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Thomas checks in with double-double to lead Onalaska

Though several different Milwaukee Pius XI defenders held Onalaska junior Matt Thomas seven points below his scoring average of 21 points per game, the state’s fourth-ranked class of 2013 prospects in the WisSports.net Player Rankings nonetheless had a huge impact on the outcome of the contest.

In addition to scoring a team-high 14 points in the Hilltoppers’ hard-fought 38-32 Division 2 semifinal victory over Pius XI Friday at the WIAA State Tournament at the Kohl Center, Thomas ripped down 13 rebounds and his mere presence on the court kept the Popes from applying their trapping pressure defense for the majority of the first three periods.

“Onalaska is so well coached that my expectation was Thomas would get open and hit some threes against our trapping defense,” Pius XI coach Joel Claassen said.

Thomas was guarded by both Matthew Fox-Whitaker and Robert Holschuh and was limited to just 11 field-goal attempts. He made five, but went scoreless in two attempts from three-point range.

“They were face-guarding me and they had some long, athletic guys on me who made it tough,” Thomas said. “I’m just glad we had guys step up so we could pull out the win.”

Boston College coach Steve Donahue was in attendance to watch Thomas, who is weighing scholarship offers from the Eagles, Iowa State, Minnesota, Virginia and Wisconsin, among others.
 
Pius XI’s quickness no surprise to Onalaska
 
Onalaska coach Craig Kowal knew his favored Hilltoppers would be in for a battle against Pius XI, which won the Classic Eight Conference title and came into the contest with a 23-3 record.
 
Of major concern to Kowal, who has guided Onalaska to a 26-1 mark heading into the Division 2 title game against Kaukauna on Saturday, was the Popes’ quickness and length.
 
“We knew coming in Milwaukee Pius XI would be a difficult matchup for us,” Kowal said. “They play a very difficult schedule and they are very athletic and quick.
 
“Our focus all week was on stopping their dribble penetration and I think we had two guys right there whenever (Carrington) Love tried to get into the lane.”
 
Love, a 6-1 senior point guard from Pius XI headed to Green Bay on a basketball scholarship, was held to just seven points on 3-of-14 shooting from the field by the Hilltoppers’ multiple zone defenses.
 
“They are a heck of a team and we knew coming in that they would defend,” Claassen said. “We missed some good looks early on and we just couldn’t get it going until the fourth quarter when our defense got us going a bit.”
 
Trailing 24-15 entering the final period, Pius XI managed to cut its deficit to one point midway through the period on a basket by senior Larry Fitzgerald, but Onalaska got some clutch free throws from Green Bay recruit and senior center Nick Arenz, senior guard Ben Socha and Thomas.
 
“They made their run in the fourth period like all good teams do,” Kowal said. “We got the ball in the right hands and we made some free throws to pull out the win.”
 
Claassen calls loss toughest of his coaching career
 
Joel Claassen has won more than 540 games during his 26 years as the varsity girls’ and boys’ basketball coach at Pius XI.
 
But no loss stung more to Claassen than the one the Popes suffered Friday against Onalaska.
 
“This is the toughest loss I’ve ever had,” he said. “This year, it was a love affair with these kids. They are great kids to be around. It’s a tough day today, but we will start healing tomorrow.”