The following interview is the first in an upcoming interview series headed by the Academy Road sports staff called, “Academy Sports: One v One”.

Brevin Fleischer, Chief Sports Writer of the Academy Road Newspaper, was able to get an exclusive interview with the starting small forward on the boys basketball team, Sal Arena. The team is only a few weeks away from heading into Federation play where they will look  once again to bring home the championship.

Q: You guys have obviously had a fantastic regular season heading into the Federation Tournament. Who do you think has stepped up to make this season so successful?

Sal Arena: I think we’ve all matured as a unit, and I think that’s how we were able to get so many wins. As a young team, we weren’t expecting to mature this early, and we did.

Q: How do you think you guys will do in the Federation and who do you think is the top team you’re going to play?

Sal Arena: We’re going in to win it all. We don’t know who we’re going to play yet. We’re most likely going to cross paths with Scotia, and they have the very talented Joe Cremo, but I think we can shut him down.

Q: What about this team makes you guys so deep?

Sal Arena: I mean, we got guys from all over. There’s no one position that we’re necessarily the deepest in. After the starting five, the subs that come in, no matter what position, the drop isn’t nearly as big as with many other teams, and I think that’s what makes us different.

Q: You had a tough game earlier in the season at home against a very talented Long Island Lutheran team. What was the problem in not being able to pull out that victory?

Sal Arena: It was definitely just a lack of execution. It was a tough loss but I think it was a learning experience and has ultimately made us better as a team and has helped get us to where we are now.

Q: One last question before I let you go, Sal. Is this the year for you guys, or will you be even better next year?

Sal Arena: Ugh You’re trying to get me in trouble, aren’t you? Well, like I said before, I think we have a really good shot this year. We have great team chemistry, everybody loves everybody, we’re deeper than most any team in the state, and we are truly well coached. I give Coach Fruscio all the props in the world for the way he turned a team that was supposed to be a year away and made us into a true contender. The way our team plays, the ball movement, the screens, the pop-outs, the motion….that’s all him. It also doesn’t hurt when you have a group of guys that trusts each other completely. We dish the ball, knowing that our teammate will make the right play. I think Coach Fruscio made that environment.

Q: Well, thank you so much for your time Sal, and good luck!