Lady Bluejays Win Seventh Regional Title!
A familiar gym made a busy day a little bit easier for the North Judson-San Pierre Lady Bluejays. On the day before Valentine’s Day, the Lady ‘Jays would show their fans love, by bulldozing their way through the competition at the Winamac Regional!
In the opening game of the Regional, the Lady Bluejays would face a familiar opponent in the Andrean Lady 59ers, who had defeated North Judson during the regular season by twelve at North Judson. The Starke County girls in blue and gold had not forgotten the sting of that home loss as they entered Winamac High School Saturday morning.
It would be all North Judson from the start, as the Lady ‘Jays got off to a 16-8 lead in the first quarter. While they were not exactly dominating the game, it would be enough of a good start to spark increased intensity throughout the remaining three quarters. In the second quarter, the Lady Bluejays would begin to soar, as they would outscore the Lady 59ers 15-4 to take a 31-12 lead into the locker room at the half. The third quarter would be where things began to get interesting. Andrean would put together an impressive quarter, limiting North Judson to just five points, while putting up fourteen of their own, to make it a 36-26 game heading into the final quarter of the game. The Lady ‘Jays would shake off the rough third quarter and get back to work in the fourth, mainly on the defensive end. Andrean would only be able to muster up four points in the final eight minutes due, in large part, to an intense, smothering defense by North Judson. Meanwhile, the blue and gold would be able to get the ball in the basket enough times to come away with a fifteen point win, 45-30, avenging the regular season loss and catapulting North Judson into the Regional Championship game, where they would be facing the Bluffton Lady Tigers.
The Championship would see an all-time incredible scoring performance by one of the best players in the State of Indiana. North Judson Senior Lilli Frasure would put on a scoring performance that will never be forgotten by any in attendance. The Miss Basketball candidate would get off to an incredible start in the game, scoring in all three facets of the game, inside, outside, and at the free throw line, almost at will. Frasure would help lead her team to a strong start as the Lady Bluejays outscored Bluffton 15-6 in the first quarter, while then helping the ‘Jays to twenty more points in the second, as North Judson would hold a 35-19 lead at the half. In the first two quarters, Frasure would put up nineteen of the Lady Bluejays’ thirty-five points, while sister Sophie Frasure was not far behind, putting up eleven points of her own in the first half!
The second half would see a continued escalation of intensity on both offense and defense for North Judson. The Lady ‘Jays smother defense would only allow the Lady Tigers to muster up five points in the entire third quarter. The fiery first half scoring performance would not be doused for Lilli, as the senior continued to connect from everywhere on the floor, matching her first half scoring total of nineteen points, giving her a game-high thirty-eight for the evening, which included four made three-point shots and twelve-for-thirteen at the free throw line. In addition to her scoring total, Frasure also led her team in rebounding with ten, and steals with three! A Miss Basketball performance if ever there was one!
The Starke County Co-Op Play of the Game on WKVI came in the second quarter with 4:13 remaining, as Sophomore Sophie Frasure hit a layup while being fouled. She then connected on her free throw attempt to give her team a thirteen point lead, following her three-point play.
The Ashley Derrickson/Five Star Player of the Game on WKVI went to North Judson’s Lilli Frasure. Lilli scored a game-high thirty-eight points, logged a game-high ten rebounds, and had a game-high three steals in helping lead her team to the Regional Championship!
The Lady Bluejays will be competing in the Logansport Semi-State on February 20th, where they will be taking on Tipton, which defeated Frankton and Clinton Prairie to advance out of the Frankton Regional.