Young Cougars are determined to do their best

BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Above, Colts Neck's Brooke Hampton shoots over the Manalapan defense during the Cougars' home win on Thursday. At left, Kim Campfield makes her way to the basket. What John Truhan has discovered in the first month of the basketball season is that his Colts Neck Cougars will not be satisfied with being second best.

With three freshmen in the starting lineup, it would have been easy for the Cougar girls to be happy just to have reached the final of the WOBM Classic, held in the Ritacco Center at Toms River High School. The Holiday tournament was stacked with the Shore's best teams and the Cougars managed to negotiate their way through a minefield of talented squads before playing powerhouse Rumson-Fair Haven in the Dec. 30 final.

The defending State Group II champion Bulldogs handed the young Cougars their first loss of the year, 42-31, but that didn't diminish what the Cougars accomplished. Truhan pointed out that his Cougars beat three teams that had won NJSIAA state sectional titles in recent years (Brick Township, Lacey and Southern) en route to the final, where they played one of the state's best teams.

PHOTOS BY MIGUEL JUAREZ staff "We've had a good run so far," he said. "We had a number of quality wins. The final four teams [in the WOMB] were undefeated and ranked in the top 10 in the Shore.

"We ran into a quality Rumson team that is ranked in the Top 10 in the state in the final," he added. "It was great to play in that atmosphere and be on the same court with a team like Rumson."

That, however, wasn't enough for Colts Neck.

"They didn't blink, they weren't satisfied with being in the final," said Truhan of his team. "They want to be the best."

Rumson, well known for its full-court pressure defense, wasn't able to use its bread-and-butter against the Cougars because they have as many as four guards on the court, all of whom see the court well and handle the ball flawlessly. What the Bulldogs did instead was utilize their edge in height (the tallest Cougar is 5-9), experience and suffocating half-court defense to turn back the Cougars.

"Defensively they played a perfect game," said Truhan.

Guards Brooke Hampton and Lauren Clarke, two of Colts Neck's amazing freshmen, were named to the All-Tournament Team. Hampton, who had the hot-hand in the tournament, was the first player in tourney history to score 70 points, finishing up with 75.

While Hampton, Clarke and Tiffany DeTulio have hardly resembled freshmen, it is veterans like Jackie Spinella and Crystal Butler who have been providing leadership.

Spinella, a senior, has been a needed force rebounding and plays tough defense, while the 5-9 Butler has had to play out of position in the paint while injured Michelle Cordaro works her way back into the lineup. Butler takes a back seat to no one in the hustle category, and she has been doing a great job clogging up the middle.

Melanie Wilmot and Nicole Vaccarella have provided the team with a spark off the bench.

What has led Colts Neck to its unexpected 7-1 start is the fact that everyone on the team has not only accepted their roles, but is attacking it with a passion.

"This is a very unselfish team, unselfish to a fault," noted Truhan.

The Cougars have been a work in progress that keeps getting better from quarter to quarter.

"They are a fun team to watch," he said. "They play basketball the right way on both ends.

"They are respectful to the game of basketball," he added. "The are as humble as they are talented."

The Cougars will face another major test tomorrow night when they host defending A North Division champion Middletown South. The 5-1 Eagles haven't had to work up a sweat yet in any of their four division wins.

With both teams 4-0 in A North, first place is on the line. This will be yet another learning experience for the young Cougars.

Tipoff in Colts Neck is 5:30 p.m.