Marquis Mitchell (1) after getting fouled after stealing the ball late against Sparkman. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

MADISON – The James Clemens Jets started off Area play the right way, beating the visiting Sparkman Senators 47-42 in overtime Dec. 9.

The game stayed close until around midway through the third quarter, when the Jets opened up a 32-19 lead over Sparkman. The Senators, then tasked with chipping away at that lead, outscored James Clemens 20-7 the rest of the game, setting up overtime.

Four different Jets scored in overtime as they turned up the defense and came away with a win.

“We played a really good team tonight, and we knew that going in,” head coach Danny Petty said. “They’re just tough to play. I thought our guys hung in there and just did what they had to do.”

Trai James had 14 points, including 11 in the first half, to lead James Clemens. Senior forward Josh Garth came off the bench to score six in the first half and two in overtime to finish with eight points.

“It was nice,” Garth said of the extensive playing time he received. “I waited my time, proved myself that I could play on the court and they gave me playing time.”

The Jets held a double-digit halftime lead, 27-17. James Clemens widened its lead in the third quarter, but Sparkman tightened up its defense while ramping up the scoring on its end.

In the end, it was the Jets who held the Senators to three points in the 4-minute overtime period.

“Our defense was pretty good for most of the time, and we gotta use this as a springboard to keep getting better and better,” Petty said.