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CHS grad breaks Modesto JC's single-season blocks record
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Ceres High graduate Jamie Beck had her most productive game to date with the Modesto Junior College women's basketball team on Feb. 14.

The 6-foot-2 freshman tallied 20 points, 10 rebounds and nine blocks during the Pirates' 71-62 loss to visiting Diablo Valley.

"She almost had a triple double," Modesto JC head coach Mike Girardi said.

Beck set career highs in both points and blocks versus Diablo Valley.

She also shattered former Pirate and Bulldog Krystle Brown's single-season blocks record.

"To be honest, I actually have surprised myself," Jamie said. "I didn't expect to do this well because I haven't played in so long."

Beck tallied 75 blocks through 21 games.

Krystle had 68 blocks in 32 games her sophomore year.

Jamie broke Brown's record in 11 fewer games.

"That's pretty impressive," Girardi said.

Said Beck: "I never saw her (Krystle) play but I heard she was really good."

Beck made her debut with the Pirates at the Sierra College tournament.

She averaged nine points and 10 rebounds as Modesto JC finished in fourth place with a 1-2 record.

"There was no adjustment period for her," said Girardi, who pointed out Beck last played organized basketball her junior year at Ceres High. "She worked her way into the starting lineup after six games."

On Dec. 19, Beck opened the eyes of a handful of recruiters when she posted a double-double in a three-point loss to No. 2 Foothill College at the Delta tournament.

"She had 17 points and 11 rebounds against one of the top teams in the state," Girardi said.

Beck was a late addition to the Pirates' roster because basketball overlapped with volleyball.

Jamie led Modesto JC's spikers to a 14-15 overall record and fifth-place finish in the Big-8 Conference standings. She received second-team, all-league honors. She racked up a state-leading 385 kills. Beck was voted Western Athletic Conference MVP her senior year at Ceres High. She was a first-team, all-conference selection in soccer with the Bulldogs. Jamie posted six shutouts and totaled 118 saves at goalkeeper.

"We're really happy with how she's played and progressed," Girardi said. "She's very coachable. She has a great attitude. She works very hard."

Said Beck: "Girardi is a great coach. He brought the love of the sport back to me. I love our team too."

Jamie opted not to play basketball during her senior year at Ceres High. She averaged 13.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game en route to earning second-team, all-conference accolades as a junior.

"She called me last Spring and said she was coming here to play volleyball," Girardi stated. "She asked if it would be alright is she played basketball too."

"She missed it," said Gena Beck, Jamie's mother and a former multi-sport standout at Ceres High.

"I enjoy it a lot," Jamie said. "My mom is the one who really got me into sports. She laughs at me because I'm not as aggressive as she was. That's something I have to work on."

If Beck continues to do well, she'll receive scholarship offers from multiple four-year schools.

"I haven't decided yet if I'm going to play basketball or volleyball," Jamie said. "But I don't think I can do both."

Added Girardi: "She'll have options."