Jefferson City beats Tulsa Union in OT to win Joe Machens Great 8 Classic boys championship; Live scoring recap

Jordan Martin scores 25 points to lead Jefferson City past Tulsa (Okla.) Union

Tulsa Union's Miles Flemons scored 18 points in a losing effort against Jefferson City (Mo.) in the championship game of the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic in Jefferson City. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Today’s boys cross-state final of the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic features the Jefferson City Jays (8-2) against the Tulsa (Okla.) Union Redhawks (4-2). Opening tip is slated for 7 p.m. inside Jefferson City’s Fleming Fieldhouse.

Jefferson City beat Lausanne (Tenn.) and Charlotte (Fla.) to reach today’s final. Union bested Eugene (Mo.) 88-77 and Montgomery County to get here.

The Jays are led by 6-foot-4 senior Jordan Martin – the Jays’ all-time leading scorer who surpassed 2,000 career points in Saturday’s win.

Union, ranked No. 1 last season in our Oklahoma Top 25 boys high school basketball poll, is again one of the Okie state’s top teams in 2024-25.   

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Missouri High School Football All-State: Missouri Football Coaches Association Announces Class 4 Team

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Ranking the top 25 Missouri girls high school wrestlers (12/27/2024)

Jefferson City vs. Tulsa Union Live scoring, updates, recap:

Things are running a bit behind here in Jefferson City. We have about five minutes of warm-up time left after Montgomery County and Charlotte (Fla.) ran over in the boys third-place game. Montgomery won that one.

The pregame scene before tonight's Joe Machens Classic boys championship between Jefferson City and Tulsa Union was pretty electric. #HighSchoolHoops pic.twitter.com/a8gzFHqOys

— Levi Payton (@LeviSportsGuy) December 30, 2024

Starters for Union: Tre Smith, Korbin Gunn, Justin Chappelle, Robbie Manning, Miles Flemons.

Starters for Jefferson City: Judah Harris, Kendric Johnson, Vince Murphy, Will Linthacum, Jordan Martin.

FIRST PERIOD

Jefferson City is off to a slow start. A three-point play by Miles Flemons gives Union a 10-3 lead with 3:10 to go in the first period.

Flemons goes hard to the rim and gets a put-back to give Union a 12-7 lead just before the end of the period.

Triston Driver gets a steal and runs the length of the floor for a layup just befor the buzzer. Union leads Jefferson City 14-7 at the end of the first period.

SECOND PERIOD

After Flemons makes a basket, Jefferson City's Jordan Martin drives to the basket and gets fouled. He completes the three-point play with 7:12 left in the half to cut Union's lead to 17-10.

Martin is heating up for the Jays. He completes another three-point play to trim Union's lead to 17-15 with 5:25 to go in the half. Martin now has 10 points.

This is the Martin-Flemons show. Not to be outdone by Jefferson City's big man, Union's 6-foot-8 junior forward gets a big block on Jefferson City's Judah Harris in the lane and finishes with a layin on the other end to make it 21-15.

Harris hits another 3-pointer with 2:46 to go in the half to cut Jefferson City's deficit to 24-23.

The gym is packed here in Jefferson City. Even the overflow up top is filled up. Great crowd for a Sunday night.

Tre Smith sinks a big 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:11 to go in the half. Tulsa Union extends its lead to 29-23.

Flemons gets a put-back with 45 seconds left in the half to make it 31-24.

A 12-foot jumper as time expires goes in for Union's Triston Driver and the Redhawks take a 33-24 lead into halftime.

Halftime: Tulsa Union 33, Jefferson City 24

Halftime notes: Miles Flemons leads all scorers with 14 points for Tulsa Union, while Triston Driver has 11. Jordan Martin leads Jefferson City with 11 points.

THIRD PERIOD

The Jays open the third period with possession.

Union's Korbin Gunn hits a free throw to make it 41-29 with 2:25 to go in the third.

Trailing by 11 with 2 minutes left in the third, Kendric Johnson hits a big 3-pointer and Judah Harris followed with a pair of free throws as Union's lead is now 41-35 with 31 seconds left in the period.

End of the third period. Tulsa Union leads Jefferson City, 41-35.

FOURTH PERIOD

A big 3-pointer to begin the fourth by Jefferson City 6-foot-8 forward Will Linthacum gets the Jays within 41-38 with 7:45 to go.

Union hasn't gone cold from inside. Jefferson City's Kendric Johnson buries another 3-pointer with 6:26 to go to tie the game at 41 apiece.

This place is rocking. Jordan Martin just fights two defenders to come away with a steal and finishes with a two-handed dunk on the other end to give Jefferson City the lead, 43-41 with 5:42 remaining.

Those were Martin's first points of the second half, by the way.

Robbie Manning scores on a put-back for Union with 4:30 to go in the fourth to tie it at 43. That was Union's first points of the fourth period.

Martin just went for another two-handed dunk but was fouled by Flemons - his fourth foul - with 3:22 to go. Martin hits one of two free throws to make it 45-44.

Triston Driver scores a basket to extend Union's lead to 47-44 with 2:30 left in the game.

Jordan Martin with another steal and two-handed dunk on the opposite end to cut Union's lead to 47-46 with 2:15 left in regulation.

Korbin Gunn hits a baseline jumper with 1:26 left to extend Tulsa Union's lead to 49-46.

Timeout on the floor with 1:17 to go. Tulsa Union 49, Jefferson City 45. Jefferson City with possession out of the break.

Martin with a fadeaway jumper with 1:09 left. Union 49, Jefferson City 48.

Flemons scores a layin with 48 seconds left. Union 51, Jefferson City 48.

Martin comes up big again. He scores with 32.7 on the clock and is fouled. He hits the free throw to tie the game at 51 with 32.7 left.

Huge shot as Union's Justin Chappelle hits an out-of-control jumper with 5 seconds left to give his team a 53-51 lead. Jefferson City calls timeout with 4.2 seconds left and will have the ball.

Martin misses a bunny with 1 second to go, but teammate Vince Murphy cleans it up with a tip-in as time expired to tie the game. We are headed to overtime. Tulsa Union 53, Jefferson City 53. This is what championship games are meant to look like.

Credit Jefferson City's Will Linthacum on completing a perfect pass the length of the floor to Martin to even make that possible.

OVERTIME

Justin Chappelle and Triston Driver each hit a 3-pointer to start the overtime. Union leads, 59-57, with 1:57 to go.

Judah Harris answers with a big 3-pointer from the right wing to give Jefferson City a 60-59 lead with 1:49 to go.

Martin scores with 1 minute left. Jefferson City 62, Tulsa Union 59.

Tulsa Union has started fouling with 39.8 to go.

Kendric Johnson makes two free throws for Jefferson City with 24.5 left to make it 64-59.

Jefferson City dribbles it out and comes away with a 64-59 victory in overtime to win the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic.

Three Jays finished in double-figures, with Jordan Martin leading the way with 25 points. while Johnson had 18 and Judah Harris added 13.

Tulsa Union was led by Flemons with 18 points, Driver with 15 and Justin Chappelle with 13.

Martin was named tournament MVP after the game.

Jefferson city improves to 9-2 overall. Union falls to 4-3.