Windsor finishes strong solid at 12-15; looks to next season
The Lady Jaguars suffered a first-round knockout in the opening game of the North Coast Section Division 2 basketball playoffs on Feb. 21, mounting a strong upset bid that fell short in a 43-35 loss to the Redwood Giants in Larkspur.
The loss gave Windsor a final overall record of 12-15.
The Jags’ NCS playoff appearance was a just reward for a solid 2016-17 campaign, one that included a challenging pre-league schedule and a competitive North Bay League season that ended with a 6-8 record. It may also have been a prelude of great things to come next year, when the team returns their entire roster of seasoned veterans.
The Jaguars entered the NCS tournament as the number 11 seed, traveling to take on sixth seeded Redwood in Tuesday’s opener. Windsor got off to a great start, combining a stifling defensive effort with the strong inside game of post players Gabby Giddings and Mattie Murphy to grab a 15-6 lead after one.
Windsor maintained the cushion throughout the second period, outscoring the hosts 8-7 to take a 23-13 advantage at the half.
The lead would only serve to awaken the sleeping Giants at intermission, as Redwood caught fire on a 14-9 run to close the deficit to 32-27 after three quarters. The Jaguars watched their lead evaporate in the final period, with Redwood closing out the game on a 16-3 run to post an eventual 43-35 victory.
Giddings finished up a tremendous junior campaign with a team-high 16 points, adding 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Other top scorers for Windsor included Murphy (7 points, 6 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal), Cecellia Smith (6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists), Hannah May (3 points, 1 rebound, 2 steals) and Sabrina Simili (3 points, 2 assists, 2 steals).
