NB girls hoops get fresh start with new coach
Sagehorn comes to Raiders with collegiate coaching experience
BY GEORGE ALBANO Staff Writer
Pam Sagehorn, the new North Brunswick High School girls basketball coach, admits she doesn't know all that much about how the Raiders were last season, and she almost prefers it that way.

"I know they lost more games than they won," she said this week, "and I know they lost a lot of winnable games."

Sagehorn, a former player at Bridgewater High School and Fairleigh Dickinson University, looks at her arrival at North Brunswick as a new beginning for the Raiders, who open the 2007-08 season Friday night at home against Sayreville. To her, the past is irrelevant.

"We're just looking ahead," the new coach said. "We've had two scrimmages so far, and we have one more this week. Then we start the season."

Sagehorn likes what she's seen so far, too.

"We actually hung in there in both our scrimmages so far," she pointed out. "We scrimmaged against Manasquan and they had a huge team with a lot of depth. Every time they subbed, they sent in a new five. We have low numbers and not a lot of depth, but we hung with them."

While this is Sagehorn's first stint as a head coach, she's certainly no stranger to coaching. In fact, the 2005 FDU grad and former second-team All-Freedom Conference forward served as an assistant for one season at Drew University in Morristown.

"I've been around basketball my whole life," she said. "I've helped other coaches and worked at camps, so I've been around sports. But everything has been on the college level. This is my first high school head coaching job.

"I'm very excited," she added. "I'm having fun so far and hopefully everything will come along. If we get in shape and we have the heart and desire, we should be OK."

Sagehorn did inherit some experienced players, including returning seniors Jamie Tucker, a 5-10 post player, and point guard Tylere Simpson, both starters last season.

"Jamie is gonna be playing everywhere," Sagehorn said. "She'll play mostly the three [forward], but she does everything really well.

"And Tylere is a great leader on the floor. I just tell her what I want to do and she gets it done. We're going to need her and everyone else to step up this season."

Jess Crouch, another senior, can also play the point, but will start and play mostly at shooting guard.

"Those are the only players with significant varsity experience," Sagehorn noted. "I'm lucky to have those three talented ones."

Meanwhile, Jasmine Malone, a 6-foot junior who saw some playing time last season, will start at center.

"She has some good post moves," said Sagehorn, a former frontcourt player herself who's been working with Malone. "Hopefully, we can work her into some offense."

The final starting position is "still up for grabs," according to Sagehorn, between Michelle Morano, a 5-foot-8 senior, and sophomore guard Jasmine Phelps.

"If we go with a big lineup, Michelle will be in there, and if we go with a quicker lineup, Jasmine will be on the floor. We're looking for her to step up."

A pair of juniors Sagehorn is hoping can contribute off the bench are forward Sarah Yoffredo and guard Tania Edwards.

"Because of our numbers, we need both of them to be on varsity," Sagehorn explained.

"We need them both to step up and make things happen."

The Raiders will have a little more depth once January rolls around and guard Samara Kennedy, a junior transfer from Bishop Ahr, can start playing.

"She's going to bring some good talent to the team," Sagehorn said. "She has good moves in the paint once she gets by her opponent. I could play her at shooting guard, but I could also see her playing the point.

"It hurts us that she can't play until January. We need her now, but we just have to wait."

Once she's eligible to play, Kennedy should fit right in the Raiders' game plan.

"I want to see us move the ball around on offense," Sagehorn said. "Pass and move, constant motion.

"And on defense we'll play mostly man. We've got some quick guards."

The new coach still doesn't know much about last year's team, but she thinks this year's squad can enjoy some success on the hardwood.

"We can definitely win some games if we play as a team instead of as individuals," she said. "Once we start playing together, I think we'll be in good shape. We're just going to take it one day at a time."