Jackson came close, but the wait continues for a state basketball championship for area programs.
The Tigers couldn’t overtake Saint Andrew’s in a 57-50 loss in the Class 3A state title game on Saturday morning at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
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The finish meant that area teams went 0 for 3 in championship games.
Impact Christian (Class 2A) and Hilliard (1A) lost in title matches on Friday, denying the area of a championship for the fourth straight year. Bolles, which won the 4A crown in 2016, was the last area team to win a state title.
The drought for area public schools stretches back to 2004 when Raines won the second of its back-to-back crowns. Jackson (25-4) was making its second straight title game appearance and was in far better position this year than in 2019 to bring back a title.
The Tigers clawed back from a 12-point deficit to tie things at 48-all with 4:21 to play. Saint Andrew’s, which beat Jackson 55-48 during the regular season, wouldn’t relent.
The Tigers went 0 for 4 from the floor and turned it over three times inside the next three minutes. That led to a 7-0 Saint Andrew’s run and helped turn out the lights on Jackson.
The Scots were much better against Jackson’s defense than other teams in the state playoffs had fared. They shot nearly 50% from the field (20 of 43) and never let the Tigers get more than a two-point lead.
Logan West led Jackson with 14 points and Kevin Odom added 10 for the Tigers. Davin Daniels had nine rebounds for Jackson.