ROCKLIN, Calif. – The 17th annual Bill Holtz Warrior Classic tipped off on Thursday as Jessup officially jump-started their season against Westcliff. Following an exhibition victory over Sac State, the Warriors kept the momentum rolling with a 67-59 victory on Horton Court.
On starting his third season with the Warriors on a winning note, head coach
Corey Laster stated, "A lot always goes into every game...But I feel good. We've been able to get out to a good start these first two games we've had, so that's a really good sign for us."
Jessup saw no issues finding the bottom of the basket in the first half Thursday, posting a 57 percent performance from the field in the opening 20 minutes. The second quarter was especially dominant for the Warriors as Jessup shot 9-of-12 from the field, with ten of those attempts coming inside the arc.
Providing the bulk of the scoring was third-year guard
Natalie Moulos. Moulos led the way with 17 points on 5-of-10 from the floor, adding three triples and a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Andrea Jovicevic added 16 points in 27 minutes of action to pair with seven boards.
The rebound margin saw a decisive Jessup victory, as the Warriors outrebounded Westcliff 41-28.
Neomi Davidson, who brought down 12 boards against Sac State, totaled nine in her official Jessup debut.
"She played out at a JC up north and is just a really great kid," added Laster on Davidson. "She has a lot of good experience and has been a good glue kid for us. A very versatile player at her size, and a pretty good rebounder too."
Makaila Napoleon closed out the season opener with 13 points and five boards.
Jessup led by seven at the half and powered that lead up to 15 entering the fourth quarter. However, a 1-for-7 showing from the floor in the final ten minutes allowed Westcliff to draw within single digits as they outscored the Warriors 15-8.
A key reason for the Westcliff run was the 22 turnovers committed by Jessup. Westcliff turned those into 21 points off turnovers.
On Jessup's high turnover numbers, Laster added, "We have to be better. I think in those situations, it starts with decision-making and then what we want to do in certain situations. We have a lot of stuff that we're still working to put in, and we're trying to figure out lineups right now."
The Warriors saw five players play over 20 minutes on Saturday, none seeing the court more than
Maila Lepolo, who played 34. Lepolo added eight points and three assists during that time.
On her high minute count, Laster noted, "I don't always like that, honestly. I like to keep them under 30 if we can. But we have some people that need a little bit more time, and we'll see how things develop."
Now the Warriors have some time to get ready for their next matchup, as Jessup won't hit the court until November 11 against Pacific Union. Tickets for that matchup, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., are on sale
HERE.
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Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).
