She’s Ready, Willing and Able : Girls’ basketball: A cold won’t be enough to keep Colleen Hudson out of Brea-Olinda’s lineup in State title game.

Colleen Hudson sat in Coach Mark Trakh’s office in the Brea-Olinda High gym and dutifully answered questions despite a nagging cold she has been fighting for days.

“I didn’t have a voice for the Rancho Alamitos game,” said Hudson, the 6-foot-1 sophomore center on the Ladycats basketball team. “It was really hard for me to call the screens and everything else.”

Hudson couldn’t talk during Brea’s 70-51 victory over Rancho Alamitos in the Southern California Regional Division III girls’ championship game Saturday, but she did play a solid game to help Brea advance to its fourth consecutive appearance in the State finals.

Brea (31-2) plays Healdsburg (31-3), the Northern California Regional champion, in the State Division III title game Saturday at the Arco Arena in Sacramento.

And, regardless of how she feels, Hudson will be there. Although she didn’t play in the finals last season, Hudson got a taste of the excitement when Trakh promoted her from junior varsity to varsity for the playoffs. This time, she won’t be watching from a courtside seat.

Hudson became Brea’s center this year in only her second season of basketball at the school. She replaced Jinelle Williams, an all-Orange League player now at UC Irvine, and performed to Trakh’s expectations. Hudson averaged 11.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and shot 50.9% from the field in the regular season.

“We expected her to be a force at the post since she was in the seventh grade,” Trakh said. “She wasn’t the most motivated player then, but the motivation kicked in as a freshman. Right now, she gives 100% in practices and in games, and she’s a very coachable kid. She’s very dedicated.”

Hudson can’t recall what triggered the change, but upon entering Brea, she realized she had wanted to be a part of the Ladycats’ program for many years, and the opportunity finally had arrived.

“I knew when I was a freshman that I would be involved in basketball here for four years,” Hudson said. “I played softball and soccer until the eighth grade, but I knew basketball would take up much of my time, which I didn’t really mind, because this basketball program is better than any softball or soccer program I could be involved with.”

With two State titles to its credit, Brea certainly rates a cut above many other high school athletic programs in the county. And Hudson, along with sophomore point guard Nicole Erickson and sophomore forward Sarah Beckley, form the nucleus of a club that seems destined to remain a powerhouse at least a couple of more seasons.

“I was told that once you got to varsity, it would be harder,” Hudson said. “I really didn’t have doubts about doing my part to continue the tradition.”

Hudson might contribute her share the next two seasons from even closer to the rim. Two of her uncles are 6-9, her mother, Marlene, is 5-11 and her father, John, is 6-1. Her brother, Brian, who played center on the Brea boys’ team a few years ago, is 6-7. So Hudson figures--and Trakh hopes--that she’ll still grow some more.

“I didn’t know about her uncles until today,” Trakh said, smiling. “That’s good news.”

The additional height and the ability to grasp the lessons on playing the post imparted by John Hattrup, Brea’s assistant coach, could make Hudson the most dominant center in county girls’ basketball in many years.

“She’s basically touched the surface of how good she can be,” said Hattrup, who works with Brea’s centers. “I can’t think of ever having to tell her to get with it. She’s a very smart player.”

Hudson and the Ladycats had to get up early last Saturday to play Rancho Alamitos at 9 a.m. at the L.A. Sports Arena. And Saturday they’ll have to board a plane at 6:30 a.m. for the flight to Sacramento. But Hudson is ready to go, voice or no voice, cold or no cold.

“I mind getting up (early), but I don’t mind playing,” she said.