ECC Basketball Star Jakira Coar Named to All American Team

Jakira Coar

ECC Basketball Star Jakira Coar Named to All American Team

Jakira Coar began playing basketball at the age of eight, under the tutelage of her father. Through a lot of hard work and talent, she developed into a highly regarded player.

After starring at Lincoln High School in Jersey City, Jakira came to Essex County College and has already established herself as a star in just her first year of collegiate basketball.   

Jakira concluded the 2021-22 campaign for the Lady Wolverines averaging 26.2 points a game, tops in   the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II this year. She is also an NJCAA 3rd Team All American. That honor comes on the heels of her selection as Garden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year and being named to the NJCAA’s Region 19 First Team.

Coach Anthony Green said he had his eye on Jakira while she was playing high school ball. “We were lucky to get her,” he said.   

“That attention I received from ECC helped me to decide to come here,” Jakira said in an interview conducted in the ECC Gymnasium.  

“As an Athletic Department, we are extremely proud of Jakira’s individual accomplishments, as well as the team’s success this year to put Essex County College Women’s Basketball back into the national spotlight. She had one of the best individual seasons in program history. We look forward to watching her and the team build off of their successes from this year and continue to grow in 2022-23,” said ECC Athletic Director Michael Doughtie.  

“At the start of the season I was a bit nervous,” the Criminal Justice major admitted.  “But after a few games everything started to click,’ the shooting guard added.

Coach Anthony Green said he could see Jakira getting more and more comfortable after each game, and she was starting by the fourth game. Then on January 25 against the County College of Morris, Jakira exploded for 51 points, following it up with a 44 point effort against Sullivan College.

For the rest of the season, Jakira had to face a variety of defenses constantly keying on her. “I think I adjusted well to that challenge,” she said with a smile. And she successfully shot her way out of any slump.

The team, composed entirely of freshmen, concluded the season with a 14-8 record.

Jakira is working on her overall game this off season. “My goal is to maintain good grades and transfer to a good Division 1 college after graduation from ECC.”