Salem CC women’s basketball has ‘historically busy’ offseason, signing eight players, two assistants
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Brian Marsh has had an “historically busy” offseason, as busy as any the Salem CC women’s basketball coach can remember as a player, coach or manager. And it was all in the name of bringing his program up to speed with the competition and on the map.
Marsh has spent the last few months scouring the landscape to bring aboard players and assistant coaches that will provide flexibility in games and even conduct proper practices.
He has brought in eight new players – four bigs and four guards – and a pair of assistant coaches to give the Mighty Oaks full complements in each area.
Last year he was recruiting to build a brand new program, at least one that hadn’t fielded a team in 10 years, and this year he was basically doing the same, but with the benefit of a product to show the prospects he was chasing.
“You remember the team last year,” Marsh said. “I only had eight, so I didn’t have enough to go 5-on-5 (in practice), so me and the assistant coach had the jump in. I wanted not only the players to be 5-on-5, but in case something happened I wanted some numbers.”
No chance of being short now. The goal was to get bigger, more physical, more athletic and more sure-handed, and with this bunch he’s done that, giving him 13 players (with maybe one more to come) for what he considers his first full year as head coach.
The bigs:
Imara James, 5-11, Bridgeton. The first commitment in the class to get the ball rolling and a projected power forward considered a nice steal.
Akira Chambers, 5-11, Cleburne Texas. A strong rebounder who can take charge inside and still shoot out to 15 feet.
Daniella Gustin, 6-0, Houston. Long and athletic, a combination of James and Chambers who could have a immediate impact. Attended the same Texas high school as Mighty Oaks softball player KC Garcia.
Jolee Robinson, 5-9 , Delta, Colo. Coming to Salem to play softball alongside her sister Jill Robinson, but also was a strong basketball player in high school.
“We had to get bigger,” Marsh said. “We needed to do a better job on rebounding and our interior defense. I told the team I needed to do a better job of getting them in positions to succeed. I thought we were small, we’re going to play fast, but we’d get outrebounded by 30 rebounds a game sometimes and it’s really hard to win games like that. So, my first priority was to go big. We got big.”
The guards:
Imirah (MyMy) Trader, 5-5, Wilmington. College transfer with two years of eligibility. Led A.I. Dupont is points, assists, steals as a senior. She played on the boys varsity as a sophomore when her school cancelled the girls season because of COVID.
Ny’Aijah Jackson, 5-9, Wilmington. Versatile player who led A.I. Dupont in rebounds and was second in assists, steals and blocked shots looking forward to reuniting with Trader.
Ray’Nesecia King, 5-4, Dallas. Blue-collar defensive specialist who brings the toughness to set up and break the press.
Genovanna (Gia) Tjaden-Smith, 5-9, Wilmington. A long, athletic wing from Delaware Military Academy who can play multiple positions.
“Once I got my rebounding and my interior defense, one of the other things we needed to get better at was our ballhandling and setting up the press and breaking the press,” Marsh said. “We just didn’t have enough ballhandlers.
“I loved my players from last year’s depth, but we needed some toughness and that’s what we got. Last year we just didn’t have the numbers to press. I want to play an up-tempo style, I want to press; we just didn’t have the numbers last year. I have the numbers now.”
Kiara Eubanks and Garret Sample are the two new assistants. Eubanks was a four-year player at Wilmington and an assistant on that staff last year. Eubanks was a senior manager and women’s basketball practice player at Temple – just like Marsh – and he’ll work with the guards.
“They know what it takes to play at a high level,” Marsh said.
The pieces seem to be in place. Now, it’s just a matter of finding the right combinations and going to play a schedule that includes 16 home dates.
“To be really honest I was hoping after we recruited last year what I was going to do was have five new incoming players, but with the way things worked out I realized that wasn’t going to be enough,” Marsh said.
“It was definitely easier recruiting this year because we have a team and people can go on our website and see what we have,. It’s easier once you set the table already. Last year it was hard to recruit … because we don’t even have a team yet. They set the table. It’s time to eat.”
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