Nationally Ranked Roxbury CC Visits On December 21 For New England Junior College Showdown

MANCHESTER – The MCC Women’s basketball team cruised through November with seven straight victories and opened the final month of 2010 with a 75-47 victory over previously unbeaten Quinsigamond CC on December 2 and a 76-47 victory over UConn-Avery Point on December 6.

The Cougars (9-0 through December 7) passed their first test of the season with a decisive 79-62 victory over Region 19 champion Brookdale CC on November 14 and face another major challenge on December 21st when nationally ranked Roxbury CC visits the GPA gym for a 6 PM game.

MCC beat Roxbury CC 79-61 in the Region 21 championship game in last March to advance to the national tournament, but the Tigers were one of only four teams to beat MCC in 2009-10.

“I think it’s going to be an up tempo game,” MCC head coach Robert Turner Jr. said. “It’s going to be interesting to see how Roxbury handles us. Because I don’t think it’s going to be an issue of how we handle Roxbury. We do so many different things and are so versatile. It’s going to make for a very exciting game.”

#7 Roxbury (Massachusetts) head coach Mark Leszczyk returns starters Jesika Holmes and Sequita “Butta” Samuels from an exciting team that finished 26-4 last season. Holmes, who was an All-New England first team selection last season, leads Roxbury (10-2 through Dec 7) with 12.6 points and 13.8 rebounds per game.

Roxbury also has a Manchester High alum on the roster, Reynesha Archer, who has averaged 4.7 points through 10 games as a freshman.

The Cougars dominance over New England junior college teams should come as no surprise to those who followed the program through its run for a NJCAA Division III National Championship in March. Turner has eight players returning from a team that set a program record with 24 wins last spring, including two at the national tournament where MCC finished fourth in the eight-team field.

Turner has a variety of ways to dismantle opponents, but his first choice is the full-court press. Teams know it is coming, but with 6’2” “Twin Towers” Ericka Sagay and Jazlynn Canino in their faces, there is not much they can do.

“In this particular region, teams don’t have too much height,” Turner said. “Sometimes you are lucky just to have one six-footer, but we when you have two, it makes a big difference.” Turner is in his sixth season as MCC’s head coach and has posted an 83-35 record, however his teams are a gaudy 69-10 since start of 2007-08 season.

Sagay was named NJCAA Division III Player of the Week on Nov 24 and is averaging 17.4 points and 12 rebounds with a team-high 34 blocks. Canino leads the Cougars in free-throw percentage (75%) while averaging 7.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

“Ericka has very long arms, she blocks a lot of shots, is extremely athletic and can run the floor,” Turner said. “Jazz takes up a lot of space; she rebounds well and is just tough physically. A lot of players tend to shy away from her. Having both of them really makes a big difference when we go to our 2-3 zone or our 1-2-2 zone. It makes it difficult for teams to score on us inside, and that is one of our strengths.”

Moving up the court, Turner has sophomore point guard Shenielle Duncan-Clarke who led all NJCAA Division III players with eight assists per game a year ago. The 5’3” Duncan-Clarke, who is known affectionately as “Shorty,” is averaging 9.1 assists and 13.8 points through eight games this season and is arguably the best junior college point guard in New England, if not the nation. Duncan-Clarke leads the NJCAA is assists again this year (9.3) and steals (56 through nine games).

“I strongly believe by going to the nationals last year that she is the best point guard in the country in Division III,” Turner said of Duncan-Clarke. “She shoots well, she sees the floor well, she leads the nation in assists and steals. She is a very dangerous player to have on your team.”

The #3 Cougars also have returning sophomores Kasiana Goodman (8.25 rebounds per game); outside shooter Callie Tambling (15.3, including 22 three-pointers) and Tyra Brooks, Kate Gazdzicki and Rebeca VanGuilder, who have each earned more responsibility and playing time as second year players.

“These players come in, they already know the system, they understand the reasons for why we do what we do, and they believe in how effective it can be,” Turner said.

The sophomore dominant team has several rising stars among the freshman class, including Jaleesa Roy and Elise Chase. Roy is a burner on the outside who can shoot and Chase has been pulling down rebounds (3.7) and contributing baskets (7.3 per) while averaging 20 minutes per game.

Jaleesa plays very good defense,” Turner said of Roy. “She is very fast; she runs the floor very well. She gets us those easy points to help us create leads. With Elise, she is someone who has untapped potential and from what I have seen so far, she is getting better every game.”

The season is still young, but the players feel they can repeat as New England champions and return to Rochester, MN for the 2011 National Championship Tournament.

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