HOPE — With special guests in attendance, Hauser’s varsity boys’ basketball team didn’t disappoint in providing them, along with the entire “Jets Nation,” with a dominant 80-41 victory against Crothersville.
Ten different players scored to help push the Jets’ overall mark to 10-5, including a 6-0 mark against Class A opponents. Saturday’s win was the second this season against the Tigers and capped off a weekend sweep of victories after Hauser also rolled in Friday’s Winter Homecoming game against Waldron.
“We’ve played two straight games where we’ve gotten off to really good starts,” Hauser coach Bob Nobbe said. “I was proud of the way we dictated the tempo and played solid defense.”
Witnessing that solid performance were members of the 2006 Class A boys state championship team, which was honored again a decade later for its history-making accomplishment.
That Jets squad, which etched an overall 25-2 record, topped off the season with a 64-36 thrashing of Tri-Central for the state crown. The margin of victory and fewest points allowed are still current records for Class A state championship games, and Hauser remains the first and only boys basketball team in the county to claim a state title.
Nobbe, who also guided that title team 10 years ago, says this year’s squad has some similar qualities.
“That state team had great team chemistry,” Nobbe said. “The guys worked well together and enjoyed one another. I see that potential in this season’s players. They know their roles and work hard. We’ve had some good games, and I think they’re starting to get put it all together.”
Most of the members of that famed squad were present at Saturday’s celebration, including the cheerleaders and the school’s administrators.
Gabe Miller paced the 2006 Jets in the state title tilt with 24 points. Zach Fugate added 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Bobby Jolliff recorded a triple-double, notching 10 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocked shots.
Bryce Mize and Nick Long were the other two starters on the championship team, while sub Jordan Perkins was named the Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude Award winner.
Team members Blake Roth, Brandon Barker and Justin Baute were also honored, along with Darron Simmons, J.D. Stephens, Tanner Case and Chad Emmitt.
Jolliff’s 15 rebounds are still tops in Class A state game history and his 11 blocks remain a record for all classes. The towering senior center almost pulled off a quadruple-double, as he also finished with six steals, which is currently tied for the most in a Class A state game.
“I’d hope those records were still good, but I didn’t think they would last,” said Jolliff, who went on to play collegiately at Eastern Illinois before transferring to Huntington College. “Our team knew how important the (state game) was for us and the entire community. We approached it pretty much like all the other games, and really didn’t realize until later what we had done.”
Saturday was not the first time Jolliff has watched the current Jets crew, which also outrebounded the Tigers 33-17 and notched nine steals.
“I like what I’ve seen of this year’s team,” he added. “It would be great to see them make a run in the tournament and bring us another title.”
