By Marcus Henry
marcus.henry@newsday.com
There are several routes that can be taken to earn a basketball scholarship. The least popular way is via junior college. But players who pass on playing at the junior college level often miss out on a golden opportunity.
Monet Johnson rising for a jumper. Photo courtesy of Monroe College.
Anyone who witnessed the Monroe College women's team defeat Suffolk CC, 74-53, for its fifth straight Region XV championship on Sunday can attest to how viable an option playing junior college basketball can be.
Monroe College has become the model program in junior college basketball. The Lady Mustangs have won 103 straight games against Region XV opponents and were national champions in 2006. More importantly, many of the women who have suited up for the Mustangs have moved on to the Division I and II level.
Monroe's latest star pupil is 5-11 wing player Monet Johnson. The former Grand Street Campus (Brooklyn) standout, who had 22 points in the game, is arguably the top player on the junior college level and has received interest from Providence, South Carolina, Morgan State and several other Division I schools.
"Most people don't know the about the high level of basketball played in junior college," Monroe coach Seth Goodman said. "The players buy into the system here and they come ot play every day."
Johnson is just one of two dozen players the Mustangs will have sent to the Division I and II level. Fantasia Goodwin, considered one of the all-time great junior college players, is now starring at Syracuse. Goodwin is Monroe's all-time leading scorer with 1,685 points. Angela Pace, who led Monroe to the NJCAA Final Four last year, is playing at Robert Morris.
Marcenia Bellamy (St. Peter's), DeAnna Chestnut (Robert Morris) and Danielle Hubbard (South Carolina State) also ended up at Division I schools. On the men's side its the same deal as the Mustangs have sent 22 players to Division I.
"The players play hard because they know there is a lot at stake," Goodman said. "Championships, rings and scholarships."