by Jim Fenton, The Enterprise
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BROCKTON – The dominant run began on Nov. 9 with a 36-point opening-day victory over Springfield Tech.
Three months later, the nationally ranked Massasoit Community College women's basketball team is continuing to roll.
The Warriors are 19-0, ranked No. 2 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 3 poll and are outscoring opponents by an average of 92.5-48.2.
They are just four victories away from completing a perfect regular season and then will host the Region 21 tournament at Asiaf Field House, needing two more wins for a trip to the eight-team NCJAA tourney in Rockland, Ill. next month.
It has been a dream season for Massasoit, which has been unbeatable despite having just one player back from a team that went 20-3 a year ago, has only a seven-player roster and lacks size.
But the Warriors use an aggressive pressing defense and an up-tempo style to fluster opponents. Their closest games came in January against Union County, a Division 2 program that lost to Massasoit, 61-51, and ASA Brooklyn, which fell, 81-67.
The Warriors wear down teams with their frenetic pace, and all seven players are in constant motion whenever they are on the court.
Massasoit, which plays at the Community College of Rhode Island Tuesday night, trails only Nassau Community College (22-0) in the national poll. The Warriors' last regular-season home game is Saturday afternoon against Holyoke Community College.
Coach Mark Leszczyk, now in his second season at Massasoit, coached Roxbury Community College to a national championship in 2016, one of five trips he made to the title game. Leszczyk sees something special in his 2019-20 Warriors.
"Every year is different,″ he said, "but this team has the ability to do it. I've told this team many times, I love my 2016 team that won it all, but this team is more talented. They have the ability to do it. But once you get there, you've just got to play hard and see what happens.″
Massasoit was ranked No. 1 for nine weeks last season, getting off to a 13-0 start. The Warriors dominated opponents in the region, but they were shocked in the Region 21 final by the University of Connecticut Avery Point, a team that had lost to Massasoit by 33 and 31 points in the regular season.
Alyson Reid is the lone returning player from that team, but the Warriors added plenty of talent, starting with sophomore Ty Hawkins of Brentwood, New York, who transferred from Jones County Junior College in Mississippi.
"It came together really quick because we recruited really good kids,″ said Leszczyk. "When you find the right kids, things comes together a lot easier. These kids are all buying in. They're all fantastic kids, great students, six of them on the honor roll.
"I couldn't ask for more. This is a real good group.″
Hawkins was recruited out of high school to play for Leszczyk at Roxbury, but decided to head south and returned to the Northeast after one year.
She is averaging 32.1 points on 50 percent shooting with 6.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.5 steals.
"It's really special to be part of something like this,″ said Hawkins of the season Massasoit is putting together. "Every night, we're getting the other team's best and every night we're performing at a level that's higher than the game before We all love playing with each other and it's bigger than our individual selves. It's been really fun.
"We got close instantly. We talked about life, basketball and on the court. We had the chance to grow together. The chemistry was there from the instant we got here. It's been really fun and really special.″
In addition to Hawkins and Reid, the team includes Shardajah Collins of Florida (18.1 points, 5.6 steals, 5.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds), Adrianna Grant (14.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.5 steals), Aliza Bell (10.8 rebounds), Mataya Young, who joined the team in January, and Ranasha Fraizer.
"I feel like everyone on this team is very talented,″ said Collins. "With the talent and the skills and the energy we put together, it comes out with the results. All we've got to do is keep playing together as a team and keep pushing and talk to each other on the court and continue to win.″
The fast-paced style is to the liking of the players, who have to avoid foul trouble and stay in top condition in order to make it work.
"It's really fun,″ said Hawkins. "Coach Mark instilled that in us the first day of practice, no let ups. We're going to keep going, keep pushing the ball and keep playing aggressive defense. So far, it's been the recipe for our success.″
Said Collins: "It's tough when we play man and full-court press the whole game, but we're all athletic and fast and we've got the energy to do it.″
With four more wins, Massasoit will have perfection in the regular season. Their final opponents are teams that the Warriors have already handled by at least 45 points this season.
"We never talk undefeated,″ said Leszczyk, whose assistants include former college players from Randolph, Kisandra Ayanbeku (Montclair State) and Lexi Udoji (Maryland Eastern Shores). "I'm a little surprised (to be without a loss). It's a scary place to be because you know that one loss is coming at some point. You hope it's not in the playoffs. But we play to win every game.
"Every team that walks in wants to knock you off. It's fun to be hunted.″
The Region 21 tournament at Massasoit starts Feb. 29 with the championship to be decided on March 1. The winner goes to the nationals for a three-day tourney starting March 12.
"It's great for the school, great for the program,″ said Leszczyk of the success Massasoit has had the past two years. "When you recruit, you drop that No. 2 in the country and it sounds good. We get the school's name out in the public. We want the people to know we have a good product here.″
Jim Fenton may be reached at jfenton@enterprisenews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JFenton_ent.
