December 16 was exciting and memorable for the Jackson Jaguars. For decades the Jackson Walnut Park basketball teams have called other Newton venues “home court.” On this Sunday afternoon, all three teams played the first of their 2018-19 winter season home games on the gleaming parquet of the newly opened JWP Student Center.

The coed teams, “freshmen” (first and second graders), junior varsity (third and fourth graders), and varsity (fifth and sixth graders) played successive and thrilling games against Holy Name. It was a full team effort for each Jackson Elementary age bracket with players exhibiting an excellent grasp of fundamentals and a tenacious will to win. All three Jaguar teams were first on the scoreboard. The freshmen and JV teams never looked back as Holy Name kept the pressure on. The varsity game was back and forth showcasing defensive skills in rebounds and screens and adept offensive passing that kept the opposing teams switching the hold on a lead by a marginal two points. A game-ending buzzer ball sealed the win for Holy Name varsity.

The Jaguars show they are developing into a formidable force. Their commitment to teammates and their focus on the net underscores the hoopsters trust in one another and self-confidence as athletes. This team culture of sportsmanship defines the values of a Jackson Walnut Park Schools education.