By Sedrick Bolton III February 16, 2023
JONESBORO The Cardinals are looking state-playoffs ready as they claim another regional championship with 72-66 victory over Lovejoy. Jonesboro finished the regular season with a record of 22-3, 13 game win streak, 9-0 at home, 14-0 against teams in their region, and two players (JaQuez Akins and Montez Redding) named All-Region and their star guard Devon Rainey named class 6A Region 3 Player of the Year.
The Wildcats, the region runner ups, played on another level during the tournament. From upsetting No. 9 Woodward Academy, they gave Jonesboro a challenge in the championship game. Both teams traded buckets as the game saw multiple lead changes.
Lovejoy shot lights out from downtown, knocking down 11 triples on the night. Their fast-pace, constant ball movement freed up shooters to let fly. All-Region senior Nicholas Jones-Hill drained five three-pointers as he ends the day with 30 points.
From trailing 37-34 at halftime, Jonesboro outscored Lovejoy 21 -11 in the third quarter. This runs was sparked by a complete 180 in the Cardinals play.
"It's like there's a switch that goes off at some point...like everybody's clicking," said class 6A Region 3 Coach of the Year Daniel Maehlman. "We're making great passes, finishing, making extra passes, people are cutting, everything."
Rainey led the charge by getting himself more involved in the game by picking it up on the defense end and rebounding. At the conclusion of the game, Rainey now how is eyes set on the playoffs.
"We got five games, we got to go out there and play hard," said Rainey.
Despite what the team has accomplished in the season, Coach Maehlman is not looking ahead to the state finals but for their first game in the playoffs next week. From here on out, every play, minute, and game is crucial.
"It'll be like a whole another championship," said Coach Maehlman. "You got a 32-minute game to either move on or go home."
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Cardinals Head Coach Daniel Maehlman post game interview
