Roslyn boys basketball moves into first place in Nassau League IV with win over Garden City
Roslyn's Ben Pnini rises for a jump shot against Garden City during a Nassau boys basketball game at Roslyn High School on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. Credit: Derrick Dingle
Roslyn brought a full load of fuel to its home court for Tuesday night’s game with Garden City.
The Trojans ended Roslyn’s season in the Nassau Class AA quarterfinals last year, then edged them by a point when the teams met at Garden City in December.
This time, these very motivated Bulldogs took a 78-68 decision in a basketball fight for first in Nassau IV, thereby extending their winning streak to six.
“It’s definitely satisfying,” senior forward/center Benjy Rubin said. “I feel like they think they had our number on us the last couple of times we played them.”
Roslyn (11-3, 7-1) moved a half game ahead of the Trojans (12-3, 6-1), who lost an eight-game winning streak. Junior guard Ben Pnini topped the Bulldogs with 20 points and added five assists, and the 6-6 Rubin delivered 17 points, eight rebounds and five blocks.
“I think this is one of the best teams we’ve had in a while,” Pnini said. “ . . . Practice we treat more important than games.
“We’re not thinking about counties just yet, but if we take it game by game and win the games we’re supposed to and work as hard as we should and buy into what our coaches are giving us, we win the counties. We go to states. I think we could make it all the way.”
Roslyn led 9-2 and 20-10 in the first quarter. Garden City cut it to 20-19 early in the second period but fell behind 35-27 by halftime.
“We weren’t ready,” Trojans coach James Hegmann said. “They were ready to play tonight . . . They wanted it more. We didn’t want it.”
The lead stretched to 14 early in the third. Garden City, which got 26 points from Konstantinos Walsh, then sliced it to 46-41.
But Max Li countered with a steal for the Bulldogs, leading to Jake Greenberg’s three. That started a 9-0 run that carried into the fourth.
“I think part of our messaging to the guys was, ‘They’re not going to go away. We have to put them away,’” Roslyn coach Greg Tull said.
Pnini’s driving scoop capped another 9-0 burst, building the advantage to 66-48.
“We definitely showed we’re the better team,” Rubin said.
The Bulldogs finished with 13 steals and nine blocks.
“Defense,” Tull said of the key. “It’s more of a committed effort to pressuring the ball. Having both of our 6-5-plus guys (Rubin and Li) in the back line definitely helped.”
