The JHop basketball regular season ended this month with a thrilling win for the girls team and a tough loss for the boys team.

The girls capped off a strong season with a 32-28 victory over Azalea Middle.

They started slowly, scoring one point in the first quarter and four in the second. At halftime, they trailed 16-5. The team scored six points in the third quarter and rallied in the fourth scoring 21 points, with center Emily Kittles hitting a game-tying layup to send the match into overtime. They extended their lead in overtime through forcing turnovers and converting free throws.

The comeback win gave the Lady Trojans a 5-3 record, but it was not enough to get them into the playoffs. Girls coach Margaret Caldwell said that her team showed their talent and fought through a midseason losing streak to finish strong.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the girls,” Caldwell said. “They really put the work in.”

The boys team played hard but fell 43-40 to Azalea on Dec. 3. The Trojans scored 24 points in the first half and 16 in the second but could not overcome the deficit. The team finished the season with a losing record of 2-6 and missed the playoffs.

Boys coach Angela Hall said that her team came together and fought through setbacks due to disciplinary issues. She said that the players improved as the season progressed and expected a playoff run next season.

“We fell short this year,” Coach Hall said. We didn’t make it to the playoffs. But our record was better this year than last year.”

Staff reports contributed to this story.