Senatobia, Miss. — Jones led for more than 32 minutes but couldn’t hold off Northwest in Saturday’s NJCAA Region 23 quarterfinal. The Rangers rallied in the final 10 minutes to secure a 61-56 victory, according to sources.
Northwest, which improved to 21-8, advances to the region semifinals to face Itawamba on March 11. Jones, coached by Trista Magee Whitman in her first season, finished with a 20-9 record. Whitman praised her team after the game, saying, “I can’t be more thankful to the young women we’ve had as part of our program this year. They committed to our mission and gave their very best throughout the season. They are such a special group and have incredibly bright futures that I can’t wait to watch.”
Jones led after each quarter Saturday night, including 45-38 entering the fourth quarter. Despite the loss, Whitman’s team surpassed their win total from the previous two seasons combined, which was 13, and improved their league wins to eight from six in the last two years.
More details will follow as the tournament progresses.
