WIAA Boys BB: Time to Pick 'Em!

Before I head out to vote, it's time to make some other picks...who'll win the local boys basketball sectionals and advance to the state tournament?   

DIVISION 1

I've thought about it, analyzed it, studied it...and I have no idea.  Seriously, it would not surprise me if any of the teams seeded 1-7 on the west part of the bracket advanced to a sectional final.  So, I'll suspend logic and turn to random selection: the coin flip.   That systematic process (a  1994 quarter, heads for the higher seeded team, tails for the lower, one flip per game) produces the following results:  River Falls over Hudson, Superior over Menomonie, Memorial over Chippewa Falls.   In the regional finals, it's North over River Falls, Memorial over Superior.   How about that, a North-Memorial matchup in the sectional semi at UW-Stout's Johnson Fieldhouse!   The 1994 quarter says: North beats Memorial.

Looking at the other side of the bracket, I think the two Wausau schools will advance to the other sectional semi.   The 1994 quarter says East beats West, setting up an Eau Claire North-Wausau East matchup in Marshfield for the right to go to state...so who wins?   (oops, the quarter hit the chair before hitting the floor...official rules call for a reflip)  The quarter proclaims: EAU CLAIRE NORTH!

So there you have it...here are my other sectional winners: Wauwatosa East, Kaukauna, Brookfield Central, Sheboygan North, Milwaukee Vincent, Madison Memorial, and Badger.

DIVISION 2

New Richmond over Spooner in a great regional final, then the Tigers take down Rice Lake in another competitive sectional semi....before New Richmond knocks off Adams-Friendship in a struggle to get to state.  Other sectional winners: Waupun, East Troy, Catholic Memorial.

DIVISION 3

Webster beats Hurley in a sectional semi...on the other side, Spring Valley, after a dramatic win over Regis in the regional final, comes up short against a Colby team that just squeaked past Fall Creek.  Then, Colby defeats Webster in the sectional final.  Other sectional winners: Roncalli, Arcadia, Dominican.

DIVISION 4

Spooner Sectional semifnals:  Prentice over Solon Springs, Thorp wins the battle of the Cardinals vs. Luck.  In the final, Thorp knocks off Prentice.

Onalaska Sectional semifinals: Eleva-Strum beats New Lisbon, Hillsboro over Seneca.  In the final, Eleva-Strum defeats Hillsboro, sparing me the indignity of having to eat a page out of my state tournament program.

Other sectional winners: Suring, and Randolph.

With that,  I'm done speculating about the games...let's tip things off tonight and get ready for what promises to be one wild ride through the brackets all the way to Madison!

-BOB BRADOVICH