JACKSON HOLDS ON TO SLIP PAST NOTRE DAME

JACKSON -- Neither Jackson High nor Notre Dame entered Friday's basketball game riding the hottest of streaks.

Jackson entered the game on the heels of a 40-point humbling by state power DeSmet.

And Notre Dame entered the contest in the midst of one of the toughest stretches the team has endured in recent years. The Bulldogs, in the middle of one of the most rugged schedules any Class 2A team in the state plays, had lost four straight. On top of that Notre Dame's top player, Dirk Dirnberger, is out with an ankle injury.

Although one team had to lose, both squads should feel a little better today.

Notre Dame trailed by a point with 1:31 left in the game, but Jackson hit five of six free throws in the final 1:13 while holding the Bulldogs scoreless and escaped with a 50-44 home-court win.

For Jackson (12-5), it was a matter of hitting just enough shots through the course of the game and then hitting the key free throws down the stretch.

"I'm pleased in the sense that as much as we didn't shoot the ball very well that we were still able to hang on and win the ball game," said Jackson coach Steve Burk. "And I'll take 44 points a night if that's what we're giving up.

"Our kids were really down after (the DeSmet) game. We didn't play well and we got beat pretty bad. We battled back and that's all we can do."

Notre Dame (5-9) played its first close game since Jan. 7, losing its last three by an average of 26 points. Also, the Bulldogs' Nathan McGuire steeped to the forefront and virtually controlled the game at times. McGuire, a 6-foot-2 senior, slashed to the basket with ease and led all scorers with 28 points, while no other Bulldog had more than four points. He had 64 percent of his team's points.

"I'm as proud as I've ever been after a loss," said Notre Dame coach Chris Janet. "Our guys battled and they were simply going to fight and scratch and claw and do whatever it took to stay in the basketball game. I told the boys, `I think we did everything than score more points than they did.' "

Jackson played well early while Notre Dame started sluggishly, and the Indians led 15-5 entering the second quarter. McGuire then scored eight quick points in the second quarter to bring the game within six. The game remained close from there, although the Bulldogs never led.

"(McGuire) had a tremendous game; my hat's off to him," said Burk. "He hit a bunch of shots and really played well."

Said Janet: "Nathan played extremely well. He wanted the basketball and the ball was going in the hole for him. He's a good player."

After scoring 13 points by himself in the third quarter, McGuire hit a jumper with about three minutes left in the game to make the score 43-42. Jackson responded by making two free throws, then McGuire found Ben Gosche inside to pull back within a point, 45-44, with 1:31 left.

In the final 1:13, Jackson's Travis Wilson hit two free throws, Brandon Blattel hit one of two and Mike Gross capped a good night by hitting two more with two seconds left.

Notre Dame was without its third-leading scorer, Chris Canfield, for the final five minutes. Canfield took an elbow from Gross in the face and was taken to the hospital with a severely cut lip.

For Jackson, Jeff Walter had 17 points and Gross added 12.

Jackson won the JV game 43-41 in overtime.