Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

WSN Basketball Playoff Coverage presented by the Buckle Up Phone Down Pledge

Join the Buckle Up Phone Down movement! WisDOT challenges Wisconsin to put safety first by taking the two most important actions to prevent or survive a crash. Accept the Buckle Up Phone Down challenge. Use your seat belt every trip and put down the phone when driving. Take the Buckle Up Phone Down pledge!

Wauwatosa East captured its second state championship in program history, winning a triple overtime thriller against Edgewood, 59-58, at the Resch Center. 

This game made WIAA girls' basketball state tournament history; it was the first triple-overtime game at state. 

The Red Raiders outscored Edgewood 7-2 in the final 2:50 of triple overtime to earn their first state title since 1981 when they played in Class A.

The game featured 15 lead changes and saw the game tied on nine other occasions.

Tosa East shot 23-for-56 from the field, 3-for-11 from three, and 10-for-19 on free throws. Edgewood was 21-for-53 from the floor, 7-for-20 on triples, and 9-for-15 on free throws. 

Tosa East had answers when it looked like Edgewood was taking control of the game, notably in the second half and the third overtime. The Red Raiders trailed by as many as six points with 11:45 left in the second half and four with 2:50 left in the third overtime.

Junior Mikaia Litza put on a show in the state title game, scoring a game-high 32 points and adding nine rebounds, two assists, five steals, and two blocks. She shot 13-for-24 from the floor, 1-for-1 from three, and 5-for-7 from the free throw line. 

Litza, who holds NCAA Division I offers, had a huge three-point play with 2:34 left in triple overtime to pull the Tosa East within one, 56-55, and also had a steal and made a pair of free throws in the final two-plus minutes of the final overtime to lead the Red Raiders to the victory. 

Junior Ellie Deprey also scored in double figures for coach Mary Merg and the Red Raiders. Deprey tallied  12 points, shooting 5-for-11 from the floor, and pulled down six rebounds. 

Juniors Lyndia Kalumbula and Audrey Sellinger chipped in eight and seven points, respectively. Senior Makenzie Hawk, a D-II Roosevelt University recruit, was a factor in the paint, finishing second on the team in rebounds with seven and added a block and steal. 

Wauwatosa East finishes the year with a 29-1 record, winning the program's second state championship in four trips overall. 

Sophomore Anna Miller, who holds NCAA Division I offers, finished with a team-high 16 points and seven assists for Edgewood. She shot 6-for-17 from the field, 2-for-6 from three, and 2-for-3 from the charity stripe.  

Others who reached double figures for WBCA Hall of Fame coach Lora Staveness and the Crusaders were sophomore Beanie Thompson and senior Erin Schauer, a D-III St. Olaf recruit, who finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively. 

Thompson led the team with 11 rebounds. Senior Maren Schmotzer, an NCAA Division I Northern Iowa recruit, was another impact player for the Crusaders, tallying nine points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and three blocks. 

Edgewood ends the year with a 28-2 record. The Crusaders, last year's D3 state champion, take home a silver ball in the program's fourth trip to the WIAA state tournament. 

For the latest and most up to date girls' basketball news and recruiting information, follow Norbert on Twitter @NorbertDurst. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Norbert.