like how we have been able to be versatile. We’ve been trying to play kids at different positions and give us some flexibility.”
Anchoring the defensive charge has been point guard John Pericolosi, who leads the Cyclones in steals and deflections at the top of their press, and shooting guard Connor Erickson, who is tasked with guarding the opposition’s best scorer.
In a 60-48 non-league win over Hewlett Dec. 22, in which South Side outscored the Bulldogs 20-6 in the fourth quarter, Erickson made star Justin Ortiz earn his 21 points.
And in a 54-37 non-league victory over Garden City a week later, the Cyclones held the Trojans to just one second-quarter point.
“I think there are times where we step up our defensive intensity, our ability to rebound, and minimize second-chance points,” D’Angelo said. “I wish we were a little more consistent with that intensity and energy over four quarters.”
Pericolosi and Ryan Schmitt, the team’s top rebounder, have consistently been the offensive catalysts for South Side, with a host of players taking turns to be the third scorer. In the win over Garden City, it was Harris Breene who chipped in 10 points. Robert Griffo had 15 points in a 63-41 conference victory over Sewanhaka Jan. 5, and Trevor Walsh scored 10 points in a 67-33 win against Clarke Jan. 8.
“I’m looking forward to the game where all those kids have a really good game together,” D’Angelo said.
After playing on JV last season, Walsh, the lone junior in the starting lineup, has impressed in the first half of the season for the Cyclones. So has Breene, a Dartmouth Crew commit who has been a force after 19 months away from the court, not playing last year, and recovering from shoulder surgery earlier this season.
The 6-foot-4 senior has helped fill the void left by Jack Mullin, who is out for the season after an ACL injury during the football season.
The wins over Hewlett, Garden City, and Elmont (49-34 on Dec. 12) have been impressive, but all three were at home.
“You have to prove you can win games on the road,” D’Angelo said. “We’ve had a lot of home games. Six of our last seven games have been at home. We now have to prove that we can win on the road.”
That started with last Saturday’s 57-34 victory at Bethpage, but the Cyclones have two monumental conference games left against Manhasset, including one on the road late in the regular season that will likely have major postseason implications, as well as a trip to Elmont on the horizon.
