They did it the long, hard way — but both Jefferson High’s squads qualified for the Class B Southern Division tournament in a weekend of hard-fought basketball.
The District 5B tournament, held Feb. 16-18 in Belgrade, was a double-elimination format, with six conference schools vying for three division playoff slots. The Panther boys, seeded fourth, opened the competition against fifth-seeded Sweet Grass County. This would prove a low-scoring affair, tight all the way to the end.
The Herders scored first, but Zach Zody answered with a two then stole the ball and scored to put the Panthers up 4-2. Dalton Noble put the Panthers up 6-4, then Luke Oxarart stole and fed Zody, who was fouled and sank both free throws. Dylan Root ended the first period with another free throw for a 9-7 lead.
