The JV Raiders also faced their cross-town rival in Jackson Prep for the third time this season in the semifinals of the MAIS 5A Junior High State Tournament. The two teams split the regular season meeting with each team winning in the other building. From the tip the Jackson Prep Patriots had the Raiders on their heels and they had to play from behind the entire night. Prep raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game before JA finally got on the board with just over two minutes left in the first quarter. The second quarter was played even as Prep maintained their lead at the half, 21-14. The third quarter was where the game was put away by the Patriots as they outscored JA 12-5 to extend the lead to fourteen. The Raiders made a couple of runs and trimmed the lead down to eight but the Patriots made their free throws down the stretch to close out the Raider season with a 43-32 victory in The Raider Dome. The Raider season ended at 16-7. JA was led in scoring by Merritt Nations with 10, while no other Raider had more than five as seven different other Raiders got in the score column.

Meanwhile in Varsity play in Memphis, the Raiders were looking to avenge an earlier season loss to MHEA over the Christmas break. They two teams were even after each quarter before JA pulled out a 43-42 victory to end the regular season on a high note as they moved their record to 20-12. They will enter the postseason as the #4 seed and will play next Tuesday night in the MAIS 5A State Tournament in McComb against Parklane Academy.

University Heart Player with The Most Heart
Will be released over the weekend.

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