There will be a new champion crowned in this year’s Jefferson Bank Holiday Hoops Classic. The Hickman Kewpies dropped out this season after winning the girls’ tournament championship last year and will be replaced by a team taking its first shot at the Classic.
It’s an experienced group of Helias Lady Crusaders. And they are going to try to use that experience to their advantage. “We are adding new stuff, bringing back some old stuff,” Helias coach Garrett Wiggans said as the Lady Crusaders prepare for tonight’s season opener against the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons at Rackers Fieldhouse. “We are evolving our game.”
The No. 2 seed Jefferson City Lady Jays and top-seeded Helias Lady Crusaders knew they would be in for a battle in the Class 5 District 5 Tournament title game at Washington High School. And that is exactly how it played out, as the Lady Jays took an early lead and held on for dear life late for a wire-to-wire 43-41 victory for their fifth district championship in the past seven seasons.
It was won on the defensive end. “My kids have defensively been playing like this all year long,” Jefferson City Lady Jays coach Kay Foster said after Monday night’s 53-31 victory against the Helias Lady Crusaders at Fleming Fieldhouse.
Helias opened fast and never looked back. The Lady Crusaders scored the first 10 points Wednesday night on their way to an eventual 56-31 win against the Capital City Lady Cavaliers during Central Missouri Activities Conference action at Capital City High School.