{"id":124741,"date":"2025-02-17T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com\/?p=124741"},"modified":"2025-02-17T12:25:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T17:25:47","slug":"blue-waves-boys-squad-headed-to-next-round-of-basketball-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com\/2025\/02\/124741\/blue-waves-boys-squad-headed-to-next-round-of-basketball-playoffs\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Waves boys squad advances to next round of basketball playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Without their leading scorer and playing in their first playoff game since 2019, the Riverhead Blue Waves boys basketball team simply found a way to win. In a gritty back-and-forth game, No. 7 Riverhead defeated No. 10 Commack, 48-47 in the first round of the Suffolk County Class AAA playoffs on Friday night at Riverhead High School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without Deshawn Watkins<\/a> in the lineup \u2013 who is nursing an injury and has averaged around 18 points per game on the season \u2013 Riverhead needed someone to step up in his place. Senior captain Liam Lennon took it upon himself to answer the bell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lennon tied a career-high in points with 19 and brought down 10 rebounds in the victory over Commack. He also blocked two shots and snatched three steals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI knew I had to take over,\u201d Lennon said. \u201cI knew I had to help the team out. I haven\u2019t been there on the scoreboard much recently but it was a playoff game so I had no choice but to step up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 6-foot-5 forward was all over the offensive zone, scoring from inside with spin moves and pivots as well as from outside when presented with the opportunity. Commack didn\u2019t have an answer even though they kept the game close with suffocating defense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is not a person in this world that I can be happier for than Liam,\u201d head coach Pat Fabian said. \u201cHe knows this could have been his last game. He\u2019s waited his whole life for this moment. He was going hard and finishing better than we\u2019ve seen all year. I\u2019ve coached Liam on JV and varsity for four years now and there is no better teammate and leader I\u2019ve ever coached here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the Blue Waves were going through the ups and downs of the game, Lennon kept it even-keeled on the court. When a timeout was called, Lennon was seen hyping the team up, encouraging everyone to box out and play with confidence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Lennon couldn\u2019t do it all himself, Riverhead needed contributions up and down their lineup to emerge victorious. In the second quarter, the Blue Waves found themselves down four points. The momentum changed on a dime when junior guard Pete Lagnena <\/a>connected on two consecutive threes to send the crowd into a frenzy. Lagnena screamed with full emotion after the second three with Commack needing to take a timeout. He scored 11 points on the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n