Hunter Huss rolls past Jay M. Robinson, advances to first state final in 15 years
Hunter Huss is going back to the state championship game.
The Huskies beat Jay M. Robinson, 72-63, in the NCHSAA 5A Western Regional championship game Saturday and will play for a fourth state title next week in Winston-Salem. The teams played in front of a sold-out crowd at Hickory’s Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Hunter Huss (25-2) won its 15th straight game with Saturday’s victory and will make its first state-finals appearance in 15 years.
The Huskies won 4A state titles in 1977 and 1985 and won a 3A state championship in 2011.
Next week, Hunter Huss will play Wilson’s Fike High School (23-5). Fike beat Southeast Alamance (25-5) in the other 5A semifinal Saturday.
Against Robinson, Hunter Huss was able to build a working margin, led by N.C. Mr. Basketball finalist Jaleel Smith, a speedy sophomore point guard, and for much of the second half, the Huskies were basically able to fend off any hopes that Robinson — the 2022 2A state champion — had to come back.
But Huss got sloppy with its ball-handling and decision-making near the end of the period. Robinson made a 9-0 run late in the third quarter to trim the lead to 49-43. To start the fourth, Huss led 53-46.
Robinson closed to within three points with 3 minutes, 2 seconds to play on a layup from DaMountre Harlee. With 84 seconds left, the Bulldogs got within four, at 65-61, after two free throws.
But Huss got a quick 6-0 run — that included a Smith steal and pull-up jumper — to put the game away.
For Huss, Smith finished with 27 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. He was 10 of 19 from the field and 7 of 15 from the free-throw line. Teammates OB Lockhart (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Will Pless (10 points, 5-of-5 shooting) had strong games.
Robinson got 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals from Harlee.
Game summary
Robinson 14 13 19 17 — 63
Hunter Huss 18 22 13 19 — 72
ROBINSON 63 — Wattie 8, Walton 6, Campbell 2, Harlee 15, Miranda 12, Speller 13, Willingham 3
HUNTER HUSS 72 — Phillips 3, Lockhart 10, Anderson 2, Smith 27, Wlaker 6, Griggs 8, Pless 10
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This story was originally published March 7, 2026 at 9:30 PM.
