The 2009-10 New Egypt High School girls basketball team was a study of teamwork as it capped its greatest season ever with its first NJSIAA state sectional tournament victories in the South Jersey Group I bracket before No. 1 seed Paulsboro ended the squad’s season with a 53-41 victory over the Warriors on March 6.

“This year we were playing for each other and came together as a team more than last year,” said Emily Bausher, the team co-captain and a three-year starter who scored 23 points against Paulsboro.

Morgan Knigge, the center, added 10 points as New Egypt finished the campaign at 16-9, its most wins ever.

“This year our defense really picked up a lot. It got us easy baskets to score,” said Bausher, a junior who needs 90 points to become the school’s first 1,000-point scorer.

“We had all returning players, and it was just a matter of us getting used to playing with each other,” said co-captain Haley Anderson.

The good news for coach Matt Brogan is that Bausher, Knigge and Anderson, and virtually the entire roster, are expected to return for the 2010-11 season.

With a 46-53 record in his four seasons, Brogan has coached the team that has struggled in the past to the state tournament in three of those years before it got its milestone tournament victory this season.

“We played some very tough teams this year. We had a very difficult non-division schedule, which really made us better and tougher as a team,” said Brogan, who said he included in that group two victories over Palmyra as well as triumphs over West Windsor Plainsboro-North, Northern Burlington, Lindenwold, Allentown and Pitman.

Bausher, who averaged a little more than 16 ppg, led the scoring in most of those games.

Bausher said a four-game win streak at the end of the season after a loss to Florence set the scene for the Warriors’ late-season run.

It started with a 42-26 victory over Pitman triggered by Bausher’s 15 points and a solid defensive effort that continued in a 36- 26 victory over Palmyra as Bausher and Knigge each fired in a dozen points. In the latter game, Bausher hit a crucial threepointer from the corner and Anderson followed with a pair of free throws before Cortney Natalicchio, a sophomore guard, got a steal and a fast-break layup.

“We fostered a 5-as-1 theme for this season, with five players working as one on the court, which is stronger than five individuals, and the girls have really gotten on board with that idea,” said Brogan.

He also credits his team’s success to the cohesive work of the staff of coaches that includes assistants Sara Bouroult and Mick Hughes.

He said each player serves a valuable role. Knigge provides the “terrific inside presence” as a shot blocker and tenacious rebounder, and Anderson is an “all-around good player” at forward. Natalicchio contributed ball-handling skills and defense. The other starter in the three-guard offense is sophomore Julie Ciak, “a very good shooter, great defender and rebounder.”

The rotation also included junior shooting guard Mandee Russo; junior forward Corinne Kuey, who has made strides of improvement and is a tough defender in the post; and athletic freshman guard Sara Perkins.

“She has the potential to be a star,” said Brogan of Perkins.

“I love this team. They are an absolute pleasure to be around,” said Brogan. “We have great parent support, and these girls have taken ownership of this program. When I first got here, New Egypt girls basketball was not much to speak of — they are very well known for their softball and field hockey state championships. These girls got involved from the beginning and committed themselves to becoming winners on the basketball court. They are improving every day and have a genuine love for the game. I am ecstatic to see their hard work paying off.”

And with the experience of winning big games this season, Brogan expects that taste of success to inspire his players in the offseason as they prepare for even better things in the winter of 2010-11.