By Jeff Appelblatt
Before the season began, coach Jen Brzucki said it would be a rebuilding year for her girls’ basketball team at Freehold High School.
So when she saw her team fall behind by double digits in its second game of the season, she couldn’t have thought of it as anything significant. The team did lose its opener against the crosstown rival from Freehold Township High School, 55-33, a few days before.
But when the second half of the game against Manalapan High School Dec. 20 started with the Colonials trailing, 19-11, Brzucki’s girls showed what they were capable of.
“We took advantage of our shot selection in the second half,” the coach said. “We were down by 10 at one point. [But] I think we took good control of the game and took care of our turnovers.”
As a result, Freehold outscored the Braves, 16-5 in the third quarter and proceeded to win, 46-37.
While Sierra Strong was the only Colonials player to score more than six points (16) against Freehold Township, she got a bunch of help from her teammates against Manalapan. Strong didn’t even need to do much scoring. Instead, Sydney Przygoda led the Freehold attack with 20 points. Kayla Fletcher and Sholanda Hickman chipped in with 10 and nine points, respectively.
Was it a relief to Brzucki to see her team win, especially as early in the season as it was?
“Yes. Very,” she said. “It’s good to be 1-1. So to speak, it’s good to be on the even side or the up-side.”
The relief of being .500 didn’t last long, however, as the Colonials fell to Neptune High School Dec. 22 by a 60-22 score. The Scarlet Fliers entered the contest with a 3-0 record.
Freehold will try to get back even when it resumes play in the new year. On Jan. 2, it will play an 11:30 a.m. game at Ocean Township High School.
