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MCC raises the bar by winning in Division I


Full steam ahead
Who: Monroe CC women's basketball.
Record: 9-1.
Rank: Ninth in the NJCAA Division I poll.
Top scorers: Sophomore guard Maurita Reid (18.9), sophomore center Jennifer Jones (14.4) and sophomore point guard Niki Avery (13.5).

Call Ripley's: Coach Tim Parrinello has a career record of 284-26.
       
https://www.topix.net/ 
From the Democrat and Chronicle, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005.
 
 
MCC raises the bar by winning in Division I

Reloaded Tribunes jump to impressive 9-1 start

"mailto:jmand@democratandchronicle.com"Jim Mandelaro
Staff writer

(December 22, 2005) — After winning a second straight national championship, and losing arguably the greatest player in program history, the Monroe Community College women's basketball team found itself at a crossroads this season.

MCC was moving to Division I of the junior college ranks after dominating Division II for years. But with only four players returning, and a schedule created by the Marquis de Sade, some wondered if the high-flying Tribunes finally might be grounded.

Not a chance. MCC hasn't skipped a beat, rolling to a 9-1 record, outscoring opponents 78-56.

And if you believe 10th-year coach Tim Parrinello, the best is yet to come.

"I don't believe we'll lose again this season,'' the McQuaid graduate says.

MCC's only loss was by two points to Gulf Coast CC, then ranked No. 2 in the nation, back on Nov. 21. The Tribunes' proudest moment (so far) was beating No. 2 Chipola by eight points on a neutral court.

The Tribunes began the year 25th in the preseason NJCAA Division I poll. They rose to fifth but have inexplicably dropped to ninth despite a perfect week.

Sophomore Maurita Reid, one of the few returning players, says this edition is just as talented as last year's squad, which finished 31-3 behind super point guard Renee Taylor (now starting at Division I Miami) and repeated as JUCO Division II champions.

"We were faster last year,'' says Reid, who averages a team-high 18.9 points, "but we're stronger this year.''

Reid, who is being recruited by Virginia, Maryland, Miami and Connecticut, is playing shooting guard and small forward. Point guard is shared by Niki Avery (13.5 ppg), a sometimes starter at Division I Texas-El Paso last year, and freshman Tiffany Wilson (East High).

The Tribunes are powered up front by 6-foot sophomore Jennifer Jones (Arkport), who transferred from St. John's of the Big East, and 6-4 freshman Jessica Fuller of Queens.

Jones is averaging 14.4 points.

Parrinello is the king of Queens, luring Fuller, 5-10 freshman Dawn Coleman and 5-10 sophomore Holly Mahan from the borough.

"I'm big in Queens,'' he says with a laugh.

So, is one ball enough for all this talent?

"It is,'' Avery says. "We have good talent and a great coach who knows how to put the pieces of the puzzle together.''

With a mind-boggling record of 284-26, there is no disputing Parrinello's impact.

"He doesn't go by the book,'' Reid says. "He does it how he wants to and it gets done that way. He lets us play.''

One of Parrinello's key freshman is Whitney Wright, who played in the shadow of two-time All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year Maddy Brown (now starting at Pittsburgh) at Honeoye Falls-Lima.

"She has a lot more ability than people gave her credit for,'' Parrinello says. "A lot of people missed on her.''

The Tribunes remain a band on the run, using its deep bench and tenacious pressure defense to dominate opponents.

"Our team has very good chemistry, on and off the court,'' Jones says. "We're one big family, always looking out for each other.''

Jones worried that, with 12 freshman and only four sophomores, there might be "a lot of turmoil'' this season.

"But everyone is very positive,'' she says. "There's always something that someone can do better than someone else.''

Few, if any, can do it better than MCC, be it Division II or I.

"We're right where we need to be,'' Parrinello says. "We're not getting ahead of ourselves. This team has a great mental balance for what we need to do to get better.''

Get better? You can almost feel opponents cringing.

"mailto:JMAND@DemocratandChronicle.com"JMAND@DemocratandChronicle.com

Tom Garigen
Athletics
12/23/2005


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