WIAA state girls basketball notebook: Newman Catholic coaches sport winning look
WAUSAU - What started as a one-time outfit in honor of Senior Night has turned into a winning look for the Newman Catholic girls basketball coaching staff.
Cardinals coach Jason Vanden Elzen and his assistants sported bright red sports coats and light blue ties in honor of the school colors before a win over Edgar late in the regular season. They also have sported them in all four postseason games as Newman Catholic reached the WIAA state girls basketball tournament for the first time since 2013.
"The jackets worked against Edgar and that was a game after we got hurt pretty bad (in a loss) against Rib Lake," Vanden Elzen said. "It kind of brought the team together and brought us closer as a coaching staff."
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The coaches don't plan to change what has worked in the playoffs. They will be wearing the coats and ties during the Cardinals' Division 5 state semifinal matchup with Black Hawk on Friday at the Resch Center and Saturday if Newman Catholic advances.
"We are 5-0 in those jackets right now, so we are going to keep on wearing them and keep on rocking them out," Vanden Elzen said.
Black Hawk puts little stock into season scores
Top-seeded Black Hawk enters the state tournament with an undefeated record and has won its five postseason games by an average of 40.6 points.
The closest game Black Hawk has had this winter was a 55-37 win over Springville, Iowa, during the regular season.
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said the final score doesn't tell the whole story.
"We were up by one at halftime (over Springville)," Flanagan said. "We had to get some things done (in the second half) and pulled away and won by 18, but certainly the final score doesn't indicate how tight that one was.
"The one thing I will say about my team is the most grounded group I have been around," Flanagan said. "I know when a team comes in that has an undefeated record or has the margin of victory that you can find in our record, it's easy to make assumptions that they are complacent or less than tested. But we don't ever look up at that thing called a scoreboard (during games) and use it as motivation."
Clayton quartet has plenty of Resch experience
Four Clayton players — juniors Allison Leslie, Kiana Fall, Kailey Ketz and Jaedyn Bussewitz — have had plenty of experience playing state tournament games at the Resch Center during their prep careers.
On top of being members of a Bears team making its third straight trip to the state girls basketball tournament, they also were members of the Clayton volleyball team that has played in the last three state volleyball tournaments.
The Bears won the Division 4 state volleyball title this fall. They've also lost in the Division 5 state basketball semifinals in each of the past two years.
The previous state experiences should be a benefit for Clayton to draw upon.
"I believe it really has been a calming factor," Clayton coach Kevin Fall said. "You hear a lot of times about how kids are uptight and play tight. They are very calm when it comes to the actual games, and in their preparation and demeanor, they are focused on the task at hand."
Bangor learns from last year's state trip
Bangor's state trip last year had a rough ending. The Cardinals went 2-for-30 from the field in the second half and missed all 10 of their 3-point attempts in a Division 5 semifinal loss to Loyal.
"I think it's a little bit overwhelming being the first time you get there," Bangor coach Merlin Jones said of last year's state trip. "The kids will talk about being a little bit shocked in seeing the number of people (in the crowd) and the atmosphere."
The Cardinals head into Friday's semifinal matchup against Clayton with seven seniors on the roster.
"I think we are a little more experienced in that way this year where we obviously have been through it before," Jones said. "We have also been fortunate the past two years to play Aquinas in a pretty big (regular season) game for us and them at the La Crosse Center with the setting, the background and the atmosphere there. I hope it pays off for us."
Notes
Clayton's Leslie and Kailey Ketz both eclipsed 1,000 career points this season on Jan. 5 and Feb. 6, respectively. It is the first time two teammates have hit the mark in the same season for Clayton ... Bangor senior Emma Wittmershaus, who has had seven triple-doubles, will play at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ... Two local players will be part of the 3-point Challenge prior to the start of games Saturday. Colby senior Carley Elmhorst and Tri-County senior Brooke Hopkins were selected in Divisions 4 and 5, respectively. A total of 10 players across all five divisions will compete in the event.