The JWP girls’ basketball team has been dealing with shooting trouble lately. While some of that still lingered into this week, they did much better against Medford, defeating them 70-27 on Tuesday, January 7. While they had their way through most of the game at Triton the following Thursday, a last-second shot was needed to secure a narrow 59-57 victory.
Bulldogs 70, Tigers 27
If their game against one-win Bethlehem Academy taught the Lady Dawgs anything, it’s that they should never underestimate their opponent, especially when they’re having their own troubles.
They made sure not to do that to a winless Medford squad. While the Tigers scored the first two points, that was their only lead. Junior Katie Olson was held to only a few points against Faribault BA, but she was on fire in this one, leading the team with 27 points and five steals. She began the game with a three-pointer to give JWP a 3-2 lead, a lead which they kept for good.
It was 43-13 JWP at halftime, and the JV players and non-starters were in the game less than halfway into the second.
Another contributor was Presley James, who found her way to the basket, too, and had a double-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds, and five steals. Nevaeh Weimert and Mikayla Wheelock had seven points each; Weimert had four rebounds and nine steals, while Wheelock had five rebounds.
Bulldogs 59, Cobras 57
The Bulldogs then traveled to Triton on Thursday, Jan. 9. The Cobras sported a 12-1 record going into the matchup, and they are in the hunt for a chance at representing the east division in the Gopher Conference championship.
JWP was just in time to get out of their offensive funk…at least in the first half. Both teams traded blows, and the Bulldogs eventually took a 30-21 halftime lead. The second half started out fantastic for the girls. They led as much as 55-37 with six minutes left. But the Cobras were looking to inject venom into the Bulldogs as they pushed for a final effort. They went on a nine-point run uninterrupted until Weimert scored a point off a free throw. The Cobras then went unchallenged for an 11-point run within two minutes. And just like that, with a 20-1 swing, Triton had the lead 57-56 with 13 seconds left.
It took junior Mikayla Wheelock scoring a three with only three seconds on the clock to escape Triton’s grasp and avoid taking defeat from the jaws of victory. A great pass from Weimert set her up only a few feet on the right side of the key. Wheelock has usually been clutch with threes all season, but this may have been her best three-point shot. Even the announcer for Triton’s live stream of the game had to give her credit.
Weimert led the way in this game with 18 points and ten rebounds for a double-double. Katie Olson and Wheelock had 14 points each, with Olson additionally contributing four steals.
Nearly every team in the eastern division of the Gopher Conference has given JWP some strict tests. But time after time, the Lady Dawgs have risen to the occasion. With the two victories, the girls remain undefeated in the Gopher Conference with a 6-0 record (including 2-0 in the west) and 11-2 overall.
JWP will face another test on Tuesday, Jan. 14, when they host NRHEG, a team currently atop the West with a 3-0 record. This is part of a doubleheader with the boys’ team. The following Thursday, they will host Randolph.
