Nevaeh Rahm’s basket just before the buzzer gave third-seeded Fairmont a 67-66 win over sixth-seeded Jackson County Central in the first round of the Section 3AA girls basketball tournament Saturday at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont.
The Cardinals held a 41-31 halftime lead and increased the margin to as many as 16 points in the second half before JCC rallied.
A Maci Farmer three-pointer have the Huskies a 62-61 lead with a little under 3:00 remaining and a Rylie Cother basket would give JCC a 64-61 advantage. Fairmont scored four straight points to briefly grab the lead but Farmer scored with 27 seconds left to give JCC a 66-65 lead.
However, Rahm’s late bucket allowed Fairmont to advance to Tuesday’s semifinals.
Farmer led Jackson County Central with 28 points, Cother finished with 20, Kylee Wenzel netted 13 and Madelyn Rowe five.
The Huskies finish the season with a record of 11-13.
Fairmont (14-10) plays Pipestone (17-7) in the late semifinal game Tuesday at Windom. Luverne (23-3) faces St. James Area (16-11) in the first semifinal. The winners play in the sub-section championship game Thursday at Southwest Minnesota State.
SECTION 3AA SOUTH SUB-SECTION GIRLS BASKETBALL
Saturday, Feb. 25
Quarterfinals
Luverne 87, Minnesota Valley Lutheran 19
St. James Area 81, Windom 57
Pipestone 58, Redwood Valley 35
Fairmont 67, Jackson County Central 66
Tuesday, Feb. 28
At Windom
Semifinals
Luverne (23-3) vs. St. James Area (16-11), 6 p.m.
Pipestone (17-7) vs. Fairmont (14-10), 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 2
At SMSU
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
SECTION 3AA NORTH SUB-SECTION GIRLS BASKETBALL
Saturday, Feb. 25
Quarterfinals
New London-Spicer 68, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 35
Litchfield 48, Paynesville 35
Montevideo 71, Morris/Chokio-Alberta 48
West Central Area 74, Minnewaska Area 59
Tuesday, Feb. 28
At Willmar
Semifinals
New London-Spicer (25-1) vs. Litchfield (14-12), 6 p.m.
Montevideo (21-3) vs. West Central Area (10-13), 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 2
At SMSU
Championship
Semifinal winners, 8 p.m.
SECTION 3AA
Friday, March 10
At SMSU
Championship
South Sub-Section champion vs. North Sub-Section champion, 5 p.m.