Nelson Shinkle News Today

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 fell behind the eight ball early and were never able to quite recover. The Jays took a 2-0 lead but that would be their only lead of the game, as the Ladue Rams gained control with a 13-0 run and held on for a 69-56 victory Friday in the Class 5 semifinals at Hammons Student Center.

The top-seeded Jefferson City Jays set the tone from the opening tip Wednesday at Capital City High School. Jordan Martin tipped the opening jump forward to Kendric Johnson, who ran into the paint for a floater five seconds into the Class 5 District 5 Tournament first-round matchup. It was a good indication of what was to come in the Jays’ 79-37 victory against the No. 8 seed Capital City Cavaliers.

Winning the Central Missouri Activities Conference was a goal heading into the season for the Jefferson City Jays. Tuesday night, the Jays took a major step in that direction with a 68-47 victory at Fleming Fieldhouse against the Hickman Kewpies.

For years, the Jefferson City Jays have had to watch the championship game of their home tournament, the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic, from the stands, hoping the next year would be their chance to finally play for the title. That chance finally came Friday night, and the Jays didn’t let the opportunity slip through their fingertips.

The Jefferson City Jays have a star in sophomore Jordan Martin. Time and time again Thursday night Martin delivered, tallying 32 points to lead Jefferson City to a 73-66 victory against The Webb School, Tenn., Feet in the semifinals of the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic at Fleming Fieldhouse.