The new year wasn’t as kind to them, losing eight of their next 10 games to miss the playoffs. But with most of the team back this year, they’re trying to channel their beginning-of-the-season energy in the Town of Brookhaven Summer League.

“That was a really tough stretch for us last year,” SWR head coach Kevin Culhane said. “There’s no days off in our league with the amount of talent we have to play. If things aren’t clicking right, and we’re not playing our best ball, it’s hard to win those games.”

So far in the summer league, the Wildcats have shown more of that winning mentality. With everyone having another year of experience under their belt, the chemistry and talent among those on the roster has only elevated. Shoreham-Wading River has won both of their games by over 30 points, including Tuesday night’s 64-33 win over Port Jefferson at Albert G. Prodell Middle School in Shoreham.

“The kids played their butts off today,” Culhane said. “We’re finally at a point where we’re looking as good as we’ve ever seen as a team. We came up with steals and baskets in transition the entire game. We talked about getting ahead and staying ahead, so I’m happy we accomplished that today.”

The lead grew to 40 early in the second half before Port Jefferson started finding its range from the three point line to cut the deficit. The Wildcats, who were missing players due to other obligations, came into the game with only six players, forcing everyone to play big minutes in the hot gym.

“We did get sloppy at times though,” Culhane said. “I know the ball is wet, and I know we’re tired, but we need to play a mistake-free game from start to finish. That is what hurt us last year, and that’s what we need to correct and work on this summer. We need to finish with the same intensity as we started.”

James Cook, was more of a sixth man last year, has emerged as a true threat on the offensive side of the ball. Against Port Jefferson, he scored a game-high 22 points and almost outscored the Royals himself. He would have scored more if he didn’t get into foul trouble and foul out at the end of the game.

“Cook is a great player,” Culhane said. “We always knew he had it in him. He’s got the talent, he just needed to put it all together. We expect big things from him this year.”

Also playing major roles next year will be Max Boerum, Carter Baumeister, Tyler Lievre and Zach Makarewicz. Boerum scored 14 on Tuesday and both Baumeister and Lievre added 10. Makarewicz was among those missing. Those three combined for 10 steals that led to easy buckets at the other end. Lievre also brought down 10 rebounds and collected five assists.

“I feel like people underestimate what Baumeister does for this team,” Culhane said. “Maybe he doesn’t score the most points out of everyone, but he is the glue for us. He does all the dirty work for us. He’s diving after loose balls and consistently coming up with big plays for us. He’s a leader for us entering his senior year.”

With the 2-0 record in the “ACC” division for the Town of Brookhaven, the Wildcats will continue to ride the wave and try to replicate their efforts going forward to stay at the top. They’re back in action Thursday, July 10, against Rocky Point at Albert G. Prodell Middle School. First tip is scheduled for 8 p.m.

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Last year, Riverhead went 0-10 in their summer league season in the lead-up to the school year. It was the harsh beginning to creating a winning environment. After last year’s run during the winter, there’s just a different feel this summer. There’s a sneaky confidence among those returning. They defeated Bayport Blue Point, 55-53 to kick off the summer at Centereach High School.

Photos by Bill Landon

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Riverhead’s Josiah Rodney takes flight in summer league action Tuesday night. (Credit Bill Landon)

“Right now we’re trying to figure out who fits with who with the younger guys coming up,” Fabian said. “We’re making sure everyone is buying into playing hard and continuing the culture we set last year. I thought we may have been lazy a bit at times today but that comes with the territory in these hot summer gyms.”

Peter Lagnena, who is now entering his senior year, led the Blue Waves in scoring as his stroke from deep looked in mid-season form. He nailed seven triples on the night. Every time Bayport-Blue Point started making a run, Lagnena had an answer. 

“I need to step up this year because Liam [Lennon] is not here anymore as our senior leader,” Lagnena said. “He was the captain last year and kept us all together and pushed us to be the best we can be. I need to take over that role now as a senior, and it starts in the summer.”

Anaiis Mitchell is also back as Riverhead’s point guard. He’s heading into his junior year after being on varsity since his freshman season. He assisted on six of Lagnena’s seven three-point baskets on Tuesday and finished with eight assists overall.

“Anaiis is the type of player that doesn’t have to be scoring all the team’s points,” Fabian said. “He affects the game in so many ways. He’s our field general out there. He gets his points, but he also gets rebounds, steals, assists — he’s a major part of any success we want to have.”

Riverhead returns Landon Zaleski, Jack Bartolo and Sentrell Hires as well who played big minutes during the school season last year. Zaleski scored eight points in the summer opener, Bartolo added five and Hires finished with four.

“We’re still building that chemistry,” Fabian said. “Last year was our first year together, so the more time we spend playing together, the better we’re going to be. We want to iron out all the kinks now and not have to deal with it during the regular season.”

Josiah Rodney also returns to Riverhead after spending last year playing for Southampton. He figures to plug right into the rotation and showed flashes of what he could do scoring 10 points against Bayport-Blue Point. He showed ability to score from the inside and outside and will be a crucial piece of the Blue Waves going forward.

Riverhead is back in action next Tuesday, July 8, at 7 p.m. against Newfield at Eastport South Manor High School.

“We want to win our league during the school season,” Lagnena said. “That’s one of our goals. We’re putting in the work now to not only win the league but win the whole thing. I think we can do it with this team. We’re returning most of our guys, and we’re all locked in on one goal.”

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Bay Shore was 19-1 this year — the defending Long Island champions. They made it all the way to the state finals, while the Blue Waves had just three wins all of last year. 

Riverhead fought. They were without their leading scorer in Deshawn Watkins but that didn’t matter. The Blue Waves showed heart and given the urgency of their opponent’s timeouts, they definitely worried the Bay Shore coaches during the game.

With two minutes remaining in the third quarter, junior guard Peter Lagnena hit two consecutive threes — one from so far behind the three-point line it could have come from another planet — and it electrified the Riverhead crowd at Bay Shore High School. It cut the lead to six, and after a Landon Zaleski free throw, the lead was only five. 

“I really felt that was a game changer for us,” Riverhead head coach Pat Fabian said. “I think it really sparked a belief in our guys that we can hang with a team like this.”

Sophomore point guard Anaiis Mitchell was running on fumes trying to keep pace with the Bay Shore offense, a classic run-and-gun type team. He registered 13 assists in the game and never came off the court. Depth was an issue for the Blue Waves all season And without Watkins, that made things even tougher.

Fabian used just a six-man rotation against Bay Shore, and everyone on the court was simply exhausted and slowing down. That fatigue really set in during the fourth quarter. Zaleski would hit a triple to close the deficit to six points again, but that’s as close as Riverhead got.

“The guys really left it all out there,” Fabian said. “They gave it everything they had. I’ve never been more proud of a group. I’ve coached for 10 years, and today was my proudest moment.”

Bay Shore got into their typical fast break offense after coming away with turnovers by pressing and trapping the Blue Waves. Riverhead just didn’t have the experience nor the energy to stop the bleeding. At one point in the game, there were three sophomores and two juniors on the court at the same time. Bay Shore posted an 18-5 fourth quarter to run away and advance to the semifinals.

Lagnena and Zaleski both scored 16 points for the Blue Waves. Liam Lennon, the lone senior in the starting lineup, scored nine and Mitchell added eight.

Nobody pegged Riverhead (8-4 League I, 12-10 overall) as a playoff team this year. Three players who were expected to be part of the varsity team this year left the area. There was also a first time head coach in Fabian, who was the assistant last year. But the Blue Waves exceeded those early expectations and even took it a step further by winning the first round game against No. 10 Commack.

There were a lot of unknowns going into this season. This year was supposed to be a rebuilding year by all intents and purposes. But the players in the gym felt otherwise. 

“We knew we were going to need to bring up younger guys from JV,” Fabian said. “They were going to be a part of the team anyway but not to this extent and to have roles this large. Our young guys had to grow up fast this season and this year’s experience only helps us going into next year.”

Nobody on this roster had ever tasted the varsity playoffs before. This was all new for everyone. But it’s really encouraging to return most of the squad next year. Zaleski, Mitchell and Jack Bartolo are all sophomores. Lagnena and Sentrell Hires are juniors. Yes, they lose Lennon and Watkins — a major part of the success this season — but the majority returns next year.

“Before the season I said that our success wouldn’t be dictated by wins and losses,” Fabian said. “But after this year’s run, we need to reshape our expectations. We know we belong with the best in Suffolk County. And we’re going to work like hell this offseason to make sure our expectations get met.”

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For the first time since 2019, Riverhead’s boys basketball team has clinched a spot in the playoffs with an 8-4 record in Suffolk County’s League I. After deliberation on Tuesday, the seeding committee selected the Blue Waves for the No. 7 seed in the bracket, earning Riverhead a first-round home game against No. 10 Commack Friday at 5 p.m.

In coach Pat Fabian’s first year in charge of the basketball program, the team went from 2-13 in the league last year to become a serious threat in the playoffs this year. 

“We’re keeping the same mentality that we’ve had all year going into the playoffs,” Fabian said. “Practice how we would play in the game. Staying laser-focused and active. It’s a huge game and we’re all excited for it but we’re not changing what we do. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel.”

Riverhead will unfortunately be without their leading scorer and rebounder, Deshawn Watkins, who is still nursing a shoulder injury. Watkins is averaging close to 18 points a game this season and his contributions will be greatly missed against Commack.

“We just need the other guys to step up in his place,” Fabian said. “Anytime you miss your best scorer it’s not going to be easy but we’re ready for it. I expect Landon Zaleski to step into his role and have a productive game.”

Riverhead will rely on several other players to find the bottom of the net in order to have success. Peter Lagnena will need to put together a solid shooting effort Friday night. He’s averaged 11.5 points this year but has scored as many as 19 in a game.

“We’re definitely excited coming into this playoff game,” Lagnena said. “We know what to expect and we know that we’re going to have to play hard all 32 minutes to get the result we want.”

Senior captain Liam Lennon will be a crucial piece on offense and defense. He’s affected the game on both ends of the court all season, averaging 8.7 points per game and routinely notching multiple blocked shots every time out.

“The vibes are high around the school,” Lennon said. “This is my first playoff game in my basketball career here and I’m going to leave it all on the line. We have to play together. We have to play unselfish.”

Anaiis Mitchell will undoubtedly be the X-factor coming into the playoff game. The sophomore point guard who usually holds a pass-first mentality will need to score more in Watkins’ absence. He’s averaged 9.6 points per game this season and posted a career-high 21 points against Walt Whitman.

“Missing Deshawn, all of us have to do a little more,” Mitchell said. “It’s not all on me. It’s on all of us. That’s a lot of points that just came off the court. But we’re all confident in our abilities.”

As soon as Commack (7-5 League II) was announced as the Blue Waves’ first round opponent, Fabian went into scouting mode. He’s trying to piece together a game plan and had scheduled scrimmages against Westhampton and Southampton this week to try to implement everything leading up to the big game.

“We’re expecting Commack to come out playing very hard,” Fabian said. “They’re fundamentally sound. They play tough defense. They have a couple good guards that can get into the paint and have some bigs that can shoot. I think overall we match up well against them.”

Getting to the postseason is something new for this group of Blue Waves. Nobody on the roster has ever been in a playoff game, but the opportunity doesn’t scare them.

“I think all the things we’ve gone through all season has prepared us for this moment,” Lennon said. “Whether we’ve been here before or not it doesn’t matter. We’re ready. Our crowd will be rocking. We want to go out and prove we belong.”

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JAN. 14: RIVERHEAD 76, PATCHOGUE/MEDFORD 48

After getting a massive victory over Whitman earlier in the week, Riverhead put on a show against Patchogue-Medford to earn their fifth league win, leaving just one win to earn a playoff berth in their final six games. Deshawn Watkins was an absolute maniac on the court, scoring a career-high 40 points for the Blue Waves. He hit six triples and simply could not miss. Liam Lennon scored nine and Peter Lagnena added eight. Riverhead improved to 5-1 in League I and 8-6 overall.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Jan. 21: Brentwood at Riverhead, 4 p.m.

JAN. 13: MT. SINAI 69, SHOREHAM-WADING RIVER 43

The Wildcats have cooled off tremendously after their hot start which featured five consecutive wins. The loss against Mt. Sinai now marks three losses in a row for Shoreham-Wading River.

Skewing young at their skill positions, the Wildcats haven’t been able to score as much as they did in the beginning of the season. In the past three games, 43 has been the most they’ve scored. Max Boerum led the way against Mt. Sinai, netting 11. The Wildcats have a 8-5 overall record and a 3-4 split in League VI.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Jan. 17: Kings Park at SWR, 4 p.m.; Jan. 28: Hampton Bays at SWR, 4 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

JAN. 14: RIVERHEAD 41, PATCHOGUEMEDFORD 27

Riverhead got back on track against Patchogue-Medford in a game they had to have following two straight losses that severely damaged their playoff hopes.

Through the first half of the league season, Riverhead posted a 2-4 record after starting the non-league schedule out 4-0. Tuesday’s win brings them back into the playoff conversation needing three more wins before the season’s end to earn a spot. The Blue Waves had three double digit scorers with Adriana Martinez and Logan Pilon both scoring 11 and Kyleigh Lennon adding 10 more.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Jan. 21: Riverhead at Brentwood, 4 p.m.

WRESTLING

JAN. 9: JOHN GLENN 46, SHOREHAM-WADING RIVER 19

After a strong start to the season, Shoreham-Wading River fell in a matchup that essentially decided the league winner. The two top dogs in the league went at it and John Glenn emerged victorious.

The Wildcats earned victories at 101 lbs with Thomas Matias winning in a technical fall, at 108 lbs with Shane Cowan winning in a major decision, at 138 lbs with Gavin Mangano earning a pin, and at 152 lbs with Jacob Conti earning a major decision.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Jan. 30: SWR at Southampton, 5:30 p.m.

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“More teamwork,” senior guard DeShawn Watkins said. “More discipline. More belief. We just have the mentality now that we need to work hard for the entire 32 minutes on the court.”

Fabian has stressed all offseason that success won’t be measured by wins and losses. The culture has to change, and all the players have to buy in. Results will come if everyone trusts the process.

“I want the kids that play here to have a positive experience,” Fabian said. “We want them to come together and really build a family-type atmosphere. When I played, everyone on the team was always together. We would work our butts off on the court and then we would go out to eat together. Win, lose or draw, it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, we’re a family.”

The ingredients for success are there. Even through the early going, this team doesn’t look like last year’s 3-16 squad. The offense has a different look — less one-on-one play and more crafted opportunities. The defensive intensity is also different, with more presses, more trapping and a lot more energy.

“We’re a firm believer that our defense will ignite our offense,” Fabian said. “We’re pressing from the opening minute. We want their offense to earn every single bucket they shoot.”

The offense runs through the hands of Anaais Mitchell. The sophomore point guard was named one of the captains this year because of his demeanor and work ethic throughout the offseason. His unselfish style truly lets the game come to him. He notched 11 assists but also scored eight points in key moments of the season opener.

“I just go with the flow of the offense,” Mitchell said. “There’s always people coming off a screen or doing a back-door cut. With so much action going on, it’s really easy to see it all and find the open man.”

“He’s incredible,” Fabian said. “He sees everything out there. He knows where guys are supposed to be. He knows how to set things up. He’s always in control. Aside from basketball, I couldn’t be happier with the person he is. He gives you eye contact when you speak, he understands everything you’re saying, and he’s a polite and respectful kid.”

Watkins and junior sharpshooter Peter Lagnena were on the receiving end of many of Mitchell’s assists. Watkins scored a game-high 17 points and Lagnena posted 16 including four treys. Watkins’ ability to get points from inside and Lagnena being dangerous from beyond the arc will be a great 1-2 punch this year. “When we play as a team good things will happen,” Lagnena said. “Nobody is bigger than the team here. We all want the same results, and we know how to get there.”

Liam Lennon, who battled early foul trouble, will also be key to the team’s success. He scored eight points in limited action last week, but when he reentered the game in the second half, that’s when the Blue Waves really started pulling away. At 6-feet-6, Lennon impacts the game on both ends of the court. He corralled 10 rebounds, stole the ball three times and blocked four shots in the opener.

But the biggest key to last week’s win was Riverhead’s ability to lock down one of the best shooters in the county: ESM’s Brady McGowan, who averaged 16.4 points per game last year. Against the Blue Waves, he scored just two as wingers Jack Bartolo and Landon Zaleski kept McGowan uncomfortable.

“Success this season will be coming to the gym and giving it your all every time out on the court,” Fabian said. “It’s about getting 1 or 2 percent better every single day. A successful season this year will be about everybody putting their heart and soul into this team the entire year. We need to fight and compete every single game and just give ourselves a chance.”

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“It was a good opportunity to see how we would fare with our guys that haven’t seen the court much in live game situations,” Culhane said. “I would have liked to play better today like we did in our other scrimmage. This was as bad as I’ve seen our guys. We just didn’t have it together today. The effort was good but the communication and intensity I felt we lacked.”

This season comes on the heels of some impressive off-season results that perhaps shine some light on potentially winning a bunch of games this year. In the Town of Brookhaven summer league, the Wildcats made it to the semifinals after a successful regular season. They also posted a winning record in the fall session, which is quite the contrast to the last few regular school seasons.

The SWR boys side hasn’t posted a winning record since the 2020-2021 season and last year was the worst of them all, as the Wildcats won just four of their 20 games. But this team, which features mostly younger players, has the makings of a winning nucleus. 

“It’s not going to be just one or two guys who dominate the ball this year,” Culhane said. “We have, I think, seven guys that can score and play great basketball for us. They have the ability to turn this thing around and step up and help us.”

One of those players is freshman point guard, Tyler Lievre. Though he’s young, he’s got the basketball IQ to help the team come up with baskets on the offensive side of the court. In the scrimmage against Smithtown Christian, he knocked down some shots and also found wide open players for easy layups. 

Dylan McClelland, who towers over almost every other player on the court, was on the receiving end of many of Lievre’s dishes. His ability to establish a post presence for the Wildcats is something they haven’t really had in recent years. Carter Baumeister is the heartbeat of the team and a force on both sides of the ball.

Wing play will be key for the Wildcats in the coming season. The ability to knock down shots from the outside changes the dynamic of any team. Max Boerum has shown promise and come up with big baskets from the outside more consistently than anyone else on the team. Jack McInnis, James Cook and Zach Makarewicz give the team that extra energy and can also score with the best of them. They’ll be rotated in and out as Culhane fine tunes the lineup.

“I think the biggest difference this year is that we actually have basketball players,” Culhane said. “We always have had athletes that also play basketball in the years past, though we could probably match anyone’s energy level. Getting shots to fall in the hole was another challenge.”

The top players this year haven’t played major minutes yet for varsity; while there will be some expected growing pains, the talent level is there to make the playoffs. It’s just about them buying into Culhane’s system and playing the way he wants them to play.

“The communication on the court is the biggest thing for us,” Culhane said. “I think the effort is there for the most part. I know this sounds simplistic but we just have to execute the offensive and defensive situations. They need to know each situation and how to react properly. We need better ball pressure and recognition of what the other team wants to do. And ultimately, offensively we need to run our plays flawlessly so we get those open shots.”

The Wildcats will play a few non-league games before opening up their league season Dec. 9 at Kings Park.

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The team hasn’t had a winning record since 2019-20 and won only three games last year. Riverhead has struggled to regain its form since head coach John Rossetti left the program. Riverhead consistently made the playoffs and even won a league championship under Rossetti in 2013. Fabian is trying to bring Riverhead basketball back to its former prominence, and it all starts in the Town of Brookhaven summer league.

“Obviously, in the past few years we haven’t had much success,” Fabian said. “And I think it’s because of a variety of things and factors that play into it. But I think right now the goal isn’t measuring success in the win column. Like, obviously, we want the wins to stack up but first we want accountability, we want kids working hard and we want everyone playing together. Once we change the culture, we’ll start seeing results in the win column.”

This is the second year in a row that Riverhead will compete in the summer and fall leagues offered by the Town of Brookhaven. That helps form more of a cohesiveness among the players by simply playing alongside one another for more than just one school season.

“We need kids to buy in and commit to what we’re trying to do and we’re seeing that with the enrollment in the offseason leagues,” Fabian said. “Basketball can’t end in the winter. You’ve got to be actively trying to get better all year round.”

Fabian has been around the Riverhead boys basketball program now for three years. He knows these kids and their potential. Before he became the varsity assistant head coach last year, he spent two years coaching the junior varsity team. He’s not new to the scene but he’s ready to preach his style of basketball from the top down. 

“I’ve been doing a lot of work on team building and really having each other’s backs,” Fabian said. “We can’t grow just individually; we need to grow as a team and each of us needs that commitment to one another. If we start implementing all the nuances of being a great basketball team now in the summer, it will definitely translate into the school year.”

Summer league work is crucial to any team’s success. And with many large successful programs also participating, it highlights the importance of getting the team together throughout the year. 

“We’re implementing bits and pieces of what we’re trying to do right now in the summer,” Fabian said. “I don’t want to throw too much at them but we’re slowly starting to become the basketball team I know we can be. We’re emphasizing how even doing the smallest seemingly insignificant thing could turn into getting wins.”

Riverhead will feature three impact seniors next year with Liam Lennon, Deshawn Watkins and Jaylen Harding and each will have a major role. Lennon, with his long frame and cutting ability, will impact the paint. He’s the type of player you build around. Someone that can score with ease, rip down rebounds and come up with game-changing blocks. Watkins has a three-ball in his arsenal but can also dominate with his strength as he drives to the hole. Harding is a scrappy player that gets tough shots to fall and brings down crucial rebounds. He can also defend with the best of them.

Outside of the seniors, Peter Lagnena, who showed signs of excellence at times during his sophomore campaign from behind the arc, is naturally getting more comfortable letting it fly. The team is looking for him more often, and his confidence is only growing heading into his junior season.

Anaiis Mitchell, a freshman point guard last year, is also getting more comfortable playing at the varsity level. During the summer league game against Newfield last Thursday, he consistently made next-level passes quick and decisively, leading to open shots. He’s a true point guard.

Riverhead was constantly in motion last Thursday, moving at a scorching pace and looking for layups at the other end. It’s one of the parts of the game Fabian wants to emphasize. The game slowed down a lot last year and he doesn’t think that’s the team’s strength.

“We’re a fast team,” Fabian said. “We have some really good athletes on the court. We have the ability to push the pace offensively and get into guys defensively. But with some of the teams we play, they love to slow the opponent down so it’s really finding that balance of being a team that can run and gun teams out of the gym but also once the game slows down, we need to be able to adjust.”

 But when it comes down to winning close games, Fabian says, the hungrier team usually prevails.

“Win, lose or draw, we’re just trying to play harder than the other team every given night,” Fabian said. “That has to be our mindset. We have to play hard-nose basketball. We have to want it more than the opponents. That’s what’s going to bring wins more than any shooting drill.”

Riverhead returns to action in the summer league July 9 against William Floyd at 6 p.m. The game will be played at Eastport South Manor High School.

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GIRLS BASKETBALL

Feb. 9: Shoreham-Wading River 46, John Glenn 42

The Wildcats’ girls squad earned yet another big victory as they continue to stack up wins to try to earn a high seed for the playoffs. SWR has only lost to first-place Mt. Sinai in the league play this season and will figure to have another shot at the Mustangs once the playoffs come around. Friday’s game against John Glenn went into overtime, where the Wildcats scored six points and gave up only one two-point basket. Ashley Bell and Juliana Mahan each scored 12 points for SWR. Leslie Jablonski added another 10 points, six of them coming from beyond the arc. Shoreham-Wading River (8-2 League VI, 12-6 overall) had two games remaining following last week’s win: Feb. 14 against Hampton Bays and Feb. 15 against Southampton.

Feb. 12: Sachem East 54, Riverhead 30

After one of their most promising starts in the last five years, winning four of their first seven games, the Riverhead girls team won only one more contest the rest of the way. But despite winning so few games, the season was a major step forward compared to the recent past, in part because the team is still so young. Junior guard Logan Pilon had a terrific season, averaging just under to 12 points per game. Against Sachem East, Nariah Dent led the way in scoring, with seven, and Pilon added six. Kyleigh Lennon and Claire Normoyle scored five points each for the Blue Waves.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Feb. 9: Sachem East 57, Riverhead 49

Playing against a strong division opponent that has a chance at making the playoffs, Riverhead fought to keep the score close and scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, finishing the game strong. Though the Blue Waves have won only three games this season, optimism for a rebound campaign next year is very much on the players’ minds. AJ Austin and Carlsoe Mendez led the way with 12 points each for Riverhead. Deshawn Watkins scored 10 and Liam Lennon added seven more. That was the last game of the season for the Blue Waves. Division I is a tough place to play in Suffolk County. They’ll have the majority of players returning next year and figure to add a handful from a JV squad that finished around .500 for the season. 

Feb. 8: Center Moriches 67, Shoreham-Wading River 50

The SWR boys basketball team had a rough go of it this year after losing their star point guard, Alex Makarewicz, during the first week of the season. It was supposed to be an all-county-type season for Makarewicz, but a shoulder injury that dragged on from soccer just never got better. Tyler Lievre, son of SWR girls basketball coach Adam Lievre, has been coming on as of late and will be a feature player on next year’s squad. The eighth-grader scored a team-high 10 points against Center Moriches last Thursday after averaging around seven points a game on the season. The Wildcats finished the season at 4-16 record and will look to improve next year.

WRESTLING

Feb. 9: Shoreham-Wading River, Division II Suffolk County championships

Wildcats wrestlers competed in the individual county championships Friday afternoon. Here are some of the notable results.

101 pounds: Thomas Matias, 6th place

124: Chris Colon, 1st

131: Gavin Mangano, 1st

138: Jacob Conti, 4th

170: Nate Spuhler, 2nd

215: Wes Hodun, 5th

285: Zack Wilson, 2nd

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After Monday’s win, Riverhead (3-14) had  three games remaining on the schedule, including a Feb. 7 tilt  against Longwood (7-11), who they fought neck-and-neck earlier this season before a collapse in the fourth quarter. 

“If we can get another win or two it will really bring some momentum into next season,” Riverhead head coach Elwood Lamb said. “The kids have been playing hard, especially when we play the team a second time. They know what to expect.”

Lack of confidence has been the common theme throughout the course of the season. Riverhead could be playing well from the beginning of the game and as soon as the other team made a strong run, they had no true answer. 

Riverhead has the talent. And much of it is returning next season. What the Blue Waves need are wins. That’s the only thing that deters self-doubt.

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Riverhead senior Alfred Austin lets a three-pointer fly. (photo credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead freshman Anaiis Mitchell banks two for the Blue Waves. (photo credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead senior Alfred Austin lays up for two. (photo credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead senior Kevin Johnson passes inside for the Blue Waves. (photo credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead senior Liam Lennon banks two for the Blue Waves. (photo credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead senior Markus Grigg flies to the rim for the Blue Waves. (photo credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead senior Liam Lennon at the rim for the Blue Waves. (photo credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead freshman Anaiis Mitchell lays up for two for the Blue Waves. (photo credit: Bill Landon)

Liam Lennon, a junior, has been breaking out as of late. The forward has the size to dominate down low and has the quickness to scuttle through the paint to either get layups or at least get to the line for free throws. Lennon scored a season-high 18 points against Central Islip and was an absolute terror on the boards and on the defensive end. He collected 13 rebounds and came up clutch with five blocks and four steals. 

“Liam has been playing better every week,” Lamb said. “We need his intensity on both sides of the ball to be successful.”

“It’s been tough losing all these games,” Lennon said. “But we have to push through it and continue trying to get better not only individually but as a team.”

Freshman point guard Anaiis Mitchell also had a breakout game, scoring a season-high 12 points. He also collected five rebounds, four assists and three steals,

“Mitchell is coming along but he’s still very young,” Lamb said. “He can definitely be that best player on the floor at any given time if he puts the work in.”

Seniors AJ Austin and Markus Grigg will be among the six graduating this season, leaving spots open for the up and coming hoopsters. Austin and Grigg both scored 15 points in the victory.

“They’re going to be good next year, watch,” Austin said. “Between the talent they have coming back and the JV team that’s coming up, they’re going to be good and win a bunch of games.”

Another piece of next year’s puzzle is sophomore sharpshooter Peter Legnena. Though teams have zoned in on him throughout the season, he was still able to have some big efforts, impacting the game from beyond the arc.

He scored a season-high 21 points against Bridgehampton and added another 18 against Patchogue-Medford. For Legnena, it’s just a matter of finding him with some space to shoot.

Deshawn Watkins, a junior, has also shown some flashes of excellence. His big body can cause havoc in the paint as he has little issue getting to the basket and scoring tough, contested layups but he also has a serious touch from the outside. Watkins has had a handful of double-digit scoring games and scored as many as 18 points in a game against Walt Whitman.

“Our chemistry is definitely growing and I feel like we’re going to be a much different team next year,” Lennon said. “We just need to stay around each other over the summer and keep building what we’re trying to accomplish here. I know we have it in us.”

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