Jimmie Classic: Crockett pours in 28 as Jaguars upset No. 8 Lions

Jase Crockett lit up Harold Newman Arena with 28 points Monday during the annual Class B boys basketball Jimmie Classic.

The 5-foot-9 Northern Cass senior guard has yet to commit to a college program, but he made the University of Jamestown home for about an hour facing eighth-ranked Linton/HMB.

"Thinking Jamestown, now," Crockett smiled, referring to a collegiate landing spot. "We'll see."

Crockett and the Jaguars (1-2) upset the Lions 61-51, fending off Linton/HMB's all-state guard Lucas Schmacher's 24 points, six steals and eight rebounds to get into the win column. Schumacher has already committed to UJ basketball.

The Lions (2-1) got off to a dubious start and never really appeared to feel comfortable. Carter Renz, the team's 6-foot-4 senior forward, picked up two fouls in the opening 34 seconds and was forced to the bench until 6 minutes remained in quarter No. 2.

Crockett, who averaged 21.5 points per game with 106 total assists and 63 steals for the 14-win Jaguars in 2019-20, poured in 17 points in the first half to help Northern Cass lead 32-23 at the break. Schumacher was held without a field goal over the first two quarters, going 6-for-6 at the foul line and carrying six points into quarter No. 3.

"Obviously, Lucas is their main guy and we focused on him," Crockett said. "They got shooters all around him so we had to get out on them and contest everything, but as a team we played great together. That was really the big key, everyone stepped up."

Northern Cass senior guard Hunter Allmaras buried three 3-pointers on four attempts in the third to help the Jaguars push the lead to 48-36 to start the fourth. Northern Cass shot nearly 50% from the field, which included converting 7 of 17 from 3-point range.

"That helps," Crockett said of the outburst from Allmaras. "When they have to guard everyone ... it's big when you can hit 'em like that."

The Lions weren't nearly as crisp offensively, converting just 4 of 21 shots from beyond the arc and 15 of 54 total. Schumacher got to the foul line eight times in the second half, converting 10 of 15.

"We weren't taking the best of shots," said Linton/HMB coach Dan Carr. "We had some people out of position. We were forcing a few things and didn't let the game come to us real well.

"It didn't look like we were ready to play," Carr added. "We didn't come out with any energy."

Northern Cass led by as many as 16 points (53-37) in the fourth. Allmaras finished scoring 10, while Kolby Vander Wal and the Lions' Korrigan Look each posted a game-high nine rebounds.

Northern Cass opened the season with losses to North Border (2-1) and Kindred (2-0), and will come back from Christmas hosting Cavalier in Hunter on Dec. 29.

Kindred is receiving votes in the latest Class B boys basketball media poll released Monday. The Lions, entering the game with victories over Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter and Glen Ullin/Hebron, moved up in the poll for No. 10 to No. 8.

"We've had a tough start," Crockett said. "But this is a good win here, so hopefully we build going into regionals."

The Lions resume play on Dec. 28 hosting Mott-Regent in Linton. They'll be back in Jamestown on Jan. 19 for the annual Linton/HMB Jamboree at the civic center playing Central Cass (1-0) at 7:30 p.m.

In the meantime, the Lions will be breaking down Monday's loss to the Jaguars.

"That's what we talked about in the locker room," Carr said. "We gotta build on our mistakes here and the few positives that we had."

Northern Cass 61, (8) Linton/Hazelton-Moffitt-Braddock 51

NC 14 18 16 13 -- 61

LHMB 13 10 13 15 -- 51

NC -- Jase Crockett 28, Hunter Allmaras 13, Kolby Vander Wal 6, Carter Osland 6, Leighton Strommen 2, Joe Nelson 2, Isaac Johnson 2, Brock Carpenter 2. Totals: 21-45 FG, 7-17 3-pointers (Allmaras 3, Crockett 2, Osland 2), 12-17 FT, 36 Rebounds (Vander Wal 9, Crockett 6, Nelson 4, Allmaras 4), 2 Steals (Nelson, Osland), 19 Fouls, 12 Turnovers

LHMB -- Lucas Schumcaher 24, Grant Bosch 10, Carter Renz 6, Korrigan Look 6, Landon Bosch 5. Totals: 15-54 FG, 4-21 3-pointers (Renz 2, G. Bosch 2), 17-24 FT, 34 Rebounds (Korrigan Look 9, Schumacher 8, Renz 4, G. Bosch 4), 10 Steals (Schumacher 6, G. Bosch 2), 17 Fouls (L. Bosch), 8 Turnovers.

Records: Northern Cass 1-2. Linton/HMB 2-1.