Predictions and thoughts on D1-D2 sectional finals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some thoughts and my predictions for the boys' basketball sectional final games at the Divisions 1-2 levels set for Saturday across the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Predictions Results To Date</strong><br>Division 1 -- 55-9 (86 percent)<br>Division 2 -- 66-15 (81 percent)<br>Division 3 -- 72-20 (78 percent)<br>Division 4 -- 71-21 (77 percent)<br>Division 5 -- 102-16 (86 percent)<br><strong>TOTAL -- 366-79 (82 percent)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DIVISION 1<br><br>Sectional 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#2 Appleton North (23-4) vs. #4 Kaukauna (24-3), 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Oshkosh North</strong><br>They split during the regular season and shared the Fox Valley Association championship. It comes down to this. Winner take all for a trip to the big dance at the Kohl Center. It's a pick 'em game, but 6-foot-9 De Paul recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1561925' first='Andrew' last='Jensen'] could be the difference. On the other hand, Appleton North has a senior dominated team that has pointed to this opportunity for four years. <br><br><strong>My Pick</strong>: Appleton North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 2<br><br>#1 De Pere (24-3) vs. #3 Brookfield East (22-5), 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Manitowoc Lincoln</strong><br>two of the elite coaches in Wisconsin will go at it with De Pere's Brian Winchester matching wits with Brookfield East's Joe Rux. Of course, the players will decide the game and both teams have plenty of capable performers who can deliver in the spotlight. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2853467' first='Max' last='McMullen'] of Brookfield East is the best player in his class in the state. <br><br><strong>My Pick:</strong> Brookfield East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 3<br><br>#1 Madison Memorial (25-2) vs. #3 Verona (22-4), 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Sun Prairie West</strong><br>Verona beat Madison Memorial in the first meeting between the two Big Eight Conference rivals, but the Spartans turned the tables the second time around. Familiarity with each other means an unlikely hero could emerge to make a big difference in the outcome. <br><br><strong>My Pick:</strong> Madison Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 4</strong><br><strong><br>#1 Wisconsin Lutheran (27-0) vs. #3 Racine Case (22-5), 7:00 p.m. Saturday at Brown Deer</strong><br>Can't pick against one of the best teams our state has had in a long time. Wisconsin Lutheran ranks right with the great Germantown and Stevens Point teams of the recent past. <br><br><strong>My Pick: </strong>Wisconsin Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DIVISION 2<br><br>Sectional 1<br><br>#3 Menomonie (19-8) vs. #4 West Salem (23-4), 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Arcadia</strong><br>First off, let's give some major props to West Salem. After losing by double digits to both Onalaska and La Crosse Central during the regular season, the Panthers turned the tables on those Coulee Region rivals in the playoffs, beating both to get to the sectional final. West Salem faces a solid Menomonie squad that is led by 6-foot-8 junior [player_tooltip player_id='2417746' first='Trevor' last='Robert'].<br><br><strong>My Pick:</strong> West Salem</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 2<br><br>#1 Notre Dame (21-6) vs. #2 Slinger (23-4), 1 p.m. Saturday at Sheboygan North</strong><br>Slinger appears to be on a mission after dismantling top-seeded Port Washington in the sectional semifinals. The Owls have two big-time players in [player_tooltip player_id='2351190' first='Jack' last='Kohnen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2398448' first='Joey' last='Kohnen'], and an experienced around those two standouts. Notre Dame ventures outside its own Fox River Classic Conference for the first time in the playoffs after beating Ashwaubenon, Pulaski and [program_tooltip program_id='2829078' first='West' last='De Pere'].<br><br><strong>My Pick:</strong> Slinger<br><strong><br>Sectional 3<br><br>#1 New Berlin West (24-3) vs. #1 McFarland (22-5), 6 p.m. Saturday at Oconomowoc</strong><br>The top two seeded squads in Sectional 3 have made it to the sectional final after posting impressive semifinal victories on Thursday. New Berlin West beat defending Division 2 state champion Wauwatosa West while McFarland defeated Mount Horeb, a team that shared the Badger Small Conference title with the Spartans. New Berlin West has mujltiple weapons and can beat you with its pressure defense and its stellar long-distance shooting. McFarland has a size edge with talented 6-foot-9 junior [player_tooltip player_id='2140913' first='Eli' last='Krueger'] controlling things around the basket. <br><br><strong>My Pick:</strong> New Berlin West<br><br><strong>Sectional 4<br><br>#1 Whitefish Bay (21-6) vs. #1 Waterford (24-3), 1 p.m. Saturday at Racine Park</strong><br>Another matchup of top seeds with Whitefish Bay out of the North Shore Conference taking on Southern Lakes Conference co-champion Waterford. The Blue Dukes have a very talented team that may lack size, but has an abundance of scorers led by junior [player_tooltip player_id='2140905' first='Colin' last='Julien']. Waterford got 26 points and six assists from senior [player_tooltip player_id='1561893' first='Caden' last='Gustafson'] in a win over Burlington on Thursday, and also features a big man in 6-foot-6 forward [player_tooltip player_id='2809011' first='Jayce' last='Brechtl']. Both teams pressure the ball so defense will be a top priority in a game that could go down the final minute.<br><strong><br>My Pick:</strong> Waterford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->