Caroline Pollowell has some big decisions to make. The 6’3” center has grown each year as a player under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach John Truhan. She has helped RBR go from one of the worst programs in the Shore to a Top 20 program and state title contender. But before she finishes off her career at RBR she has some unfinished recruiting business to take care of and that just may be the toughest challenge she has this season. But one she is happy to have the opportunity make.
Caroline Pollowell and her RBR teammates will have an Open Gym next week (September 10th). There will be D1 schools at that open gym. They’ll also be some high academic programs in the gym as well, some of the best schools in the country. That’s because Caroline Pollowell has D1 offers on the table. She also has some of the best academic schools in the country recruiting her as well. Pollowell s we will have to try to make a decision. A decision based on her education and basketball. You see Caroline Pollawell wants it all. That’s because she has earned it all. She has worked relentlessly on and off the court. She has applied herself academically and has taken no short cuts athletically. It’s the reason why she is in the position she is in today, SHE HAS EARNED IT! Caroline, has choices but with that comes hard decisions. The type of hard the decisions that every kid and their parents hope their child gets to make. Because Caroline Pollawell is wanted and in the drivers seat.
A year ago Caroline Pollawell was coming off an outstanding sophomore year. So she decided to go play for the EYBL GEMZ AAU team. She got caught up in a numbers game. She got limited minutes, it happens sometimes. It also derailed her once hot recruiting stock. So last year she had to rehabilitate herself in the eyes of coaches. So rather than complain, blame and point fingers,Pollowell went to work. She lived in the gym, she embraced competition and most importantly getting better. In doing so, she took her game to a new level. All she did was put together an outstanding junior season. She had over 200 points and rebounds and checked in with over 50 blocks. She also had 30 dimes from the center spot. It was even more impressive when you consider that she does not play with a team filled with great passers and ball handlers. Caroline Pollawell just happens to be efficient and willing to do the dirty work. So when Coach Truman again pulled off another of his miracles and his team knocked off top 5 in the state Manasquan. It was not a total surprise, especially since he secretly told me, his club would win. Just as he did when RBR pulled off the greatest upset in SCT history over RBC. So when RBR won the WOBM Championship, it was another RBR first under Coach Turhan. It was something nobody could have had imagined before his arrival. But the real story was Caroline Polloway who simply was dominating vs Manasquan coming one rebound short of a double, double. That was fine because in the Championship game the next night, she had 19 points and 12 rebounds before being named the WOBM MVP. It was a show stopping performance. Much like the one in her freshman year, when she had, 16 points and 17 rebounds in the state tournament vs favorite OCEAN TWP. All this has just confirmed Caroline Polloway is indeed a force who is full of surprises.
This summer, Caroline Polloway needed to pick a new AAU team. Her main goal was to find an organization of teachers and a track record for delivering on their promises. So she decided to join the Shoreshots and more importantly play for MARY BETH CHAMBERS. It was a wise decision because Pollowell continued to build on her high school season, received the exposure she wanted and Coach Chambers helped her take her game to another level. When she played in Jersey Live vs one of the most recruited post players in all of New Jersey. She took the future D1 forward to the woodshed. Caroline Polloway dominated her, with her ability to run the floor. Then Polloway threw the talented forward into the ice box on defense and overpowered her on offense. This talented player has already committed to a D1 school. But she now knows the name Caroline Polloway. Caroline, is proving she is just scratching the surface of what she will eventually become, a true force at the next level.
So a decision will need to be made. It certainly won’t be easy. But Caroline Pollowell has been though the ups and downs. She was FIRST TEAM ALL FRESHMAN 3 years ago. It was a major surprise that nobody saw coming. She nearly made a career ending mistake with a AAU team. But she surprised everyone with her determination and ability to get back up off the floor. She surprised us all with her WOBM MVP. She surprised everyone this summer with her electric performances against Top post players all summer. It seems Caroline Polloway likes shocking people. So don’t be surprised if at the RBR open gym she surprises all the coaches on hand. It just may lead to a even harder decision… BUT ISN’T THAT A LOVELY PROBLEM TO HAVE?
START MONDAY AFTER SCHOOL SHOOTING. AND FALL TRAINING