Jackson County Central and Redwood Valley will meet in the championship game of the Section 3AA South Sub-Section boys basketball tournament at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the R/A Facility at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
The Huskies and Cardinals will play after the 12:30 p.m. game between Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta and Eden Valley-Watkins for the 3AA North Sub-Section title. The winners play for the section title and a state tournament berth at 8 p.m. Thursday, also at SMSU.
JCC made its way to the title game with a 94-80 semifinal win over Pipestone in the semifinals Thursday in Windom.
Redwood Valley was a 93-66 winner over Luverne in its semifinal game as the Cardinals made 16 three-point baskets.
Isaiah Dow-Hilliard scored a game-high 32 points, with Elway Berg scoring 18 points and Lukas Means 15.
It’s been a minute
JCC is in the sub-section championship game for the first time since 2020. The Huskies won the sub-section and section titles that year, but the state tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jackson County Central did reach the sub-section finals in five of six seasons from 2015-2020.
The scores:
2015: Fairmont 56, Jackson County Central 54
2016: Jackson County Central 66, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 62
2017: Jackson County Central 80, Pipestone 74
2019: St. James Area 76, Jackson County Central 72
2020: Jackson County Central 56, Fairmont 51
Familiar territory
Playing for a sub-section championship is nothing new for Redwood Valley. This is the sixth straight year the Cardinals have reached this point of the postseason.
Following is a look at those title game appearances for Redwood, which played for the North Sub-Section title three times and is now in the South Sub-Section championship game for a third straight year.
2019: Redwood Valley 86, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 84 (North)
2020: Minnewaska Area 51, Redwood Valley 50 (North)
2021: Redwood Valley 74, Paynesville 64 (North)
2022: Redwood Valley 68, Pipestone 56 (South)
2023: Redwood Valley 56, Montevideo 53 (South)
2024: vs. Jackson County Central (South)
NOTES:
Jackson County Central is outscoring its opponents by an average of 75.5-66.9 this season. Redwood Valley is scoring 80.8 points and allowing 68.1.
The Cardinals have gone over the 100-point mark twice this season and have been in the 90s four other times. The Huskies reached 100 once and have also been in the 90s four times.
JCC and Redwood both defeated Big South Conference champion New Ulm this season. The Huskies won 88-79 in New Ulm on Feb. 22 and the Cardinals won 80-79 at home on Dec. 19.
Eden Valley-Watkins (24-4) plays Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (19-9) for the 3AA North Sub-Section title at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at SMSU. The Eagles were the No. 2 seed and the Tigers were seeded No. 4. MACA sidelined top-seeded Montevideo 65-63 in Montevideo on Thursday.
SECTION 3AA BOYS BASKETBALL
South Sub-Section
Saturday, March 2
Quarterfinals
Redwood Valley had bye
Luverne 65, Fairmont 57
Jackson County Central 90, St. James Area 45
Pipestone 94, Windom 54
Thursday, March 7
Semifinals
At Windom
Redwood Valley 93, Luverne 66
Jackson County Central 94, Pipestone 80
Saturday, March 9
Championship
At SMSU
Redwood Valley (22-5) vs. Jackson County Central (19-7), 2:30 p.m.
North Sub-Section
Saturday, March 2
Quarterfinals
Montevideo 56, Minnewaska Area 49
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 70, New London-Spicer 58
Paynesville 64, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 50
Eden Valley-Watkins 42, Litchfield 38
Thursday, March 7
Semifinals
At Willmar
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 65, Montevideo 63
Eden Valley-Watkins 72, Paynesville 44
Saturday, March 9
Championship
At SMSU
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (19-9) vs. Eden Valley-Watkins (24-4), 12:30 p.m.
SECTION 3AA
Thursday, March 14
Championship
At SMSU
South Sub-Section champion vs. North Sub-Section champion, 8 p.m.
JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS
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, 2:30 p.m.
REDWOOD VALLEY BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Sat., Dec. 2: at Minnewaska Area, W 63-47
Thurs., Dec. 7: Montevideo, W 54-50
Fri., Dec. 8: at Windom, W 83-61
Tues., Dec. 12: at St. James Area, W 88-79
Thurs., Dec. 14: at New London-Spicer, L 69-59
Fri., Dec. 15: at Luverne, W 92-69
Tues., Dec. 19: New Ulm, W 80-70
Thurs., Dec. 28: MACCRAY at Willmar, W 75-61
Fri., Dec. 29: Dassel-Cokato at Willmar, W 73-65
Fri., Jan. 5: Jackson County Central, L 60-59
Tues., Jan. 9: at Marshall, W 87-80
Thurs., Jan. 11: at Paynesville, L 80-77
Tues., Jan. 16: Windom, W 104-60
Sat., Jan. 20: at Pipestone, W 74-68
Mon., Jan. 22: St. James Area, W 89-54
Fri., Jan. 26: Luverne, W 96-60
Sat., Jan. 27: Spectrum at Becker, L 84-82
Tues., Jan. 30: Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, W 105-82
Fri., Feb. 2: Pipestone, W 91-67
Mon., Feb. 5: Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta, W 73-65
Thurs., Feb. 8: Worthington, W 85-77
Tues., Feb. 13: at Jackson County Central, W 79-66
Thurs., Feb. 15: Fairmont, W 76-63
Sat., Feb. 17: Maple River, W 88-85
Fri., Feb 23: at Springfield, W 83-72
Sat., Feb. 24: Worthington, L 79-73
Thurs., March 7: Luverne at Windom, W 93-66
Sat., March 9: Jackson County Central at SMSU, 2:30 p.m.