Jefferson downs St. Rita behind record-breaking Ford

ROCKFORD - Jefferson guard Terry Ford set a pair of 205 Tip-Off Classic records in a 63-54 win over Chicago St. Rita.

The 6-1 guard hit eight 3-pointers on the way to 32 points. The 3-pointers and points both are single-game Classic records.

Ford was especially deadly in the second and third quarters when he scored 26 of the 35 points for Jefferson. Behind Ford's barrage, Jefferson went from trailing 17-12 at the end of the first quarter to a 47-45 lead in the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, Jefferson hit eight of 10 free throws to pull away.

St. Rita was playing for the Classic title. The Mustangs entered the game 4-0 and had given up so few points that a win would have clinched the championship. Jordan Matthews did his part for St. Rita with 15 points. Jeremaih Oden, who came in averaging 15 points per game, was held to seven.

MyQuion Garrett added 11 for Jefferson, which is 2-1 and plays Elgin Larkin at 1 p.m., and Quillen Dixon chipped in 10.

BOXSCORE

Rockford Jefferson 63, Chicago St. Rita 54
(at Jefferson High School)

St. Rita       17  16  12   9  -  54
Jefferson    12  15  20  16 -  63

St. Rita - Watts 4 0-0 11, Matthews 6 0-0 15, Ihejirika 1 2-4 4, Gladney 3 2-2 8, Posley 2 0-0 5, Oden 3 1-2 7, Cooley 1 0-0 2, Bartmann 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 5-8 54.
Jefferson - Dunner 2 0-0 5, Powell 1 0-0 2, Jy. Robinson 1 1-2 3, Ford 11 2-4 32, Dixon 2 4-4 10, Garrett 3 4-8 11. Totals 20 11-18 63.
3-pointers: St. Rita 7 (Watts 3, Matthews 3, Posley), Jefferson 12 (Ford 8, Dixon 2, Dunner, Garrett).