McKee Excited To Be Back, Says New Boys Basketball Team Needs More Varsity Experience

The East Hampton boys basketball team will have a different look in more ways than one this season, starting at the top.

Billy McKee has returned to lead the team as head coach, a position he held for some years until retiring in 2016. The departure of former head coach Dan White, who took the open head coach position at Pierson, led to McKee’s return. When McKee took control of the team in August and started to go through summer league play, he realized there was something missing from his team: varsity experience.

Outside of a few players, such as Liam Fowkes, who is now a senior captain on the team, and Michael Locasio, who is also entering his senior season, the Bonackers don’t have a ton of varsity experience on their current roster. Finn Byrnes, Jack Dickinson and Luke Reese have all graduated. That trio not only played major minutes, but led the team in just about every statistical category, which led the team to a division-leading 13-2 record, a first-round bye and the No. 2 seed in the Suffolk County Class A playoffs.

Outside of Fowkes and Locasio, the Bonackers return Zach Dodge and Toby Foster, who played himself into the starting lineup down the home stretch. Cash Muse is the only other returning player, and McKee said he loves the senior’s 6-foot-5-inch frame and he should be a big inside presence for the Bonackers.

Seniors Brian Garces, Marbin Mateo, Juan Palacios and Anthony Vargas, juniors Josh Williams and David Gutama and sophomores Mason Jefferson and Colin Kelly round out the rest of the team.

“They’re working hard right now. Their lack of experience is hurting them more than anything else,” McKee said. “There are a number of shooters on the team. If we can get them open, we should be all right.

“I do think those seniors on this year’s team feel they have something to prove because they didn’t get a lot of playing time last year,” he added. “I think as the season goes on, they’ll just continue to get better. They have 15 practices under their belts to this point, and they’re already better now than when they started. So what I’m looking for is for them to keep getting better and better, and the goal is to at least make the playoffs.”

After the state’s expansion to a sixth class (AAA) for the largest schools based on enrollment, the Bonackers have moved up to Class AA and will play in League IV with Amityville, Comsewogue, East Islip, Eastport-South Manor, Half Hollow Hills West, Hauppauge, Rocky Point and Westhampton Beach.

McKee said that he’s really enjoyed his return as varsity head coach thus far. He’s been approached by many people about how they’re excited that he’s back. One of his former players, Thomas Nelson, a 2012 graduate, is one of his assistants on this year’s team, along with his brother and JV head coach Joe McKee and the legendary Howard Wood.

“East Hampton is very unique. It’s a community that has supported its teams forever and it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve enjoyed coming back to do it,” he said. “The biggest change I’ve been seeing since I’ve come back is probably how a lot of teams jack up three-point shots, and our team is a good example of doing a lot of that. We have a lot of shooters, and it takes some skills to get that open shot, so what we’re working on really hasn’t changed. If we can handle the ball, work together, I think we’re going to be okay.”

The Bonackers will host their annual Kendall Madison Tournament this weekend, starting Friday night when Bridgehampton takes on Mattituck at 5 p.m., followed by East Hampton taking on the Ross School. No matter who wins or losses, East Hampton will play the first game the following day on Saturday starting at noon.

Information on the East Hampton girls basketball team was not provided.