New Brunswick HS Girls Basketball Team Happy to Return to the Court
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – For Christina White, this will be a successful season if her team plays hard, shows improvement and remains healthy.
That’s the reality for the New Brunswick High School girls basketball that began its season this week under the specter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Zebras fell to North Brunswick on Tuesday in their season opener, which was delayed from its typical December start date while the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association developed safety protocols for basketball programs across the state.
Although COVID-19 might be the most imposing opponent they face this season, White said this season will not necessarily be defined by their win-loss record.
“Of course, we want to go out and we want to win games,” White said. “We’re going to go out and play to win. But this season, it’s really all about learning for us. I mean, we know that no one’s going to win a division title, and everybody’s just out there to improve and build for next year. So, we know we’re going to go out, we’re going to play hard each game, we’re going to play to win each game, we’re going to do the best we can improve each game, improve each practice, but we just want to go and have fun this season.”
It’s a good thing that there’s a lot of leadership on the roster to help guide the young team through this challenging season.
On the offensive end, White will look to juniors Ismel Martinez and Alexandria Tucker to lead the way. Martinez led the team in rebounding last season. White said that senior Tyana Riles and junior Ashley Jaquez will set the tone for the Zebras defensively.
Their leadership will be needed considering several players opted not to play this year. And, of the nine players, three have never been part of the program before.
White said just getting to practice – even with face masks on – has been a welcomed experience for the players. They are playing and practicing with an air of enthusiasm.
“They’re actually happy to be back,” White said. “They couldn’t wait to get out the house. At first, they were scared to come in the gym, a lot of them. I had a few players from last year that didn’t return – about four or five – because they were too afraid that something will happen to them and it will affect their families.
“But the players that are here now, they’re actually happy to be back. They see that rght now it’s not an issue and everything is safe. We sanitize everything, and we keep our distance when we’re supposed to. And they’re actually excited about the season.”
