DREAM STILL ALIVE: Jets Headed Back To Breslin

SAULT STE. MARIE---The drive for another state championship is still alive for the North Central Jets. The boys cruised to a 75-52 win over the Onaway Cardinals in the Class D state quarterfinal game at Sault Ste. Marie High School. The victory sends the Jets to Michigan State University's Breslin Center for the semifinals Thursday night.

Jason Whitens scored 30 points to lead the Jets to the victory. Whitens became the all-time leading scorer in North Central High School history, passing his uncle, Tom Granquist, who set the record of 1,356 points back in 1995.

Whitens is a junior, so he has his senior year to add to his scoring totals.

Morgan Cox added nine points and 13 rebounds for the Jets. Dawson Bilski scored ten points, and Marcus Krachinski added nine points.

NCA led, 16-8, after one quarter, and held a 28-21 lead at halftime. Onaway, behind its star player, Joe Sigsby, closed to within 28-26 early in the third quarter. But Whitens took over, scoring 15 points to help the Jets push to a 51-37 lead entering the fourth quarter.

And then, it was cruise control to the finish.

The Jets had a happy moment at the end of the game as JV call-up Lucas Dombrowski nailed a three-point shot from beyond half court in the game's final seconds.

We have posted a video of that shot, taken by LSSU student Dalton Neumeier, in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above.

North Central improved to 26-0 on the season, and the team has now won 53 straight games, going back to last year. The Jets are an incredible 83-1 over the last three years, with the only loss coming to Cedarville in the 2014 state quarterfinals in Marquette.

North Central will face Fulton-Middleton in the state semifinals for the second straight year. Thursday night's game from Michigan State University starts at 7:50ET/6:50CT.

It will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Thanks to Ben Deatrick and Dalton Neumeier for the photos.