The Great Neck South boys basketball team’s 2024-2025 season was defined as one of the best seasons in Rebels’ athletic history. After a flawless 20-0 regular season, they entered the county playoffs with high hopes, aiming to capture their first Long Island title since 1967.
The team had been conference champions for the last three years; however, their regular season went better than expected—the Rebels were the only team on Long Island to go undefeated.
“I don’t think this will ever happen again. What we did this year is very rare,” boys basketball Head Coach Michael Holleran said. “By the time we won our 20th game, I think there were only four teams in the whole state of New York that were still undefeated.”
People were surprised by the team’s strong start, especially after the graduation of former senior Jesse Tricario, a key starter from last season.“Big Jesse, our starting center from the year before, was leaving,” Junior Conrad Xu said, a starting guard for the team.
However, the depth of the roster, carefully built by four coaches, played a key role in making this season even more successful. Head Coach Holleran, along with assistant coaches Ciro Ambrosio, Billy Warner, and Steve Liebertz, collaborated closely throughout the season, maximizing each player’s potential.
“Coach Holleran is a great leader. I feel like his support and belief really pushed us and helped us go undefeated,” Xu said.
However, Coach Holleran credited the team’s success to the dedication and hard work the players put in during the offseason. Players such as Conrad Xu, Jesse Roggendorf, and Johnny Roggendorf played a lot of AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) league basketball. The team also participated in the Oyster Bay Tournament to practice playing together before the winter season.
“Basketball is a sport where you can do things on your own,” coach Holleran said. “But, to go 20-0, you have to be united. Whether it’s in practice or games, when some kids didn’t get a lot of playing time, they stuck with it. I was real proud of them.”
Senior captain Jesse Roggendorf, who recently committed to SUNY Cortland, also credited their success to team chemistry.
“We were a very tight-knit group. Everyone just wants to see everyone win, and we just have each other’s best interest,” Roggendorf said. “Outside of basketball, we do team things, such as going out to dinner once in a while.”
The basketball team spirit also united the student body through their newfound success. As the wins kept piling up, excitement spread throughout the school. Chatters among friends about last night’s game, announcements over the loudspeaker, and school-wide emails rallying support for the team all became part of daily life at South. Crowds at games grew larger, students packed the stands, and chants echoed through the east gym.
Senior Max Levinson, an avid fan who has been to 15 out of the 22 games, believes that everyone should experience going to a basketball game.
“Sitting in the crowd is like an emotional roller coaster for me. I get invested in the game. No matter the score, you’ll hear me cheering for them,” Levinson said. “It’s always fun to be a part of the culture.”
However, with more wins also comes more pressure.
“Everything gets more ramped up. More eyes come, more coaches come, more students come, more parents come,” Coach Holleran said. “The interest builds as you win, just like any other sport.”
The team also received media attention from various New York publications such as New York Post and Fox 5 New York. Despite the recognition they received, the boys remained calm and confident going into the playoffs. The Rebels was the first seed, allowing them to skip the first round and securing them a relatively easy matchup in the quarterfinals. After losing in the quarterfinals last season, the team was determined to make it one step closer to getting the title.
“I feel like this team was more experienced this year. We all played together when we are kids,” Xu said.
The Rebels had already defeated Baldwin twice during the regular season, so they approached the semifinal playoff game with the same confidence and focus. Despite minor setbacks, such as Jesse’s food poisoning just a couple of days prior, every player remained locked in, treating the game as just another step toward their run for the Long Island title.
“No nerves. Nobody was nervous. Everybody was the same. They didn’t get very high. They didn’t get very low. Everything was a flat line,” Coach Holleran said.
At South, though, talks about the boy’s basketball team spread fast. The athletic department sent multiple emails encouraging students to show up to the game. Anticipation built with each passing day, teachers brought up the game in class, and social media was flooded with messages of support.
“Sitting in the crowd at that Baldwin game was an experience. I believe my seat was actually shaking, it was that loud,” Levinson said.
The semifinal game took place at Farmingdale State College, a stadium far bigger than the team was accustomed to.
“It was special. Ever since I was a freshman, my goal was to make it to the Final Four and play on the college court,” Jesse said. “It was just something that I worked for.”
With bright lights, a spacious court, and a packed crowd, it was one of the most intense atmospheres many players had ever experienced. The stakes were high, but the Rebels embraced the challenge, ready to prove themselves on the biggest stage of their season.
The Rebels came out strong, jumping to an early 11-2 lead, but their opponents gradually fought back, taking a 24-20 lead by halftime. The momentum shifted further in the third quarter, where the Rebels fell behind by double digits, trailing by 12 heading into the last quarter. Despite a brief run to start the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit by five, it wasn’t enough to stage a comeback, ultimately ending their undefeated season.
“We cry for a little bit. Some tears. How do you deal with it? That’s life. I mean, things don’t go the way you want them. You got to bounce back. That’s it,” coach Holleran said. “Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the other team.”
The loss was deeply disappointing, but the team is learning from it and is focusing on
preparations for the upcoming season.
“The team definitely gained a lot from playing in that game. It is a type of game we haven’t played in over 20 years,” Jesse said.
Two starters, Jesse and Johnny Roggendorf, are leaving the team, which means many other players have to step up and fill their spots.
“Definitely more pressure,” Xu said. “Because I’m not the third or fourth option next year, I’m probably the first option. So I have to perform. When the ball is in my hand, I have to go get a bucket.”
As for the two players leaving the team, the Roggendorfs, they hope to take their unfinished business to college basketball.
“This season was special. I’m gonna remember our run for the rest of my life,” Jesse said.
The goal has always been the same, to win a Long Island county championship, a title that was last won 58 years ago.
“It has always been the goal. Always,” Coach Holleran said. “But you have to be a realist, too. It’s not only how well we perform, but it’s also the competition you are going against. We try to win every year.”
