Midwood forward Jessica Previlon evolved from basketball rookie to bench warmer to star in fours years under coach Artie LaGreca.
Two PSAL Brooklyn girls’ basketball stars confirmed this week that they will be attending junior−college .
Midwood forward Jessica Previlon will play basketball next year at Labette (Kan.) Community College, a NJCAA Division I school, and South Shore guard Baytania Newman will join the team at defending JUCO champion Central Arizona.
Newman averaged 11.1 points per PSAL game, but lifted that average to 16.5 in the postseason. The 5−foot−8 captain led South Shore to its first PSAL Class AA city championship game at Madison Square Garden, where it fell to national powerhouse Murry Bergtraum. Newman had 18 points in the semifinals in a 35−33 win against John F. Kennedy at St. John’s University’s Carnesecca Arena.
She was named FiveBoroSports.com Brooklyn Player of the Year and was a FiveBoroSports.com All−City first team selection. Newman is expected to get a mid−to−high Division I scholarship after leaving Central Arizona.
“She goes from city finalist to national champs,” South Shore coach Anwar Gladden said. “I expect to see her in the Big East or the ACC in two years.”
Previlon averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per PSAL game her senior season. She led Midwood to the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals, where the Hornets almost upset Thomas Jefferson. Previlon, a 5−foot−10 uber−athlete, went from basketball novice to bench warmer to one of the city’s best forwards in her four years at Midwood.
She was a FiveBoroSports.com All−Brooklyn first team selection and a FiveBoroSports.com All−City third team pick this season. Previlon had interest from Division I schools like Long Island University this season and is a sure bet to play on that level after Labette.