Kamari Balton missed the Jefferson City boys basketball team's last game because of illness. Friday, he was the one making the other team sick.
Balton scored a game-high 21 points in his return, making 8-of-10 shots from the free-throw line, and dished a highlight reel mid-air assist in the Jays' 55-44 defeat of Rockhurst to end the regular season.
"He's a big part of our team," coach Blair Thompson said. "When he's playing well, we're better. He's our primary ball-handler, so when he's in the game, he's going to make a lot of decisions. He made some good ones tonight."
On the assist, Balton chased down an overthrown baseball pass, snagged it before it went out of bounds, leaped and sent a pass through the defender's five-hole right to Seth Stegeman for a layup.
"I thought I heard somebody behind me, so I just threw it," Balton said. "I tried to throw it off his leg, but it just went through his legs and my partner picked it up. That was a big play."
The sequence drew an extended cheer from the Jefferson City crowd. Not that it'w wasn't in a good mood already, thanks to a third quarter in which the Jays held Rockhurst to just four points. The Hawklets were held scoreless for the first 4:55 of the quarter. It was the second single-digit period for Rockhurst, which scored just six in the first.
"We just got down and guarded," Thompson said. "There was nothing special. We were just straight man-to-man half-court the entire game for the most part, and it was the effort that showed up. We were quick to loose balls, got some deflections, fought around in the post, played up in the passing lanes, and just stayed in front of people all night tonight and made it difficult for them."
The Hawklets turned it over seven times in the third quarter, including their first six possessions. Their first field goal, which didn't come until more than six minutes into the quarter, came on just their second shot of the period.
The Jays, meanwhile, only turned the ball over twice in the final three quarters, despite Rockhurst's tendency to use a pressure defense.
"We got in some tight spots, but you know that's coming with Rockhurst, and I thought we did a good job of handling it," Thompson said. "We've been in that spot a lot this year, and tonight was one of those nights we handled it real well."
Balton missed his first three shots from the field but then hit four of the next five, including his first of two made 3s.
"I thought I was going to be off," after missing a game, Balton said, "but something in my mind just said, "Just keep shooting and attacking the basket, and you'll get used to the game again.' And that's what I kept doing."
Rhylin Spence and Stegeman were also in double figures for the Jays, scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Starting forward Tim Nahach had just three points, but he drew just as many offensive fouls. Thompson said the team recently discovered the senior holds the school's all-time career record in that department. Friday's game included, he's taken 43 career charges, more than doubling the previous record of 18.
"Those charges, they're as good as points a lot of times," Thompson said, "because you're wiping points off and maybe putting somebody's best player on the bench in foul trouble. Those were huge."
"Tim has been doing that since he was like in eighth grade," Balton said. "So, for real, when I know my person is going to come by me, I know Tim is going to be right there."
The win closes out the Jays' regular season with a 17-8 record.
"We love playing Rockhurst before districts every year," Thompson said, "because you know what you're going to get as far as a tough, physical, well-organized team that's going to do a lot of different things against you. So you really have to be sharp. To beat them tonight was a good step forward for us."
The Jays face Lebanon at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Lebanon in the first round of the Class 5 District 10 Tournament.