Thursday night in Claremore, Will Rogers Junior High finished their regular season undefeated with a 39-29 win over Collinsville.
In the midst of a pandemic, Will Rogers basketball coach Jeremy Bump was happy that his girls were able to play.
“We never really got into any rhythm this year. Navigating the pandemic, you can tell it weighed on the girls,” said Bump. “They were able to show their perseverance through it all.”
While we don’t know how many times a team has finished the regular season undefeated in their school history, we do know that no team has had a perfect record at Will Rogers Junior High in a long time.
There were times in the game when Collinsville had a chance to upset the Lady Zebras. For instance, Collinsville gained momentum late in the fourth quarter and trailed by three points with five minutes left in the game. But Will Rogers Big Three stepped up and led their team to victory.
Hope Bump led the Zebras with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 steals. Bump is a versatile 8th grader who can do it all. She’s a talented hooper that should be on everyone’s radar as a rising star in Oklahoma. We say that with confidence because her game is really that good. Bump stands out from other players because of her ability to consistently produce and impact the game every time she’s on the floor. Bump is the type of player you build a team around.
Kate Wiqinton has so much offensive and defensive talent which makes her a threat on both ends of the floor. Her game is so intense it’s not hard to notice how much damage she can do on the floor. Wiqinton can handle the ball with confidence, create offense, and force turnovers with her aggressive defense. Wiqinton scored 9 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and 5 steals. Her competitiveness in a game is unmatched.
Rosalyn Tillis has a gift for being in the right place at the right time during a game. She’s not afraid to dive on the floor for loose balls or go up hard in the paint for rebounds. Tillis snagged 7 boards Thursday night. She’s also a fierce defender and a great team player. What most stood out about her game was her ability to not force the game but rather let the game come to her. She’s a confident player to be on the lookout for.