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Division 2 State Tournament Preview

Semifinals - Friday, March 18
Game-1:  Merrill (15-11) vs. Waunakee (25-1) - 1:35 p.m.
Game-2:  Seymour (23-3) vs. Whitefish Bay (18-8) - approx. 20 min. following Game-1
 
Championship Game - Saturday, March 19
Game-3:  Winner of Game-1 vs. Winner of Game-2 - 6:35 p.m.

Division 2 Bracket

Merrill, 15-11

Road to Madison – Merrill was the top seed in Sectional 1, Regional C and dispatched Medford 51-38 and Lakeland 47-32 in regional action. They defeated former (and future) Great Northern Conference foe Antigo 55-40 then knocked off an injury-depleted Onalaska squad 38-35 in the sectional final.

State Tourney History – Merrill’s only other state tournament appearance came in 1964.

Notes – Playing in the Division 1 Wisconsin Valley Conference the Bluejays finished fifth with a 5-7 league mark…Senior Paul Jesperson has signed a scholarship to play basketball at Virginia while Sam Arneson has signed a football scholarship with Wisconsin…Merrill played a challenging non-conference schedule and struggled to a 1-4 start and were 5-8 at one point…Paul and David Jesperson are brothers…Head coach Kurt Soderberg is the brother of former Wisconsin Badger coach Brad Soderberg.

"X" Factor – Defense. The Bluejays have allowed an average of 57 points per game in their 11 losses, but have played better lately. Still, they’ve won only twice in ten games when giving up 50 or more points, so the key will be on the defensive side of the ball.

Why Merrill Will Win the Title – Paul Jesperson gets to show his goods on the statewide stage, and doesn’t disappoint en route to averaging 30 points per game at the state tournament. The Merrill defense continues its recent improvement and uses its size and strength to frustrate opponents on the way to a shocking Merrill Division 2 state title.

Audio from statewide coach conference call

Official WIAA Roster with team info, school facts, and game results

Waunakee, 25-1

Road to Madison – Waunakee was the top seed in Sectional 3, Sub-Sectional 1, and after a first round bye defeated Sauk Prairie 57-39 and Monona Grove 57-37. They toppled rival DeForest 51-36 before knocking off upset-minded Stoughton 69-36 in the sectional final.

State Tourney History – This is the first state tournament appearance for the Waunakee boys basketball team.

Notes – Waunakee was relatively unchallenged en route to a perfect 12-0 mark in the Badger-North…Waunakee’s only loss on the year came to Minnesota powerhouse De La Salle…Senior Austin Maly signed a football scholarship with Wisconsin…Many of these players also played on the Waunakee football team that has won back-to-back Division 2 state titles…Senior Beau Murray was the only player in double figures, averaging 12 points per game…Head coach Dana McKenzie also brought Pecatonica to the state tournament in 2001.

"X" Factor – Strength. As you would expect from what has traditionally been known as a “football school”, Waunakee is a physically strong team that wears down its opponents, especially on the boards.

Why Waunakee Will Win the Title – This isn’t just a football town anymore, as Dana McKenzie has proven that there’s plenty of room for all sports to shine. Still, the experience, strength, and toughness gained from the football team pays big dividends as Waunakee combines that strength with very good skills to pound their opponents into submission.

Audio from statewide coach conference call
Official WIAA Roster with team info, school facts, and game results

Seymour, 23-3

Road to Madison – Seymour was the top seed in Sectional 2, Regional A and defeated Ashwaubenon 64-44 and Fox Valley Lutheran 53-52 in regional action. They knocked off Two Rivers 60-50 then pulled away from Port Washington 60-42 in the sectional final.

State Tourney History – This will be the 13th state tournament appearance for Seymour, and the first since 2007, which was the last of eight consecutive appearances. They took home state titles in 1997, 2001, and 2006.

Notes – Seymour was the champion of the Bay Conference with a 16-0 league mark…Senior Phil Romback signed a scholarship with Michigan Tech while Calahan Skogman signed with Minnesota-Duluth for football…Skogman was a First Team WBCA All-State selection last year…The duo combines to average 41.3 points per game this year…Seymour shoots 62% from the field and 39.2% from three-point land.

"X" Factor – Troy Rottier. Skogman and Romback are good enough that they are going to get their points on most nights. However, a third scorer is needed at this level to get “W’s”, and Rottier can and needs to be that guy. He averaged 7.9 points per game and will need to at least equal that to take pressure off the big two.

Why Seymour Will Win the Title – Head coach John Murphy is among the best in the business, as evidenced by taking eight straight teams to the state tournament. There will be no surprises on dealing with the state tournament trip, and after growing up watching past Seymour teams advance to state, these players are hungry to carve their own niche. A senior-laden team with two All-State caliber performers is always a good bet in the playoffs, and they deliver with a pair of hard-fought wins.

Audio from statewide coach conference call

Official WIAA Roster with team info, school facts, and game results

Whitefish Bay, 18-8

Road to Madison – Whitefish Bay came out of Sectional 4, Regional B after defeating Messmer 65-41 and Nicolet 44-41, then knocked off Wauwatosa West 41-30 before shocking Wisconsin Lutheran 51-50 in overtime to advance to state.

State Tourney History – This will be the sixth state tournament appearance for Whitefish Bay and first since taking home a title in 1998. They also won the state championship in 1996.

Notes – Whitefish Bay finished tied for second in the North Shore Conference at 9-5, five games behind Germantown…6-8 Jamie Schneck and 6-6 Ron Patten form an outstanding interior tandem for head coach Kevin Lazovik, combining to average 29.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game…Patten likes to step out to the three-point line, where he was 46 of 109 (42.2%) in 22 games.

"X" Factor – Competition. The Blue Dukes played a difficult schedule both in and out of conference, with non-league games against strong teams such as Franklin, Racine Case, Milwaukee Marquette, and Wauwatosa East as well as the playoff victory over Wisconsin Lutheran. They’ll look to use that high level of past competition to be prepared for what is in store at the state tournament.

Why Whitefish Bay Will Win the Title – They took their lumps early in the season and learned from a late-year hiccup, and are playing outstanding basketball at the right time of the year. Taking down a tough Wisconsin Lutheran squad shows they can beat anyone, and that attitude carries over to the state tournament where they don’t back down from any team. Schneck and Patten have big games as they prove to be well-prepared for this level of competition. They shock everyone by winning the schools’ third state title.

Audio from statewide coach conference call

Official WIAA Roster with team info, school facts, and game results