JOPLIN - Jefferson City scored the first two points. Joplin scored the next 12.
The Jays didn't have an answer for Zach Westmoreland and the Eagles as they opened play in the Kaminsky Classic with a 75-60 defeat against the host team.
Joplin opened the game on a 12-2 run and led 19-6 after Will Rader made the Eagles' fourth 3-pointer in the final seconds of the opening quarter.
Brennan Jeffries made back-to-back baskets for the Jays in the first minute of the second quarter before the Eagles scored seven straight points on a Blake Tash 3-pointer and a pair of Westmoreland dunks for a 28-10 lead.
Westmoreland shot 11-of-13, including four dunks, for 22 points. He also had a game-high four steals.
Always Wright ended the first-half scoring with his second 3-pointer to give Joplin a 42-25 lead.
Jefferson City fought back late in the third quarter with an 8-0 run, capped by a Sterling DeSha dunk.
DeSha finished with a game-high 32 points on 14-of-21 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. His eight rebounds were also a game high.
That dunk with 1:19 left in the quarter cut Joplin's lead to 51-40.
The run reached 11 straight points with a Rayvon Webster 3 for the first points of the fourth quarter.
The Jays didn't score again until DeSha made a 3 with 4:31 remaining. The Eagles dropped in 12 points in that span for their largest lead of the game at 66-46.
Jeffries added 16 points and a game-high six assists for Jefferson City.
Other double-digit scorers for Joplin were Isaiah Davis (13), who shot 6-of-8, Blake Tash (10) and Wright (10).
Jefferson City (5-6) will face Carl Junction at 4:30 p.m. today in the loser's bracket semifinals.
Joplin advances to play Francis Howell at 7:30 p.m. today in the winner's bracket semifinals.
Francis Howell, ranked fifth Class 5 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, defeated Carl Junction 65-44 in the first round.