Lady Warriors Basketball Close Out Season with Spirit

The Nelson Lady Warriors' Women's Basketball team (3-15) closed out their season with good heart and unrelenting resilience in a 92-48 loss to the Ottawa Spirit in the regular-season finale at Scott Activity Center.

Ottawa set the tone early, outscoring Nelson 23-8 in each of the first two quarters to build a commanding 46-18 halftime lead. Despite finding themselves in a deep hole, rather than folding in what was the final time this group would take the court together, they responded with pride and determination.

The third quarter saw Nelson score 13 points in part due to a noticeable uptick in energy and execution following the halftime adjustments that had coach Glenn Odonal installed. In the fourth, the Lady Warriors poured in a season-closing 19 points, including a strong 6-2 run to end the game that sent the home crowd out on a positive note despite the final margin.

Sophia Morón led the Warriors with a season-high 14 points and added a team-best 4 assists, and with the scoring outburst, finished the year just two points shy of 100 for the season.

Juliana Kirker and Jordan Hankston each came within a hair of recording double-doubles. Kirker finished with 11 points on an efficient 3-of-6 shooting, with 8 rebounds, and a season-high 3 steals (she averaged 2.25 steals per game over her final four outings). Hankston contributed 8 points (also 3-of-6 from the field) and 8 rebounds in a strong all-around effort.

Nya Misi Havatone and Emma Koker each delivered solid, well-rounded performances: Havatone with 4 points and 5 rebounds and Koker with 6 points and 4 boards. Chloe Warren did a little bit of everything, dishing out 3 assists while grabbing a rebound and a steal in valuable minutes.

Jordan Dillon led the Spirit off the bench with 15 points, while Tiana Sledge finished with 12 rebounds and 6 steals.

Though the scoreboard reflected a challenging year, the Lady Warriors' fought in their season finale, capturing the spirit this group carried throughout: never refusing to compete, never giving in, and playing with heart until the final whistle. Senior Night may have come last week, but this game felt like a collective send-off for a team that battled adversity, grew together, and left everything on the court.

Thank you to this year's Lady Warriors—your fight was felt every step of the way. We can't wait to see you play again next season.

Do not forget to follow Nelson Athletics on X at @NelsonWarriors and Instagram at @nelsonwarriors.athletics.