Festive Northridge Women Hold Big Sky Housewarming

Welcome to their house. The beaming smiles of Cal State Northridge women’s basketball players convey an unmistakable message.

Humble though it may be, their house is in order.

The Matador gym, where Coach Michael Abraham was handcuffed by FBI agents in November and charged with trafficking crack cocaine, is site of the Big Sky Conference tournament.

That in itself is a minor miracle, an accomplishment to be celebrated.

“It’s been a long, long, long season with ups and downs and trying times,” said Frozena Jerro, an assistant thrust into the role of interim coach following Abraham’s arrest.

“But we are having a ball now. It can’t get much better than this. I feel so good I almost feel guilty.”

Welcome to their house. It’s full of warmth, good cheer and the glow that comes with overcoming hardship.

Northridge (19-7) is hosting the six-team tournament, which begins tonight, because it won the Big Sky title.

Such an improbable turn of events. The Matadors, whose coach sits in Oregon awaiting a federal trial, are conference champions.

This is a team only two years removed from a 4-23 record. Last season, Abraham began to turn it around, going 14-14 after bringing in guard Edniesha Curry from Palmdale High, who became a freshman All-American.

Then the sky fell in. But with Jerro’s indomitable spirit and the players’ belief in one another, the Big Sky was conquered.

“Coach Fro makes sure we know how incredible this opportunity is,” Curry said. “I’ve never seen her without a smile on her face. It’s so great to be around a person like that. She just makes basketball fun.”

Curry, who averages 18.3 points, is considering a transfer to a more high-profile program. Her best reason for staying is Jerro.

“That word ‘interim’ should be wiped away from her title,” Curry said.

“That would make a big difference in what I decide to do. If they don’t hire Coach Fro, they will be taking away from the future of basketball at Cal State Northridge.”

Jerro, 28, who played at Arizona State and graduated in 1993, is head coach for one reason: the players insisted.

After Abraham’s arrest, associate athletic director Judith Brame took over the team but resigned under pressure along with Athletic Director Paul Bubb a few days later. Brame and Bubb admitted knowing of allegations by former players that Abraham had drug problems two years ago.

How much more could a team take?

In one of her more enlightened decisions, President Blenda Wilson of Northridge allowed the team to select its coach. The players unanimously picked Jerro.

In doing so, they chose familiarity, hope and renewal.

“All we had was each other,” said Jamilah Jones, a junior guard and team captain. “Nobody knew what we’d gone through and we didn’t want anyone from outside coming in.

“Frozena is ideal. She makes sure everybody is happy. She gives us leeway to be ourselves. We aren’t afraid to make mistakes.”

Jerro and first-year assistants Karon Howell and Tara Harrington boosted morale by organizing team outings for bowling, movies and meals.

Winning teams often experience a defining moment, an amazing comeback or upset that unifies players and coaches and creates the belief that the team is immune from failure.

For Northridge, the moment came before the season and had nothing to do with performance on the court.

“Our biggest victory was just not falling apart,” Jones said.

A large crowd that included Wilson and dozens of Northridge coaches and athletes attended the Matadors’ home exhibition. No longer was the team alone.

Yet more adversity followed a 4-1 start when Northridge lost nonconference games to Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine and USC.

“Until that point we were riding on emotion,” Jerro said. “Doubts started to creep in, but we battled that and moved on.

“After what we’d been through, losing three games was not going to discourage us.”

Captains Viveca Lof and Jones had each player choose a teammate’s name from a bucket and write a personal letter of affirmation.

Any developing tension was diffused and the team became even closer.

Three victories followed, including the Big Sky opener over Northern Arizona. After an overtime loss at Idaho State, Northridge won seven of eight to establish itself as a title contender.

Next came a three-game trip. The Matadors won two, including a 61-53 decision at Montana State to seize first place.

Four home games finished the regular season, and Northridge won them all, including a stirring 60-47 victory over Weber State that clinched the championship.

Afterward, former players who endured seasons of 2-24, 6-21, 3-22, 1-26, 5-22 and 4-23 from 1991-97 pulled Jerro aside and through tears told her how good it was to see the team succeed.

“When all that stuff happened with Michael, the players knew that if they didn’t hold together, the year would be a disaster,” Jerro said. “We decided that we needed each other. That set the tone for the whole season.”

Welcome to their house. It is a place of healing, a place where anything is possible.