Playing their final game of the regular season before they compete at sub-state, the Lady Jags defeated Lawrence Free State with a dominating score of 65-28 at home Friday, Feb. 27.
Scoring on nearly every play and featuring exceptional defensive performances, the match was a clean sweep that refined the team’s skills and energy for the remainder of their games.
According to junior Riley Marshall, this win will help them perform at their best throughout their run for state, which will begin this week.
“This win has given us a huge confidence boost,” Marshall said. “I think we are going into sub-state knowing that we are a good team and have a shot at a title and potentially the state tournament.”
In particular, junior Biti Hasabu claims their encouragement played a key role in their victory.
“Throughout the game, we kept our energy and support consistent,” Hasabu said. “Even when we missed shots, we would bounce back and make the next one. This helped us win as a team rather than as individuals.”
The Lady Jags have had an extremely successful season, to which sophomore Emily Izzat attributes the team’s chemistry.
“The way the team interacts with each other has definitely influenced how successfully we play with one another,” Izzat said. “Knowing each other’s tendencies and how to cheer each other on has helped us lift one another and win a lot of our games.”
The team was ahead by multiple points at halftime. Marshall describes how that lead dictated the rest of the game’s energy.
“Being so far ahead calmed us down a lot,” Marshall said. “It made us a lot more relaxed, but we also mutually knew we couldn’t let up. We knew that we needed to win, so we continued to give it our all.”
No matter the result, the game still had some challenges, according to Hasabu.
“Even when you have a lead in a game, you need to make sure to stay in it,” Hasabu said. “So even when we were tired after defense, we still made sure to work to score on offense to maintain our lead.”
Closing with another victory, the Lady Jags finished their regular season 14-9, marking the most wins in a long time for the girls’ basketball team.
