Johanna Wright has been coaching the girls' basketball team at Columbia High School for too many years to count.

"I think I stopped counting a long time ago, in terms of years and in terms of wins," said Wright, who has been the head coach at Columbia for 34 years now and has amassed more than 700 career wins. "It's all about getting the girls to college. That's the important numbers to me, the number of girls that go on to college. When it comes to my record and my career, I don't even know anymore."

But it's safe to say that everyone else involved in girls' high school basketball in New Jersey knows about Wright's immense legacy and her contribution to the sport over the last three decades.

In all those years, Wright has never experienced a beginning of a season quite like this one. The Cougars have had three games already postponed due to the inclement winter weather and they played just four contests, going 2-2, over the first three weeks of the season.

"It's been really kind of tough," Wright said. "You get prepared to play a team and then you get a call that the game is not going to be played. It's very tough to prepare for two teams. I'd really like to have another day to prepare, but we have games now on back-to-back days and that's very hard on the girls. I've never had this happen before. This is the first time in my career that we've had to make up so many games this early."

It does help that Wright's daughter, Jazmine, who was an All-State player during her days at Columbia playing for her mother, is now on the sidelines coaching with her mother.

"I'm getting ready to turn the reins over to her," Wright said. "I have such a good time watching Jaz work with the girls. She has a lot of fire."

It's the third season that Jazmine Wright has been coaching with her mother, after first coaching at Marist College.

"She's teaching science and I think it's great that she came home," Johanna Wright said.

The Cougars, who were 23-6 last season and won the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group IV state title over Watchung Hills, are fortunate to have a point guard to get the team going.

Junior Brianna Thomas isn't blessed with the most amount of size in the world, but there's not a lot of stopping her when she gets going. Thomas is a diminutive whirlwind who is averaging 19 points per game and has been collecting steals like most girls collect Barbie dolls.

"She absolutely has a lot of talent and she has a big heart," Wright said of Thomas, who is the younger sister of former Columbia standout Stacey Townsend, who played at Seton Hall from 1998-2002. "She just keeps going. As she goes, we go. She's the sparkplug."

Another key performer has been senior center Abigail Martin, who stands only 5-foot-7, but certainly appears to be much taller.

"She just plays big," Wright said of Martin, who is averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds per game. "Everyone asks about her height and they can't believe she's only 5-7. But she jumps well and is aggressive around the basket. It's amazing what she's able to do."

Junior guard Melissa Carelli has also been a steady contributor for the Cougars. Carelli is averaging about 10 points per game.

"She's a first-year starter and she's very athletic," Wright said. "She's a fabulous lacrosse player. I think it helps her to go from one sport to the other. We're going to use her athleticism to our advantage."

The Cougars also go to the Earle sisters, namely senior Chenae and junior Shaina. Coach Wright very rarely puts the two sisters on the floor together, because their style of play is so similar.

"They're interchangeable," Wright said. "They basically bring the same things to the table, so we use them to sub for each other."

Junior forward Chi-Chi Ozuzu is a superb athlete who runs the floor very well.

"We're going to hear a lot about her," Wright said.

Junior Marcelyn Williams is a forward whom Wright called "our most improved player."

The Cougars have been hurt in the beginning of the season by the injury bug.

Sophomore Gabrielle Jackson has just returned to the lineup from a sore back, while sophomore Cydney Chestnutt is still on the sidelines with a bad back.

"Without a doubt, losing those kids was tough and if we had them, we would be a better team," Wright said. "We just have to keep moving forward and see if they can come back."
The Cougars will begin play in the Iron Hills Conference this week.

"With who we play in the Iron Hills, we have to be on our toes all the time," Wright said. "It's a very tough conference and there are no easy teams. We're going to have to play aggressively."
But just getting onto the floor has been a chore.

"It's been different, that's for sure," Wright said. "I think it's really important that we play well once we start getting all these games in. The kids have to be cerebral. They have to be smart and play smart. If they can eliminate some of the bad habits they showed early on, they should be great. At least, that's what I'm hoping for."