Wildwood’s Jesse Freeman Thrives on Hoops Adrenaline

Jessica Freeman lives with back pain but once the game begins her adrenaline-fueled intensity takes over for the next 32 minutes.
The Wildwood High School senior has surpassed 1,600 career points which places her second in Warrior girls’ history behind in the indescribable Monica Johnson.
The 5’6” North Wildwood native was a scorer back at Margaret Mace School, but under the tutelage of venerable coach Dave Troiano, Freeman has worked hard on her defense.
“Even as a freshman she was a scorer,” said Troiano. “Her biggest transition was her defensive play. She’ll be the first to admit that she wasn’t a good defensive player when she came here.”
Freeman has emerged as a true team leader for Wildwood where she guides her teammates, including younger sister, Jillian, a sophomore.
“Before each game, right before the horn sounds to complete warm ups, she is talking to them about the importance of the game,” said Troiano, a member of the South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame.
The 18-year-old’s back injury made her senior basketball season a question mark. She’d just completed another high scoring soccer season and her doctor felt that perhaps six weeks of rest would be in order.
“She’s extremely competitive so the suggestion that she sit out for rehabilitation didn’t quite turn out that way,” said Troiano. “You can tell when she’s hurting out there. I can see it on her face, but she never wants to come out of the game. I try to pick spots to give her a break. Our trainer is excellent and she’s in close contact with the doctor.”
Troiano said back-to-back games are most troublesome because that doesn’t allow Freeman time to rest. He accommodates that by limiting her practice participation.
“She’s paying a price to have the great year she’s having,” he said. “The best thing to do is to rest her as much as possible. I try to get her out of there when I can.”
Troiano said Freeman has “a shooter’s mentality” where she might miss a few in a row but will keep shooting.
“We have an expression about having no conscience,” said Troiano. “She wants the ball in the clutch situations when the game is on the line. That’s what you want as a coach.”
The Wildwood coaching staff preaches against forcing or hurrying shots. Freeman and her teammates understand the importance of shot selection. “We tell them, especially a scorer like Jess, if you like it, let it go,” said Troiano.
The oldest daughter of Brenda and Greg Freeman, Jess started out with softball aspirations. She was on the diamond as a Warrior freshman before devoting her full development to basketball along with the cardiovascular benefits of soccer conditioning.
“That’s when I really focused on basketball, when I was a freshman” said Freeman. “My parents love the sport and I share their passion for the game. It’s a feeling I get when I play.”
Freeman describes her strength as driving to the basket. “I’m an alright shooter,” she said, “but I love drawing contact.”
The contact brought her to the foul line so she devoted herself to improving her free throw percentage and her defense.
“I’d go to Crest Pier and shoot for an hour,” she said. “I work on the line whenever I can.”
As a member of the Tri-County Conference, Wildwood must board the bus for long rides west. Freeman is especially conscious of keeping her teammates motivated and prepared to play after the many miles of sitting and sleeping.
“Before we get on the bus we have a pep talk,” she said. “We get out naps on the bus, but when we arrive we get dressed and get everyone focused.”
Freeman acknowledges that “99 percent of the time” she feels back discomfort.
“They say to ice it, but there’s really nothing you can do to help it,” she said. “My adrenaline just goes off and I just push through it. After the game I’ll feel it.”
As for playing with her younger sister, Freeman said it brings the pair closer to together.
“I teach her the things I’ve learned,” she said. “We work well together and my parents love seeing us out there playing.”
Freeman is looking at Division II opportunities for college. She’s undecided about a major but she knows that on the basketball court she’ll be a scorer and an improved defender.