Kennedy Cougars Boys Basketball Preview

2009-10 Record: 12-5 (Missed playoffs by one game)

Head Coach: Rory Block (19th season)

Assistant Coaches: Steve Drury (6th season); Darryl Wolf (2nd season)

Top Players: Joey Karo (senior); Brian O'Gorman (senior); Adrian Rose (senior)

Karo was a big part of last season's success. He averaged 14.8 points per game and scored under 10 points just once. He was also all-conference in both his sophomore and junior years. As a senior, Block said he expects Karo to continue his role as a scorer.

"He's going to be our point guard and we're also relying on him to do a lot of the scoring," Block said.

At 6-foot-10, O'Gorman is tough to miss on the court. In order to be effective, Block said O'Gorman will have to use his size to throw shooters off and grab important rebounds.

"He has really made good strides. He played two years of JV and played his first year of varsity last year, so we're hoping that he continues to improve," Block said of his center. "He'll get us some easy points, he'll really alter shots on the defensive end and hopefully he'll grab a lot of rebounds."

Although out for the moment with an injured Achilles, Rose is expected to be ready for the regular season. He hit a last-second, game-winning three-pointer toward the end of last season in a big win over Plainview, and Block said he will be looking for that kind of shooting from Rose again this season.

"He's strong, he can hit an outside shot," Block said of Rose's shooting abilities. "… He'll be looked on [to provide] rebounding, defense and team leadership."

Expectations: The heartbreak of last season is still fresh on the minds of the Kennedy players. Despite holding a 33-24 halftime lead, the Cougars lost to the Syosset Braves in the final game of the season and missed out on the playoffs by one game to the same Braves.

"I would really like to make the playoffs, but we're right on that bubble," Block said of the upcoming season. "If things go well then we'll make it, and if things don't go as planned then we won't make it. … With eight returning seniors, the goal is to definitely make the playoffs."

With tons of experience, the playoffs certainly seem within reach for the Cougars.

Big Games: 12/17 @ Elmont, 4:30 p.m.; 1/4 vs. Valley Stream Central, 7 p.m.; 1/21 vs. Elmont, 7 p.m.; 2/1 @ Valley Stream Central, 6:15 p.m.

There were two teams that Block said would be a challenge: Elmont and Valley Stream Central. But the new conference realignment, which has schools grouped by size and not skill, opens the door for four playoff spots in each conference; Block said that this makes every game an important one.

"Every game is big for us, because anyone can beat us and hopefully we can beat anyone," he said. "… We're not good enough to overlook anyone."

News & Notes: Four open playoff spots have the Cougars hungry and ready for redemption after last season's disappointing ending.

"We just have to show everyone in our conference that we're for real, and show them that last year wasn't a fluke," Rose said. "… We're just back for another year to play strong and not lose many games."

The team has a total of eight returning seniors, which will give them more experience and chemistry than most teams in Nassau County, let alone in Conference AA-III.

"We look good so far," Rose said. "[We have] a lot of injuries, but a lot of good chemistry. We should all be back by the time it starts to matter. We're looking good right now."

Roster