As the famous martial-artist Bruce Lee once said, “Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality.” Whether it be on the field or on the court, a Lodi verse Garfield game is always a game fans wouldn’t want to miss. With a rivalry originating a few decades ago, Garfield has always been a competitive team to play against. Unfortunately, on their road to success, the Lady Rams faced a challenging obstacle. At Garfield High School, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, the Lady Rams were defeated by the Garfield Boilermakers with a score of 47-37.

Lila Reginald added an outstanding total of 18 points to the scoreboard with six two-pointers, one three-pointer, and three free throws. Aliyah Williams made sure to do her part and add an additional 13 points to the scoreboard with two two-pointers, two three-pointers, and three free throws. Players Sara Papraniku, Yasmin Elfeky, and Kim Cornel added an awesome two points to the board as well, making the score 47-37 in the fourth quarter.

Although the Lady Rams faced a minor setback with a loss against Garfield, Reginald, a current senior at Lodi High School played an awesome game and scored the most amount of points. Reginald has been playing basektball since she was in the second grade and has played on the Girl’s Varsity Basketball team for all four years of her high school career. Since Reginald plays volleyball and softball as an addition to basketball, her plans for college are still pending. “I hope to play maybe an intramural because I do love the sport, but I’m not 100% sure yet because basketball in high school is the best. The bond I have with my team is amazing and I don’t want to lose that.”

After the loss against Garfield, the Lady Rams promise to only get better from here on out. “Anything we did in that second half of the game should have been done from the beginning. We definitely need to boost up our intensity level, as well,” stated Reginald as she shared her thoughts about Tuesday’s game. This is not the last time Lodi will go head-to-head with our rivals, Garfield, but, for now, the Lady Rams plan to practice and prepare. “Next game the fans can expect a win because we know what we have to do now and what it’s going to take to bring home the W.” Reginald has high hopes that the rest of the season will be successful. Be sure to come support Reginald and the Lady Rams at their next game on Thursday, Jan. 26, against Pompton Lakes.