Jason Jones and Colin Ruffin went from being friendly acquaintances to counting each other among their best friends over the past year.

Ruffin's promotion to Nixa's varsity as a sophomore last season set the stage for their friendship to grow. 

"Before I got moved up to the varsity, Jason was always nice to me. But he's a grade up on me, so I knew him and we would joke around in the hallways, but we actually didn't become good friends until last year," Ruffin said. "When I got moved up, that's when we started to become really good friends. Then, over the summer, we were pretty much together every day. Before this season, we were lifting together in the weight room. Now, we're going out to eat before and after games or after practices." 

During the summer, Ruffin, Kael Combs and former Eagles Josh Mason and Evann Long would join Jones' family at their lake house in Kimberling City along Table Rock Lake. Jones and Ruffin began to become inseparable.

"We'd tube, swim and have a good time," Jones said. "That's when we become closer."

"We would wrestle a lot and fight like brothers," Ruffin said.

They've become quite a dynamic duo in Nixa's 5-0 start. Jones scored 25 points and Ruffin 18 in the Eagles' 70-49 home-opening blowout of Blair Oaks on Wednesday.

One common theme for Nixa has been Ruffin feeding Jones for a jumper in the paint. Once opponents catch on to that scenario, Jones has fired the ball back to Ruffin for open 3-pointers. Those two sequences played out over and over versus perennial Class 3 state power Blair Oaks.

Jones and Ruffin have no doubt their ever-growing friendship has been pivotal to their ever-growing games. 

"I feel it's carrying over a lot," Jones said. "We have a strong trust in each other. We talk when there are problems. Our communication is always good. It's important to stay on the same page as your teammates. Miscommunication can happen all the time. But we avoid that."

"I can just look at him and we're on the same page," Ruffin said. "When I drive, I can always trust that he's going to get open. He's good at getting open without the ball."

Jones followed up his 55-point performance against mostly outmanned front lines at the Carthage Tournament by holding his own opposite Blair Oaks' green giants. The Falcons feature all-stater Luke Northweather and Justin Backes, both 6-foot-9, along their front line.

Osborne was confident both teams helped each other immensely by playing and added he'll be cheering on Blair Oaks the rest of the season.

"I need to thank them for coming down here to play," Osborne said. "They were short a game and we were short a game. They reached out to us. It gave us a game in between the Carthage Tournament and the Blue & Gold Tournament.

"I've always had respect for their program," he added. "I hope them playing us is going to help them down the road get out of their District again and get to the Final Four again."

Nixa 70, Blair Oaks 49

BLAIR OAKS (49) — Closser 1 0-0 3, Kusgen 6 0-0 14, Hair 0 1-2 1, Herigon 1 0-0 3, Backes 1 0-0 2, Northweather 12 2-3 26. Totals 21 3-5 49.

NIXA (70) — Ruffin 5 6-8 18, Turner 1 0-0 2, Sorgenfrei 1 0-0 3, Wofford 2 2-2 7, Nelson 4 1-2 9, Jones 11 1-2 25, Berry 3 0-0 6. Totals 27 10-14 70.

Blair Oaks  12  9  14  14  -  49

Nixa           13 18  17  22  -  70

3-point goals - Jones 2, Ruffin 2, Kusber 2, Sorgenfrei, Wofford, Closser, Herigon.