The Jefferson City Jays snapped a 19-year Final Four drought last season. With a win this afternoon in Springfield against the Parkview Vikings in the Class 5 state quarterfinals, the Jays can be one of the last four teams remaining for the second straight year.
The Jays were off to the races.
Jefferson City jumped out to a 23-4 lead in the first quarter to build a 73-59 win against the Lausanne Collegiate (Tenn.) Lynx on Day 2 of the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic at Fleming Fieldhouse on Thursday.
The Jefferson City Jays had their chances. The Ensworth School, Tenn., Tigers just tipped them away. Ensworth didn’t take its first lead until less than two minutes remained in the fourth quarter, then the Tigers never let go of it, holding on for a 57-53 victory against the Jays in the first round of the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic at Fleming Fieldhouse.
Jefferson City junior Jordan Martin scored his 1,000th career point Friday in the Jays’ 64-46 win against the Van Horn Falcons in the loser’s bracket semifinal of the Phog Allen Invitational at William Chrisman High School. Martin led Jefferson City with a game-high 25 points.
The Jefferson City Jays are set for their biggest home game in 22 years. The unranked Jays will host the No. 4 Kearney Bulldogs at 1 p.m. today at Adkins Stadium in the Class 4 semifinals, marking the first time Jefferson City has hosted a state semifinal game since 2001 against Blue Springs.