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D5 championship notes
By Dick Knapinski
For Wishoops.net

The momentum swing that carried Randolph to its ninth state championship Saturday was quick but very effective.

In a matter of less than 10 seconds at the end of the third quarter, Randolph turned a struggle into its opportunity to break away in its eventual 49-38 win over Clayton.

“We haven’t been outstanding at the end of quarters,” Rockets coach Bob Haffele said. “That wasn’t a set play. Our guys are usually lucky to know how much time is left. That was just a good basketball play.”

That changed Saturday. After Zach Schradle hit two free throws for Clayton to tie the game 26-26 with six seconds left in the third, Randolph’s John Roberts hit sophomore Jay Peters with a cross-court pass for a layup at the buzzer and a 28-26 lead.

The Bears had the ball to open the fourth quarter, but threw the inbounds pass away. Brian Kampstra’s jumper put the Rockets up 30-26 and Randolph would lead the rest of the way en route to the win.

“We didn’t communicate on that matchup,” Clayton coach Nick Schradle said. “Then we turned the ball over, they got a hoop and we just couldn’t break it. (The Rockets) just keep grinding on you and doing what they’re doing.”

In your shorts

Randolph’s T.J. Huizenga had a personal mission in the second half of Saturday’s championship game: Stop Clayton guard Tyler Ketz, who had scored 10 of the Bears’ 16 first-half points.

Huizenga came through, holding Ketz to just three points over the final two quarters.

“I knew he had a great pull-up shot,” Huizenga said. “He was kind of like (N.E.W. Lutheran’s Kaylor) Zimmerman, in a way, but wasn’t as much of a driver. We just tried to stop his pull-up, and my teammates did a great job of helping, too.”

Ketz admitted to being frustrated by Huizenga’s defensive pressure in the second half, especially giving up height and reach to the Randolph.

“He was really in my shorts, getting over the top of ball screens and not chasing, and he got some help,” Ketz said. “I couldn’t my pull-up jumper.”

Schedule building

As a perennial power, Randolph also builds its resume through scheduling Division 1 and 2 teams during the regular season. This year, the Rockets played Beloit Memorial, Beaver Dam, DeForest and Milwaukee Pulaski.

“You have to be careful because we’re a small school, so you don’t want your team to be demoralized,” Haffele said. “We never approach as how big the school is but as good competition. Everything we do, everything I look at is preparing for the tournament.

“One time we put on the WIAA website that we were looking for games, and we heard from Division 1 and 2 teams, and we were Division 4, but no Division 4 schools.”

Nick Schradle said that’s not as easy for Clayton in far northwest Wisconsin.

“There are a few Division 3 schools around, but they don’t want to play Clayton,” he said. “Our girls have tried to do more of that, since they also have a successful program.”

Back home again

Nick Schradle played at state as a member of Clayton’s first state tournament team in 2000. After playing at UW-River Falls and serving as a student assistant to Rick Bowen there, he returned to lead the Bears to their greatest success yet.

“I’ve got kind of a vested interest in it,” Schradle said. “We have a lot of people buying into the atmosphere of a small school. I don’t think there’s anything better.”

Keeping things calm

A reporter noted that Randolph’s postgame celebration was somewhat subdued as opposed to the raucous joy shown by some team. Haffele warned not to take that as a sign that winning state is commonplace, even after nine championships.

“We talk that after a game people should be able to tell if we won or lost the game,” he said. “I think John Wooden preached that. I don’t try to subdue them. There’s pressure playing for the program, but it’s very satisfying. These guys aren’t that outgoing. … it probably doesn’t reflect how proud and happy we are.”