The Jackson County Central boys basketball team is back in the State Tournament for the second time in three years and fifth time in the past decade.
The Huskies never trailed and knocked off the previously unbeaten Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta Tigers 59-54 in the Section 3AA Championship in Marshall on Thursday night.
Huskies head coach Alex Hein says the JCC defense made nothing easy for the top-ranked Tigers from the opening tip.
JCC didn’t allow a field goal for nearly five minutes and built a 33-18 halftime lead. JCC led by as many as 16 points in the second half. The Tigers cut the deficit to seven points but got no closer until the final moments of the game.
Roman Voss dropped a game-high 27 points with 17 of them in the first half. His three-pointer at the first half buzzer set a new school record for made three-pointers. Voss also had five rebounds, four assists, and a pair of steals.
Blaise Rowe went four-of-five to pour in 12 points from beyond the arc and led the team with eight rebounds.
Ben Gallagher dished out a team-high six assists and scored three points. Weston Rowe had nine points and five rebounds. Sullivan Hall and Carter Buhl each scored four points. Hall grabbed six rebounds and had a pair of blocks. Buhl also had four boards.
FULL POST-GAME CEREMONY BROADCAST
The 25-6 Huskies are winners in 17 of their last 18 games with the State Tournament up next. It will either start on Tuesday, March 24 or Wednesday, March 25 for JCC.