Madison area D-III boys primed to make state run

There are several Madison area boys’ basketball teams hoping to make a deep run in the WIAA playoffs, beginning with regional play March 2. Not all of those schools are large D-I programs. Madison area D-III schools could have success, especially in the Verona sectional.

In the top half of the bracket is No. 1 Cuba City, who should have little problem getting past Mineral Point in its opening round game. If the Cubans (21-0) make it to the second round they would face either Belleville or Orfordville-Parkview.

Parkview tied atop the Rock Valley-South Conference with a 10-5 record. The Vikings (15-6 overall) faced tougher competition this season and came out with a better record than Belleville (14-7) did in the Capitol-South. Whichever team wins, will have a difficult time with Cuba City.

The Cuban’s biggest test could come in the regional final when they may meet up with Capitol-South champ Wisconsin Heights. The No. 2 Vanguards (18-2 overall) ran the table in their conference finishing 10-0. The one-two punch of Dustin Helmenstine and Bryce Barsness could give CCHS a run for its money.

If Wisc. Heights does not make it to the regional final, No. 3 Darlington is likely responsible.

Darlington (18-3 overall) lost just one conference game - it came at the hands of rival Cuba City. If Darlington meets up with the Cubans in the regional final, the rivalry factor comes into play. At that point, flipping a coin could be the most accurate way to predict a winner.

The bottom bracket in the sectional pits local rivals against each other immediately. No. 4 Deerfield hosts No. 5 Cambridge. Though the schools play in separate conferences now, they used to face off regularly. The schools met in a non-conference game Jan. 2 and Cambridge held off a late Demon run to win 59-57.

The Demon’s (14-7) will be looking for payback when Cambridge (8-13) returns.

In the second rivalry game, Waterloo will look to beat nearby Marshall for the third time this year. Waterloo (10-11) won 49-43 and 58-36 in the team’s two Capitol-South matchups. Marshall (2-19) has a young squad and can pin their ears back and play with a ‘nothing-to-lose’ attitude. In a rivalry setting, the Pirates will have to come ready to play.

Whichever teams come out of the rivalry parings in the middle of the bracket could make a deep run as the top two seeds – No. 1 Poynette and No. 2 Beloit-Turner – do not have as strong of resume as the top bracket’s 1 and 2 teams.

Poynette (13-8) Struggled at times in the Capitol-North finishing 6-4 in conference play. Senior Cody Odegaard has the ability to take over a game and the Pumas will need that leadership to reach the sectional tournament.

Turner (13-8 overall) finished fifth in the Rock Valley-South. The only team it ranked ahead of was Palmyra-Eagle (1-20). Luckily for them, the Trojans play P-E to start regional play.

The early favorite to claim the sectional crown is Cuba City. However, if the Cubans fall, look for whoever claims the top regional to claim the sectional title. The top bracket is more loaded than the bottom.

Vander Blue; Not the Only Storyline with the WIAA playoffs approaching

The WIAA boy’s and girl’s basketball playoffs are just a few weeks away, and local conferences are still being decided. In the boy’s Western Six Rivers, Benton is only one half game ahead of River Ridge, with Potosi and Cassville not far behind either. In the girl’s South Central, Westfield and Nekoosa are tied for first. In Big Eight boy’s, Madison East is a game ahead of Madison Memorial, the defending Division 1 state champions, with a final showdown on Thursday. With all the unsure seeding and placement for the WIAA regionals, the local high school basketball fan has plenty to watch for in the final few games in boy’s.

Will Madison Memorial repeat, or will a new champion emerge? Maybe the champion will be Madison East. In Division 2, Southern Badger’s Monroe was state runner-up last year. Will they get back and win for the first time since 2007, or will Madison Edgewood win for the first time since 2002? Maybe Waunakee from the Badger North gets a shot this year? These questions can be repeated for Division 4, with Benton trying to repeat as champions.

On the girl’s side, Middleton and Verona have a shot at making it back to the Kohl Center in Division 1. Undefeated Monroe is a strong contender to win Division 2, while Cuba City is an early favorite to go far in the Division 3 bracket. Potosi was runner-up in Division 4, but the new contender may be the team ahead of them in the Western Six Rivers, River Ridge. These teams provide just a few of the storylines going into the regionals.

In Madison, all eyes will be on Vander Blue and his senior march to getting another championship with the Spartans. Last year he dropped 35 points in the quarterfinals and had a double-double in the championship. He now enters the tournament with Marquette University in his future. How will he respond this year with the extra attention? Memorial’s run may depend on his leadership and if he can make the clutch play when the game is on the line. He has help, but there are many teams capable of winning it all, and Blue may be the ace in the hole to put the Spartans over the top.

In Monroe, the Cheesemakers will need Jamie Armstrong and Ashley Hermanson to lead the team if they want to get back to state. Armstrong and Hermanson were starters for Monroe when they won in 2008, and they were both key in the run bringing the Cheesemakers to the semi-finals last year. They are seniors who played in a championship game, and big pressure situation experience will be a huge plus in this year’s tournament. Monroe needs these two to continue their strong play consistently if they want to play a game at the Kohl Center this year.

The games should be fun to watch down the stretch, and many storylines will fade or begin after the buzzer sounds. If there is one thing we’re sure of, it’s the intensity these teams bring to the court. Whether it’s Armstrong with George Washington University, Blue for Marquette University or Hermanson for the University of Nebraska-Kearney, we are watching future players who may one day play in an NCAA tournament.