The Southside Cyclones Basketball team is set to compete in Category F-5.
Rockville Center High School is experiencing impressive achievements, notably with the girls’ team as conference champions and the boys’ team earning the top seed just ahead of the Nassau playoffs.
Senior guard Ellie Lennon shared her excitement, stating, “Seeing the boys’ success alongside ours feels amazing.”
She added, “Their victories inspire us, and our successes do the same for them.”
The girls ended their conference season undefeated for the very first time, achieving a 14-0 record and finishing their regular season at 15-5, earning the highest playoff seed in the program’s history at No. 3.
Twister
This season has been a rollercoaster, putting the girls in a strong position to clinch the team’s first county title.
Some seniors chose not to finish 12th grade this year, which left the Cyclones with only 11 players—four seniors and seven sophomores, a drop from 15 last season.
“They were eager to prove themselves, and it really paid off,” Lennon commented.
She noted the team clicked right away, despite facing a “bumpy road” with the conference games and outside doubts.
“Once we got into conference play and started racking up the wins, our confidence and chemistry blossomed, both on and off the court.”
Head coach Dan Ferrick implemented a unique system where players don’t have fixed positions and rotate as needed—a necessity given their smaller roster, as junior Caitlin Mullen remarked.
“People worried about our size, but it actually simplified things for us,” she said.
A highlight of the season was a thrilling 48-41 win against their rivals, Manhasset, which concluded with a dramatic last-minute free throw.
“I don’t think we’ve ever shared such excitement as a team,” guard Maddie Wu recalled.
“We jumped into each other’s arms.”
Wu is also keen to see younger girls in the stands, eager to join the team in the future. “They see us and think, ‘Wow, we want to be part of this and continue this legacy.’”
However, their journey isn’t over. Like the boys’ team, the girls will advance to the quarterfinals next week, holding a bye in the first playoff round and hoping to excel against their competition.
“We really proved a lot of people wrong,” said Reece Long about preseason skepticism.
“And we want to keep that momentum going.”
Storm Chaser
For the boys’ team, boasting a 17-3 record and coming off a Long Island championship in 2023, things are looking different.
Current seniors, guard Connor Erickson and center Ryan Schmidt, who watched as ninth graders during that championship run, are now vying for a title of their own under coach Jerry DeAngelo.
“That’s our main goal now,” Schmidt, who stands at 6-foot-6, stated.
They faced challenges this season, particularly when their starting point guard, John Pericorosi, broke his wrist midway through, after averaging 14 points per game.
Stepping into the role, Erickson had to adjust quickly to leading from the point guard position.
“I had to manage the ball more, which I’m not used to,” he admitted, noting that his ball-handling skills improved significantly since Pericorosi’s injury.
After a tough January, where the Cyclones experienced back-to-back losses against Valley Stream Central and Elmont, they found their rhythm with new leadership on the court.
“It took some getting used to,” Erickson acknowledged, “but now with the push from my teammates, I feel I’m contributing more to the team.”
Pericorosi has been eyeing a return just in time for the playoffs, delivering an upbeat message before a scrimmage against Port Washington.
“I want to be back for the end of my final season,” he shared, mentioning his plans for baseball at Stony Brook next year.
While he joked about dunking with an injured wrist, Pericorosi exuded confidence in his teammates, suggesting they have what it takes to excel even if he’s sidelined.
“I believe we can go far. They can win it all without me.”
