Rutgers-Camden Athletics

Women's basketball picked ninth in NJAC Pre-Season Coaches' Poll

11/6/2023 11:15:00 AM

CAMDEN, N.J. (Nov. 6, 2023) – The Rutgers University-Camden women's basketball team has been predicted for ninth place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference in a pre-season poll of the NJAC's 10 coaches, announced today.
 
The Scarlet Raptors, who finished ninth in the NJAC last season with a 2-16 conference record, were picked to finish behind eighth-place Stockton University, which was tabbed as the conference's dark horse team, and 10th-place Rutgers-Newark.
 
New Jersey City University received four first-place votes as the coaches tabbed the Gothic Knights as the team to beat in the NJAC this season. The College of New Jersey was picked for second place, receiving three first-place votes, while Rowan University was tabbed for third and garnered two first-place votes. The other first-place vote went to Ramapo College, which was predicted to finish fourth.
 
Montclair State University, Kean University and William Paterson were picked for fifth through seventh place, respectively, ahead of Stockton, Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return only four letterwinners, led by senior guard Rahzirah Blocker, who averaged 15.4 points and 5.8 rebounds last season. With 676 points and a 16.1 scoring average in only two seasons with the team, Blocker is 324 points from becoming the 16th player in program history to join the 1,000-point club.
 
The most recent player to reach the 1,000-point milestone was Jalissa Pitts, who accomplished the feat during her senior season last year. A three-time member of the All-NJAC Team (two times NJAC Second Team and once NJAC Honorable Mention), Pitts returns this season as a volunteer assistant coach, but her offensive prowess will be missed: she led the team last year with an 18.7 scoring average and added a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game. She is one of nine athletes gone from the 2022-23 team, including six who started or played significant minutes off the bench.
 
In addition to Blocker, returning to the team are senior guard Jania Pitts, Jalissa's sister, junior guard Angelina Cellucci and sophomore guard Zhoei Travis, a member of the 2021-22 team who missed last season. Jania Pitts finished third on the team in scoring last season with a 5.7 average, while adding 4.3 rebounds per game and a team-high 42 steals.
 
Coming off a 4-21 campaign, second-year Head Coach James Boney features a young team as he looks to rebuild the Rutgers-Camden program. Outside of the four letterwinners, the remainder of his 11-player roster includes five freshmen and two sophomores.
 
"I love our players' hearts and the determination of this group to do hard things," Boney said. "Our work ethic and commitment will soon produce winning results. We must focus on the process and daily discipline it takes to win each day."
 
The Raptors' freshman contingent includes center Gabrielle Balter, guard Natalia Gordon, forward A'yanna Morton, and guards Bonnie Sellers and Maniya Simon. Sophomore guard Taja Brown played junior college basketball last season at Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Illinois, while sophomore guard Julianna Wilson played for Rowan College of South Jersey – Cumberland.

Rutgers-Camden opens its season Wednesday night with a 7 p.m. game at Drew University. The Scarlet Raptors' home opener is Saturday at 3 p.m. against Arcadia University.
 
Rutgers-Camden opens its NJAC schedule November 21 at The College of New Jersey.