3AA South hoops
High-powered group reaches semis
Four teams with a combined 90 wins this season will match up Tuesday in the semifinals of the Section 3AA boys basketball tournament in Windom.
Second-seeded Jackson County Central, 22-6, will play third-seeded Fairmont (22-4) in the second game, scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The first game is at 5:45 p.m. with top-seeded Montevideo (25-2) meeting fourth-seeded Luverne (21-5).
JCC and Fairmont both held off challenges to win home quarterfinal games on Friday.
The Huskies held off seventh-seeded Pipestone 62-48, and the Cardinals were 68-65 winners over sixth-seeded Windom.
Jackson County Central finished a dozen points below its team average of 74.1 points per game but had a balanced attack with four players scoring in double figures and a fifth narrowly missing.
Roman Voss scored 21 points, Weston Rowe and Blaise Rowe scored 11 apiece and Sullivan Hall netted 10. Ben Gallagher scored nine points.
For Fairmont in its victory over Windom, Logan Junkermeier scored 27 points, Reed Johnson 16 and Brayden Williamson 10.
The Huskies and Cardinals split their regular season games with the home team winning each. Fairmont won 55-47 on Dec. 12 and JCC was a 63-60 winner on Feb. 14.
Montevideo and Luverne did not meet during the regular season.
The higher seeds also advanced in the North Sub-Section of 3AA, which will play its semifinals at Willmar High School on Tuesday.
Top-seeded Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (26-0) plays fourth-seeded New London-Spicer (13-14) at 5:45 p.m. and second-seeded Litchfield (15-12) takes on third-seeded Minnewaska Area (17-9) at 7:30 p.m.
Both sub-section championship games are at Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday with the South title game at 12:30 p.m. and the North championship game at 2:30. The section championship game is at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, also at SMSU.
Box score
The box score from JCC’s first-round win over Pipestone:
JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL (62)
Ben Gallagher 4-12 1-2 9, Roman Voss 8-11 5-6 21, Carter Buhl 0-4 0-0 0, Jacob Kruger 0-4 0-0 0, Blaise Rowe 4-10 1-1 11, Sullivan Hall 4-8 2-3 10, Weston Rowe 4-7 2-2 11. Totals 24-56 11-14 62.
PIPESTONE (48)
Luka Quist 5-9 0-0 13, Cayden Zephier 0-2 0-0 0, Nick Bruns 1-2 0-0 3, Matt DeBates 2-5 2-2 7, Austin Musch 7-16 2-5 19, Blake Bosma 3-11 0-0 6. Totals 18-45 4-7 48.
Halftime: JCC 31, Pipestone 23.
Three-point goals: Pipestone 8-19 (Musch 3-4, Quist 3-5, Bruns 1-2, DeBates 1-2, Zephier 0-2, Bosma 0-4), JCC 3-16 (B. Rowe 2-7, W. Rowe 1-3, Buhl 0-1, Gallagher 0-2, Kruger 0-3). Rebounds: JCC 31 (Voss 10, Hall 7), Pipestone 29 (Musch 11). Assists: Pipestone 14 (Zephier 5, Quist 4), JCC 12 (Gallagher 5, Voss 3). Steals: JCC 15 (Voss 5, Gallagher 4), Pipestone 8 (four with 2). Blocks: JCC 4 (Hall 3, W. Rowe 1), Pipestone 1 (Musch).
Section 3AA boys basketball
South Sub-Section
Friday, Feb. 27
Quarterfinals
Montevideo 72, Redwood Valley 48
Luverne 79, St. James Area 62
Jackson County Central 62, Pipestone 48
Fairmont 68, Windom 65
Tuesday, March 3
Semifinals
At Windom
Montevideo (25-2) vs. Luverne (21-5), 5:45 p.m.
Jackson County Central (22-6) vs. Fairmont (22-4), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 7
Championship
At SMSU
Semifinal winners, 12:30 p.m.
North Sub-Section
Friday, Feb. 27
Quarterfinals
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 89, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 29
New London-Spicer 60, Paynesville 55
Litchfield 74, Eden Valley-Watkins 57
Minnewaska Area 61, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 54
Tuesday, March 3
Semifinals
At Wiillmar
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (26-0) vs. New London-Spicer (13-14), 5:45 p.m.
Litchfield (15-12) vs. Minnewaska Area (17-9), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 7
Championship
At SMSU
Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.
Section 3AA
Thursday, March 12
Championship
At SMSU
South Sub-Section champion vs. North Sub-Section champion, 8 p.m.
Number one seeds
These are the top seeds in the other sections in Class AA.
1AA: Goodhue (26-1)
2AA: Belle Plaine (21-5)
4AA: Minnehaha Academy (19-5)
5AA: Holy Family Catholic (21-5)
6AA: Albany (20-6)
7AA: Pequot Lakes (25-1)
8AA: East Grand Forks (21-5)
20-win teams
There is 22 Class AA boys basketball teams in the state with at least 20 wins. Each section has at least one. Here’s the list:
1AA (5)
Goodhue (26-1)
Rushford-Peterson (24-3)
Triton (24-4)
Zumbrota-Mazeppa (22-4)
Cannon Falls (21-6)
2AA (2)
Belle Plaine (21-5)
Glencoe-Silver Lake (20-6)
3AA (5)
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (26-0)
Montevideo (25-2)
Jackson County Central (22-6)
Fairmont (22-4)
Luverne (21-5)
4AA (2)
Higher Ground Academy (20-8)
Minnehaha Academy (20-5)
5AA (3)
Maranatha Christian (23-3)
Holy Family Catholic (21-5)
Hiawatha Collegiate (20-5)
6AA
Annandale (21-5)
Albany (20-6)
Holdingford (20-6)
7AA
Pequot Lakes (25-1)
8AA
East Grand Forks (21-5)
JCC schedule/results
Tuesday, Dec. 2: Pipestone, W 81-61
Friday, Dec. 5: St. James Area, W 65-63
Tuesday, Dec. 9: at Luverne, L 75-61
Friday, Dec. 12: at Fairmont, L 55-47
Tuesday, Dec. 16: at Redwood Valley, W 88-58
Friday, Dec. 19: at Windom, W 95-56
Monday, Dec. 22: at Worthington, W 73-55
Saturday, Dec. 27: Marshall at SMSU, L 62-60
Wednesday, Dec. 31: Tracy-Milroy-Balaton at SMSU, W 78-42
Saturday, Jan. 3: Zumbrota-Mazeppa at Byron, L 63-57
Tuesday, Jan. 6: at Blue Earth Area, W 81-40
Thursday, Jan. 8: New Ulm, W 80-67
Saturday, Jan. 10: at Montevideo, L 77-72
Tuesday, Jan. 13: at Pipestone, W 70-44
Monday, Jan. 19: at St. James Area, W 92-75
Tuesday, Jan. 20: Luverne, W 75-67
Thursday, Jan. 22: at Spirit Lake, W 72-47
Monday, Jan. 26: Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial, W 70-53
Tuesday, Jan. 27: Redwood Valley, W 81-57
Friday, Jan. 30: Windom, W 81-59
Thursday, Feb. 5: Springfield, W 94-66
Monday, Feb. 9: at Hills-Beaver Creek, W 88-77
Tuesday, Feb. 10: Maple River, W 59-46
Friday, Feb. 13: Blue Earth Area, W 64-55
Saturday, Feb. 14: Fairmont, W 63-60
Tuesday, Feb. 17: GHECTML, W 84-54
Tuesday, Feb. 24: at Belle Plaine, L 90-83
Friday, Feb. 27: Pipestone, W 62-48
Tuesday, March 2: Fairmont at Windom, 7:30 p.m.