BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
An 0-3 trip to Las Vegas hardly rattled the Brookdale Community College (BCC) women’s basketball team.
If anything, playing against top Division I junior colleges at the Dixie State College of Utah Invitational, made the Jersey Blues believers in themselves.
“It was a real big help going out there,” said Joanne Cobb, co-head coach along with Marianne Campacci. “It boosted their confidence. They saw how good they [Division I teams] are, and we stayed with them.
“The trip allowed us to assess what we’re doing right and wrong,” she added. “It helped out a lot.”
The Blues, who are a Division III junior college team, lost to Salt Lake City, Eastern Utah and Spokane. Salt Lake City, Cobb said, was a giant killer that outclassed the Jersey Blues. However, the other two games could have gone the other way.
“We could have won both of those games, but we started shooting cold,” Cobb said.
There was more to the trip than basketball. Being on the road during the holidays (Dec. 28-30) brought the team closer together.
“The kids learned so much and not just on the basketball court,” Cobb noted. “They grew off the court as well.”
Becky Piper (Colts Neck) was BCC’s best player in Vegas. The sophomore two guard had two double-doubles in the three outings and averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game. On the season, Piper leads the Blues in scoring, averaging 14 points a game, as well as steals (4.1 a game).
Forward Amy Gaudious (Long Branch) is playing through a hip injury that has limited her mobility. Still, the sophomore remains one of the best front-line players in the conference and region. She is still averaging close to a double-double (10 points and nine rebounds a game) and is a defensive force with her shot-blocking.
Brookdale began the season short-handed because of the injuries, but now, as they begin the heart of the Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) season, they are healthy again and able to play the end-to-end fullcourt pressure defense that is their trademark.
Since tipping-off back at the Thanksgiving Classic in Mercer County Nov. 27, the Blues have become a deeper team.
Sophomore Tammy Wood (South River), an All-American soccer goalie, is rounding into basketball form and is providing another presence on the backboards. She’s averaging 11 points and seven rebounds a game.
Freshman Ashley Healy (Howell) has become a more confident player with playing time and is making a bigger contribution. Cobb said that Healy had “freshmanitis” at first, but has settled in and is not shying away from wanting the ball and wanting to be in the action.
One of the biggest plusses has turned out to be freshman Stephanie Brady (Ocean Township). She is the back-up point guard to Jess Williams (Central Regional) and has given the team valuable minutes. Williams was slowed for a period of time by a leg injury and Brady filled in quite well at the point, working in tandem with two guard Piper.
Williams is averaging a team-best 5.5 assists per game
Latisha Brown (Keyport) became eligible this month and gives the team a tenacious rebounder.
The Blues are primed and ready to defend the GSAC co-championship they won last year. Although the Blues left Las Vegas with a 4-6 record overall, they believe they have an edge over their conference opponents because of the tough schedule they’ve played. Also, BCC is 3-1 in conference play already and heads into the heart of the schedule with everyone back and playing better than they did in December.
Brookdale begins a four-game road stretch tomorrow night against Union. The Blues are not home again until Jan. 25 (5 p.m.) when they host Cumberland in a GSAC and Region 19 tilt.