The Austin boys basketball couldn’t find its outside shooting stroke and it had to settle for second place in the Big Nine in Packer Gym Friday.

The Packers shot just 5-for-26 on three-pointed and it went 12-for-23 on free throws as they lost 80-67 to Rochester John Marshall, which locked up the Big Nine title.

After Jany Gash hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 9-9, the Rockets (23-3 overall, 22-0 Big Nine) mounted a 9-2 run and Austin never got closer than seven the rest of the way. Both Gach had 28 points, three rebounds and three assists for Austin.

“It’s tough. We don’t like losing and this one was for a conference championship,” Both said. “They’re a good team. Throughout the game were weren’t hitting shots that we usually do and that was a big factor.”

The Packers (24-2 overall, 20-2 Big Nine) trailed 46-26 early in the second half and they closest they go was within 75-62 when Moses Issa hit a three-pointer.

“The bottom line is I think we’re back in that game if we make four or five more free throws. If you cut that lead to seven or eight it gets a lot tighter,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said.

Matthew Hurt had 40 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets and Dedoch Chan gave them a boost early on as he scored six of their first 12 points. Austin trailed 43-25 at the break.

“We did not run a great half court offense in the first half and we had a hard time getting anything going to the basket,” Fadness said. “A lot of the threes were off balanced and they came from the perimeter instead of inside out. I give their defense credit.”

JM 43  37  —  80

Austin 25  42  —  67

Austin scoring: Both Gach, 28; Oman Oman, 10; Moses Issa, 9; Tate Hebrink, 9; Jany Gash, 3; Pat Hagan, 3; Jesse Synoground, 2; Kyle Oberbroeckling, 1; free throws: 52 percent (12-for-23); rebounds: 27 (Oman, 5; Issa, 5); turnovers: 11