By Matthew Rocco
A young roster hasn’t stopped the Keyport High School girls basketball team from making its mark on the court this season.
The Red Raiders have counted on a small group of veterans to lead the team. Only two seniors, Sherelle Hill and Makaela Tuccille, are on the varsity squad. Keyport also has just two juniors in Alexis Bennett and Melissa Demaj.
“A lot of our team is young. Early in the season, it’s a challenge to get everyone on the same page,” head coach Deboney Braithwaite said.
Keyport has still held its own playing in a tough division. Perennial powerhouse St. Rose High School sits atop Shore Conference Class B Central with an undefeated record, while Mater Dei Prep is one game back at 11-1. Keansburg High School and Keyport are running third and fourth, respectively.
In a meeting Feb. 4, the Red Raiders were overpowered by St. Rose, 71-21, after falling behind by 32 points at the half.
Keyport (11-4) played a close contest with Mater Dei a week earlier. The Seraphs outscored Keyport in the second quarter, 20-6, to build a 31-17 lead going into the break. But the Red Raiders came roaring back. They turned the tables on Mater Dei, outscoring the Seraphs in each of the final two quarters — though it wasn’t enough in the end. Mater Dei managed to hold on to its lead in a 54-48 win.
Bennett led the Red Raiders with 20 points. Freshman Giana Piccini contributed 12 points, while freshman Shannan Devlin scored seven.
Even with the losses to St. Rose and Mater Dei, Keyport holds a divisional record of 8-4 and considers itself well prepared for the postseason, as the Red Raiders look to earn a spot in the Shore Conference Tournament.
“We’re playing competitive games for sure, and the division is very competitive, which is a good thing,” Braithwaite said. “Hopefully, we not only qualify for the Shore Conference Tournament but go further from there.”
The Red Raiders have learned firsthand what makes the Shore Conference’s star programs so tough.
“The teams that are the most competitive in the Shore Conference are the teams that stress team-first and have that team chemistry. That’s been my model for them. It’s not about an individual effort,” said Braithwaite, a fifth-year head coach.
Keyport has also stressed defense this season. Braithwaite said the Red Raiders are at their best when the defense causes havoc for opponents and creates offensive opportunities.
The program has a bright future, considering its success on the court this season with mostly underclassmen like Piccini and Devlin. Piccini scored 13 points to lead the Red Raiders in a 42-38 comeback win over Point Pleasant Beach High School Feb. 2.
“It’s very promising coming into this season knowing that we had lost the top rebounder in the Shore Conference and had to recover from that. We talk to the girls about how the next person has to step up. There have been some bumps in the road, but we’re building chemistry,” Braithwaite said. “We’re focused on this season, but it’s very promising that we will return a lot of players with that extra year of playing together. Hopefully from there, the sky’s the limit.”