Jay freshmen win on strong finish

UNION CITY — A balanced effort helped the Patriots to a strong start.

A trio of players helped put the game away in the second half.

Five players scored in the opening quarter and three accounted for the majority of the scoring in the second half as the Jay County High School freshman boys basketball team defeated Union City on Tuesday, 48-33.

The Patriots (6-12) jumped out to an 11-5 lead after the first quarter behind points from Brayden Sprunger, Brandon Cramer, Sheldon Upp, Reid Claycomb and Brian Williams.

Jay County led 20-14 at halftime, before pushing the score to 34-25 after three quarters thanks to a nine-point effort from Williams. Gabe Link and Sprunger accounted for all of the Patriots’ 14 points in the final period.

Williams finished with a game-high 11 points, and Sprunger had 10 after scoring seven in the fourth quarter.

Link contributed nine points, Gavin Lambert tallied five points while Brinnin Wasson, Upp and Cramer had four points apiece.