By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- His college basketball career began back in the 2008-09 season at the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston.
Brendan Monteiro of Brockton spent two years with the Engineers, making 20 starts and appearing in 53 games as a freshman and sophomore.
The 2008 Catholic Memorial graduate then decided to take some time off from school, earned his real estate license and went to work at Andrade Associates in Brockton.
After two years away from college and basketball, though, Monteiro was ready to return and enrolled at Bridgewater State University in the fall of 2012.
He joined the Bears basketball team last season, averaging 8.6 points in 25 games with nine starts as he tried to shake off the rust following a two-year absence from the college game.
“It was the hardest thing in my life not playing,’’ said Monteiro. “I think back and it wasn’t too fun. It definitely wasn’t the same.
“I stayed active in men’s pickup games, but no real heavy-duty training until I got back with Bridgewater. That’s when I found out the big difference between just playing pick-up and playing college basketball.
“I think I just took off the rust maybe the beginning of this year, really getting comfortable with my game. All my old things are back. I just feel good.’’
Monteiro, a senior guard, has been much more productive at BSU this season, helping the Bears earn the No. 2 seed in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. They will host either Worcester State or Framingham State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
His scoring average has nearly doubled to 15.2 points per game, second on the team and eighth in the MASCAC, in 25 games, and Monteiro has made 40 shots from 3-point range after hitting 44 the previous three seasons.
During one three-game stretch, Monteiro had 25 points against the Mass. College of Liberal Arts, 33 against Westfield State and 29 against Framingham State.
“I think he understands the urgency,’’ said BSU coach Joe Farroba. “This is it. He’s a senior now.
“He plays a lot of minutes. He’s very tough in the open court. In transition, he’s very, very tough to stop and he keeps people honest because he can shoot the ball.’’
Monteiro, who won a state championship with Catholic Memorial in 2008, had looked at BSU during his senior year in high school before deciding on Wentworth.
“I had talked to the coaches here in the past,’’ said Monteiro, a wide receiver and cornerback for Catholic Memorial’s football team. “I just didn’t want to go to school so close to home being from Brockton, so I went to Wentworth first.’’
When the time came to look for another college, Bridgewater State was high on his list. Following the two-year break, Monteiro landed at BSU where he is majoring in corporate communications with a minor in management.
“It was definitely always in my mind to go back to school,’’ said Monteiro, who has 1,085 career points, including 596 at BSU. “I took time off and figured it out. I had a prior relationship with the coaches at Bridgewater, so it was a good fit.
“I’m overwhelmed. I love the feeling that the school is so close that my family and a lot of my friends can come out and watch me. It’s a great feeling in my last year that I’ve gotten a lot of support.’’
“To not play basketball in a competitive way when I was out of school, it was the worst thing. I was playing against old guys that I was beating up and down the court. I missed the competition, playing against guys for six months and staying dedicated to it.’’
Monteiro is still selling real estate, something he wants to continue doing down the road.
“I like it a lot,’’ he said. “That’s what I probably plan on doing after school.’’