JOPLIN - The Jefferson City Jays took their first lead midway through the first quarter Friday and never let the Carl Junction Bulldogs take it back in a 70-62 win in the loser's bracket semifinals of the Kaminsky Classic.
The victory ended the tournament for the Jays and Bulldogs with the seventh- and fifth-place games scheduled for today being canceled because of weather.
Kaidyn Johnson knocked down 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to give the Jays a 13-8 lead at the 3:33 mark of the first quarter.
Sterling DeSha and Carl Junction's Isaac Hoberecht traded 3s to end the first-quarter scoring, making it 16-14 Jays.
Jefferson City's lead swelled to 15 in the second quarter thanks to a 9-0 run, capped by a Keith Driver layup with 3:08 on the clock.
The Jays took a 40-26 lead into halftime.
The margin remained steady for much of the third quarter with the Jays entering the final quarter up 52-41.
Carl Junction used an 8-0 run to pull within 61-58 with 1:55 remaining before Jefferson City rolled off six straight points.
Brennan Jeffries scored a game-high 26 points for Jefferson City, making 7-of-10 from the field and 10-of-12 at the free-throw line. His five assists and four steals were also game highs.
Johnson added 14 points, three assists and three steals.
Jefferson City (6-6) is off until Friday when it plays Waynesville on the road.