Coach Jeff Graham signs his #1 priority

get to at least type some words I have been wanting to say for some time now…

Brooke Badovinac is going to be an Oredigger!

Immediately after the press conference to announce his hiring, new Women’s Head Coach Jeff Graham, loaded up his family and headed to the Badovinac residence to make their acquaintance. Taking this job Coach Graham knew that signing Brooke was his top priority.

“She is one of the best scorers in the state, and she is local. We have to be able to get the best talent in Butte”, said Coach Graham

"It's pretty exciting that Brooke gets to keep her number, Senior Dani Urick currently wears 22, and with her graduation this year, that free's it up for Brooke." "22 is an important number to me and to my program, it is always worn by one of, if not my best player"

Butte Central basketball had the ‘perfect storm’ of a year, this past season. The BC Boys winning the state title in dramatic fashion. The girls, “playing for Meg” made a run into the state tournament that felt like a Tolkien adventure.

Those incredible teams were led by a pair of special individuals, Maroons who absolutely re-wrote the record books. Only 3 athletes in the history of Butte basketball have ever scored over 600 points in a season. To add to that, the only person to do it prior to this past season was Joe Antonietti who scored 638 points in 1969.

Dougie Peoples had “The Shot” (I still go and watch it sometimes; (that and Jake’s field goal)) That incredibly deep 3 ball that won the State Championship, he also had 626 points leading up to that shot. HIs 629 total points is 3^rd all-time. Joe Antonietti is second with 638 points. And alone on top of the pile is Brooke Badovinac with 671 points.

Brooke Badovinac has scored more points in a single season than any Butte athlete ever. Just let that marinate for a second. Any Butte athlete ever, male or female.

In her Junior year, Brooke shot 54% from the field averaging 24 points a game (which led the state). The thing that doesn’t show up on a stat sheet is how much she was focused on defensively. She was public enemy number 1 for every opposing coach, whether they tried to double her, maybe a box and one, she always got ‘her points’.

Selfishly, we get to keep Brooke in Butte, we keep Badovinac’s at Montana Tech (where they belong), AND we still get to cheer her and the Maroons on this coming year under new head coach Quinn Carter.

One more time.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brooke Badovinac is going to be an Oredigger.