JEFF HUNTLEY Brookdale’s Ryan Johnson goes up for a shot during Saturday’s game against Nassau in Lincroft.
The Brookdale Community College women’s basketball team, which begins the 2000-01 season with four games at home in Lincroft, will be relying on local talent.
The young Jersey Blues program is looking to Shore area talent and Monmouth County in particular to begin their rise in the Garden State Athletic Conference.
Brookdale will be counting on its guard play this winter. Heather Andrews, Raritan of Hazlet; Daisey Billingsley, Freehold Borough; Casandra Crawford, Matawan; Amanda Gesualdo, Mater Dei of Middletown; Lori McDermott, Middletown South; and Danielle Willis, Brick Memorial, make up the majority of the Jersey Blues’ roster. Coaches Marianne Campacci and Joanne Cobb will be looking to their back-court players to control the tempo and limit turnovers.
Up front at forward, Brookdale has Laura Hensley, St. Rose of Belmar; Toni Ingenito, Brick Memorial; Danielle Odom, Middletown South; and Nicole Raimondi, Marlboro. Hensley and Raimondi are both 5-10 and give the front-line some size.
At center, BCC has 6-1 Andrea Thomas from Raritan and 6-2 Kelly Griffin from Cave Spring, Va.
The guard-dominated Blues will need inside help this year to complement their outside shooting.
Brookdale tipped its season off in Lincroft last night against Morris. Tomorrow, the women host Ocean at 5 p.m. in what is part of a double-header. The Jersey Blue men will play Ocean at 7 following the women’s game.
On Saturday, the BCC women host Luzerne, Pa., at 1 p.m., and on Tuesday, Union makes a call at 7 p.m. The women are also home on Dec. 19 against Camden (7 p.m.) and on Dec. 21 as part of another double-dip. The women play Middlesex at 5 p.m., and the men follow at 7.
The Jersey Blues open 2001 at home as well, hosting Mercer at 3 p.m. on Jan. 6.
It’s important for the young Blues to get off to a quick start, and by playing seven of their first nine games at home, they will have the chance to. If they can take advantage of the home cooking, Brookdale will be a much more confident club the second half of the season.