FREMONT – Playing in its closest game of the season, the Ross girls basketball team played as though there was no score at all. The Lady Giants were cool, calm and relaxed.
Jazmin Bulger
Which is exactly what coach Juan Vela wanted to see.
Entering the third quarter against Madison Comprehensive tied at 33, Ross showed no panic and executed offensively when it mattered most and pulled out a 47-45 non-conference victory Monday night.
“I told them to relax and don’t even worry about the scoreboard and just play ball,” Vela said. “They ran our offense just like they would do in practice, relaxed, and made some shots.
“I think the girls showed a lot of maturity,” he added. “I thought they handled it well, emotionally, in the fourth quarter. It makes me a little more confident, as a coach, being in these tight games, knowing our girls have enough fight in them to get it done.”
Senior Jazmin Bulger led the Lady Giants, scoring 20 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. The extent of her performance snuck up on Vela afterwards.
“It didn’t look as though she had 20,” Vela said. “She was in foul trouble in the first half so she didn’t play a lot in the second quarter. …At the end of the night, I was surprised she had 20. They were keying on her, but we were able to get her the ball in different ways and she got eight points in the fourth quarter, that was big.
“She was a little more patient. I think she did a good job letting the offense come to her.”
Olivia Baptista and Ahlia Simms each scored eight points while Brooklyn Baptista added seven as the Lady Giants improved their overall record to 5-1. Ross returns to action Thursday at Lima Senior at 7:30.
Fremont Ross 47, Madison Comprehensive 45
ROSS (47)
Bulger 8 2-5 20; O. Baptist 3 0-0 8; Simms 4 0-2 8; Brooklyn Baptista 3 0-0 7; Marissa Overmyer 0 2-2 2; Sabiers 1 0-0 2. Totals, 19 4-9 47.
3-pointers – 5 (Bulger 2, O. Baptista 2, B. Baptista 1)