By Vincent Focht
CCC Journalism Program
The Camden County College women’s basketball team looks to have another thriller of a season and to get Papiano Gymnasium bouncing again as they come off a record-setting 25 regular season wins in the 2024-25 season. With only one remaining captain from last year’s squad, they have lots of new blood to work with in the CCC locker room ready to get into the thick of it.
With their first game right around the corner against Valley Forge University on Oct. 28 for the home opener on the Blackwood campus, the question must be asked — Can the women in blue and white continue their winning ways coming off such a successful season with so much new talent?
This year’s women’s basketball squad looks to have a huge impact with many new pieces with a feisty mentality entering a new season. Now having more than 10 practices, a lot of growing and team gravitation have occurred.
Coach Charles Chip Reitano has seen great improvement with team morale throughout the current practice period. Acknowledging the great loss of players from last year’s squad, Reitano noted, “It’s obviously a work in progress trying to get the newer players to adapt to our system” Still, the coach remains positive, recognizing the ever-changing nature of junior college sports, where players are typically active for a maximum of two years.
The Lady Cougars have had a huge push for success, with Reitano saying confidently, “They have done a really good job of being there for each other and having each other’s backs,” while also acknowledging the growing pains and hurdles that are expected.
Coming off last year’s top tier regular season with a record 25 wins as well as a dominating performance on their home court with a 14 and 2 record, the Lady Cougars are determined to keep the momentum going. The women in blue and white in the postseason were able to advance past the quarterfinals against Rowan College South Jersey of Cumberland with a 75-32 victory but fell short in the semifinals against Rowan College South Jersey of Gloucester 61-41, according to the CCC athletics website. This was not the ending they wanted but they look to make that the building block to retaliate with even higher levels of fight for this upcoming season.
The lone returning captain from last year’s squad, Erica Paranzino, whose team came up with a total of 2,005 points last season, according to the NJCAA athletics website, is positive about the chemistry growth in the team. “I feel like every day we get better with the chemistry aspect,” Paranzino said. “We have three returning starters, so that kind of helps since we are all used to playing with each other, but as for the new people, every day we get a little bit better with chemistry.”
Paranzino expressed optimism about the upcoming season, stating, “It’s just a matter of time. I am pretty confident we will all be good by the time the season starts.”