Jackson boys basketball team routs Fox to advance to district championship

The Jackson boys basketball team arranged a rematch with the top-seeded Poplar Bluff Mules with a 71-36 victory over host Fox in the semifinals of the Class 5 District 1 tournament Tuesday in Arnold, Missouri.

Senior Blake Reynolds scored a game-high 21 points for the second-seeded Indians, who improved to 22-6 and will face Poplar Bluff in the championship game at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Senior Braden Wendel added 14 points, junior Jacob Smith had 12 and Connor Shepard finished with 10.

The Indians limited No. 3 Fox (6-16) to 12 points in the first half, including two points in the second quarter.

"The second quarter we did a real good job of guarding and did good job of extending the lead," Jackson coach Darrin Scott said.

The Indians led 22-10 after one quarter and used a 24-2 scoring advantage in the second quarter to take a commanding 46-12 lead into halftime.

The victory gave Jackson, which has won 10 of its last 11 games, a chance to avenge one of its six regular-season losses. Poplar Bluff defeated the Indians on their home floor 77-62 in January.

The Mules (19-5) defeated No. 4 Seckman 72-55 in Tuesday's second semifinal.

"I think it should be a great game," Scott said about Thursday's title game. "We're going to have to do a better job of guarding them than we did last time. They have a lot of weapons and some guys that shoot it and put it on the floor. Our main focus is we need to do a better job defending them, limit them to one shot and then we need to be sure we execute and do a good job offensively and get the ball where it needs to go."

Fox 10 2 18 6 -- 36

Jackson 22 24 18 7 -- 71

FOX (36) -- Travis Turnbough 6, Tony Pisoni 4, Jonathan McKinley 10, Austin Laslo 2, Antonio Quick 9, Griffin Turnbough 3, Bekemeier 2. FG 15, FT 3-6, F 10 (3-pointers: Pisoni, Quick, G.Turnbough. Fouled out: none)

JACKSON (71) -- Terry Venable 6, Jacob Friess 2, Garrett Walker 4, Braden Wendel 14, Jacob Smith 12, Blake Reynolds 21, Connor Shepard 10, Cameron Hester 2. FG 33, FT 3-8, F 7 (3-pointers: Walker, Reynolds. Fouled out: none)