NCA Jets Looking To Keep Three-Peat Dream Alive

POWERS---The North Central High School boys basketball team will face the Hillman Tigers in the Class D state quarterfinal game Tuesday night in Sault Ste. Marie.

It's the same scenario that faced the Jets two years ago, when they trekked to the Sault to take on the Tigers. North Central won that game, 63-51, and went on to win their first state basketball championship later that week at Michigan State University.

Now, the stakes are even higher for the Jets as they carry a nation's-best 80-game winning streak into Tuesday's game, and will try for a third straight state championship.

This time, Hillman comes in with a 24-1 record, after the Tigers cruised through their district and regional tournaments.

North Central, meanwhile, faced a huge test in the regional semifinals against Dollar Bay before dispatching Rapid River in the final.

Game time Tuesday night is 7:00 ET/6:00 CT. It will be broadcast live on WUPF-FM (Eagle 107.3) and on-line at http://www.radioresultsnetwork.com/eagle-107-3/.

The pre-game show will start at 6:30 ET/5:30 CT.

WHITENS THIRD IN BALLOTING---The Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan announced on Monday that North Central senior Jason Whitens finished third in the balloting for the Mr. Basketball award, given every year to the state's best basketball player. Isaiah Levers of Kalamazoo Central, a University of Michigan recruit, won the award with 2,811 points. Xavier Tillman of Grand Rapids Christian was second with 2,739 points. Both are from Class A schools. Whitens tallied 1,911 votes for third.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos from Sunday's practice, see video interviews with Seth Polfus and Marcus Krachinski, and hear our radio interview with Coach Mercier.