By Anthony Gorges
JC Post
Girls recap
Junction City and Emporia entered the game on Tuesday night looking for their first win in Centennial League play.
The Lady Spartans jumped out to an early lead and led 13-7 after one. Emporia expanded their lead to double-digits before halftime, but the Lady Jays cut it to nine points at the half trailing 22-13.
In the second half, the Lady Spartans pulled away, leading by 20 points at the end of the third quarter, and then grew the lead in the fourth quarter, winning 49-21.
Junior Morgan Nabus led the way for the JC girls with seven points, and Freshman Laniya Warmack had a career-high six points in the game.
With the loss, the Lady Jays fall to 1-14, and 0-5 in Centennial League play.
Boys recap
The Junction City Blue Jays entered Tuesday's matchup with Emporia on a three-game losing streak, and having lost five of their last six games.
The first quarter was up-tempo, and the Emporia Spartans led by one, 14-13, going into the second quarter.
Shots began falling for JC, with back-to-back threes from Isiah Handy and Jeremias Cruz. The Blue Jays outscored Emporia 21-13 in the second quarter, and JC led at the half 34-27.
The third quarter was a defensive battle, with not a lot of scoring, and Junction City still led by seven after three quarters, 45-38.
The fourth quarter is when the excitement began, as it looked like the Blue Jays had a chance to put the game away. Emporia had other things in mind, as they shot lights out down the stretch. Madden Seidl for Emporia hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game at 58 with 14 seconds to go. JC had a chance to win it in regulation, but Jeremias Cruz three did not go, and the game went into overtime.
To begin overtime, Cruz hit a three-pointer this time and gave the Blue Jays a three-point lead. JC led by five with a minute to go, but the Spartans again came back. Two big threes for Emporia made it a one-point game, 67-66 with 20 seconds to go. Junior Lovell Autry made two free throws to give the Blue Jays a 69-66 lead. After an Emporia miss, the Blue Jays missed two free throws to seal the game. A half-court heave for the Spartans missed, and Junction City won in overtime.
The Blue Jays snapped their three-game losing streak and improved to 10-5 on the season.
Seniors Larkin Turner and Jeremias Cruz both had 16 points for JC, Autry had 13, and Isiah Handy added 11.
Next up for JC is hosting Washburn Rural on Friday night at Blue Jay Event Center.