Jackets to play for Wheat Capital consolation title

For the first time since 2019 and only the second time in 11 years, the Wheat Capital Tournament will have a boys champion other than Kingfisher.

Jones used a fast start Thursday to derail Kingfisher’s bid for five straight titles with a 53-40 victory in the quarterfinals at Outhier Fieldhouse at Chisholm.

The Longhorns scored the game’s first 14 points, then held off multiple Kingfisher rallies to knock the Jackets into the consolation bracket.

Kingfisher came back Friday to defeat Perry 61-47 to advance to the consolation championship game.

The Jackets used a 7-0 run to close the first half up 31-22, then quickly pushed their lead to 15 points to start the second half.

The advantage over the Maroons grew to as many as 20 late in the fourth quarter.

On Thursday, after falling behind by 16 after a quarter, the Jackets cut it to a 10-point deficit by halftime.

Jhett Birdwell played a big role in that with 12 of Kingfisher’s 15 points in the quarter.

He kept the heat up in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer with 3:00 left in the frame to pull KHS within 34-31.

The Longhorns answered with an 8-2 run to push their lead back to nine before Kingfisher made one final push.

Jake Reagan’s threepoint play followed by a Kasen Blair putback got the Jackets within 4238 with 6:12 left in the contest.

Once again, Jones had an answer and closed the game on an 11-2 run.

Brinlee Sanders scored six of those 11 and finished with 18 points to lead Jones.

Birdwell led the Jackets with 20 points, all in the second and third quarters.

Coleman Gilles finished with nine while Reagan scored seven.

The Jackets were without Carter Kitchens, who is out indefinitely with a lower leg injury.