BCR Basketball notebook: ‘There is no place like home’ for Bureau Valley’s Jess Judd

Jess Judd got in on the ground floor of the Bureau Valley girls basketball program as a freshman member in its first year in the 1995-96 season.

She played a key role on the 1997-98’s regional champion 24-3 Storm squad as a Third Team All-BCR selection. As a senior, the tiny Storm spark plug, who hit the tape measure at 5-foot-4, moved up to First team All-BCR, averaging 14.9 points with three assists a game for a 14-12 BV team, finishing with 755 career points.

Judd has come back full circle this year, returning to Bureau Valley as a substitute teacher and a member of new head coach Jon Henegar’s staff, assisting at both the varsity and JV levels.

During one of her first days working as a sub, sophomore coach Bret Helms approached her to see if she would be interested in helping out with basketball, and “I said yes without any hesitation.”

Judd had not been involved with organized basketball since she played her last college game at Mt. St. Clare College in Clinton, Iowa, having spent two years at Sauk Valley. She worked in Corrections and private security for 14 years and most recently as a substitute teacher at Plainfield Central High School.

She is having a happy homecoming coming back to where it all started.

“Coming back to Bureau Valley has been a breath of fresh air. Just like the old saying goes, ‘There is no place like home,‘” Judd said. “Working in the school as a sub is enjoyable and getting to know the kids is an awesome experience. Many of the students in the building are the children of my former classmates and it has been a great experience to interact with them.

“Being a part of the culture that is being built by Coach Henegar is something you do not experience on every team. Working with the team has been rewarding and fulfilling. The best part of being back so far is witnessing the girls break two of the school records that were set back when I played at BV.”

The Storm coach said a lot has changed in the last 20 years, mostly the technology available to the coaches and players.

“We have come a long way from the days of watching film on VHS tapes,” she said.

Judd shares the single-game scoring record of 33 points in her senior season, matched by Christen Hurley in 2017. She also held the school record for most 3s in a game until tied by Saige Barnett in 2019 and broken by BV senior Kadyn Haage (7) this year.

Record breaker

The Bureau Valley girls set a single-game, school record when they put up 86 points Saturday to defeat Galva 86-44. The previous game-high record stood for 27 years when the Storm defeated St. Bede 84-59 during that 1997-98 season.

The 1997-98 Storm squad had the Big 3 of Third Team IBCA All-Stater Bethany Ellis (15.9 ppg), Kelli Baumgartner (13,9) and Heidi Wager (12.1). Judd had a good view of that game as a junior member of the Storm’s 24-3 squad that reached the sectional semifinals, falling to Dunlap 44-40 in overtime. She averaged 7.6 ppg.

Judd said her best memory of the 1997-98 team was winning the regional championship over rival Stark County and playing a key role in the shadows behind the Big 3.

“We had never played zone the whole season or my high school career for that matter. Coach (John) McKenzie didn’t believe in it,” she said. “Stark County had some really tall girls with two girls over six foot and our tallest was Sara Dale at 5-10, I believe. We didn’t have a choice, so for the first time that year we tried a zone defense and it worked.

“I also remember I was so sick that game too. I felt like it was going to be a long night on the court. Bethany, Heidi and Kelli were the main scorers on the team, so Stark County focused on them and I sat on the right side as the No. 2 guard and hit some key shots because they left me wide open.”

Learning experience

Princeton senior Noah LaPorte had a magical moment Saturday, scoring the game-winning basket for a 53-31 win over Byron in the battle of the Tigers, a basket that also broke Princeton’s all-time scoring record set by former teammate Grady Thompson two years ago.

LaPorte was a sophomore starter on the Tigers' 32-3, Sweet 16 team that was No. 1 ranked for most of the season. He said he learned a lot playing with Thompson and the other seniors on that team.

“He’s (Thompson) a great ballplayer. To be surrounded by all those guys on that team, it was a great experience,” LaPorte said. “He could score the ball whenever he wanted, but you’ve got teammates all over the place that could score.

“It was a great team in general. I learned from those guys when I was a young sophomore. Carrying it out over and trying to lead as a senior it’s great to have those guys to look up to.”