Basketball Recap: Jaida Johnson's Big Game Can't Quite Lead James F. Byrnes over Gaffney

After flying high against Wade Hampton last Saturday, James F. Byrnes came back down to earth. The James F. Byrnes Rebels lost to the Gaffney Indians on the road by a 69-55 margin on Tuesday. The Rebels were not able to make up for their loss to the Indians from their previous meeting back in February of 2024.

Several Rebels players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Jaida Johnson, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 12 rebounds. Johnson has become a key player for James F. Byrnes: the team is 7-1 when she posts at least ten boards, but 1-4 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Ashlyn Evans, who posted 11 points along with seven boards and five assists.

vs

Previous 1 Games

01/07/25 - Away

55-69 L

Even though they lost, James F. Byrnes smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 19 offensive rebounds in three consecutive matches.

James F. Byrnes' defeat was their first in the region, dropping their region record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 8-5. As for Gaffney, the victory keeps them at an undefeated 14-0.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. James F. Byrnes will welcome Spartanburg at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. James F. Byrnes is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 59.5 points per game this season. As for Gaffney, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Dorman at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Gaffney knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past ten games -- so hopefully Dorman likes a good challenge.