Last look

Salem CC women’s basketball team to play its final home game of season Saturday, will recognize Oaks legend Coppage during the day

By Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The Salem Community College revived women’s basketball team has been nothing short of road warriors this second half of the season, but Saturday the Mighty Oaks get one final chance to play at home and will recognize one of the legends of their game in the process.

The Oaks (8-10) host Raritan Valley CC (18-5) in their final home game of the season in a noon tip at DuPont Field House. They’ll be looking to snap a three-game losing streak against some of their stiffest competition of the year and secure a winning record at home for the season.

They’ve played their previous four games on the road and will wrap their revival season with three road games after Saturday’s contest.

Salem revived its women’s basketball program this season after a 10-year break from competition and the team is slowly trying to regain a foothold in the Garden State Athletic Conference and JUCO’s Region 19.

As part of the day’s events the school plans to recognize Shaqui Coppage, the fourth player to score 1,000 career points in the program’s history. That’s 1,000 points at a two-year school. Coppage also was a 1,000-point scorer at Salem High School.

Ironically, Raritan Valley was the opposition the last time Salem recognized Coppage’s milestone as a sophomore in 2014.

It’s just another way coach Brian Marsh is trying to spread the word to the community that there is a college team in their own backyard. That’s just one of the challenges one faces when restarting a program.

“It’s been a great learning experience for me,” Marsh said. “It’s not been all sunny and rainbows, but one thing is (the players) haven’t quit. They’ve fought through some things.”