Trojans fall to highly ranked Wahawks
The girls basketball team fell to Waterloo West 42-67 on Jan. 7.
Keiko Ono-Fullard ’23 reaches for a loose ball against Waterloo West on Jan. 7.
January 8, 2022
Head Coach BJ Mayer and the girls basketball team faced off with the Waterloo Wahawks on Jan. 7 for the first time since seeing them in the 2020 State Quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena where the Trojans ran away with a 65-63 win. The two top ten ranked programs and Mississippi Valley Conference opponents battled it out once again but the Trojans found themselves on the other side of things after losing to the Wahawks 42-67.
Both teams got off to a slow start as the game remained scoreless for the first two minutes until Meena Tate ’23 found Melae’ Lacy ’24 in transition for an easy lay-in to open it up. Tate made her way around a screen as she brought the ball up the floor and knocked down a three to make it 7-9 Wahawks as time expired in the first quarter. The Trojans struggled against Waterloo West’s 2-3 zone racking up nine turnovers in the first eight minutes.
The Trojans continued to have trouble keeping possession as the Wahawks ramped up the defensive pressure with a full-court press. Despite multiple chances off turnovers Waterloo West only extended their lead to five with four minutes left in the first half. Tate pump-faked and made a nice move into the lane where she pulled up for a mid-range jumper to make it 12-15 Wahawks. Waterloo West’s size in the paint made things tough for the Trojans on the offensive end as the Wahawks started to finish in transition and build on their lead. After Tate’s jumper the Trojans went scoreless through the last 3:45 of the first half and went into halftime down 12-21.
After a low scoring first half from both teams the Trojans’ offense showed some life at the start of the second half when Avery Vest ’22 found Anna Prouty ’23 open in the paint for a layup to end the Trojans’ scoring drought and make it 14-23 Wahawks with 7:30 left in the third. Waterloo West’s Sahara Williams ’23 knocked down a three to extend the Wahawks’ lead to 14 before Keiko Ono-Fullard ’24 answered with a three of her own to make it 17-28 Wahawks. Ono-Fullard connected from beyond the arc again to close out the third quarter and make it 26-44 Wahawks. Waterloo West’s offense really started to click in the second half as shots started to fall and their aggressive defense continued to give them opportunities. The Trojans fell to the Wahawks 42-67 in their second loss on the season. Tate led the Trojans in scoring with 15 points on the night.
The girls basketball team will be back in action on Jan. 11 at Dubuque Hempstead.
