Future looks bright for young Lady Jags’ squad
The Lady Jaguars wrapped up the NBL basketball schedule on a winning note, turning back visiting Ukiah in the league finale on Jan. 31, 54-46.
The win came on the heels of a 78-27 loss to Cardinal Newman and gave Windsor a final league record of 3-7 and 8-19 overall.
“Getting a win was a great way to end the season,” Windsor coach Joe Passalacqua said. “We’ve had a tough, hard season and our schedule was tougher than anyone except for Cardinal Newman. The experience should help us for the future.”
In fact, the Lady Jags fielded one of the youngest varsity rosters in the North Bay, with just one senior (Tori Russotti), four juniors, one sophomore and four freshman.
Jags gain split
Windsor started the final week of NBL play with a Jan. 29 visit to Cardinal Newman, as the hosts knocked down eight shots from beyond the three-point arc to open up a big early lead. There was no let-up for the state-ranked Cardinals after intermission as Newman powered to a 78-27 romp.
“We had no answer for their hot shooting,” Passalacqua noted. “We tried both man and zone defense but they always found the open player.”
Russotti led the offense with 13 points, while Sophia Romero and Meredith Gilbertson each chipped in six.
Windsor was focused and ready for visiting Ukiah in the Jan. 31 league finale, with the teams playing on nearly even terms in a tight battle. The Jags led 23-22 at the half and a three-point buzzer-beater by Russotti had her team up 38-33 after three quarters. Windsor held the Wildcats in check down the stretch to preserve a 54-46 victory.
“I think the girls played with a lot of heart, knowing they could compete with Ukiah and wanted to end the season with a win on Senior Night,” Passalacqua said.
Gilbertson paced the offense with 19 points and 15 rebounds, while other top scorers included Russotti (12 points, all in second half) and Romero (11 points, 12 boards).
