The Junction City Blue Jays jumped out to a 12-4 first quarter lead over Shawnee Heights, but weren’t able to hold onto it as the Thunderbirds rallied back to take a 26-19 lead at halftime. In the second half the Thunderbirds started strong and went on to win by a 59-44 score.
Junction City coach Nate Schmitt thought his team got off to a good start offensively, adding he was pleased with the way the Blue Jays were getting the ball inside and the shots they wanted. Schmitt noted they played well defensively as well, but then Shawnee Heights went to a 2-3 zone, and Junction City could not score. “We’re not a great shooting team, we’re just not a very good shooting program. I think high school, middle school youth, that’s something our basketball community needs to spend some time doing, because it’s a talent, it’s a craft, you have to work at it.”
Junction City will play at Topeka West on Tuesday and Topeka Seaman next Friday.
In the girls varsity game Shawnee Heights defeated the Lady Jays 70-47.
Lady Jay coach Derek Petty said Shawnee Heights played hard and did what they had to.
But the Lady Jays struggled. “We talked about what we wanted to do before the game started for 10 to 15 minutes, and went over it, and we went out on the floor and we go out on the floor and we have no clue what to do.” Petty pointed to lack of focus as the problem.