Jefferson High’s basketball squads opened their 2024-25 season at a big tournament in Three Forks last weekend. The Panther boys swept Shepherd and Class C Drummond, while the girls split their games.
The Lady Panthers are very young and hit some rough spots in Friday’s opening contest. Both teams struggled to score in the early going, and the first quarter ended at 9-all. Shepherd found the range in the second and took a 23-14 lead at the half. The Panthers finally started hitting in the third quarter with Ryian Eveland, Cameron Toney and Jaida Jurenka scoring. KK Morris hit a three to pull the Panthers to 33-24, and Toney added another to make it 33-29. But that was as close as it would get, with Shepherd pulling away for a 51-33 win.
In the boys’ game, Jed Williams hit back-to-back baskets to put the Panthers up 11-4 early, and a three pointer by newcomer Wyatt Geler made it 17-6. At the end of one, it was 21-16, Jefferson. A three-pointer by Caleb Morris made it 24-16, and back-to-back threes by Tyzer Zody and Kellen Meredith put the Panthers up 38-28 on their way to a 40-32 halftime lead.
