MANHASSET, N.Y. — What makes a “great team?” This is a question commonly asked by many athletes, coaches and spectators. Some would say it’s the talent of the players, the brilliance of the coaching staff, or even the culture that surrounds the team. After watching and playing for the Manhasset Varsity Basketball team, I think I have found the answer to that.

First and foremost, there is no team without players, and we have some true outliers here. Our starters are all masters of their respective roles, whether a scorer, rebounder or defender—each one plays his part to make this team such a threat to anyone we face.

Let’s start off at point guard, with senior Matt Perfetto. This man is a walking Energizer Bunny, who has an unlimited amount of energy and will always be seen diving for loose balls or locking up the other team’s best guard. Along with that, he is an amazing playmaker, always seeming to find the open man on the other side of the court.

Next, we go to our shooting guard, “Fly Like Mike” Notias. As his nickname implies, this senior soars through the air like he’s levitating. Mike is our leader in points this year, averaging 18.1 per game throughout the regular season. Whether he is taking acrobatic layups or knocking down threes from all around the perimeter, he always finds a way to get the ball in the bucket.

At small forward, we have junior Liam Connor, who along with Matt Perfetto and senior Mike Mastando are our team tri-captains. Liam is the size of many opposing centers, standing at 6’5’’, but moves like a guard, creating a mismatch and confusion for whoever guards him. Liam is a great offensive and defensive player, but his biggest contribution to the team is his voice— whether he is calling out the plays or talking a little trash to the other team to get in their heads, he remains constantly vocal.

And as if one Liam were not enough, our team is lucky enough to have a second one in the power forward position. Liam “Hollywood” Buckley is like a silent assassin—he sneaks around on offense, but once the shot goes up, he crashes in and rips down the rebound over everyone, dunking it down on anyone in his path.

Standing 6’8” tall at our center position, we have junior James Morris, who is an interior force offensively and defensively. Just by walking on the court, James is an intimidating presence, preventing the other team from entering into the paint—an area on the court which is his domain.

We also had senior Chris Diskin start several games at the center position, where he dominated in that role. Diskin is our team’s Dennis Rodman: the most aggressive player on the court at all times, always doing the hard work in order to help secure the win. He brought that grit to the playoffs this season.

Along with a strong starting line, we have a deep bench full of skilled, talented and energetic players. Shout out to sophomore James “Ice” Notias, who helped us clinch the county championship against Garden City, as well as seniors Oscar Cellura, Alexander Mlotowski and Peter Vorillas; juniors Timothy Colombos, Jack Diskin, James Kinloch and Jack Lamarca; and sophomores Patrick Arnold, Brendan Mitaritonna and Trey Zaffiro.

Clearly, Manhasset Basketball has a stellar team. So maybe you’re thinking that’s the secret to their success? Well … not entirely.

Next on the list is coaching. Whether it’s Phil Jackson’s Chicago Bulls or Coach K’s Duke Blue Devils, every great team seems to have an equally great coach. At Manhasset, we are blessed to have two exceptional coaches in George Bruns and Stu Goldman. These two are perfectly made for one another, and in fact, at practice, they can often be heard finishing one another’s sentences. When interviewing Coach Bruns on what it’s like to share the stage with another great mind like Coach Goldman, he states, “While I’m still a head coach, he’s an associate coach and I have great faith in him. And I have trust in him in terms of his knowledge and his ideas. Ultimately, it’s my decision, but you know, I’m blessed … it’s like having two head coaches.”

The respect and trust that Coach Bruns has for Coach Goldman trickles down to the players, making it very easy for the team to buy into their ideology. Their plain and simple ideology can be described in one word: preparation. Both coaches are heavy advocates for preparing well in advance for every game. Whether we are studying film or doing drills that put us in game time scenarios, they always make sure we are ready for the worst-case scenario. As Coach Bruns emphasizes, “When the game comes, you can’t turn the switch on. You gotta do stuff every day that you’re gonna do in the game…. So that work ethic is really crucial and it’s what really makes for successful people—that type of approach to whatever the endeavor might be.” This philosophy gives the team a great sense of diligence and work ethic that we put into each and every practice. So we have great coaching and a talented team … but there is still one more crucial component that is needed in order to have such a successful season.

That final key is the culture and brotherhood that surrounds a team. Manhasset Basketball’s culture is built differently from many other teams—here, we’re just one big, extended family. On the court, we all have a strong bond that is obvious to everyone watching. This isn’t something that can be learned in a gym or from a coach. It comes from all our athletes being together not just on the court, but off the court, too. Coach Bruns says it best: “For three+ months, we’re a family,” and as our athletic shirts remind us, we “Run As One.” 

Some days we battle with one another, and others, we celebrate together. But the day you are lucky enough to get picked to play Manhasset Varsity Basketball, whether in the beginning of the season or right before playoffs, you instantly become family with the other 18 athletes on the team. This culture we have can be attributed to the coaches doing a great job bringing togetherness to the team, along with the veteran seniors who keep passing it down through the generations. Echoes MHS Principal Dr. Dean Schlanger, “The Varsity Boys Basketball Team has had an incredibly successful season under the leadership of Coach Bruns. Their magical season is a testament to their hard work, camaraderie and team play exhibited by all of the players.”

So again, I ask you—what makes a great team? For Manhasset Basketball, it’s not just the talent, the coaches or the culture—it’s all of that combined. We know the answer … because not only are we the Nassau County Champions, we are the Long Island Basketball Class A Champions. And now, we “Run As One” toward the NY State Championship.

Note: At the time this story was written, the Manhasset Boys Varsity Basketball team hadn’t yet played in the State Championships.

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