Staff Reports
Casper, Wyoming – The South Georgia Technical College Lady Jets mounted a furious late-game comeback but ultimately fell 61-58 to defending national champion Hutchinson Community College in the opening round of the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Down 57-44 with 4:35 remaining, the Lady Jets turned up the defensive pressure, holding the Blue Dragons to just four points while scoring 14 of their own. The rally cut the deficit to three, but time ran out before South Georgia Tech could complete the comeback.
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“First of all, congratulations to Hutchinson,” said SGTC Athletic Director and head coach Jason Carpenter, who was making his first appearance in the NJCAA Division I national tournament. “They’re ranked No. 8 in the country and seeded 11th in the tournament for a reason — and they played like it.”
Carpenter, however, praised his players for their effort and resilience.
“I’m extremely proud of this group. They never quit, even when we were down. I’m confident our freshmen will use the lessons from this season and this national tournament experience as fuel heading into next year.”
Rebounding proved to be the difference in the game. Hutchinson outrebounded SGTC 36-22 and scored 14 second-chance points, compared to just six for the Lady Jets.
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“Rebounding was going to be a deciding factor, and unfortunately for us, Hutchinson won that battle — and the game,” Carpenter said.
Statistically, the teams were otherwise evenly matched. SGTC had 17 turnovers to Hutchinson’s 16. The Blue Dragons converted those into 21 points, while the Lady Jets scored 17 off turnovers. Both teams shot around 40 percent from the field and the three-point line.
Free throws also played a role. Hutchinson went 13-of-21 from the stripe, while SGTC made 10-of-17.
The Lady Jets started strong, scoring the first points of the game and knocking down their first three three-point attempts. They built an early eight-point lead and led 17-13 after one quarter. South Georgia Tech held a 29-24 advantage at halftime, but Hutchinson rallied to tie the game at 41 by the end of the third quarter.
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The Blue Dragons outscored SGTC 20-17 in the final period to escape with the win and advance to the Sweet Sixteen. They will face sixth-ranked Three Rivers on Friday, March 29 at 6:45 p.m. ET.
The Lady Jets held Kansas Player of the Year Hailey Jackson scoreless in the first half, but she erupted for 17 points in the second, including six from the free throw line. Jada Pleasant added 10 points for Hutchinson.
Jamiah Gregory, the GCAA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, led SGTC with 16 points. Freshman Stephie Salumu added 15, while sophomores Enola Papin and Mio Sakano scored 13 and 10, respectively. Freshmen Mariia Ignachenko and Kaiya Carter chipped in two points each.
The Lady Jets ended the season with a 24-7 record. They won the GCAA regular-season title with a 14-1 conference record and captured the GCAA/NJCAA Region XVII championship to earn their spot in the national tournament.
This marked the Lady Jets’ 11th appearance in the NJCAA National Tournament over the past 20 years. They have reached the Elite Eight twice and the Sweet Sixteen two other times.
