Thomas Jefferson earns convincing first-round triumph
By Jose Negron
jnegron@yourmvi.com
Thomas Jefferson secured a spot in the second round of the PIAA playoffs with a convincing 62-30 victory over Portage Area in a first round matchup Saturday at Mt. Aloysius College.
Playing in their first meaningful game since suffering a WPIAL semifinal loss to Chartiers Valley on Feb. 26, the Jaguars (19-7) bounced back in a big way by building a 19-5 lead after one quarter and a commanding 37-13 edge by halftime.
“I was very proud of how we started the game,” TJ head coach Lisa Fairman said. “That’s something we really put into the girls heads, the importance of starting strong and setting the tempo the way we want. We came out of the gates very strong and consistently kept that up throughout the game.”
Graci Fairman led the way for TJ, which outscored Portage Area, 25-17, in the second half.
The sophomore guard poured in a game-high 19 points and added seven rebounds.
“She’s a student of the game and she knows the plays inside and out,” Lisa Fairman said of her daughter. “When we did scouting on the other team, she paid very close attention to that, so she was mentally prepared and used her athleticism and speed to create scoring opportunities, not only for herself, but for her teammates as well. I’m really proud of the work she has done.”
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