LINWOOD – When you reach the NJSIAA Group III state finals two of the last four years like the Mainland Regional girls basketball team has, it tends to catch people’s attention.
One of those trips ended in a state title while last year, the Mustangs fell to Sparta in the finals. While Mainland, which built an impressive 28-3 record a year ago, returns three starters from that team, their “go-to” person for the past four years in dynamic guard Camryn Dirkes has graduated, leaving Mainland to start a new legacy.
Point guard Kasey Bretones returns to run the Mainland offense while twin outside scoring threats in twin sisters Ava and Bella Mazur provide the bulk of experience from that big state tournament run from a year ago.
Mainland will waste no time playing an attention-grabbing contest when they open the season against arch rival Ocean City at home at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. They follow that up Monday at home with one of the best teams in South Jersey in the Atlantic City Vikings.
“I think anyone will tell you, Camryn was a special kid,” head coach Scott Betson said of his leading scorer from last season. “Those types of players that provide leadership and experience are really rare, so from that perspective, you can’t do anything about it.
“What I’ve said before is that I feel good about the group we have. Yes, we lost experience, but we have a solid group of kids whom we bring back. They also were starters on that state championship finals team.
“We feel good about that experience, especially in big games. Acknowledging that it’s going to be a challenge without having Camryn to look to, but we are ready for the season.”
Betson said Bretones and the Mazur twins taking on leadership roles as juniors after playing such key positions last season, it is like them having “two senior years.”
“They get this year and next year to be the leaders and basically every way that someone can be a leader on a basketball team,” Betson said. “There’ll be some growing pains with that like not having someone to look to and being their turn. We’re just hoping that pays off down the stretch this year. And then certainly next year as well.”
While many will look at the talent Mainland lost from last year, Betson said you cannot coach big game experience and those are the times he anticipates Bretones and the Mazurs will shine over the next two years.
“Those kids have all played in big games and can tell the difference between nerves and excitement and all the other stuff that they talk about,” Betson said. “They understand what it takes to compete at a high level.
“The other thing I’ll say about that entire crew is just how much development they showed this past offseason. That’s just a reflection of how hard they’ve worked. Like the Mazur twins, people really took note of how strong players they are, but I feel like they were kind of under the radar. I don’t think that’s going to be the case this season.”
And just how unique it is to have twin shooting guards on your team, who also happen to be two of your best players? He said they are like, well, twins.
“It’s just really cool,” Betson said with a laugh. “You can see they love each other. They spend every waking minute together and they’re just both basketball addicts. They have similar interests and all that stuff. It’s like having a best friend who was also a really dedicated basketball player and they’ve got that in each other.
“That really helps them in terms of their development stuff that also helps on the court. They just instinctively know what the other one’s going to do. It’s like that twin thing where they just have telepathic communication.”
Betson said the Mazurs and Bretones have also taken on the responsibility of helping the new players in improving and developing as well.
Betson said Jane Meade, who took off from basketball last season, has returned and the Mustangs are already benefitting from her presence.
“Jane has been a godsend,” Betson said. “It’s been really beneficiary because we had some injuries in pre-season. In our first two scrimmages, Janes has brought a ton of energy. She’s a varsity athlete in multiple sports, so she brings that kind of athleticism and that understanding of what it is to compete.
“She’s a great personality to have around and is just super positive. She’s got a great motor and will just play herself into more and more playing time as the season wears on.”
How good was Mainland last year? The team’s three losses came to Group III champ Sparta; Manasquan, which won the NJSIAA Group II state title; and Paul VI, which was the South Jersey Non-Public finalist.
Betson said the last thing he wants to do is start comparing his 2022-23 Mustangs to the past teams, including last year. He said this team should be allowed to stand on its own merits and not be hampered or judged by comparisons.
“As far as the program, it’s just a testament to the awesome kids and families that we’ve had come through, who were just super dedicated to being good basketball players and trying to get better,” Betson said.
“As far as the expectations, we don’t really worry about outside pressure. The only expectations that matter to our own, we don’t really care about anything else. We want to go out on the court and play well up to our own expectations.”
He said part of the success from last year came from the team blocking out the noise from external forces. Betson said he remembers how the team received such attention after the two-point loss to perennial powerhouse Manasquan.
“Ironically, some of the most attention we got was after our loss Manasquan,” Betson said. “We didn’t win the game, but people kind of took notice that they were a pretty good team in the loss.
“So you know, we know that people talk – not just the press but parents and others – and expectations can start to build. All we are concerned about are the expectations internally.”
Those are the expectations Mainland will be trying to reach, starting this week.
By CLYDE HUGHES/Special to the Sentinel