Winning two of their final three games, the Escalon JV basketball girls closed out the Trans-Valley League campaign with a 6-6 record.

At Hilmar for a game on Tuesday, Feb. 9, the girls eked out a 38-37 win.

“It was a nailbiter at the end but we got it done,” said assistant coach Gary Ball, filling in for his daughter, first year JV head coach Kacey (Ball) Cheary. “We had a 22-16 lead at the half but did not have a very good third quarter; they took the lead (32-31) at the end of three and then we beat them by a bucket in the fourth for the one-point win.”

Leading scorers were Daisy Camacho with 13 points and Alexa Gomez with 12.

On Thursday, Feb. 11 the girls hosted league-leading (and eventual champion) Hughson in what turned out to be a closely contested game.

“We had them on the ropes, we just couldn’t finish,” admitted Ball. “We were up 15-12 at halftime, gave up the lead but we were still close in the third quarter.”

Eventually, Hughson started to pull away as Escalon had trouble finding the net in the second half. Hughson scored 13 points over the final two frames’ Escalon managed just four for the 25-19 Lady Huskies victory.

“We had (scoring) opportunities with putbacks and like that, but we scored only one basket and we were just 2-of-8 from the free throw line in the second half,” Ball explained.

Camacho had eight points, Emily McPherrin chipped in five in the loss.

Back on the home court for the Tuesday, Feb. 16 finale, Escalon’s JV girls hosted Mountain House and walked off with a hard-fought 23-18 win.

“It was our last ball game, we got out to a good lead, were up 15-8 at halftime,” Ball said. “Then we scored just one point in the third quarter, Mountain House pressed us a couple of different ways.”

Escalon did commit the fewest turnovers of the year; they just again had difficulty connecting on their shots.

It came down to the last few minutes, Mountain House eating into the lead, but a late basket by Madison Kindberg sealed the win.

Camacho had six points to lead the team, Kindberg had four.

Overall, the JV girls compiled a 15-10 mark and were an even .500 with their 6-6 league record.

“It was a good season,” Ball said.