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WSN15: Boys Basketball Top Moments #13 -- Jesperson erupts late for Merrill in win over Waunakee

01/19/2018, 11:30am CST
By Mark Miller

The WSN15 series will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of WisSports.net by looking back at the top players, teams, and moments of the past 15 years (2003-2017). 

We begin our WSN15 boys' basketball series with the Top 15 Moments of the WSN Era.

It took a near superhero performance by one of the best boys' basketball players to ever come out of the city for Merrill to record its first -- and to date only -- victory at the WIAA State Tournament.

Paul Jesperson scored 16 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth period to help the Bluejays rally past heavily favored Waunakee 55-52 in the WIAA Division 2 semifinals at the Kohl Center on March 18th, 2011. 

Waunakee came into the contest with a 25-1 record while Merrill had its ups and downs during the season before rallying in the playoffs. The Bluejays were 15-10 at the opening tip of the Waunakee game and finished in fifth place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference under coach Kurt Soderberg. 

Waunakee took a 31-22 lead into intermission and extended its lead to 12 points midway through the third period before Merrill took over the game's momentum behind Jesperson, a 6-foot-7 guard who went on to play NCAA Division I basketball at both Virginia and Northern Iowa. 

The Bluejays closed the margin to 43-35 entering the fourth period before a three-point basket by Jesperson deadlocked the game at 44 with 5:17 left.

Jesperson, who was heavily guarded by a physical Waunakee team, then dropped in another triple at the 3:03 mark to give Merrill its first lead of the game at 47-46.

He later sank two foul shots with 10 seconds left to seal the unlikely victory for the Bluejays, who lost to Whitefish Bay the next day in the Division 2 title game.

“Jesperson's the best player in the state and I’ll say that until the day that I die,” Soderberg said. “He isn’t just a shooter. He finishes around the basket, rebounds well and plays good D.”

Waunakee senior Austin Maly, who guarded Jesperson for much of the day, wouldn’t dispute the point.

“He’s a great shooter and can drive the lane. He can do everything, pretty much anything he wants,” Maly said.

In addition to scoring 27 points, Jesperson also had six rebounds and five assists.

Here is the boxscore from that contest:

WSN15 Top Moments Countdown:

#15 - Catholic Memorial's Bray fills out stat sheet
#14 - Madison Memorial outlasting De Pere in 3 OTs to win 2011 Division 1 title
#13 - Jesperson erupts in 4th period to help Merrill upend Waunakee
#12 - Coming Soon...
#11 - Coming Soon...
#10 - Coming Soon...
#9 - Coming Soon...
#8 - Coming Soon...
#7 - Coming Soon...
#6 - Coming Soon...
#5 - Coming Soon...
#4 - Coming Soon...
#3 - Coming Soon...
#2 - Coming Soon...
#1 - Coming Soon...

For the latest and most up to date boys' basketball news and recruiting information, follow Mark on Twitter @wisbbyearbook. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Mark at wbnews@yahoo.com.

Tag(s): News Archive  BBB News  Mark Miller  WSN15