Sectional Weekend

I'm alittle late on the posting of these games so I will just do a quick recap on the three games that I saw this weekend one on Thursday and two on Saturday. Had some great games with lots of excitement, building up to the state tournament the end of this week.

Sun Prairie 72 Madison East 66
Thursday night was the match up of Sun Prairie and Madison East playing in the sectional semi final. This was a great game as both teams seemed to be playing their best basketball late in the season. Sun Prairie would score and then East would come down in score. Senior 6'0 Nimrod Hillard was impossible to stay in front of as he got to the hoop with ease and found open teammates who were hitting the threes in this game, particularly sophomore 6'0 Jermel Mclin who came up with 19 points the majority of them coming from behind the arc. Sun Prairie's top scorers 6'5 sophomore Nick Fuller and 6'5 senior Chris Hawkins had huge games controlling the inside on both ends. Fuller and Hawkins really used their height to their advantage against the much smaller East team and once again the difference was height like it has been all year for East. Both Fuller and Hawkins had highlight dunks in the second half as Sun Prairie simply went to four corners and let Fuller and Hawkins go one on one and beat their defender and threw down some monster dunks. Hillard did have a pretty good scoring night scoring most of his points late in the game. The real difference is this game was the defensive ability of 6'0 senior Jaron Schaffner on Hillard. Schaffner was quick enough to stay with Hillard and deny him the ball and East simply threw the ball away at least three times in the second half and he really seemed to frustrate Hillard.

Top Players
Nick Fuller 6'5 sophomore Sun Prairie- Hit the three in the game, battled well on the inside, and scored in transition.
Chris Hawkins 6'5 senior Sun Prairie- Was the usual beast self on the inside where he completely dominated and had a couple of impressive dunks.
Nimrod Hillard 6'0 senior Madison East- Impossible to stay in front of and was able to score or find open teammates.
Jermel McLin 6'0 sophomore Madison East- Was money from the outside where he just didn't seem to miss.

Top Scorers
SP- Hawkins 19 Fuller 18 Schaffner 11
East- Hillard 25 McLin 19 Rudy Bently 9

Lakeside Lutheran 56 Prairie du Chien 42
Saturday afternoon took in Lakeside Lutheran and Prairie du Chien in a battle to go to state. This game was over early as Lakeside jumped out to a 24-5 first quarter lead and never really looked back. Lakeside took a ton of three point shots and made a ton of three point shots and PDC always seemed to leave a guy wide open out there. Prairie never could get good looks at the hoop and took contested shots and three pointers three point behind the line. 6'0 junior Connor Morovits seemed to have a very sweet shot for Prairie but had a lower release that forced him to have to really be open to take his shot. Morovits did get a couple of open shots but, Lakeside did a nice job of following him off the screens and not letting him go open and then he got into foul trouble and he was limited for most of the second half. In the second half Prairie was able to claw back into the game behind their zone defense and Lakeside seemed to go cold from the outside. Offensively Prairie finally got things going behind 6'3 junior Colin Roach he was able to drive to the left all game long and score at will. 6'4 senior Tanner Roach is the star but, it was the younger Roach that carried the team in this game.

Top Players
Jake Jarnigo 5'10 senior Lakeside- Didn't have a great game shooting but, really ran the offense well and I don't think their was a defender that could stay in front of him. Super quick player.
Sam Kuehl 6'4 senior Lakeside- Was the hottest shooter for Lakeside from the outside as he connected on three first half threes.
Colin Roach 6'3 junior PDC- Impossible to start going to his left which he went to all game long.

Top Scorers
Lakeside- Jarnigo 18 Kuehl 13
PDC- C. Roach 12 T. Roach 9 Morovitis 8

Madison Memorial 67 Sun Prairie 64
Early on it seemed that Sun Prairie had the edge and was thinking they were going to win this one but, then a pair of injuries to Fuller and Schaffner hit them and the momentum starter to swing back to Memorial's way. Memorial starter to turn up their classic pressure defense and forced Sun Prairie to turn the ball over numerous times resulting to some easy baskets. On their final possession of the first half Memorial got a three from 5'10 junior Thomas Parkman who only played that one possession the entire game that was like a dagger to Sun Praire giving Memorial the four point halftime lead. Second half Memorial continued their in your face defense and really looked like the Memorial of a year ago and got some easy buckets and dunks that really got the crowd going. Memorial just seemed to be a step quicker then Sun Prairie all game long and seemed to want the game a bit more. Time and time again Memorial plays were on the ground diving for a loose ball and seemed to get at least two shots at the hoop each time if not three or four shots at times. There was always four Memorial players going for the offensive rebounds and more then not they were gonna get that rebound. In the end it was Sun Prairie fouling and two players for Memorial came up huge in 6'1 sophomore Brendan Ortiz and 6'5 senior Miles Chamberlain. Ortiz was 9 for 10 from the line and had all the confidence in the world at the line and really seemed to want the ball in his hand to get fouled. I'm guessing Chamberlain was 12-15 from the line. As a whole Memorial really struggled but, in those final three minutes they were as good as anyone from the line.

Top Players
Junior Lomomba 6'5 junior Madison Memorial- Just an overall solid game. Did most of his scoring in the first half but, really carried Memorial when Sun Prairie was at their best.
Jamar Morris 6'6 junior Madison Memorial- Yes Hawkins had a big game but, Morris did a nice job battling Hawkins and Hawkins did most of his scoring when Morris was out of the game. Might be the key to the team as he rebounds very well and controls the inside. Gives Memorial seven very good players in their rotation.
Miles Chamberlain 6'5 senior Madison Memorial- Really made his presence felt at the free throw line but, did a good job of moving the ball on the perimeter and finding open teammates.
Chris Hawkins 6'5 senior Sun Prairie- Really showed he wanted this game as he did it all. Shot the three, looked to score on the inside, and did his best to control the inside but, Memorial just had more overall size.
Jaron Schaffner 6'0 senior Sun Prairie- Carried Sun Prairie at times with his deadly three point shooting. Also did a nice job of running the point.
Nick Fuller 6'5 sophomore Sun Prairie- Didn't have the greatest game but, stepped up late and scored at will in the fourth quarter. Maybe forced things alittle too much at times but, the future is super bright for Fuller no doubt.

Top Scorers
Memorial- Lomomba 16 Chamberlain 16 Jamar Morris 11
SP- Hawkins 25 Schaffner 17 Fuller 16

It will be interesting to see Madison East next year without Hillard, they return alot but, losing Hillard is a huge huge lose. Bently should have a very big year. Prairie du Chien appears to have a strong program going now and will have their shot at making it to the same distance a year from now in the playoffs. Sun Prairie had their team of the decade possibly and just couldn't get past Memorial, Fuller will be back so the next two years they will be a factor in the conference race. Lakeside Lutheran shot a ton of threes and made them but, honestly I don't see them staying within 20 points of Lacrosse Aquinas unless their shooting out of their minds at state and then I'm still not so sure. Madison Memorial really is peaking at the right time and honestly I'm picking them to beat Milwaukee Riverside and head to state.