WIAA BOYS DIVISION 1 SECTIONAL FINALS LOOK
By Antonio Curro - NY2LA Sports
February 26, 2008
The WIAA Boys state basketball tournament sectional finals kick off later this week with some very strong matchups involving Milwaukee Metro teams at the Division 1 level.
Sectional 5
Semi-Final Germantown v.s. Sussex Hamilton
Friday 6 p.m.
Germantown is the #1 seed in Sectional 5 and if they execute and play their game in this one a victory is in the cards. Sussex Hamilton came from behind on Saturday to defeat rival Hartland Arrowhead but Germantown isn't likely to take ill advised shots as they pride themselves on execution, balance, and solid team play. Bowers should pose some problems on the defensive side of the ball for Sussex Hamilton and Hamilton doesn't have anything inside to handle junior Ben Averkamp.
Sussex Hamilton will need monster performances from Kameron Cerroni, Brett Meinecke, & Co. to get past the top seeded Germantown but even with that it's still going to be a tough one.
Pick - Germantown
Sectional 5 Semi-Final Kettle Moraine v.s. Vincent
Friday 8 p.m.
Milwaukee Vincent has played a very strong schedule this year and they have weapons coming at all angles against a solid Kettle Moraine squad. When it's all said and done Vincent has too much depth and athleticism for Kettle Moraine to overcome.
Pick - Milwaukee Vincent
Sectional 7
Semi-Final Racine Horlick v.s. West Allis Hale
Friday 6 p.m.
Racine Horlick boasts the top Class of 2009 player in Wisconsin and one of the best in the country in 6'7" SF Jamil Wilson. Wilson is averaging a double double this season and quite frankly is an impossible matchup for almost anyone he goes up against in the state. His teammate Antwon Oliver is also exceptionally athletic and long, which also causes matchup problems for most teams.
On the flip side Hale is going to pound it inside with 6'7" PF/C Rick Wagner who will go for a double double in this one for sure. The perimeter play of the West Allis Hale guards as well as the ability of Jamil Wilson to stay out of foul trouble (See Wisconsin Lutheran and Flavien Davis Saturday) will determine this one.
Horlick is the top seed and I see no reason why they won't be able to slip past Hale in this one if they play their game.
Pick - Racine Horlick
Sectional 7 Semi-Final Racine Case v.s. Brookfield Central
Friday 8 p.m.
Case is one of those teams that you never know what you're going to get with. They boast one of the top 08' prospects in the state in Stephen Jaskulske who's committed to UW-Parkside. Jaskulske has had an exceptional season this year. Case also has some solid young talent as well, which has allowed them to really become a force as the season moved forward.
Brookfield Central prides themselves on execution and PG Cory Degner is the key to their success. Brookfield Central is looking for a repeat of last year's state run to Madison but Case's athleticism and size could become a problem for them.
Pick - Racine Case
Sectional 8
Semi-Final Milwaukee Washington v.s. Milwaukee King
Thursday 6 p.m.
A rematch of one of the top games in the City Conference this year will be the precursor to what is expected to be the game of the weekend immediately after with Tosa East and Milwaukee Custer. Washington rolls in with an undefeated record and the top player in the City Conference this year in 6'2" G DeMarcus Phillips. Earlier this year Washington went to King and took a large second half lead before a late rally from King came up short. Byrd, Phillips, Davis, & Co. are a lot for anyone to handle and if they play their game they will be very tough to beat.
King on the other hand boasts one of the top coaches in the state and you can expect Jim Gosz to have them fully prepared for Milwaukee Washington in this one. Young Silas Milas Jr. and teammate Ed Reed will also be available for Gosz in this one as neither played when the teams met earlier this year. Silas gives them another big body to matchup against the likes of Patrick Davis. Last time they met Class of 2010 PG Marcus Kirk hit a bunch of trey balls from the perimeter, which is something King is going to need again to get past a tough Washington team.
Washington could be a team of destiny in this one but execution, composure, and the ability to make plays down the stretch will be the key to this one.
As good as Washington has been all year long, playing with a target on their back isn't easy and they've already shown some vulnerability to miss free throws and make mistakes in the 4th quarter (i.e. See Custer and Milwaukee King). This game will come down to execution and King is one of the best at that.
Pick - Milwaukee King
Sectional 8 Semi-Final Milwaukee Custer v.s. Wauwatosa East
By far one of the best matchups of the entire year as both Custer and Tosa East are loaded. We picked Tosa East as the top team in the state to start the year and our minds haven't changed as they have the depth, versatility, and players to hoist the trophy in Madison. Seniors Jake Barnett, Brice Powell, and Tony Walls hold the keys to victory but juniors Eric Williams and Keondre Gholston are major pieces to any puzzle for Wauwatosa East. Eric Williams might be the most underrated 09' prospect in Wisconsin right now as he's a freak athletically and is playing with exceptional confidence on the offensive end. The matchup of Powell on the inside against the athletes of Custer will be a major factor in this game as will the perimeter shooting of Williams and Barnett. For Tosa East to win they'll have to be at their best with balance, smart decisions, and team basketball.
On the flip side Custer's performance Saturday against Pius XI was the most impressive of the weekend as they displayed the depth, tenacity, and toughness needed to end up in Madison. Senior guard Mike Harper, junior guard Devereaux Ingram has been the same, and frosh Jalonnie Parks is already making sure everyone takes notice of him as well. On the inside 6'7" sophomore Calvin Godfrey will need to be a dominant interior defensive presence for Custer to survive. Custer can win this game if they use their athleticism to crash the glass and they are one of the few teams that may have the depth and athleticism to match Wauwatosa East up and down the floor.
Whoever wins this game should end up in Madison. The shame is that both deserve to end up playing in Madison instead of a sectional semi-final game and that goes for the Milwaukee Washington and Milwaukee King game as well. Those four teams would beat almost anyone in Madison and unfortunately only 1 will go...but that's a whole other story.
We picked Wauwatosa East to start the year and we have to stay true to our prediction but a victory by Custer would not surprise us at all as they are on top of their game and very tough to beat. Tosa East will have to be at their best or Custer will end their season in this one.
Pick - Wauwatosa East
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Note: Antonio Curro of NY2LA Sports is the editor of NY2LASports.com and the Midwest Editor (i.e. Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) for the HoopScoop Online