The GJHS boys basketball team has won back-to-back games heading into a home rematch with rival Fruita Monument on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

The Tigers recorded an exciting win over rival Central High School on Tuesday, Jan. 23, downing the Warriors 58-41. That was followed by a 45-33 victory over Glenwood Springs on Jan. 25. 

GJ holds an overall record of 12 wins and 5 losses with a 1-2 record in the Southwestern League.

As one of the biggest rivalries in conference, the Central vs. Junction duel brought out not only a lively crowd but also tough competition. For the Tigers, the first quarter was slow and shots just weren’t coming down against Central’s tough defense. However, the team fought on and began to see more success by the second quarter.

“The key to the team’s success at the Central game was being able to overcome adversity, especially in the first quarter. Even with a slow start we were able to keep fighting and extend our lead,” said GJHS junior Koen Wright, a starting point guard. He is currently leading the team in assists and steals per game.  

This wasn’t an easy task considering it was an away game and Central’s student section was teeming with shouting fans. 

“One of the biggest challenges was being able to handle the adversity of the environment, for sure. Playing a rival team on their home court made it seem as though everything was against us, so to be able to stay composed and stay together and compete was crucial,” Wright said, crediting the team’s head coach, Dutch Johnson, for pushing the team to compete at their highest level. 

By the second half, Junction’s lead continued to grow, as did their confidence.

“Coach did a great job of calling plays the whole game. Our halftime adjustment was just to keep playing hard on the defensive end and the shots will start falling,” said GJHS senior Brett Woytek, a guard who led the Tigers with 16 points and noteworthy defense. 

With more crucial games coming up for the boys and the girls teams, including what many consider to be an even bigger rivalry (Fruita vs. Junction), both are taking advantage of as many learning opportunities as possible.

The GJHS girls team has a 4-12 record heading into the upcoming matchup against Fruita. The Wildcats boast a 13-2 record on the girls side and an impressive 17-0 mark for the boys.

Another important part of a team’s success is the people who are there to support them. When going into a game where there is a rival or a tough opponent, having the student section can influence how the players perform. 

“The student section definitely does influence how we play in the sense that the environment of the game changes drastically. It brings a whole new sense of emotion to the game to have a student section support you, and hearing them cheer makes us want to compete that much harder and brings that much more energy,” said Wright. 

The girls varsity game is scheduled to tip-off at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, followed by the boys match up at 7 p.m.