The girls varsity basketball team lost to the Newton North Tigers 61-37 on Friday, Jan. 3 in the Schultz Gymnasium.

The Tigers came out strong, winning the tipoff and advancing toward the basket. However, off of a blocked shot from the Warriors, junior Jada Kimbro rebounded and drove to the basket scoring the first two points of the game.

The Tigers were quick to respond, tying the game at 2-2. Still, Kimbro scored a layup on a fast break, temporarily regaining the lead for the Warriors. After much back and forth, the first quarter ended 12-7 with the Tigers in the lead.

Kimbro said the team played effective defense at the beginning but struggled offensively.

“I think we did well in the beginning playing defense; our defense was really working well, but I feel like our offense wasn’t the best,” Kimbro said. “I feel like we weren’t moving around. We just stuck in one place, we weren’t talking at all.”

Heading into the second quarter, the Tigers extended their lead with several three-pointers. Despite efforts from junior and captain Nefeli Aga-Kitch as well as the rest of the team, the second quarter ended with the Tigers in the lead once again with a score of 30-20.

Aga-Kitch said this situation was similar to the Warriors game earlier in the season against the Wellesley Raiders, in which they had found themselves in a position much like the one against the Tigers.

“Against Wellesley, we were also down by ten going into the third quarter but we were able to keep the momentum up and start getting points to win,” Aga-Kitch said. “In this one, I think we slowed down, and as soon as that girl kept hitting a lot of threes, we let that get in our heads and we weren’t able to battle with it.”

On one end, the Warriors’ defense was occupied with the Tigers’ attack, while on the other end, the offense was struggling to convert. By the end of the third quarter, the Tigers had increased their lead with a score of 45-30.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Warriors continued to fight. Junior and captain Ivy Wheeler, Aga-Kitch and Kimbro all scored points in the fourth quarter, but not enough to combat the Tigers’ offense. With numerous three-pointers scored by the Tigers, the game ended with a score of 61-37.

Head coach Kendall Jones said he has faith in his team, believing that this loss, though difficult, can be learned from.

“I think they can use this loss as an opportunity to gel as a unit and figure out how to move forward,” Jones said.

According to Jones, basketball transcends what happens on the court. It is about how the sport allows you to grow as a person and apply what you learn from being on a team to your life.

“My thing is I will try to prepare them for life. It’s bigger than basketball,” Jones said. “How can we have all 12 girls come together for a common goal to win? You got to find out what you do best, bring it to the table, how to put it together and win games.”