TCA set for swan song season
Trenton Catholic Academy girls’ basketball is one of the best teams in New Jersey not to win a state title in 2020 or 2021, all because of a pandemic.
The Mikes had advanced to the NJSIAA Non-Public B state final when the coronavirus ended high school sports a year ago.
COVID-19 has continued its grip this season. While teams from the Burlington County Scholastic League can play regular-season games, the NJSIAA has already announced there will be no postseason.
That’s more bad news for third-year head coach Bob Fusik’s team, which recently was told the school might close at the end of 2020-21.
While Fusik and others fight to make sure that does not happen, he wants to show everyone how good TCA is. Despite graduating six players, the Mikes still have talented young troops ready to play anyone who is willing.
“I think we have just as much talent now as we did last season,” said Fusik, whose 2021 team will have two seniors: Jazmin Boyd, a 5-foot-10 guard, and Sydney Tabor, a 5-6 guard. “I’d be happy if we can get Jazmin a Division I scholarship, and everyone else can get better. Mostly we’re playing for pride. We’re all just grateful to be able to get back on the court together again.”
Returning for their second year at Trenton Catholic are 5-9 guard/forward Zoe Brooks, who led the team by scoring 13.5 points per game last season, and 6-6 center Aalyah Del Rosario, who added 12 ppg. Joining the sophomore class is a highly regarded transfer from Manchester Township,
Angelica Velez, a 5-5 guard who averaged 7.1 ppg for the Hawks last year.
TCA will be one of two teams from Mercer County in the BCSL, whose clubs will not not be competing for divisional crowns this winter.
Ewing-based STEM Civics will continue to try to make in-roads after going winless a year ago. The Purple Lightning have all sophomores and freshmen this season under new head coach LaMar Rice. Of the four sophomores, 6-2 guard Corie Crump, who averaged six points per game, is one of the squad’s three returning players.
“With the team being so young, the goal is to legit develop the girls this year,” said Rice, who will be assisted by Cierra Jones. “We want to teach them to learn how to play fast and make the right decision based off what the defense is showing them.”
Bordentown will have the most seniors of any Trentonian-area BCSL team. Thirteenth-year head coach Bill Lloyd’s club, which won 15 games in 2019-20, has five seniors back, including 5-10 center Kenna Wojcik, along with 5-7 guards Brianna Reed and Gillian Baker, plus 5-7 junior guard Oshynn Cosom (8.8 ppg) to help provide leadership.
“What we want to accomplish this year is to play,” said
Lloyd, whose team did not even get on the court until Jan. 19 because of COVID-19 concerns.
New Egypt won 20 games for then-second-year girls’ head coach Jay Corby in 2019-20. The Warriors’ lone returning senior Kameko Miraglia, a 5-7 guard, is injured and may not be able to play until February. That leaves only four other returnees.
“This year we are looking to continue our success and will rely on our defense to make us competitive,” said Corby, who will also have back Michaela Weber, a 5-8 junior guard/forward who averaged five points and five rebounds, and Payton Arnold, a 5-6 sophomore guard who came on strong late last season with 7.5 ppg, including 26 3-point field goals. “We don’t have a ton of experience and have to find out who wants to handle the ball. Again our strengths are defense and toughness like usual.”
No one has to tell fourthyear Florence head coach Gina Smith about toughness. Her players battled their way to 16 wins last season, earning a share of the Independence Division title with Bordentown, after having gone 9-16 in 2018-19.
This year, the Flashes will have 5-6 forward Arian Davis-Vigo as their lone senior atop a very talented younger group which includes Olivia Loftin, a 5-5 junior guard who averaged 9.3 ppg; Gabrielle Loftin, a 5-6 sophomore guard who led the team with 14.5 ppg; and Alexa Taylor, a 5-3 sophomore guard who provided 10.7 ppg.
Smith said her team’s goals are simple: “This season we want to accomplish being the best student-athletes possible, while being kind to each other. We want to have some fun with each other on the court, while staying safe.”
In her second year as Northern Burlington’s head coach, Molly Napolitano will have three seniors to lead an extremely inexperienced squad.
Guards Sarah Krusen, Cayenne Montague and Shaylah Moore will be joined by 5-11 sophomore forward Angelina Banas as the only Greyhounds who have played varsity.
“We are looking to have a healthy season, while improving on last year’s (12-15) record as well as developing our young players,” Napolitano said.
Teams are allowed to play no more than 15 games, beginning Tuesday and running through Saturday, March 6. Spectators are prohibited.