Winless no longer: Lady Broncs win thriller in Big Piney

Jackson notched a real character win last night for their first “W” of the 20-21 season. Leading by as many as 10 points early in the game, the Lady Broncs squandered that and then clawed their way back into the game, chasing down Big Piney for the remainder of the second half to squeeze out a 38-34 victory against the Lady Punchers.

Audrey Fouras again led the charge for Jackson. The streaky shooter can run hot-and-cold, as chancy as a cat getting a belly rub. Her fiery temper got her T’d up late in a close game. Always a no-no. But after a short chat on the bench with Coach Jason Huggins put her emotions back on the rails, Fouras returned with ice water in her veins as she hit several pressure free throws down the stretch to seal the win for the Black & Orange.

Fouras finished with a game-high 19 points and pounded the boards as well enroute to the game’s MVP award.

Karson Breeding had another solid game with 10 points. The freshman started strong, disappeared for a couple of quarters and then helped finish off the Punchers with a couple of key inside bank shots.

Coming from behind on the road is no easy chore. Even more impressive, the Lady Broncs managed to win without Gracie Hardeman and a fully functioning Melissa Kussy. Hardeman was a scratch Tuesday as she continues to rehab a knee injury suffered in the first half of a game against Lander on December 18, 2020.

Kussy is battling an undisclosed injury as well. Huggins did not start the senior shooting guard and used her sparingly in the 4th quarter to help Jackson close the gap. Kussy failed to register a point but managed to rack up 5 fouls in about six minutes. She and Caroline Fouras fouled out as part of an aggressive second half where the Broncs were far from ladylike in their play, contesting anything in the paint with savage physicality.

It was a team effort as well.

Junior Jacie Chatham (7 points) ran the floor with poise, doing a little bit of everything. The point guard controlled the tempo of the game. She pushed the play when it was there, pulled up and slowed the pace when it wasn’t.

Caroline Fouras and Hyla Chatham added valuable minutes off the bench. Joanna Smits didn’t exactly light up the scoresheet, but the savvy senior made two impossible passes resulting in important baskets that fueled the Broncs’ comeback.

The first was a sneaky inside bounce pass that found the 6-foot Breeding, who converted the layup. A possession or two later, Smits floated a perfect cross-court touch pass to Audrey Fouras who missed the shot, but Breeding was there for the offensive board and the put back.

The win moves Jackson to 1-4 on the season. The Punchers are now 2-2. The Lady Broncs play next this Thursday in Driggs as part of a home-and-home with Teton.