After state semifinals, WIAA cancels rest of boys and girls basketball seasons

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Immediately following the WIAA high school girls basketball state semifinals on Thursday, the league announced it was cancelling the rest of the boys and girls basketball seasons, due to precautions with the coronavirus.

So, Friday’s state semifinals and Saturday’s girls basketball championships, as well as the boys basketball sectional finals and ensuing state tournament are cancelled.

That means no possible fifth consecutive trip to state for the second-ranked Central boys basketball team, which beat No. 1-ranked Onalaska 55-40 at Logan in front of limited attendance, also due to the coronavirus.

That also means no third consecutive season where Aquinas plays Melrose-Mindoro for a Division 4 state championship.

Top-ranked Aquinas defeated No. 10 Crandon 73-42 on Thursday. The open day of the tournament was also held in front of limited attendance at the Resch Center.

On the other half of the bracket, No. 3 M-M held off Mishicot 57-55 in overtime — surviving a halfcourt heave at the buzzer that almost went in.

The Blugolds (25-1) would have played the third-ranked Mustangs (26-1), on Saturday.

Last year, these two teams met with a combined 55-1 record (Aquinas 28-0, M-M 27-1) with the Blugolds winning 68-52.

In 2018, Aquinas and M-M met with identical 27-0 records but the win went to the Blugolds 68-52.

In 2017, Aquinas lost in the state championship 43-42 to Howards Grove.

AQUINAS 73, CRANDON 42

Taylor Theusch nailed 7-of-11 3-pointers in scoring 23 points for Aquinas, which forced Crandon into 21 turnovers.

The Blugolds had 19 assists — led by Lexi Donarski’s nine — on 29 field goals (29-for-67).

Donarski also finished with 23 points, but shot just 10-for-23 from the field. The senior, who is headed to Iowa State next season, also had seven turnovers for Aquinas, which was up 41-25 at halftime.

MELROSE-MINDORO 57, MISHICOT 55

It’s hard to decide who had a more impactful game for the Mustangs — Calette Lockington or Mesa Byom. Both filled the stat sheet as M-M held off Mishicot after leading 29-21 at halftime.

Lockington had 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, four steals and four turnovers. Mesa Byom had 17 points, eight rebounds, six blocks, three steals and two turnovers.

M-M, which used just six players, led by as many as 12 with 4:07 left in the first half. The Mustangs shot just 19-for-57 from the field (33.3 percent), though Mishicot wasn’t much better going 17-for-45 (37.8%).

DIVISION 3
PLATTEVILLE 48, ARCADIA 45

Ellie Hoesley had 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc for Arcadia. The 1,000-point scorer also had seven rebounds, while teammate Linzy Sendelbach had 14 points (6-for-11 FGs) and eight rebounds.

Four of five Raiders (23-3) scored in double figures, but the bench went a combined 0-for-13 against top-ranked, unbeaten Platteville (26-0).

BOYS BASKETBALL
DIVISION 2
WIAA SECTION SEMIFINALS
CENTRAL 55, ONALASKA 40

For the fourth consecutive season, Central eliminated Onalaska from the playoffs, though the playoffs, of course, will not continue.

It was the third meeting between the two teams — the first two games going to Onalaska (73-61 on Jan. 17 and 60-54 on Feb. 18).

Johnny Davis had 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while teammate Terrance Thompson added 13 points, seven blocks in leading the Red Raiders (20-5). Devon Fielding also scored 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting for Central, which was up 31-17 at halftime.

Tyrell Stuttley scored 16 points to lead the Hilltoppers (23-2), who shot 14 of 41 (34 percent) from the field and 6 of 20 (30 percent) from beyond the arc.