Jackson County Central will play for the school’s fourth berth in the state boys basketball tournament when the Huskies face Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta in the Section 3AA championship game at 8 p.m. Thursday at the R/A Facility at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
JCC, the number two seed in the South Sub-Section, defeated top-seeded Redwood Valley 59-46 to earn its spot in the title game.
The Tigers were seeded fourth in the North Sub-Section but won title by beating No. 1 seed Montevideo in the semifinals after losing to the Thunderhawks twice during the regular season and No. 2 seed Eden Valley-Watkins in the championship game.
Both teams have won 20 games.
Jackson County Central has won six straight to put its record at 20-7. Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta has won three in a row after falling to Montevideo in its regular-season finale and is 20-9.
The Huskies are scoring 74.9 points per game for the season while allowing 66.1 points. The Tigers have been outscoring their opponents 67.5-57.0.
Thursday’s winner advances to the state Class 2A tournament and will play next Wednesday at either Target Center or Williams Arena.
Something in common
JCC and MACA have two common opponents, Montevideo and Redwood Valley.
JCC
Montevideo: W 71-70
Redwood Valley: W 60-59; L 79-66; W 59-46
MACA
Montevideo: L 59-58; L 86-78; W 65-63
Redwood Valley: L 73-65
Season results
Full results this season for both teams.
JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL (20-7)
Fri., Dec. 1: at Blue Earth Area, W 67-65
Mon., Dec. 4: at Martin County West, W 81-48
Fri., Dec. 8: at Estherville Lincoln Central, L 65-54
Tues., Dec. 12: Luverne, L 68-47
Fri., Dec. 15: Waseca, W 87-71
Thurs., Dec. 21: at Windom, W 97-80
Fri., Dec. 29: Montevideo at SMSU, W 71-70
Sat., Dec. 30: Marshall at SMSU, L 73-58
Tues., Jan. 2: at Fairmont, W 67-47
Fri., Jan. 5: at Redwood Valley, W 60-59
Tues., Jan. 16: at Luverne, W 80-69
Fri., Jan. 19: Pipestone, W 63-54
Tues., Jan. 23: Blue Earth Area, W 76-68
Fri., Jan. 26: at Waseca, W 68-64
Sat., Jan. 27: Windom, W 103-59
Tues., Jan. 30: Worthington, L 87-85 (OT)
Thurs., Feb. 1: Maple River, W 82-68
Sat., Feb. 3: at St. James Area, W 80-75
Mon., Feb. 5: Fairmont, L 74-54
Fri., Feb. 9: Marshall, W 91-57
Tues., Feb. 13: Redwood Valley, L 79-66
Fri., Feb. 16: at Pipestone, W 76-65
Thurs., Feb. 22: at New Ulm, W 88-79
Sat., Feb. 24: St. Peter at Redwood Falls, W 83-66
Sat., March 2: St. James Area, W 90-45
Thurs., March 7: Pipestone at Windom, W 94-80
Sat., March 9: Redwood Valley at SMSU, W 59-46
Thurs., March 14: Morris/Chokio-Alberta at SMSU, 8 p.m.
MORRIS AREA/CHOKIO-ALBERTA (20-9)
Thurs., Nov. 30: at New London-Spicer, W 68-66
Sat., Dec. 2: at Lac qui Parle Valley, W 78-43
Tues., Dec. 5: at Melrose, W 68-65
Fri., Dec. 8: West Central Area, L 65-64
Tues., Dec. 12: Litchfield, W 85-50
Thurs., Dec. 14: Minewaska Area, W 70-34
Fri., Dec. 15: Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial at Target Center, W 56-48
Thurs., Dec. 21: at Paynesville, W 68-67
Thurs., Dec. 28: Henning at Fergus Falls, W 46-39
Fri., Dec. 29: at Fergus Falls, L 74-58
Thurs., Jan. 11: Sauk Centre, L 63-60
Mon., Jan. 15: Benson, W 72-27
Fri., Jan. 19: at Montevideo, L 59-58
Mon., Jan. 22: at Osakis, L 57-55
Thurs., Jan, 25: at Sauk Centre, W 80-61
Sat., Jan. 27: Hancock, W 71-50
Tues., Jan. 30: Melrose, W 61-52
Fri., Feb. 2: at West Central Area, L 56-50
Sat., Feb. 3: Perham at Alexandria, W 72-56
Mon., Feb. 5: Redwood Valley, L 73-65
Thurs., Feb. 8: at Minnewaska Area, W 68-47
Tues., Feb. 13: at Eden Valley-Watkins, L 65-62
Thurs., Feb. 15: at BOLD, W 84-62
Fri., Feb. 16: at Benson, W 84-53
Tues., Feb. 20: BOLD, W 85-62
Mon., Feb. 26: Montevideo, L 86-78
Sat., March 2: New London-Spicer, W 70-59
Thurs., March 7: Montevideo at Willmar, W 65-63
Sat., March 9: Eden Valley Watkins at SMSU, W 55-53
Thurs., March 14: Jackson County Central at SMSU, 8 p.m.
Big South Conference
The Huskies are one of three current Big South Conference teams still playing this season. All three will play Thursday.
Waseca (19-10) is playing future Big South Conference member Belle Plaine (20-7) for the Section 2AA title on Thursday at Minnesota State University.
Also, BSC champion New Ulm (21-7) faces Mankato East (25-2) for the Section 3AAA crown at Gustavus.
Class 2A sections
Here are the remaining schedules for all the section tournaments in Class 2A.
SECTION 1AA
Thursday, March 14
Championship
At Rochester
Lake City (23-5) vs. Cannon Falls (24-5), 8 p.m.
SECTION 2AA
Thursday, March 14
Championship
At Minnesota State
Belle Plaine (21-7) vs. Waseca (19-10), 8 p.m.
SECTION 3AA
Thursday, March 14
Championship
At SMSU
Jackson County Central (20-7) vs. Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (20-9), 8 p.m.
SECTION 4AA
Friday, March 15
Championship
At St. Thomas Academy
St. Paul Academy & Summit School (22-6) vs. Minnehaha Academy (13-14), 8 p.m.
SECTION 5AA
Wednesday, March 13
Semifinals
At St. Michael-Albertville
Breck (26-1) at Blake (21-9) 6 p.m.
Minneapolis North (15-10) at Holy Family Catholic (18-9) 7:45 p.m.
Friday, March 15
Championship
At Augsburg
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
SECTION 6AA
Wednesday, March 13
At St. John’s
Semifinals
Albany (26-2) vs. Spectrum (24-4), 6 p.m.
Annandale (25-3) vs. Osakis (23-5), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 15
Championship
At St. Cloud State
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
SECTION 7AA
Wednesday, March 13
At UMD
Semifinals
Esko (19-8) vs. Moose Lake-Willow River (21-7), 6 p.m.
Pequot Lakes (24-4) vs. Staples-Motley (16-12), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 15
Championship
At UMD
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
SECTION 8AA
Wednesday, March 13
At Concordia College
Semifinals
Pelican Rapids (22-5) vs. East Grand Forks (16-11), 6 p.m.
Park Rapids Area (19-8) vs. Wadena-Deer Creek (19-8), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 15
Championship
At Concordia College
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
State Class 2A tournament
Here is the schedule for next week’s state boys basketball tournament.
Wednesday, March 20
Quarterfinals
Upper bracket
At Williams Arena
No. 1 seed vs. Random Draw, 6 p.m.
No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed, 8 p.m.
Lower bracket
At Target Center
No. 2 seed vs. Random Draw, 6 p.m.
No. 3 seed vs. Random Draw, 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 21
Consolation semifinals
At Concordia-St. Paul
Upper-bracket losers, 6 p.m.
Lower-bracket losers, 8 p.m.
Friday, March 22
Semifinals
At Williams Arena
Upper-bracket winners, 6 p.m.
Lower-bracket winners, 8 p.m.
Consolation championship
At Concordia-St. Paul
Consolation semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
Saturday, March 23
Championship
At Williams Arena
Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
Third place
At Concordia-St. Paul
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.