Thursday, October 1, 2026
It’s what Valley Stream Central boys basketball head coach Mike Wimmer has seen, and it’s a big reason why he’s excited about this upcoming season.
“I’m very happy with how it’s gone since we’ve been here, and I’m happier today than I was yesterday,” Wimmer said. “It really has been a total pleasure to work with this group of kids and to see them all grow individually, and how they’ve taken ownership of their role in our program.”
A year ago, the Eagles finished 16-7 and lost in the Nassau Class AA quarterfinals. That was seven more wins and one additional round further in the playoffs than the previous year.
And there’s good reason, beyond universal preseason optimism, to believe Valley Stream Central can take another step forward this season.
It starts with point guard Sean O’Neil, a four-year starter strong enough to get to the rim and savvy enough to pull up for a mid-range jumper, while being an absolute menace defensively.
Forward Jaiya Vera is a three-year starter, a double-double machine who is integral in pushing transition, while also being versatile enough to guard all five positions.
Nelson Frias is a big and athletic forward who anchors the Eagles defensively, a true team guy who has shown tremendous growth in his offensive game.
Julian Vera, Jaiya’s twin brother, has good length on the wing, great vision, and is another point guard on the floor, another player who can play multiple positions, while also being a ball hawk in the passing lanes.
Wimmer calls Logan Douglas “a microwave” offensively who was instrumental in that trip to the quarterfinals last year, knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers in the second half to give the Eagles a second-half cushion in a win over Calhoun.
In Bryan Bhushan, the Eagles have a big guard who handles the ball well and will have an increased role this year. And seniors Sebastian Jean and Aidan Balkaran and sophomores Jacob Dessources and Will Kyeremeh, the starting backcourt on the junior varsity team a year ago, should all carve out some minutes.
Head coach Malyssa Thorngren is certain she has a better team this season — it’s a senior-laden group, the best player returns after missing last season due to injury, and there’s talented young players.
But success for the Valley Stream Central girls basketball team won’t be measured on the scoreboard, not with the move to the unforgiving Conference AAA against perennial powerhouses like Massapequa, Freeport, and defending New York State champion Baldwin.
“I say to my players, every day in practice, we should get better every single day, and if you do that every single day, you’re going to start to notice the growth and the change in the games,” Thorngren said. “You can’t just measure your progress by wins and losses.”
The Eagles are immediately better with the return of Amyah Byas, who led the team in scoring as a sophomore but missed her entire junior season due to injury.
The senior’s presence in the paint and her leadership should be instrumental, and it should help free up last year’s leading scorer, Alyssa Haughton, a senior who is a 3-point threat and a strong defender, making Valley Stream Central a more balanced team offensively.
Senior Bianca Escobar is a taller guard with a non-stop motor who helps the Eagles in multiple ways. In a season-opening 41-22 loss to Valley Stream North on Nov. 24, Escobar compiled eight rebounds, five assists, and a couple of steals.
Senior Melanie Godinez is a calming presence who also brings valuable leadership and some added scoring.
Sophomore Camryn Pitt returns as the starting point guard and is coming off a strong summer. The quick point guard will look to be the floor general who gets the Eagles into their sets and plays solid defense.
Briana Garcia and Pharrah Seemungal are a pair of freshmen Thorngren is excited about. Garcia can play either point guard or shooting guard and should see significant playing time off the bench, while Seemungal is a quick shooting guard who has a nice shot and has the ability to get to the basket.
Dec. 11: @ Westbury, 6:45 p.m.
Dec. 15: Academy Charter, 6:45 p.m.
Dec. 18: @ East Meadow, 5:00 p.m.
Jan. 7: Herricks, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 10: Port Washington, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 13: Baldwin, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 16: Oceanside, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 23: Westbury, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 26: @ Academy Charter, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 29: East Meadow, 6:45 p.m.
Feb. 4: @ Herricks, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 7: @ Port Washington, 11:45 a.m.
Feb. 10: @ Baldwin, 6:45 p.m.
Feb. 13: @ Oceanside, 5:00 p.m.
Dec. 11: Uniondale, 5:00 p.m.
Dec. 17: East Meadow, 6:45 p.m.
Dec. 20: @ Port Washington, 11:45 a.m.
Jan. 7: @ Massapequa, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 10: Freeport, 11:45 a.m.
Jan. 13: @ Hicksville, 5:00 p.m.
Jan. 16: @ Oceanside, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 23: @ Westbury, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 26: Farmingdale, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 29: @ Plainview, 6:45 p.m.
Feb. 4: Herricks, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 7: @ G.N. North, 12:00 p.m.
Feb. 10: Baldwin, 6:45 p.m.
Feb. 13: Syosset, 6:45 p.m.
