It was a tremendous turnaround for the program, but entering into a new season, Riverhead is looking to build on that success and prevent a year-two hangover.

“The main thing is, I need the kids to understand that it’s a new season,” Fabian said. “Just because we had success last year doesn’t mean we are obligated to have the same success this year. We still have to have the same mentality of playing hard for the whole 32 minutes, every game.”

This year presents a major hole in the lineup. Riverhead lost two of its stars to graduation in Liam Lennon and Deshawn Watkins. Lennon was the team captain and voice of the team. He provided size, heart and hustle. He led by example. Watkins was a threat to score every time he stepped on the court. He averaged 16.1 points per game and scored as many as 41 points on one occasion.

“Those are big shoes to fill,” Fabian said. “Those guys were leaders on our team. We have a lot of talent returning, and everyone is going to have to chip in to have success. We need our top guys to be the leaders this year.”

Three starters return to the unit from last year. Peter Lagnena is entering his final year as a Blue Wave and in scrimmages thus far has been lighting up the net from deep. The shooting guard averaged around 12 points per game last year and is going to be stepping into a major role this season.

“We’re doing our best to put the best product on the floor,” Lagnena said. “We’ve all been working hard all off-season, trying to get better and blend together as a team. We’re truly a family on and off the court.”

Anaiis Mitchell, who has been the facilitator at the point guard spot since his freshman year, will need to take on the scoring load in his junior season. He’s shown flashes of his ability to get inside and finish strong at the rim — occasionally throwing down dunks in transition. He scored as many as 21 in a game last season. 

“I’ve always been a pass-first point guard,” Mitchell said. “I love to get everybody involved in the offense. But losing two of our big scorers, we all need to get more aggressive, including myself. I think we got a lot of great players this year and can find the same success if we believe in ourselves.”

In the off-season leagues, Landon Zaleski stepped up as a major contributor in the scoring column. He routinely scored 20 points a game by hitting outside jumpers and finding his way into the paint. A junior this year, Zaleski will be a major part of this offense and defense. 

Two transfers headline this year’s team. Josiah Rodney, who previously played at Riverhead before transferring to Southampton last year, is back this year. In his senior season, he’ll be able to score with the best of them and provide that key player inside for crucial rebounds. Arnezz Rountree, a guard from Bellport, will round out the starting five for Fabian. He’s got scoring ability, hustle and bounce.

“We definitely missed Josiah last year, so we’re thrilled he’s back with us,” Fabian said. “We expect him to be a major contributor. He can score off the ball and run the floor well. Arnezz is a flat-out true basketball player. He’s got a motor. He’s long. He’s lanky. He’s fast, and he works really hard.”

A major change this year has been the interest level in basketball in general. This year, the varsity team has 16 players and the JV team has 18. 

“The buzz is back in school,” Lagnena said. “People want to be on a winning team. I think last year showed what we can do and more want to be a part of it.”

Fabian couldn’t go deep in his bench last year and had to rely on the starters to play big minutes. In big games, the starting five would stay out the entire 32 minutes, barring foul trouble. By the end of the game, legs were gone, but they pushed through.

“We truly have depth now,” Fabian said. “I don’t mind going 9 or 10 deep in a game now. It’s going to be a massive difference in our ability to finish games. I have confidence in all the guys on the team.”

Also expected to be major contributors who played big minutes last year are Jack Bartolo and Sentrell Hires. The rotation is still being worked out, but everybody will have a role.

“Our job as returners is to make everyone feel comfortable,” Mitchell said. “The faster we can get a feel for what everyone’s role is going to be, the faster we’ll be able to find success. We did a great job this off-season figuring out what we have. Now we just need to put it all together.”

Riverhead opens its season on Thursday, Dec. 4, in a non-league home game against Ward Melville at 4:30 p.m.

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Riverhead Boys Basketball

Riverhead Girls Basketball

SWR Boys Basketball

Head Coach: Kevin Culhane (18 years)

Last Season: [10-10] (5-9 League VI), missed playoffs

Key Returnees: Zach Makarewicz, 11, guard; Tyler Lievre, 10, guard; Max Boerum, 12 forward; Carter Baumeister, 12 forward; James Cook, 12, guard

Key Losses: Dylan McClelland, Jack McInnis

First Game: Friday, Dec. 5: Westhampton Beach at Shoreham-Wading River, 6:30 p.m.

“Out of all the years I’ve coached here, I think this team may have one of the best in terms of talent,” coach Kevin Culhane said in the summer. “I’ve had some great teams, but if we can put it together like I think we could, we might have a special year and surprise a few teams.”

The Wildcats can score with the best of them. Any one of their starting five is capable of making a major contribution on the scoreboard. They’ll rely on the hot hand on a game-by-game basis.

SWR Girls Basketball

Head Coach: Chris Coster (first year)

Last Season: [18-2] (14-2 League VI), Suffolk County Class A Semifinals Loss

Key Returnees: Kady Keegan, 12, guard; Anabel Keegan, 12, forward; Shealyn Varbero, 11, guard; Leslie Jablonski, 12, guard

Key Losses: Alyssa Bell, Grayce Kitchen, Morgan Lesiewicz

First Game: Thursday, Dec. 4: Mattituck at Shoreham-Wading River, 4 p.m.

For the first time in two decades, Shoreham-Wading River girls varsity coach Adam Lievre will no longer be on the sidelines. Lievre coached the team to the school’s first Suffolk County championship in 2023 and was close to winning another in subsequent years. He decided to step away from the team to spend more time with his two sons — one of whom (Tyler) plays on the boys varsity team. Chris Coster steps into a polished program and will try to continue the legacy Lievre leaves behind. 

Losing one of their best scorers, Alyssa Bell, to graduation, the Wildcats will need to fill the scoring gap left behind to remain competitive. Shoreham-Wading River always retools and rebuilds year after year.  Their athletes always shine when the lights are the brightest.

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Without Deshawn Watkins in the lineup – who is nursing an injury and has averaged around 18 points per game on the season – Riverhead needed someone to step up in his place. Senior captain Liam Lennon took it upon himself to answer the bell.

Lennon tied a career-high in points with 19 and brought down 10 rebounds in the victory over Commack. He also blocked two shots and snatched three steals.

“I knew I had to take over,” Lennon said. “I knew I had to help the team out. I haven’t been there on the scoreboard much recently but it was a playoff game so I had no choice but to step up.”

The 6-foot-5 forward was all over the offensive zone, scoring from inside with spin moves and pivots as well as from outside when presented with the opportunity. Commack didn’t have an answer even though they kept the game close with suffocating defense. 

“There is not a person in this world that I can be happier for than Liam,” head coach Pat Fabian said. “He knows this could have been his last game. He’s waited his whole life for this moment. He was going hard and finishing better than we’ve seen all year. I’ve coached Liam on JV and varsity for four years now and there is no better teammate and leader I’ve ever coached here.”

As the Blue Waves were going through the ups and downs of the game, Lennon kept it even-keeled on the court. When a timeout was called, Lennon was seen hyping the team up, encouraging everyone to box out and play with confidence. 

But Lennon couldn’t do it all himself, Riverhead needed contributions up and down their lineup to emerge victorious. In the second quarter, the Blue Waves found themselves down four points. The momentum changed on a dime when junior guard Pete Lagnena connected on two consecutive threes to send the crowd into a frenzy. Lagnena screamed with full emotion after the second three with Commack needing to take a timeout. He scored 11 points on the night.

“I was finally getting some room in the second quarter so I didn’t think twice and started to shoot,” Lagnena said. “When I got those two to fall, it felt amazing and really got the place going.”

Riverhead (12-9) just couldn’t pull away in the back and forth battle and the game came down to one final shot. There were four seconds left on the clock after a timeout. The Blue Waves were holding onto a one point lead and Commack had the ball in the front court. This was the exact situation Riverhead faced earlier in the season against Sachem North. They lost that game after a missed shot was put back in at the buzzer.

“We’ve been in a situation like this before,” Fabian said. “Last time we got burned on it. We watched the film and saw that guys didn’t box out or were not in the right spots. But that was early in the season.”

It was a learning experience that directly impacted this playoff game. Riverhead played solid defense in that last possession, avoided a foul and never Commack a true opportunity to win the game.

“Today showed how much these kids want to work and improve,” Fabian said. “They want to get better. They’re taking the things that we teach them and they apply it to a game situation. We knew that No. 3 wanted the ball and that No. 11 was in the game to shoot. In the end we took those options away and tried to let their third guy beat us. We got a hand up, he missed and that was game over.”

In his first year as head coach, Fabian has transformed last season’s 3-16 squad into a playoff winner that is heading to the quarterfinals.

“I don’t want to take any credit for this,” Fabian said. “I’m here to try to bring the best out of each one of these kids. They had to want to get better. They had to buy in. Each one of the coaches on the team has a part in this. The success we’ve had this year is a testament to the work everyone has put in. It’s been an absolute pleasure to coach this group.”

Riverhead will travel to No. 2 Bay Shore on Feb. 27 for the next round of the playoffs. Tipoff is slated for 5 p.m.

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For the first time since 2019, the Blue Waves boys basketball team clinched a playoff berth in Suffolk County’s League I with a few games remaining and a chance to improve seeding position. Riverhead ripped through Central Islip, 71-35, Monday afternoon at Central Islip high school in a push to solidify second place in the league.

From the opening tip, Riverhead was on a mission. Peter Lagnena was the key scorer early on and didn’t miss. The junior sharpshooter posted 15 points in the first quarter as the Blue Waves grabbed an early 20-point lead.

“I couldn’t believe how much space they were giving me,” Lagnena said. “It’s the most space I had to shoot all season so I didn’t think about it and just shot it every time.”

The Blue Waves kept scoring and extended the lead to as much as 40 points before head coach Pat Fabian pulled the starting lineup at the beginning of the fourth quarter. When Lagnena cooled off a bit in the second half, DeShawn Watkins took over the scoring load, equaling Lagnena’s point total with 17.

“We’ve just been locked in as a team,” Watkins said. “Getting into the playoffs this early took a lot off our shoulders so we’ve been focusing on playing good team ball.”

Riverhead got contributions up and down the lineup including a star-studded performance from their sophomore point guard Anaiis Mitchell, who collected 13 assists and scored 16 – including a rim-rattling dunk off a fast break.

“We haven’t made the playoffs in a long time here at Riverhead,” Mitchell said. “It’s a huge achievement for us. We made a huge leap as a team this year and we’re gelling well.”

Defense has been the mantra from the beginning of the season and that’s led to much of the success this year. Being able to run multiple sets, staying aggressive in the passing lanes and crashing the defensive boards have been some of the main points of emphasis this year.

It helps having a 6-foot-6 Liam Lennon on the court as well. The senior captain scored 10 points against Central Islip but more importantly blocked six shots and got his hands on two steals.

“If Liam is affecting the middle of the paint we are going to be in every game we play,” Fabian said. “He’s such a big part of the puzzle and maybe he isn’t scoring as much as the others but he’s affecting the game in so many other ways. Without him I don’t think we would win as many games this year.”

Riverhead (7-2 League I, 10-7 overall) clinched the playoffs against Brentwood last week. It’s a big step forward for a team that only managed to win three games last year. 

“It’s crazy what happens when the kids all buy into what you’re preaching,” Fabian said. “We are a team first. Nobody is bigger than anyone else on the team. I think that’s part of the reason we’ve had success. We all want the best for each other.”

The goal now is to secure the second seed in the division. They’re battling Longwood for that spot – a team they split the season series with. Longwood also clinched a playoff berth with a 6-4 league record. 

Riverhead has Walt Whitman (4-5) and Patchogue-Medford (2-7) left on the schedule. Winning both of those three games will secure second place in league play, but Longwood’s 13-5 overall record could sway the committee to seed them higher despite the league records.

“Our goal right now is a home playoff game,” Fabian said. “We love playing at home and have only lost one time there. It’s just something about the crowd and the intensity they bring. It’s a hard place to play. The team knows how important each game we play is the rest of the way. We’re motivated. Making the playoffs isn’t enough anymore. We want a playoff win.”

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From that point on, Mitchell could not be stopped, scoring from mid-range and inside, netting 12 of his 21 points in that third quarter to lead Riverhead to a 65-56 win and improve the team’s League I record to 4-1 on the season.

“I got real mad about that,” Mitchell said. “They didn’t even call it a foul. It definitely got me fired up. Something clicked in my mind. All my shots started falling.”

“He just flipped a switch,” head coach Pat Fabian said. “He came up to me during the timeout and said ‘keep setting that screen, my mid range is on.’ So he knew he wanted to take over. By all intents and purposes, he won us that game in the third quarter.”

The contest didn’t start out great for the Blue Waves as they fell behind by as much as 10 points in the second quarter before Landon Zaleski checked into the lineup. Though Zaleski is typically the starter, Fabian went with Jack Bartolo against Whitman because of the matchups. Bartolo kept their best shooter in check all game but Riverhead needed a spark. Zaleski came in with a bang, coming up with crucial rebounds and nailing two treys before halftime to give the Blue Waves a one point edge.

“Those threes I feel like really turned it around for us,” Fabian said. “It got the crowd back into it and really fired up the kids heading into halftime.”

While Mitchell was carving up the defense in the second half, he was also finding senior captain Liam Lennon off screens and under the basket to the tune of six assists. Lennon, who has been battling ankle injuries, finally felt 100% coming into the game for Whitman. The senior scored 19 points, corralled seven rebounds, and snatched three steals.

“Honestly the chemistry we have as a team is all the difference this year,” Lennon said. “I think each of us has improved because of it. We’re coached hard and practices are fun. We’re really enjoying this season and the results are showing.”

Fabian, in his first year as head coach, refuses to take all the credit. It’s a collaborative effort that is necessary for success.

“Without my assistant coaches Ryan McCormick and Rich Vlacci I don’t think what we have done this year so far would be possible,” Fabian said. “McCormick coaches the defense and Vlacci helps me on the offense, including the out of bounds plays and transition stuff. Vlacci is also the face the kids see in school and go to for everything. The kids have bought into what we’ve been preaching and it’s starting to show.”

Before the season, Fabian said this year’s success wouldn’t be measured in wins and losses. He wanted to get the team to commit to playing the full 32 minutes every game. He wanted to change the culture. He wanted to inspire belief. About halfway through the season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2019 is now on the agenda. Two more league wins will do it and there are seven games remaining. 

“I couldn’t have asked for a better group of kids,” Fabian said. “They are the nicest, most respectful kids and to me, basketball skills aside, that’s the most important thing. At the end of the day, they’re here to compete, have fun and work hard. I want them to enjoy their time here and though making the playoffs was maybe more of a long-term goal at the beginning, it’s something we’re definitely talking about now.”

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