Article by Jose San Mateo of the Vallejo Times Herald - printed originally Friday January 20^th, 2012

The Cal Maritime women's basketball team has been stuck in neutral for several years now, but senior Alexis Brown has injected life into a team that was once in middle of the pack.

The Keelhaulers were a combined 17-68 overall the past three seasons and 11-14 in the California Pacific Conference. Cal Maritime finished no better than fourth place in that span, but this season they are poised to turn that trend on its head.

The Keelhaulers are 4-0 in conference after an 87-84 win over Holy Names on Thursday. The four wins already surpasses their total from last year and their 10-10 overall record already exceeds their final win totals the past three seasons.

One of the major differences is Brown, who ranks third in NAIA Division II in points per game, just behind Jennifer Jorgensen of Grand View (Iowa) and Steffani Liscum of Arizona Christian.

She has won the Cal-Pac player of the week award five times this season.

It's a feat that head coach Dave Covell said had never been done since he's been the coach.

"She has to be one of those special players to improve like this," Covell said.

She not only leads the conference in points per game (21.8) but rebounds per game (8.5). She won player of the week in January, averaging 22 points, 8.5 rebounds and three assists in the Keelhaulers' wins over Simpson and William Jessup.

"To be honest, words can't explain," Brown said of her accolades. "After working so hard, it's the greatest feeling ever. I wouldn't be the leading scorer if it wasn't for my teammates. They trust me with the ball."

When Brown played her first season at Maritime in 2009, Covell said that she was "a little immature" but her ability to play outstanding defense fits in with top seniors at the time, Lauren Westbrook and Taylor Himmelspach.

"On the court she had a pouty kind of attitude. She has since gone away from that," Covell said. " People grow up and become adults. She's bought into our program and system."

Bunions on her feet forced Brown to take a medical redshirt wiping out her entire junior season. Surgery kept her off the court for five months, but the layoff forced her to watch and learn from the bench.

"I was mad. I had to tell myself 'Wait and patient,'" Brown said. "Now I want it so much more. (Basketball) is what I want to do in life."

The layoff also led to an attitude adjustment, as the Richmond product toned down the intensity that made her a great player at Richmond High and Mt. San Antonio College.

"I've turned it down a lot," Brown said. "Coach told me ' Lexi, you're good but your teammates think you're a hot head.' I dealt with that and for me it was a learning experience."

The Keelhaulers slogged through a 5-22 season that ended with just three conference wins and fifth-place finish in conference. The poor season led Covell to install a wide-open offense that emphasized ball movement and the 3-pointer.

Brown is well suited to the Keelhaulers' change in philosophy and said she feels more comfortable in a more wide-open system. Suddenly a role player known for her defense developed an all-around offensive game to go along with it.

Brown came to Cal Maritime with a penchant for defense and she fit in perfectly with Westbrook and Himmelspach handling much of the scoring load.

"When I first came here, I wasn't expecting to score," Brown said. "We had a great scorers and I wasn't one of them."

Covell said that now Brown does it all, whether it's shooting the 3-pointer, pulling down a rebound or guarding the opposing team's best player. The Keelhaulers benefit from all the extra attention when she drives into the lane by knocking down wide-open jumpers. Cal Maritime has four players averaging in double figures.

"(Alexsis) always had the skills, she's just honed them and gotten a lot tougher," Covell said. "Two years ago, she was more of a role player and now she's probably the best all-around player that I've coached."

While Brown's stellar season has not opened the eyes of scouts quite yet, she has dreams of continuing in basketball whether it's playing overseas or perhaps the WNBA.

"I want to go to China, Brazil, or maybe Rome," Brown said. "I want to go somewhere where I can learn."