After two games on the road, Jay is heading back home. They will take on the Paxton Bobcats at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Jay knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past three matchups -- so hopefully Paxton likes a good challenge.
Jay had already proven themselves in the regular season, and didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They walked away with a 56-47 win over Central on Friday.
Jay's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Presley Hawthorne, who scored 17 points. It was the first time this season that Hawthorne scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Hattie Locklin, who scored ten points along with seven rebounds and three blocks.
Meanwhile, after a string of eight wins, Paxton's good fortune finally ran out on Wednesday. They fell to Central 51-47.
Despite the loss, Paxton got a solid performance out of Hydie Varnum, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 12 rebounds. Marley McClelland was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with seven rebounds.
Even though they lost, Paxton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Central only pulled down three offensive rebounds.
Jay has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 20-4 record this season. As for Paxton, their defeat ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 19-4.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Jay have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 36.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Paxton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.5 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Jay didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Paxton in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, but they still walked away with a 44-38 win. Does Jay have another victory up their sleeve, or will Paxton turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
