Five Potential Upsets in Thursday’s Sectional Semifinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A look at five potential upsets to watch in Thursday's sectional semifinal action...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>(5) Kaukauna over (1) Marshfield</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you're Marshfield, I think this is a scary matchup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Between [player_tooltip player_id='1561925' first='Andrew' last='Jensen'] (6-9) and [player_tooltip player_id='1141075' first='Jonathan' last='O'Neill'] (6-10), Kaukauna will throw a lot of size and athleticism at you. They also have solid guard play and guys that can defend. The Ghosts can mix up their defense and throw different things at Marshfield's star guard Brook Hinson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kaukauna may be starting to peak too. The Ghosts have won 10 of their last 11 games. At 19-7 overall, all of Kaukauna's losses have come right down to the wire. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1289073' first='Keegan' last='Van Kauwenberg'] is also red hot right now, shooting 45 percent from 3-point range in his list nine outings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1561925"],"_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-65e9c4559eeba"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>(6) Neenah over (2) Stevens Point</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Speaking of red hot, Neenah is playing its best basketball at the right time. After starting the year 4-6, the Rockets are now riding an 11-game winning streak and closed by finishing second in the Fox Valley Association. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the best guards in the state, senior [player_tooltip player_id='1203253' first='Brady' last='Corso'] (22 ppg), a St. Leo commit, is coming off a 30-point effort in a regional final win over Hortonville. He's dropped 30 or more points in three of Neenah's last six games, including a 43-point performance vs. Hortonville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These two teams also met in the season opener with Stevens Point taking a 55-47 win at home. There's usually a built-in advantage to the team that lost the first one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1203253"],"_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-65e9c4559ef18"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>(2) River Falls over (1) Wausau East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wausau East is still looking for that first signature win. Finishing third in the Wisconsin Valley Conference, the Lumberjacks didn't get tested by an overly loaded non-conference schedule, but fell short against Madison Memorial and Waupun.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Meanwhile, River Falls is coming into this one battle tested in the Big Rivers Conference and can boast wins over the top teams in their league as well as La Crosse Central and New Richmond (twice).</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-65e9c4559ef62"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>(3) Wauwatosa West over (1) Pewaukee</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We know Pewaukee is going to go as far as Nebraska commit [player_tooltip player_id='1089682' first='Nick' last='Janowski'] takes them. Wauwatosa West isn't a great defensive team, but between the trio of [player_tooltip player_id='1240335' first='Kai' last='Rogers'] (19.5 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='1240337' first='Jake' last='Hansen'] (17.2 ppg), and [player_tooltip player_id='2288469' first='Jalen' last='Brown'] (14.5 ppg), they're going to have more firepower in this one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans are 18-8 overall, but three of those losses came via out-of-state foes. Grinding through an up-and-down season, West is 4-3 in their last seven games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When they're at their best, the Trojans can beat just about anybody in Division 2. But which team will show up on Thursday?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1240335"],"_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-65e9c4559efa8"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>(4) Carmen Northwest over (2) Lake Country Lutheran</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not sure you call this one an upset as Carmen NW is one of the top five teams overall in Division 3. They just had the unfortunate circumstance of playing in a loaded regional. NW backed it up with a win over top-seed Dominican in the regional finals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The backcourt of Dupree Flectcher Jr. (28.8 ppg), a Grambling commit, and Javante Edwards (19.8 ppg) is one of the most explosive in the state. At 19-7 overall, NW has played some of the best talent along the way, taking on Milwaukee Academy of Science, Nicolet, Racine Park, Sun Prairie West, and St. Thomas More.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1142120"],"_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-65e9c4559efec"} /-->