Bertie County grad went on to become UNC star

By Jeff Zeigler

Correspondent

Having played high school ball in rural Bertie County, you might think Jessica Breland, a junior at the University of North Carolina, would be pining for her days back in the country.

Not so. Breland, who is having the best season of her career as a North Carolina Tar Heel, is a city girl at heart and has aspirations to play professionally in a bigger market.

Breland, who has been playing center and forward for the UNC women's basketball team, has been dominant at times this season. Before Thursday's game against the University of Miami, Breland was averaging 13.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and ranked in the top 10 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in five statistical categories.

Breland leads the ACC and is sixth in the nation in blocked shots with 3.1 per game. Earlier in the season, she became the 12th ACC player to block 200 career shots and currently ranks in the top 10 in league history.

She has had several big games this season for the ninth-ranked Tar Heels. Against Oklahoma, she dropped in 31 points. Against Ohio State, she scored 29 points. And in UNC's first meeting with Duke, she grabbed 23 rebounds.

Going from Bertie High School to the big time was an adjustment for Breland her freshman year, both in the caliber of players and the style of coach Sylvia Hatchell.

"Everybody was good and fast and big. Everyone was 10 times better than high school. It was a big difference," she said in a telephone interview from Chapel Hill. "It took me a while to adjust and also to adjust to the coach's style of play. I think my sophomore year I knew what to expect and how she wanted it done."

Her sophomore year, Breland was named the ACC Sixth Player of the Year, averaging 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. After the season, Hatchell sat down with Breland to talk about how she could improve.

"One of the main things she asked me to do was be more of a leader," Breland said. "Sometimes I really don't like to talk too much. I really like to lead by example. If she wants something done, I will show the underclassmen how to do it. A lot of people learn it better when you show it than when you tell them."

With the ACC Tournament starting March 5 and the NCAA Tournament to follow, Breland knows it is time to ramp up her game.

"I'm used to the big stage. I basically know what it takes to win or to be successful," she said.

As if the big stage of the ACC Tournament weren't enough, Breland also is looking ahead to life after college ball, and to the big city.

Breland moved to Bertie County from Brooklyn when she was in third grade.

"I have thought about the WNBA. I kind of want to go back to New York. That's where I'm from and a lot of my family members are still up there," she said.

"I like the city."