Lady Jackets pass test provided by Bullard

Posted 1/6/22

If ever the Lady Jackets wanted a measure of just how far they have come so far in this young season, they got it last Thursday. The team bested Bullard in the second round of play at the Lady Jacket Classic, 44-37. 

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Lady Jackets pass test provided by Bullard

Posted

If ever the Lady Jackets wanted a measure of just how far they have come so far in this young season, they got it last Thursday. The team bested Bullard in the second round of play at the Lady Jacket Classic, 44-37. 

This was the same Bullard squad that squarely defeated Mineola (by 20+ points) in early November. 

Back in November there were signs that the Lady Jackets could become a good basketball team. Many of the pieces were in place. At that time, the communication, fluidity and confidence were not.

The team that took the court last Thursday was just that, a team. They helped, they communicated, they moved without the ball. And they put together a well-executed plan to take down Bullard.

A surge of energy generated by a swarming full-court press provided the initial push. Mineola forced  four first-quarter Bullard turnovers with the backcourt pressure. The Lady Jackets opened up a 9-2 lead. 

The Lady Panthers are a team of shooters, and they came back strong. At the quarter break, Bullard had taken an 11-9 lead.  

The Lady Jackets took the press off in the second quarter, as Bullard had begun to unlock the pressure with long passes down court. Bullard began to exploit the weak side of the Mineola defense and used two backdoor scores to build a nine-point edge. 

Mineola went to the half with a six-point deficit, 25-19. That difference would have been erased had the Lady Jackets not missed four point-blank looks at the basket. Despite trailing, there was no doubt that Mineola was out-hustling the visitors and winning many individual battles with each trip up the court.

The Lady Jackets dominated the third quarter. The continual defensive pressure seemed to unnerve Bullard, and Mineola began to apply the same type of pressure on the offensive end. Mylee Fischer drove the lane both left and right from her high post and generated nine points in the quarter. 

A Kyra Jackson jump shot with 2:30 left in the quarter gave Mineola a 28-27 edge. Just before the break Jayla Jackson sunk a 3-pointer, and Mineola took a 35-30 lead into the final quarter.

In the final stanza, the Lady Jackets actually turned up defensive pressure in the defensive zone. Bullard simply could not shake their shooters free for open looks at the hoop. Mineola was able to deny the Bullard shooters largely without fouling. It was a notable effort.  

In the fourth, Jayla Jackson hit two jump shots, Alia Freeman contributed a score, and Macy Fischer drove the basket for a timely score to keep the winning margin. A defensive rebound by Mylee Fischer with 1:15 to play was key.

Bullard applied a press in the last two minutes, but the Jackets played with their heads up and successfully advanced the ball down court. 

There was much to take heart in about this win. All Lady Jackets contributed. The combined effort was coordinated and relentless. It portends well for re-entering district play.