The No. 1 Jayton Jaybirds Are Headed to State

The Rip Griffin Center was a packed house on Monday night, and both teams kept it close throughout the first half. Texline's strong defense had Jayton missing some shots in the paint, but they managed to recover those points at the line. The Tornadoes were quick on offense and ran fast breaks that kept Jayton on their toes. By the end of the second quarter, Texline had locked down the Jaybirds and taken a 4-point lead, 21-17.

Jayton came out of the break on fire, quickly sinking two baskets to tie the game with Texline. The Jaybirds played outstanding lock-down defense throughout the third quarter, even as the Tornadoes tried to move the ball around the arc. However, foul trouble became a factor early in the quarter and lingered until the buzzer sounded, setting the stage for a crucial final quarter. Heading into the fourth, Jayton led 32-29.

Several exchanged 3-pointers kept the game within a 3-point margin in the opening minutes of the final quarter, but fouls quickly took center stage for both teams. Strong passing created open lanes, and the Jaybirds capitalized on quick baskets to stretch their lead to 10 points. Though a few free throws kept Texline in the game, the Jaybirds’ nerves began to show as two players fouled out, and their lead slowly shrank. 

Fortunately for the Jaybirds, time was on their side. With just seconds left on the clock, their 7-point lead held strong, and they secured a trip to San Antonio for a shot at the state title. The Jayton Jaybirds defeated the Texline Tornadoes 56-43, winning the state semi-finals in Lubbock.

The Jaybird’s Sean Stanaland led all scorers Monday night with 20 points, Bode Ham followed with 13, and Griffith Reel had 8.

The No. 1 Jayton Jaybirds will travel to the Alamodome in San Antonio on March 6 for a shot at the school’s second state title this year. They will face off against the No. 12 Kennard/Bryson winner on Tuesday night. Tip-off for the Jaybirds is scheduled at 11:00 a.m.