Top-ranked G-E-T rolls, while Bangor takes down a No. 1
For the third time this season, the Logan and Central high school boys basketball teams went down to the wire.
Thursday, in the WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinals, the season was on the line for both teams, and it was the Red Raiders that prevailed, 71-63 at Onalaska High School in front of 2,200 fans.
In the final minute, the Rangers kept scoring to pull within two points – once at 63-61 and again at 65-63 – but Central answered each time with free throws.
At 1 p.m. Saturday, the Red Raiders (21-4), who are ranked No. 4 in state, will take on unranked Hortonville (18-7) in Stevens Point, Wis. for the section championship.
University of Wisconsin commit, Kobe King, led all scorers with 22 points for Central, which was down 48-42 midway through the second half. But King capped off a Red Raiders’ comeback with a 3-pointer to give his team a 53-52 lead with just over 7 minutes remaining. King’s teammate, Isaiah Dahman, added 20 points.
Cody Hoeth and CJ Siegel each led Logan (16-9) with 13 points, while Javon Whitesell added 11.
It came in the undefeated, No. 2-ranked team in Division 4. It left with one loss.
DIVISION 4 SECTION SEMIFINAL
Melrose-Mindoro was upset 84-64 Thursday by a hot-shooting Aquinas team in front of a near-capacity crowd of 2,200 at Logan High School.
In fact, hot-shooting may be an understatement.
The Blugolds (14-11) shot 10-for-12 from beyond the arc, 23-for-35 from the field and 23-for-26 from the free-throw line in blowing out the previously 24-0 Mustangs.
No. 3-seeded Aquinas now heads to the section finals for a 1 p.m. game against fourth-seeded Darlington (20-5) at Baraboo High School.
While the Aquinas offense was nearly unstoppable, the defense did just enough. Erick Christopherson went off for 27 points, but when it was time to shut him down in the second half, the Blugolds shut him down.
Christopherson’s teammate Aaron Scafe finished with 16 points, but could not get comfortable with Chris Ancius, Eddie Harwick and Co. in his face. Scafe, a 6-foot-5 senior, was 2-for-10 in the first half and finished 6-for-21 from the field for the game.
Harwick led Aquinas with 23 points, while Alex Schulte had 19 points and Conley Malone added 17.
OTHER AREA PLAYOFF GAMES
DIVISION 3: Top-ranked Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau remains undefeated, getting 24 points from Nick Wagner in a 73-48 win over Black River Falls (16-9). At 1 p.m. Saturday in Eau Claire, Wis., G-E-T (24-0) will play eighth-ranked Prescott (22-3).
DIVISION 3: Ninth-ranked Prairie du Chien got 15 points from Nate Banasik in a 41-29 win over Lodi (17-8). At 7 p.m. Saturday, PdC (23-2) will take on East Troy (20-5) in Waunakee, Wis.
DIVISION 5: Melrose-Mindoro wasn’t the only team to suffer its first loss of the season. Top-ranked Hillsboro saw its 24-0 record fall 63-60 to No. 9 Bangor, which got 21 points from Luke Reader. At 7 p.m. Saturday at La Crosse Logan, Bangor (24-3) will play unranked Barneveld (22-4).