Brookdale basketball bringing enthusiasm
Men's team starts season at 1-2, looks to win home games this weekend
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
Brookdale Community College's men's basketball team has the intangibles on its side this winter.

JEFF GRANIT staff Brookdale's Rashad Stephens goes up for a basket against Delaware Tech's Milos Petrovic during a game Nov. 29 in Lincroft.

Paul Cisek has a team that has but two players returning from last year, yet this team of newcomers has jelled already.

"This team has a lot of enthusiasm; they're so excited to be playing," he pointed out. "Everyone wants to play their role. There is team unity."

That unity revealed itself on opening night when the Jersey Blues put five players in double figures on the way to a win over Burlington.

Small forward Rashad Stephens (Passaic), the team captain, and point guard Leon Norman (Monmouth Regional) are the only players returning from the 2006-07 squad.

Stephens, who averaged double figures last year, is one of the 10 best players in the Garden State Athletic Conference, according to his coach. Stephens is one of the team's go-to players on offense.

Norman is the starting point guard. He was the backup last fall and his experience has him ready to orchestrate the offense. His quickness is his best asset.

Devon Parkins, a transfer from Middlesex County College, is the starting shooting guard. He has great range. The sophomore nailed 86 threes while at Middlesex. Parkins is more than a stand-up shooter. He has the athleticism to put the ball on the floor.

Michael Polasky (Wall Township) is the starting power forward. The 6-foot-6 Wall grad is a strong physical presence up front and a good shooter.

Reggie Hendrex, a 6-4 transfer from Bloomfield College who starred at Monmouth Regional, will be the team's power forward with Polasky backing him up when all of the transfer paperwork is complete. He and Stephens will be counted on to be the team's most consistent players night-in and night-out. He's very athletic and is a finisher when the team is fast-breaking.

Baronn Livingston, another ex-Monmouth Regional star, is the starting center. The 6-6 pivot-man has a lot of potential, according to Cisek. He is backed up by another 6-6 center, Jason Klinger (Wall Township).

Backup may not be the right term for the BCC substitutes, because they are a very important part of the team's philosophy, which is to run and press teams. Cisek compared his team to a railroad station because he going to constantly be substituting.

"We'll go as hard as we can and have people coming and going," he pointed out.

Freshman Xavier McAden (Fort Lee) is one of those key backups. He's a good shooter who, despite being 5-7, doesn't shy away from going to the hole and challenging the big guys in the paint.

Michael Viggianno (Marlboro) and Daniel Stein (Holmdel) bolster the backcourt - Viggianno is a point guard and Stein as a shooter.

Brookdale's team could become stronger if Trey Taylor (Ranney School) is able to return from a back injury. He was playing well throughout the pre-season before suffering the injury.

This weekend, the Blues are hosting the annual Brookdale Invitational Saturday and Sunday. Three top teams from New York City are coming to Lincroft for the tourney, which features a double-header Saturday with games at 1 and 3 p.m. The consolation game is noon Sunday followed at 2 p.m. by the championship game.

Brookdale opens with Hostos Community College (N.Y.), the 2005 junior college national champions, while Technical Career Institute (N.Y.) and Fashion Institute of Technology (N.Y.) squaring off in the other semifinal.

The Garden State Athletic Conference will be one big 12-team conference this winter (no North and South divisions) with each team playing two games against everyone. The goal is to finish in the top four and get a first-round bye when the playoffs get start on Feb. 23.