Baines settles in with Gloucester Catholic girls' basketball
Azana Baines, who moves oh-so-smoothly on the basketball court, admitted to having some pregame jitters. She was making her season debut with her new team and thus experienced a little extra pregame anxiety that quickly went away - as did the opponent.
Azana Baines, who moves oh-so-smoothly on the basketball court, admitted to having some pregame jitters.
She was making her season debut with her new team and thus experienced a little extra pregame anxiety that quickly went away - as did the opponent.
"At first I had butterflies. But once I got in, it felt like playing a normal game," said the 5-foot-11 sophomore.
Baines was speaking after her debut for her new team, Gloucester Catholic, resulted in a 22-point effort during a 62-25 win over host Gloucester on Tuesday.
It was big news since she is among South Jersey's best players joining one of the area's elite programs.
As a freshman, Baines was the point guard and driving force for a Highland team that went 26-2 and advanced to the semifinals of the South Jersey Group 3 tournament.
According to NJSIAA transfer rules, she had to sit out the first 30 days of this season. Her arrival was hailed by Gloucester Catholic fans and panned by the Highland faithful.
This is how it goes when there is a high-profile transfer. It left both sides unprotected from verbal attacks.
Any time a standout athlete transfer, the word recruiting will invariably be used, whether it is accurate or not.
"This is my 28th year, and it does hurt a little. But I never recruited a kid, and I know that," said Gloucester Catholic coach Lisa Gedaka, one of the most accomplished coaches in South Jersey history. "People say what they want, get angry and jealous, and I can't control that. I can control myself and know the integrity of my program."
Baines doesn't want to talk too much about her situation.
"It is what it is. People change school every day, and there is nothing I can do about it," she said. "It wasn't my decision. It was my mom's."
Her departure left a huge void at Highland. Tartans coach John Senft beefed up his schedule, thinking he had one of the area's best players.
Still Highland has more than held its own, winning five of its first 11 games.
"She is a great kid, and I wish nothing but the best for her," Senft said.
Just like Gloucester Catholic was stung by recruiting accusations, Senft was similarly taken back by comments after the news of her transfer got out.
"There were comments about our school and program that were negative," he said.
For Baines, she just wants to play basketball.
"It was hard sitting on the bench [for the 30 days] because you want to contribute. But I am glad I am back now," she said.
Baines is projected to play point guard. But in her first game, Gedaka had her playing all over the court, learning each position. A coach can do that when a player is a Division I prospect, most likely at the highest of levels.
"I have heard from a few colleges," Baines said.
Expect the correspondence to grow.
Gloucester Catholic, which was the preseason No. 1 team but lost three of its first nine games, albeit to strong teams, will surely make a run at the top spot, along with an extended stay in the South Jersey Non-Public A tournament.
Baines hopes to eventually talk just about her current situation and not the past, and one hopes that the bruised feelings will eventually be healed.
@sjnard