Pius XI Girls Basketball
The Pius XI girls basketball team was not often mentioned with the Milwaukee area heavyweights for much of the season. Afterall, it had two early losses (to eventual state qualifiers), and another one in Classic Eight conference play. 
Not many thought the Lady Popes-- or anyone for that matter-- could get past Milwaukee Vincent in the state semifinals. Yet giant-killers they were, as Pius XI won three games on three straight nights to earn its first ever Division 1 state title.
Pius was on fire to open the tournament against Verona, sinking 21 of its 40 shots, including breaking a state record for 3-pointers made with 11 on 23 attempts. Junior Julia Borisari alone went 4-for-5 from downtown--her only shots of the game. The hot touch continued into the showdown with favorite Milwaukee Vincent as the Lady Popes picked up where they left off. Behind another outstanding shooting night, going 20-for-41 from the floor and 5-for-10 from deep, Pius simply outplayed Vincent en route to a 63-58 semifinal upset victory.
The state final game was a bit of uncharted territory for the Lady Popes, as in 2001-- the only other year they earned a state berth-- they lost in the semifinals. De Pere on the other hand, was making its third straight tournament appearance, but also qualified for its first final. 
A chilly shooting night for both teams resulted in the lowest-scoring title game in Division 1 state history, with Pius coming out on top 34-23.
Depth was something Pius didn't boast much of all season, yet the four main scorers all came up big when needed. Senior Kelly Frings (pictured), who was named to the All-State Tournament team, led the team with 36 points on the weekend, with junior Tierra Bender adding 34, Borisari 29 and sophomore Terri Bender 25. Overall, the Lady Popes shot an impressive .469 from the floor, .442 from three and .698 from the line. And considering they took just as many 3-point shots as free-throws (43), Pius' shooting expo alone earned this week's Splash of the Week.
Honorable Mention
Nicole Bauman, New Berlin Eisenhower: Named the Most Valuable Player of the WIAA state tournament last weekend as voted by the Associated Press, Bauman played a key role in Eisenhower's first ever state title. As just a sophomore, Bauman played like a heady senior, finishing the tournament with 34 points on 9-for-14 shooting from the floor, 4-for-5 from 3-point land and 12-for-16 from the line. In the Division 2 title game against Winneconne alone, Bauman scored 22 points, sunk all four of her treys and dished out five assists to earn a 59-50 championship victory.
Cuba City Girls Basketball: The Cubans, as expected, torched the entire Division 3 field en route to an undefeated state title for head coach Jeff Pustina. Cuba City trailed for a grand total of 3:10 in the entire state tournament, as Brillion and Oostburg each scored opening baskets against Cuba. Yet by the 6-minute mark of both first quarters, Cuba City had overtaken the lead for good and earned 56-40 and 53-40 victories. Seniors Katie Langmeier and Danielle Matuszak were named to the All-State Tournament team, scoring 27 and 23 points on the weekend respectively. Pustina, who earned a state record seventh state title, has won four of the last six in Division 3.
Newman Girls Basketball: The Division 4 title game was close for one quarter but Newman turned up the pressure and held Black Hawk to 16 total points the rest of the game to trounce the Warriors 64-30 Saturday afternoon. The 30 points-against was a true testament to the defensive effort by the Cardinals, setting a new record for the fewest ever given up in a D4 title game. Thursday morning, Newman opened up the State tournament with a 58-36 victory over Weston despite a two-point deficit at the half. Newman pounced on the Sliver Eagles in the third quarter, holding Weston scoreless as it cruised into the medal round. For the tournament, junior Erica Hartke tallied 24 points, with classmate Taylor Thomas adding 20 points and 11 steals for the Cardinals.
The Splash of the Week is sponsored by PlayInTheDells.com. It highlights the player, coach or team that has "made a splash" in the world of high school sports. Coming out of nowhere to do something great, going above and beyond the call of duty, etc. Basically making something big happen and having the ripples of the accomplishment resonate throughout your sport. Please contact us to nominate your hometown heroes today.
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