Are the Rocks Due for a Comeback Season?

After a season most people would consider a “dissapointment,” some people may question “what’s in store for the Rocks in the future?” After a year of going 1-19 people may believe the future can’t possibly be bright. I think those people are mistaken. Head coach Paul Collins has already shown confidence in the rising juniors Joseph Ventura and Antonio Buzzetta, who quickly became starters for a senior-heavy team. 

Returning players include Kyle and Nick Pollackov, and Jack Sauer. All three have shown great promise both during games and in practice. They hope to create an impact on a team that looks to improve greatly for next season. 

The Rocks basketball program has faced many challenges. The main challenge being numbers. With seven graduating seniors, and only 3 juniors and 5 sophomores returning, they potentially have up to 6 roster spots open. Unless three are newcomers to the program, the coaches face the choice of pulling up several underclassmen from the JV squad.

The JV team, who finished 8-10, had a solid season with many ups and downs. They were able to overcome adversity, as the team was riddled with injuries as well as having 3 first-year coaches. This couldn’t have been done without captains Edwin Abreu Lopez and Conor O’Hagan. The two sophomores showed great leadership skills, discipline, and heart. They started all 18 games and never missed a beat. Conor showed great hustle by drawing multiple charges per game, and Edwin showed great skill by averaging about 13 points a game. There were also many freshmen that made a very positive impact on the team that looked to assist the varsity team in the coming years. However, even though they made such a positive impact on the teams, only time will tell where they play next year, JV or Varsity. 

Even though the talent of the team has a very big influence on how the team performs, coaches also have a very big impact on the team’s success. Head Coach Paul Collins and Assistant Coach Frank Altamore, a Rocks basketball alum, have already shown where they can take a team.  They won the Long Island Class C Championship in 2020, in addition to many winning seasons before the impressive championship run. Coach Collins has taken action in hopes of improving the team in the next few years by scheduling off-season workouts, starting March 28th. 

The Rocks have all the talent and assets they need for a turnaround season. The question remains, will they execute and have success?