|
Put Valley Boys Basketball Seeking Higher Level
Haldane Cagers hope to make gains in '06-'07
by Ray Gallagher
The Putnam Valley Tigers (4- 16 last year) have found the Section 1 basketball waters a tad choppy. In five seasons of varsity action, Putnam Valley hasn't come close to a winning campaign, and early indications suggest another tough go after Coach Ralph Smith's Tigers scored just three first-half points and 15 overall in a season opening loss to Nanuet last Friday. The Tigers dropped 10 of their last 11 last season, each by double digits.
Senior guard Vinny Decosta (12.4 PPG) has a nice stroke, but teams will gear up to shut him down and the Tigers don't have a second consistent threat behind him. Decosta score 20 or more points four times last year, including a career-high 26 against Irvington. Guard Peter Morgan and forwards Nicky Ivezic and Hugh O'Gorman each showed improvement last season and will need to average close to double figures for the Tigers to be competitive. Ryan Foshay rounds out the starting five. The Tigers play in a tough League against the likes of Panas, Byram Hills, Pleasantville and favored Briarcliff.
Primary reserves include Josh Coppa, Greg D'Annibale, Michael Vallo, Vinny Campagniolo, plus Jovan Rondon and Chris Bowen.
"Our goals are to match and exceed last year's win total of four and then to set our sites on a sectional berth," said Smith, now in his third full season.
It's an uphill battle, but the Tigers hope to see some light at the end of what has become one long tunnel.
After a promising 4-2 start to the 2005-'06 basketball campaign, things looked like they were on the up-and-up for the Haldane Blue Devils boys basketball team. However, Haldane went on to lose 11 of the final 14 games en route to a sub-par 7-13 season.
First-year Coach Joe Virgadamo, a former feisty Blue Devil in his own right during the mid '90s, hopes to mold the '06-'07 version in his image.
Coach V will rely on a starting five of junior Mike Thorpe at the point and junior Billy Campbell at the two. 6'1" Geoff Rohan, the lone senior to play varsity last year will be expected to do a little bit of everything, according to the coach. Sophomore Mike Impellittiere, who has a great work ethic, and 6'1" junior Nick Nastasi, a go-to guy for sure, round out the starters to open the year.
Mark Lemon will provide depth down low. Max Tiffany- Miller is expected to play four out of the five positions this year and Nick Torchia, a freshman, will help as a swingman.
"Making sectional with this unit is one of our goals," Coach V said, noting that it's been four years since the Blue Devils made the dance. "However, we are focusing on one game at a time in a very difficult schedule."
The League consists of Pawling, Dover, Croton, Lincoln Hall and North Salem.
"North Salem just moved down to Class C, and every other team is Class B except us," the coach said. "Croton, North Salem and Lincoln Hall are the teams to beat in our league. North Salem was picked to be in the top two teams in Class C with Tuckahoe, so they'll be very good, too."
In his rookie season as boss at Haldane, Coach V has been focusing on pride and dedication, hoping that this youthful group will buy in. With six juniors, two sophomores and a freshman on the squad, they'd better. Rohan, a captain, is expected to lead by example; starting with today's season opener at Dobbs Ferry.
"I couldn't have asked for a better group of guys, they give 100% day in and day out, with not one complaint," Virgadamo said. "We have great leadership, and every player is on the same page."
Coach V experienced great success at Haldane in 2001, losing in the state final four that year, and he was a key part of the first two boy's sectional championships in school history in 1999 and 2001. He wants his players to experience similar fortune and believes that intensity on all levels is the key ingredient to returning Haldane to its glory days.
"I'm trying to mold our guys into a team that takes pride in representing our school, and they have done that this far," he said. "We are focusing on keeping a high level of intensity and hustle at all times. I am hoping that our scrappy play will help us win a couple of more games."...
| 
