Brookdale hosting Region XIX basketball tournaments BCC men’s and women’s teams are serious contenders

Brookdale hosting Region XIX basketball tournaments
BCC men’s and women’s teams are serious
contenders

Brookdale Community College’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will be looking to use their homecourt advantage to help them qualify for the Division III Junior College National Championships.

BCC is hosting the Region XIX Championships, which sends the winner to the Junior College National Championships.

The regional tournament begins Monday for the men and Tuesday for the women at the home of the higher seeded team. The second round is Feb. 27, again at the home of the higher seed. The Final Four will travel to Lincroft for the Region XIX semifinals and finals.

The men’s semifinals will be March 1 with the final on March 3. The women’s semifinals are Feb. 28 with the Region XIX Championship on March 2.

Last year, Paul Cisek’s men did not take advantage of their homecourt edge, losing the Region final at home to Atlantic Cape. The Jersey Blues were the favorites last year after winning the Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) South Division title.

This year the pressure will be off the Jersey Blues, although they remain a very serious contender for the Region, sporting an 18-9 overall record after Saturday’s 93-83 win over Cumberland.

Head coach Paul Cisek has a very young team (only three sophomores) which has gone through the expected ups and downs. However, the peaks and valleys haven’t been as dramatic as expected, and Cisek has been "pleasantly surprised" with how well his team has played.

"We’re still a young team that is growing," he said. "We’re playing much better. Every night it’s been a different guy stepping up for us. It’s been a great situation."

Chris Brown, Corey Lewis, Dennis DelliSanti, Dwayne Ailey, Oswal Ramirez, Harold Bautista, Bob Varno and Lateef Ojoye are the core group of freshmen who have grown up fast and contributed to the team’s overall success. Brown leads a collective group that has provided the scoring the Jersey Blues needed to replace the graduated Earl Agee (BCC’s first 1,000-point scorer) and Ryan Johnson.

It was Bautista who stepped up against Cumberland, knocking down three treys and scoring a game-high 26.

Ryan Singley, one of three sophomores on the team, has been rock steady.

Brookdale’s offense has been increasing its production despite the loss of valuable starting point guard Matt Delos Santos to a season-ending knee injury. It took some time for the team to make the adjustment to the loss of the player who orchestrated the offense.

"I’ve been using all 10 players and shuffling different combos," said Cisek. "We’re moving the ball around and getting better shots. Also, our defense has been producing fastbreak opportunities."

Brookdale’s defense has been getting tougher and tougher as the players all get used to each other, he said.

"We’re playing much better team defense," he said.

Brookdale is in third place in the Southern Division and will likely host a game Feb. 25, and if victorious, play at either Gloucester or Ocean (first and second right now) for the chance to get to the semifinals.

Brookdale’s women emerged as GSAC and Region contenders last winter and that has carried over to the hardwood this year. Coaches Marianne Campacci and Joanne Cobb have a team laced with outstanding young talent and strong veteran leadership.

Brookdale lost in the Region semifinals last year and their rallying cry has been to take the next step in 2002. The Blues are well on their way with a 20-8 overall record that includes a 14-1 mark in the GSAC following their 80-26 rout of Cumberland in conference play Saturday.

The Jersey Blues have been like a hurricane this winter, running teams off the floor with speed and depth, which they have translated into full-court pressure defense from start to finish.

"We wear teams down," said Cobb. "We’re a small team, but we have stamina. We use nine players and always have fresh legs on the floor."

Sophomore Toni Ingenito is the engine that pulls the Jersey Blues along. The versatile forward can play any style and from anywhere on the court with effectiveness. She has had 18 double-doubles this year. She had 16 points and 13 rebounds in the win over Middlesex. She is also among the national leaders in rebounding, pulling down 11 a game.

Point guard Cassandra Crawford is another sophomore providing veteran leadership. She has kept the offense running smoothly. Backup point guard Jamie DePalo allows Crawford to play at full speed.

Forwards Laura Hensley and Kelly Griffin, also sophomores, are solid rebounders.

Jamie Crahan, Alan Nikola, Katie Pusz and Jennifer Thompson are the freshmen who have given the team a big lift, not only for the depth they provide, but with their talent as well. Campacci and Cobb can go deep on the bench without missing a beat.