The Wekiva Lady Mustangs basketball team (10-7) started the new year with back-to-back wins but struggled without two starters against Colonial Grenadiers (15-4), losing 66-47 on Tuesday night.  

Ja’Niya Poole injured her arm against Lake Nona and does not yet have a return timetable, while Jakayla Johnson is expected back on the court Saturday. Despite the short-handed lineup, Wekiva showed early resilience against one of the area’s top teams. 

Colonial scored first, but Makayla Bell answered from the baseline to get Wekiva on the board. After Colonial knocked down an open 3, Alexis Hill went to work inside, converting two free throws after an offensive rebound.  

Bell later stepped into a confident 3-pointer to give Wekiva its first lead at 7-6. 

Colonial briefly pulled ahead, but Wekiva countered with back-to-back finishes from Tiana Washington in the paint. The Lady Mustangs held an 11-10 lead after one. 

Momentum shifted in the second quarter. Colonial opened with a 3-pointer, and both teams locked in defensively, forcing turnovers and rushed possessions. Bell recorded a steal and a block, Hill added a block, and Jasmine Pooler picked off a pass, but there were no points to show for it. 

Midway through the quarter, Colonial made two straight buckets to take a 19-11 lead. Wekiva briefly responded with a Hill corner 3, a Washington layup, and a Pooler assist to Paris Blackwood inside, trimming the deficit to three. 

Colonial closed the half with its best stretch of the night. The Grenadiers capitalized on late turnovers and knocked down consecutive perimeter shots, scoring 10 points in a minute and 15 seconds to take a 31-18 lead into halftime. 

Wekiva opened the third quarter with renewed energy. Pooler finished a second-chance layup, and Hill and Washington added baskets inside to keep the Lady Mustangs within striking distance early. But Colonial quickly answered again behind Yaneyla Pedraza, who consistently found space on the perimeter. 

As the quarter wore on, Colonial’s offensive pressure forced multiple Wekiva timeouts. Hill continued to battle for her team, scoring inside and from beyond the arc, but the deficit grew. Bell capped the third quarter with a steal and layup at the buzzer, but Colonial had a commanding 51-37 lead. 

Wekiva made one last push early in the fourth, beating the press for consecutive baskets to cut the deficit to 10. Colonial responded with a three-point play and reasserted control. With the Lady Mustangs showing signs of fatigue, the Grenadiers closed the game by forcing turnovers and finishing inside to secure the 66-47 win. 

Hill led Wekiva with 12 points, five rebounds and a block. Bell finished with 11 points, three steals and a block, while Washington added 10 points and six rebounds. For Colonial, Pedraza and Cherish Risbrook combined for 34 points. 

After the game, Wekiva coach Jerry Middleton pointed to effort and execution as key factors. 

“We just didn’t come out with the proper effort,” Middleton said. “We didn’t get enough flow early in the half court, and we sped up instead of getting good quality shots. A loss isn’t a bad loss if you learn from it, and we’ll learn from this one. Hats off to Colonial — they’re well coached.” 

The Lady Mustangs entered the night riding big wins over Dunnellon, 49-36, and Lake Nona, 50-25. They will look to regroup quickly as they continue a challenging stretch. They were scheduled to face the fourth-ranked team in the Orlando area, Ocoee (13-4), Wednesday night and will face DeLand (10-7) on Saturday.