The Jefferson City Jays are stuck on repeat.
For the second straight game, the Jays failed to handle defensive pressure, leading to a big second half advantage dissipating in a hurry.
Father Tolton forced 13 turnovers after halftime to complete a 15-point comeback for a 64-62 overtime win Friday in the loser's bracket semifinals of the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic at Fleming Fieldhouse.
With :08.6 left, Beau Washer stole a pass near mid-court and sent it ahead to Coban Porter for the game-winning layup at the buzzer.
"We wanted to get the ball across half court and at least get something on our side," Jefferson City coach Mark Anderson said. "We tried to force a pass through there and threw it down the middle.
"The truth of the matter is we got what we deserved. We did not deserve to win this game. We didn't play well enough to win this game."
Porter sent the game to overtime with a game-tying layup with :17 left in regulation.
The Trailblazers had a chance to win it then, but Garrett Parker blocked a layup attempt and a 3-pointer was off the mark at the buzzer.
The Jays appeared to be in control early in the third quarter.
A Charlie Wehmeyer bucket gave the Jays a 34-19 lead with 6:14 on the clock.
"We guarded really, really well," Anderson said. "We had them frustrated. We had them exactly where we wanted them and let them off the hook."
Washer and Porter took over.
Washer's first bucket came with 5:57 left in the third quarter. He added six more baskets and five free throws to score a team-high 21 points.
The 6-foot-3 junior was held scoreless in the first half.
"We did a nice job on him, and on Porter too," Anderson said. "Just not letting them get downhill and making them be jump shooters."
Father Tolton got within three with less than 3 minutes left in the third quarter. But the Jays responded by scoring nine points in the final 2:30 to lead 46-39 heading into the fourth quarter.
Porter, who scored 17 points, drained a 3 to cap a 5-0 spurt to start the fourth quarter.
Brennan Jeffries answered with five of his game-high 22 points to help get Jefferson City's lead to eight with 4:31 on the clock.
"It felt like we kind of steadied the ship a little bit, but we made some bad decisions and obviously we're tired," Anderson said.
A Father Tolton steal and Washer 3 cut it to three and Washer tied it at 53 with a baseline drive.
The teams went back-and-forth the last 1:40 to send it to overtime.
"I didn't think we handled the end of game situations very well," Anderson said. "Obviously I didn't think we handled the lead very well. We're going to have to find a second ball handler because everybody is going to do what just happened here."
The Jays began the game with numerous jump shots, making four 3s in the first quarter.
The Jays trailed 13-12 after the first eight minutes, but got center DaMani Jarrett involved late in the first half to lead 27-18.
Jarrett scored six of his 13 points in the second quarter.
Jefferson City (6-2) will face Hyde Park (Ill.) at 10:30 a.m. today in the seventh-place game.
Father Tolton (5-2) advances play Owasso (Okla.) at 1:30 p.m. today in the fifth-place game.