With the fall season officially completed, the winter season is right around the corner. Here is a look at how the Town of Hempstead area high schools will tip off their basketball seasons, with the rest of the sports to follow.
BELLMORE
Kennedy
Both Cougars basketball teams will start their seasons next week with the boys traveling to New Hyde Park on Tuesday for a game at 4:45 p.m. and the girls traveling to Jericho next Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
Mepham
The Mepham boys basketball team will meet district rival Calhoun on the road next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to tip off its season. The girls will play in the Hicksville Sports Boosters Tournament this weekend, along with Roslyn, Plainedge and host Hicksville. The Lady Pirates are defending champions of the tournament.
EAST MEADOW
Clarke
The Clarke boys basketball team will begin its season on Monday, Dec. 12 with a home game against Garden City at 7:30 p.m. The Lady Rams basketball team will travel to district rival East Meadow on Thursday night for the season opener at 7 p.m.
East Meadow
The boys basketball team opens the season in non-league at home against Glen Cove on Saturday at 5 p.m., with the girls opening their season at 7 p.m. on Thursday against Clarke.
EAST ROCKAWAY
Both the boys and girls basketball teams will open up their schedules with a game against Friends Academy. The boys will play on Dec. 15 on the road at 6:45 p.m. and the girls will play at home on Dec. 16 at 7:15 p.m.
FIVE TOWNS
Hewlett
The boys basketball team will kick off its season at home against a tough Roosevelt team next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The girls will play this Saturday to start in a non-league game against Valley Stream South at 12 p.m.
Lawrence
The Golden Tornadoes boys basketball team will open its season on the road against Oceanside on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. The girls team will travel to Floral Park next Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. to open their 2011-12 schedule.
GARDEN CITY
The boys basketball team will have an early test in the opening game at home against Freeport. The non-league game will take place next Tuesday at 7 p.m. The girls team opens its season on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 4:45 p.m. at Great Neck North in non-league.
LEVITTOWN
Division
The boys basketball team will kick off its season on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at Mineola with a start time of 6:45 p.m. The girls side will play the season opener on Monday at 5 p.m. on the road against non-league opponent Uniondale.
Island Trees
The Bulldogs boys basketball team will play at Valley Stream South to open the season next Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. The girls will have some time before the season opener with a game on Dec. 14 at home against Valley Stream North with a start time of 6:30 p.m.
MacArthur
The MacArthur boys basketball team will host the Annual MacArthur Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 5:45 p.m. with the championship game to take place at 7:15 p.m. The girls team will host Freeport next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
LONG BEACH
The boys basketball team will host a tough opponent to open the season in Roosevelt. The home game will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. The girls team will also have a tough opener against defending conference champion Mepham on the road on Friday, Dec. 16 at 4:30 p.m.
LYNBROOK
The Lynbrook boys basketball team will open up the 2011-12 season next Monday at Bethpage with a start time of 7 p.m. The girls team, Nassau County semifinalists just a season ago, will travel to Baldwin on Monday, Dec. 12 for the season opener at 7 p.m.
MALVERNE
The Malverne boys basketball team will play its first league game at Wheatley on Friday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. The girls will also open up against Wheatley on Dec. 16 at home at 6:30 p.m.
MERRICK
The Colts boys basketball team will open up its season next Tuesday at home against district rival Mepham at 6:30 p.m. The girls basketball team will host Oceanside at 6:30 p.m. this upcoming Friday in the season opener.
MINEOLA
The boys basketball team will play its season opener next Thursday at 7 p.m. at Garden City in a non-league game. The girls team will play its first game next Tuesday at Plainedge at 7:15 p.m.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
The South Side boys basketball team has proven to be a very talented team in recent years, attracting match-ups against teams from across New York State. The Cyclones, who moved up a conference this season, will open up this Saturday with a home game against Bellport at 7 p.m. The girls team will play host to a two-day tournament starting next Tuesday at 5 p.m.
SEAFORD
The Seaford boys basketball team will play its first game on Friday, Dec. 9 at home against Carle Place with a start time of 7 p.m. The girls team will play its first game next Monday on the road at Garden City at 5 p.m.
WANTAGH
The boys basketball team will start the season against a tough Freeport team at home on Friday at 5 p.m. The girls team will play and host the Wantagh Tournament next Tuesday at 5 p.m.
WEST HEMPSTEAD
The boys basketball team will start the season on Friday at home against Valley Stream North with a tip-off time of 4:30 p.m. The girls team will host Roosevelt on Saturday at 2 p.m. to start the season.
