BCC point guards are the difference
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer

ERIC SUCAR staff Brookdale Community College freshman Jess Liubicich tosses up a shot during the second half of a game against Cumberland on Dec. 11.

The Brookdale Community College women's basketball team is redefining what it means to be a point guard. Yes, it's still the player who brings the ball up the floor and runs the offense, but, in BCC's case, it's not limited to one player.

The Jersey Blues have three players on the floor at the same time that can play point guard and it has created match-up nightmares for opponents.

"Teams don't know what to do with us," said Joanne Cobb, who is the co-head coach of the Jersey Blues along with Marianne Campacci.

Sophomore Kitora Jones (Perth Amboy) was the Blues' point guard on the team that went to the national championships last winter. She was an All-American nominee in '08 and a preseason AA this year. She brings experience and breathtaking speed to the position.

So, when the Blues opened play this year in Boston, Mass., opponents thought all they had to do was keep the ball out of her hands and the Blues would fall apart. So, they double-teamed her and much to their shock, the Blues didn't fall apart.

"You can't do that with us," said Cobb.

Guard Maria Locicero (Mater Dei) and swing player Erika Jones (Perth Amboy) are more than capable of bringing the ball up the floor against pressure and directing the offense.

"All three are capable of playing all three positions [point guard, shooting guard, forward]." noted Cobb.

Roxbury and Westchester were left to ponderwhomto guard and never found the answer as BCC won the tournament with Erika Jones winning MVP and Kitora Jones making the All-Tournament Team. Between them, the three are combining for 10 assists a game.

This dynamic has helped the Blues, a team that had just two players returning and only one of them a starter, get off to a 7-2 start overall and 5-1 in the Garden State Conference.

Jones is having a better year than '08, averaging three assists and 17 points a game. She is the team's top three-point shooter (15).

Erika Jones (no relation to Kitora), a transfer from Southeastern Illinois, has been just what the Blues needed, a scorer. She is averaging 23.0 points a game, fourth best in the country. By averaging 11.1 rebounds a game, she is bringing a double-double to the team every night. She also leads the team with 3.8 steals and is second in blocks (4.2) per game, fueling the team's rapid transition game.

Locicero has been a pleasant surprise for the Cobb and Campacci, averaging 12.1 points and a team high 3.6 assists a game.

"Maria has just blossomed," said Cobb. "Her stats are off the roof.

"Last year she was content as a back-up, this year she doesn't want to leave the floor," she added.

The second newcomer to the starting lineup has been another impact player, 6- foot-3 transfer Chanel Gomez (Perth Amboy). She is averaging 12.6 points a game, but her real strength has been on the defensive end, where she ranks third in the country in rebounding (13.8 per game) first in blocked shots (8.4).

Kimberly Coleman (Monsignor Donovan) completes the starting five. She missed just about all of the 2007-08 season to injury. At 5-10, she provides another presence down low for the Blues.

Brookdale's bench gives its coaches flexibility. When they need offense, they can turn to guard Kelly Ridolfi (Middletown North) or Ishakemya Bunting (Asbury Park).

Forwards Jessica Liubicich (Middletown North) and Jana McCabe (Brick Township) are there for defense and rebounding.

At the moment, the defending champion Blues are trailing Camden (ranked 10th in the country) in the GSAC. Camden handed the women one of their two losses. Cobb is confident that by February when its tournament time, her defending champions (ranked 12th in the country) will again be the team to beat.

The rematch with Camden is not until Jan. 16, 2009, in Camden.

Brookdale's next home game is not until Jan. 3 when the Blues host Sussex.