Atherton, CA-The month of March is synonymous with high intensity college basketball. It was only fitting that on March 1st, Menlo Women's Basketball would find themselves in one of the games of the year with a trip to the GSAC Championship on the line. Despite trailing by as much as 19 in the third quarter coach Shannon Spataro's squad refused to go quietly and mounted an epic 24 point fourth quarter rally that would take the game down,literally, to the final second.
Jasmyne Huggins & Jordyn Rosette Lead the Charge
Senior Jasmyne Huggins had a relatively quiet first half of play with a solid six points across the first 20 minutes of action. But, with the game teetering on the brink, Huggins came alive with timely defensive plays and clutch buckets down to the final few possessions. Her signature moments came with under 40 seconds remaining. With 39 seconds on the clock and the Oaks trailing Huggins corralled an offensive rebound off a missed three pointer. She then willed her way through contact for an "And-1" finish. After knocking down the free throw, the score would be tied. On Menlo's next offensive possession, with 10 seconds on the clock she would once again grab an offensive rebound and drop in a layup to give Menlo a two point lead. Unfortunately, a free throw with a final second remaining would give the Master's a lead for good. Regardless, Huggins put together a great outing with a team high 19 points, a team high four assists and also had two blocks and two steals.
Fellow forward Jordyn Rosette also put together a strong showing and was also a huge contributor to Menlo's furious comeback. In the fourth quarter Rosette knocked down two threes to bring her scoring total up to 11 points for the game. Yet, it was her patented defensive versatility that was most critical. To put it simply, Rosette was dynamic on defense. She swatted away three shots, including a clutch block with under 15 seconds left. She also came away with a game high four steals while applying full court ball pressure and doing a great job slowing down the Master's leading scorer in the second half.
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It was a game filled with incredible highs and lows. While the final score will surely be a disappointment to members of the Menlo community, it highlights the Oaks refusal to remain competitive no matter what the score is. Make no mistake, this is a dangerous Menlo team led by a veteran coach, with multiple all-conference players and a deep roster. Thankfully, it looks like the Oaks will have more postseason basketball on the schedule with a trip to the NAIA National Tournament right around the corner!
Menlo College is currently a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). To learn more about Menlo Athletics visit www.menloathletics.com or follow Menlo Athletics on Instagram (@menloathletics), X (@MenloAthletics) or Facebook (Menlo College Athletic).
