The Hayden Wildcats owned a 21-point lead over the Junction City Blue Jays late in the first half of their boys basketball game in Topeka Tuesday night. But the Blue Jays battled back, hitting a 3-point shot just before halftime, and then outscoring the Wildcats 15-4 in the third quarter. Early in the fourth quarter the Blue Jays tied the game at 48-48, but Hayden then went on to win the game 61-53.

The Blue Jays were down but kept battling in the contest. Junction City coach Nate Schmitt said that’s what they preach to the team every day. Regardless of what’s going on keep fighting. That’s one of our intangibles , toughness. And I thought our kids displayed a great deal of toughness in the second half, just fighting back one stop at a time and one bucket at a time.

A.J. Dickerson scored 16 points in the second half and finished with that total for the game.

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In the girls varsity contest the Lady Jays led by 11 in the first half but could not hold the lead, and eventually fell to Hayden 54-49. Breanna Lewis hit five 3-point shots in the game, including four in the first half. She finished with 16 points for Junction City, as did Ally McKenzie.

Junction City basketball teams host Shawnee Heights Friday night.