STEELEVILLE — Steeleville’s Jacoby Gross is the Orthopaedic Center of Southern Illinois Player of the Week for February 28-March 5.

The junior scored 23 points in two games to help lead the Warriors to the Okawville 1A Sectional championship, the first boys basketball sectional title in school history. The Warriors went on to beat Macon Meridian in the SIU Supersectional to earn a trip to state.

At state, Steeleville ran into Duke signee Jaden Schutt and eventual state champion Yorkville Christian in the semifinals, then lost to Scales Mound later that night in the third place game. Despite the tough day, the Warriors still brought home a fourth place trophy along with a load of lifelong memories.

Gross says that state experience makes the returning players hungry to do it again.