RANDLEMAN — In stunning fashion Saturday afternoon in Randleman the Jordan-Matthews boys demolished High Point Andrews 71-57 to capture the 2A PAC 7 Conference tournament title while also securing a big into the state playoffs with upset victory.
The Jets, 10-16 on the season, were scheduled to head down east on Tuesday, Feb. 25, for a opening round match up with reigning state champion Farmville Central (24-2).
Against High Point Andrews, the Jets came out firing on all cylinders offensively as the locals jumped in front 18-9 after one period of play behind eight points from Lanice Hedgepeth. Huston Causey added a pair of three-pointers for the locals in the opening eight minutes.
Jordan-Matthews increased its lead to 33-18 at the intermission as Camden Fuquay pumped in seven points and Hedgepeth added six more.
In the third, Jordan-Matthews all but put things away with a 21-14 spurt that extended the lead to a commanding 54-32 entering the fourth. Hedgepeth had eight points while Eral Jones and Jaquez Thompson had four, and Causey a trey.
Jayden Davis, Hedgepeth and Thompson all collected four points in the fourth and Causey chipped in three free throws down the stretch as the Jets held on for the easy 71-57 triumph and the tournament crown.
Hedgepeth had a game-high 26 points in the win for Jordan-Matthews while Causey chipped in 12, Fuquay 11, Thompson 10 and Jones six.
The Red Raiders were led by 23 points from Kyron Burrent while T.L. East added nine.
Jordan-Matthews had advanced into the finals with a 57-40 semifinal blowout win on Wednesday evening over Trinity in Randleman.
The Jets used four points from Hedgepeth to go up 8-7 after one period of play before Davis canned a pair of treys and Causey added another in the second to spark a 12-10 advantage which put the locals up 20-17 at the intermission.
Seth Moore sank a key trey in the third on the way to five points and Hedgepeth canned six more points as the Jets built a little breathing room with a 13-7 surge in the stanza to head into the fourth up 33-24.
Jordan-Matthews erupted with 24 points in the final eight minutes of action to run away with the semifinal victory. Hedgepeth, who closed with 23 points, had 11 in the quarter while Davis chipped in eight of his 14 in the contest.
Ben Owens led Trinity with 11 points.
In opening round action at Wheatmore on Monday night, Jordan-Matthews brought home a thrilling 75-67 overtime victory back to Siler City.
Jordan-Matthews outscored Wheatmore 15-7 in the overtime period behind five foul shots from Hedgepeth who closed the game with 18.
The Warriors led 17-16 after one despite five points from Hedgepeth, four more from Fuquay, and a trey from Moore.
The Jets used an 11-10 edge in the second to tie the game at 27-all a the break. Timothy Eubanks had four points for J-M in the second while Davis chipped in three.
Fuquay would strike for six in the third and Davis added five as Jordan-Matthews used a 15-10 run to head into the fourth up 42-37.
Wheatmore came roaring back in the fourth, however, using a 23-18 spurt to force a tie at 60-all despite six points from Hedgepeth and four more each from Fuquay and Davis.
The Jets would get the win in overtime as Fuquay added 16 in the win, Davis 14, Moore seven, and Jones, Eubanks and Thompson six apiece.
Austin Gibbs led all scorers with a game-high 35.