There isn't a player on Little Rock Central's roster who was around to witness the last time the Tigers reached a state final, but that won't be the case much longer.

The Tigers are heading back to the championship game.

Senior guard Jeremiah Jones finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals as the Tigers used a deliberate approach to shock Fort Smith Northside 40-37 in the semifinals of the Class 6A boys state tournament Saturday at Hornet Arena.

Sophomore guard Cody Robinson added nine points for Central (18-12), which will play in their first state title game since 2002 when it lost to Little Rock Parkview 63-57 in what was then the AAAAA final. The Tigers haven't officially won a basketball crown since 1999, but they'll get a chance to end that 21-year drought after dethroning last year's champion.