Junction City ( 11-6 ) trailed most of the game but pulled within one point in the final minute but wound up losing to the Topeka West Chargers ( 15-1 ) 65-62 at the Blue Jay Event Center Friday night. Junction City had two shots at the basket in the final 30 seconds but missed on a driving shot in the lane that would have put Junction City up by one point. A short time later on the final play of the game a 3-point attempt did not connect as well.
Blue Jay coach Nick Perez thought his team played extremely well on defense. "We had some big mistakes but proud of our guys. We were down ten late in the third quarter and we just kept battling and battling, got some things to go our way."
The defeat marked the second close loss to the Chargers this year. They fell to Topeka West 67-66 in overtime in an earlier game in the capitol city.
Junction City got 18 points from both Howard Johnson and Ismael Fadiga in the loss. The Blue Jays play at Emporia on Tuesday.
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In girls action Junction City fell to Topeka West 54-22 on Friday evening. The Lady Jays were led by Addy Hatcher with five points.
Junction City defeated Topeka West by two points in an earlier meeting in the capitol city.