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

By Dick Knapinski



For Wishoops.net



Cold snap continues



Blair-Taylor made its sixth state appearance since 1994 in Friday s Division 3 semifinals, but has yet to win a game in Madison after falling 64-49 to Racine St. Catherine s.



The Wildcats shot just 26 percent against the Angels, including hitting just one of 14 three-point tries.



"We didn t shoot very well. That seems to be a common theme when we re down here," Blair-Taylor coach Randy Storlie said.



Storlie has the stats to back him up. In four semifinal tries since 2004, the Wildcats have hit just 74 of 220 field goal attempts (33.6 percent) and only nine of 55 three-pointers (16.4 percent).



"We came back well, but we just could not hit that big shot when we needed it," said Storlie, who watched his team rally from 19 points down to close to within seven in the fourth quarter.



Starting with letter D



In 21 of St. Catherine s 24 wins this season, it has held an opponent to fewer than 50 points – exactly what Angels coach Bob Letsch wants.



"We work on the defense more than we work on offense," Letsch said. "(The players) might not like it … but this year we re holding people to 42."



Against Blair-Taylor, St. Catherine s man-to-man defense started to whither against dribble penetration, so the Angels went to the 1-3-1 trap.



"We started trapping on the wings, so they weren t able to take the ball to the basket," Letsch said. "They got a couple of shots from the corner, but to me that s the worst shot in basketball. We give that up.



"Most 1-3-1s will trap in the corner and on the wing. We just trap on the wing. I probably shouldn t give this out. People scout you, so they know."



Breaking through



Eau Claire Regis finally got a semifinal win after losses in 2007 and 2008, with the Ramblers 52-42 win over Brillion on Friday.



"Our goal for the season was to get here," Regis coach Bill Uelmen said. "I wanted our guys to think about this since November."



Six-foot-seven center Steven Hofacker played a major role for the Ramblers, finishing with 10 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.



"I had a couple blocks right in the beginning of the game, and then (Brillion) stopped driving and started shooting outside.



Lions coach Pete Kittel knew that Regis height advantage was a tough advantage to overcome.



"We tried to play a full court game and maybe wear their big kids down a little bit," he said. "Steve Hofacker was a big difference and they made some big rebounds."



Family matters



Kittel has two sons on the Brillion roster – freshman guard Eric, who finished with 12 points, and senior guard Kyle, who has been sidelined all season with a severe knee injury suffered in last fall s football playoffs.



Kyle made his first appearance of the season with 12 seconds left, still wearing a heavy knee brace, and with the OK from his dad to shoot if he got the ball.



"I usually never told him to shoot," Pete Kittel said. "It was actually my assistants idea to put him in. Kyle has been so good all year, never asking ‘Why me? or anything. His dad at times probably asked why more."



Kyle did attempt one shot, which fell shot with eight seconds left.



Pete Kittel said his son likely has a year of rehabilitation left after tearing his ACL, MCL and PCL against Peshtigo last fall.



"It s probably been my hardest year coaching but it s also been my most exciting year coaching at the same time," Pete said.



Division 3 details



St. Catherine s 11 blocks against Blair-Taylor set a new Division 3 record, two more than Marshall had against Lomira in 2000. … Brillion senior Adam Schmitt, who grabbed five rebounds for the Lions, severely turned his ankle in the first half against the Ramblers. He returned but Pete Kittle said that "he really couldn t move very well." … Racine St. Catherine s is unbeaten in nine games at the WIAA state tournament since its first appearance in Madison back in 2005.