On Tuesday, January 10th, the JV Lady Patriots took on Florence and came out victorious. 

The Lady Patriots came into this game with a record of 7-2, hoping to extend it to 8-2. They started off the game by winning the tipoff. The first quarter was a tough battle for the Patriots, Sloan Williams started off their scoring with a layup. Florence did not make it easy for the Patriots to score as they ended the first quarter with a tied game at 7-7. 

Once the second quarter came both teams continued playing sloppy and gritty. There were many turnovers coming from both sides. Neither team took control of the game, but Florence did take the lead. With less than ten seconds, the score at 9-12, Jurnee Warner had the ball in her hands and tried to tie the game before the half with a three-pointer. Unfortunately, the shot did not land, and the half ended at 9-12.  

Walking into the locker room, freshman Jazzelle Castillo said that the team’s spirits were low but hungry to play better. She also stated that their coach, Donnie Moore, gave them an important talk and highlighted that they needed to pick up the defense. “Defense fuels offense,” and the Lady Patriots took that with them coming into the second half. 

Then began the third quarter, and the Lady Patriots came in with a different look. Their defense was steadier, and their offense was effortless. What really stood out was their defensive energy; they weren’t allowing Florence to do anything as they picked up steals and turned them into buckets. This shift in the game led them to take the lead at 19-18, out-scoring Florence in the third by 10-6. 

When the fourth quarter started, they kept up the energy and turned it up times one hundred. The Lady Patriots on the floor were picking up steals and passing it to a teammate for the easy lay-up. The people in the stands were hyped and that fueled them to continue playing excellently. This was their best scoring quarter as they out-scored Florence once again by 18-2. The Lady Patriots came out with a big second half and a big win, finishing at 37-20. 

The Bob Jones Lady Patriots are looking to extend this New Year’s run as they take on their rival James Clemens. The game will take place on Friday, January 13th. Come out and support our very own Bob Jones @James Clemens at 4:30 P.M!