Jay rolls to 3-0

The Patriots have yet to hit their stride.
Still, they are off to their third 3-0 start in the last four seasons.
After another lackluster first quarter Friday, Jay County took control as it put together runs of 10, nine and then 12 straight points to end the game for a 64-35 victory over the visiting Monroe Central Golden Bears.
“Once we got the lead, I thought we played with the lead OK,” said JCHS coach Craig Teagle, whose team hosts South Adams tonight. “We’re just so slow starting. We’re giving up so many points in the first quarter. You just can’t do that. You need to establish how the game is going to be played from the very start, and I don’t think we’re doing that.”
Monroe Central fired away from 3-point range all night, and in the first quarter it was effective. The Golden Bears hit four 3-pointers in the first seven minutes on the way to a 16-13 lead, but that was as far as the long-distance launches took them.
Kegan Comer scored the final three points of the opening quarter and the first three of the second to kick-start the Patriots. They  outscored the visitors 21-3 in the second quarter for a 37-19 halftime lead.
The Patriots held Monroe Central without a field goal for nearly 17 minutes and limited them to just 5-of-27 (19 percent) shooting over the final three quarters.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well,” said Monroe Central coach Jeremy Duncan after his team dropped to 1-2. “Number one, we’re taking too many shots outside the arc. We’re not getting the high-percentage shots we want to get. And number two, you’ve got to make shots.
“Especially against a team like Jay County. They got great shots. And they made great shots.”
While Golden Bears struggled to shoot after the first quarter, Jay County got high-percentage looks all night long.
Comer led the effort with his second consecutive 18-point game, shooting 7-of-9 from the field. He hit all of his three 3-point attempts and also had five rebounds and four assists.Brock McFarland was 8-of-12 from inside the arc and finished with 17 points, and Cade Price joined his junior teammates in double figures with 11 points.
“He cuts so hard,” said Teagle of Price. “He cuts to score.”
The Patriots did a lot of their scoring on second-chance opportunities as they grabbed 15 offensive rebounds. They dominated Monroe Central 38-15 on the glass overall, with McFarland grabbing a game-high nine rebounds and Tyler Back and Scott Schwieterman each adding seven.
“They killed us in the paint, there’s no question,” said Duncan “They’re just stronger than we are. …
“You can’t give up that many offensive rebounds and can’t miss that many shots and expect to have a chance …”
Jake Combs hit three 3-pointers to lead the Golden Bears with 15 points. Derek Taylor also had three triples as he scored 11 points.
But sophomore guard Chase Bly, who entered averaging 20 points per game, managed just seven and finished 1-of-8 from the field. Bly also had five assists, and Taylor finished with four rebounds.
Although he’s happy to be 3-0, Teagle said he’s still frustrated because he doesn’t believe the Patriots have played up to their potential.
“Obviously when we get into games where we’re playing teams with (more) size and athleticism … if you start like that you’re going to be buried. … It’s frustrating right now. I don’t feel like we’re playing Jay County basketball.
“I’ve seen spurts of good basketball defensively, but I don’t want spurts. I want consistency. I want 32 minutes of great defensive intensity. … We’ve just got to come out more focused and intense.”

Junior varsity
Jay County limited the Golden Bears to just three points in each of the first two quarters in a 40-20 victory.
Zane Shreve led the Patriots, who were up 36-10 after three quarters, with 10 points. Zach Pryor and Adam Alfont added eight points apiece.
Tanner Thompson matched Shreve with 10 points for Monroe Central.[[In-content Ad]]