WIAA State Tournament Preview: Division 2 Sectional 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2024 WIAA State Tournament tipping off this week, Prep Hoops Wisconsin takes a closer look at Division 2 Sectional 1...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 1</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE FAVORITE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(4) Onalaska</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is why you don't let computers fully dictate seeding. Onalaska might be 18-6, but they won their league with a perfect 12-0 mark, and played a strong schedule, including a win over 1-seed West Salem -- and yet, the Hilltoppers are sitting with a 4-seed. They also have the best player in the region in [player_tooltip player_id='1157562' first='Evan' last='Anderson']. Of their six losses, Onalska only dropped games to Division 1 foes or top teams in the state of Minnesota with the exception of Grafton. Fielding one of the state's top teams for the past x amount of years, this could finally be the year the Hilltoppers break through to Madison. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TOP CONTENDER</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(1) West Salem</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The runner-up in Division 3 each of the last two seasons, West Salme moves up a level. Despite losing a huge chunk of their core, it was business as usual for the Panthers, who went 21-3 overall and ran through the Coulee Conference. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1160035' first='Tamarrein' last='Henderson'] is the straw that stirs the drive, averaging 19 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1160035"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de415dcb21c"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DARK HORSE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(2) Fox Valley Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Foxes went 22-2 overall and won the North Eastern Conference with an 18-0 record. The duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1893305' first='Adam' last='Loberger'] (21.7 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id='1199829' first='Sam' last='Ferge'] (19.0 ppg) have quietly been one of the best 1-2 punches in the state. FVL was very close to an unbeaten record, falling to Appleton East by six and Xavier, a top team in Division 3, but just three points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1893305"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de415dcb278"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(2) River Falls</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>River Falls placed third in the always tough Big Rivers Conference. As this league often does, the top teams beat up on each other as the Wildcats went 4-2 against the other top four teams in the Big Rivers, including a sweep of champion Eau Claire Memorial. Falls also has a really good 74-31 win over Prescott. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1434194' first='Joey' last='Butz'] has had a breakout season, leading the way at 21.2 ppg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1434194"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de415dcb2bf"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PLAYER TO WATCH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Onalaska's [player_tooltip player_id='1157562' first='Evan' last='Anderson'] is a tough, athletic, slashing guard who's averaging 24.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game during his senior season. Committed to South Dakota, Anderson has hit the 300-point mark six times. A prospect that's really tough to force into jumpers given his length, athletic ability, and body control, Anderson shoots a whopping 62 percent from the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1157562"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de415dcb304"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PLAYER WHO COULD SHAKE THINGS UP</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is quietly a good region. Case and point, Mosinee went 20-4 overall and we didn't even talk about them at the top. Senior guard Keagen Jirschele may not have ideal height (5-9), but he makes up for it with speed on the ball. Averaging 19.9 points and 6.0 assists per game this season, Jirschele led Mosinee to a share of the Middle Border Conference title, including wins over Xavier, Brillion, and Southern Door -- a trio of state contenders in Division 3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PREDICTIONS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Sectional Semifinals</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(2) River Falls over (1) Wausau East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(4) Onalaska over (3) Mosinee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Sectional Final</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(4) Onalaska over (2) River Falls</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->