2021-22 HERALD High School Basketball Preview
WANTAGH
Warriors focus on defense, rebounding By ANDREW COEN
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Madison Taylor was a freshman. Now Taylor, who will play college lacrosse at Northwestern, is the lone senior on a team with nine returning players looking to go on another deep postseason run. “The way she carries herself on the basketball court you’d think she would be playing college basketball instead of college lacrosse,” said longtime Wantagh head coach Stan Bujacich of Taylor, who earned All-County and conference defensive player of the year honors as a junior. “She is just amazing.” Taylor is one of two returning starters along with junior Ava Kornbluth, who can play guard or forward. Freshman Juliana Cerasi is also slated to take start after earning some varsity minutes as an eighth grader last season. A number of returning players are in the mix for starting roles or valuable roles off the bench including juniors Julia Nicholson, Angela Pellicoro, Katherine Killian and Julia Allen. Sophomores Casey Kissinge and Brighid Smith along with freshman Skylar Mondelli following short varsity seasons last year. Juniors Meghan Tucker, Jennifer Gendels will also look to contribute to the Warriors’ rotation in their first years on varsity. Wantagh returns to Conference A-V, which features Seaford, North Shore, Clarke, Lawrence and Island Trees. Bujacich said the team has the ability to take the conference if the many talented players WARRIORS BRING embrace their roles whether startTALENT AND EXPERIENCE ing or providing a spark off the After a 6-2 season with no chance to compete in the playoffs bench. “Once we settle in on a rotadue the pandemic last winter, tion basis I think we will be fine,” Wantagh is eager to once again he said. “I think this is one of the compete for a title. most athletic teams we have had The Warriors are three years removed from falling in the Nassau in years.” County Class A finals to Sewanhaka when veteran point guard
and if we have the athletes here there is no reason why we can’t.” Simeone got a boost for his ew Wantagh boys’ basfirst season on the Warriors’ bench ketball head coach Matt Simeone arrives with some with the arrival of senior Jakai Lesfamiliarity with his new team after ter, who was a standout Catholic League player the last two years at serving as an assistant football St. Dominic. The versatile 6-foot-3 coach the past 11 years. Lester has a strong jump shot and Six of Simeone’s football players help comprise the Wantagh driving ability along with being a top defender. roster, which he hopes provides Senior Mike Handell, an athleticism and toughness on the All-County volleyball player, is a defensive end of the floor to a team aiming for the program’s first returning starter from last year’s 4-3 season that was shortened playoff spot in five years. “I want to play strong defense due to the pandemic. Drew Paland rebound,” said Simeone, a for- ladino, who was an All-County football selection, is another starter mer longtime assistant basketball back from last season who has coach at Friends Academy. “That also emerged as one of the team will lead to helping us offensively leaders. but we have to play defense first Junior Danny Fisenne is slated to start at point guard after leading the junior varsity backcourt last year. Simeone is also looking for big contributions this season from juniors Tom Cupelli and Ryan Daly after they shined on JV. Wantagh will compete in a conference that includes Seaford, Clarke, Island Trees, North Shore and Lawrence. “If Jakai can play the way I think he can I think he can be one of the best players in the conference and if we gel together and play around him I think we can finish in the top two in the conference,” Simeone said.
Mike Handel
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HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Madison Taylor
Schedule MATT GUILFOYLE BOYS January 5 8 12 14 19 22 28
@ Island Trees Clarke Lawrence @ North Shore Seaford @ Seaford @ North Shore
7:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
February 2 5 8
Island Trees @ Clarke @ Lawrence
7:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
GIRLS December 14 21
Lawrence @ North Shore
5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
January 5 8 11 14 19 28
Seaford @ Clarke Floral Park Island Trees @ Lawrence North Shore
5:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
February 2 4 8 11
@ Seaford Clarke @ Floral Park @ Island Trees
7:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
Photos by Brian Ballweg
December 30, 2021 — 41
