Talk about a double-double.
A pair of fraternal twins are leading the way for Great Neck South’s varsity basketball team, which is undefeated and vying to win it all in Nassau County for the first time since 1967.
Seniors John and Jesse Roggendorf, 17, combined for 48 points during the Rebels’ most recent victory against MacArthur High School that moved them to 14-0 — but that’s just been the tip of the iceberg for the twins.
The dynamic duo — John is a 6-foot-5 forward and Jesse a 6-1 guard — have been difference-makers on the court at their North Shore school since first making varsity as freshmen.
Having a sibling rivalry has been the best thing for their high school careers.
“Every time we play one-on-one, whether in the backyard or on the court, we’re always pushing each other,” John told The Post, adding that the two eat, sleep and breathe basketball.
He teaches his brother, who is two minutes younger, ways to be more powerful, and Jesse returns the favor by improving his finesse and quickness.
They dedicate six hours a day to training and watching game films. The two say they can constructively critique each other’s games better than their own.
“They’ve taken the program to the next level,” Great Neck South coach Mike Holleran told The Post.
Jesse, last year’s conference player of the year, is known for having a sense of humor, Holleran said. John, who made all-county as a sophomore, is regarded for showing maturity.
“John averages a double-double, and Jesse is our leading scorer with over 1,000 career points,” their coach said.
Holleran is so impressed with the Roggendorfs that he gives them the liberty to decide things such as whether to stay in man or zone on defense.
“We get a lot of trust. I see things [Jesse] doesn’t, and he sees things I don’t,” John said. “It really helps us.”
As serious about basketball as the two are, they also let their personalities shine through. John wears number 20 and Jesse takes 10, as a running joke that John is “twice” his twin’s size.
Their lightheartedness has led to ironclad teamwork, as the Roggendorf boys say this is the most tight-knit group they have been a part of.
“They feel like our extended family now, too,” Jesse said, recalling the many off-court trips to Applebee’s the Rebels have taken together.
However, that’s not why the twins and their teammates have been hungry for Great Neck South’s first county championship title since before the Jets won the Super Bowl.
Last year, as the No. 1 seed with 17 wins, the team fell short in the quarterfinal of the AA class of Section VIII against Floral Park’s Sewanhaka High School.
“We want it more now,” Jesse said. John added that the half-off apps have become a full-court push as the extra chemistry “is starting to show” throughout the undefeated run.
“We’re growing and getting better together,” he said.
However, with six games left — the next is a rematch against MacArthur on Friday night — nothing is being taken for granted.
“We care more about going undefeated to have an advantage in the playoffs,” John said.
“We really want to put 2025 under the 1967 banner,” Jesse added.
The standout athletes said they would love to play in college after high school. They’re considering a few schools upstate.
“We’ve been on the same teams our whole lives,” John said. “But we’ve talked about it, and it might be fun to finally face off against one another next year.”
This story originally appeared on NY Post
