The Batavia JV 2025-2026 team put up a tremendous fight in their season opener at home, falling to Wilmington 56-51 in what turned out to be an exciting back-and-forth battle. Despite the loss, the young squad showed incredible heart and determination, trading leads throughout the contest and never backing down from the challenge.

Batavia came out of the gates firing, jumping to an impressive 7-0 lead behind early scoring from Caleb Tobias, Jaylin Lowe, and John McKeon. The team maintained their advantage through most of the first quarter, with Tobias leading the charge with 7 points in the period. However, Wilmington found their rhythm and managed to tie the game 14-14 by the end of the first quarter, setting the stage for a thrilling contest.

The second and third quarters saw momentum swings that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Caleb Tobias continued his stellar play, finishing with a team-high 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting, while consistently attacking the basket and keeping Batavia competitive. Makai Taylor emerged as a crucial contributor, particularly in the third quarter where he scored 9 points and shot an efficient 5-of-8 from the field. His clutch free throw shooting helped tie the game 39-39 late in the third period, demonstrating great composure under pressure.

The fourth quarter delivered pure drama as both teams exchanged leads multiple times. Keitan Rekal provided a spark with his perfect 3-point shooting (1-of-1) and solid 60% field goal percentage, while Taylor’s consistent free throw shooting kept Batavia within striking distance. The game remained tied 49-49 before Wilmington pulled away with late free throws. Despite the final result, this young Batavia team showed they can compete with anyone, displaying the kind of resilience and teamwork that will serve them well throughout the season.