March is right around the corner, snow is in the forecast…it must mean that it’s basketball tournament time.  I’m feeling reasonably good about my HS hockey picks (6 of 8 boys teams at state, 2 of 4 girls teams), so here goes with boys hoops.

Division 1

The area bracket is wide open, and there are any number of teams that could put together a postseason run.   Chippewa Falls is one such team.  The Cardinals have perhaps the most explosive player of the entire bracket in Tyson Kalien.  Can he carry the Cards to Madison?  Expect opposing coaches to be game-planning to slow down the talented senior guard.

Regional quarterfinals: ECM over Wausau West, Superior over EC North, Appleton East over Wisconsin Rapids
Regional semifinals: DCE over ECM, Marshfield over Wausau East, Chi-Hi over Hudson, La Crosse Central over Superior, Oshkosh North over Appleton East, SPASH over Neenah, Appleton North over Oshkosh West, Appleton West over Fond du Lac
Regional finals: DCE over Marshfield, Chi-Hi over LC Central, Oshkosh North over SPASH, Appleton West over Appleton North

Sectional semifinals: DCE over Chi-Hi, Oshkosh North over Appleton West
Sectional final: DCE over Oshkosh North

Other sectional winners: Milwaukee King, Germantown, Madison Memorial

Division 2

Plenty of Eau Claire hoops fans have already told me they plan to be at the ECM gym for a sectional semifinal if the matchup is Onalaska vs. Rice Lake.  If this game does come to pass, I’d suggest getting there early, because this will be a sellout.

Regional quarterfinals: Hayward over Tomah, New Richmond over Ashland, LC Logan over Sparta, Merrill over Mosinee, New London over Waupaca
Regional semifinals: Onalaska over Hayward, Menomonie over River Falls, New Richmond over Holmen, Rice  Lake over LC Logan, Antigo over Merrill, Shawano over Medford, Lakeland over Hortonville, Rhinelander over New London
Regional finals: Onalaska over Menomonie, Rice Lake over New Richmond, Antigo over Shawano, Rhinelander over Lakeland

Sectional semifinals: Onalaska over Rice Lake, Antigo over Rhinelander
Sectional final: Onalaska over Antigo

Other sectional winners: Milwaukee Washington, Kaukauna, Waunakee

Division 3

An season-ending injury to La Crosse Aquinas junior guard Bronson Koenig definitely changed this bracket, opening the door for G-E-T to get to state, but teams like Bloomer or Barron could pull an upset if the shots are falling.

Regional quarterfinals: Northwestern over Osceola, Cumberland over Chetek-Weyerhaeuser, Unity over SCC, Amery over SCF, Altoona over West Salem, B-W over BRF, Aquinas over Viroqua, Ellsworth over Durand
Regional semifinals: Bloomer over Northwestern, Spooner over Cumberland, Barron over Unity, Somerset over Amery, G-E-T over Altoona, B-W over Arcadia, Prescott over Aquinas, Westby over Ellsworth
Regional finals: Bloomer over Spooner, Barron over Somerset, G-E-T over B-W, Westby over Prescott

Sectional semifinals: Bloomer over Barron, G-E-T over Westby
Sectional final: G-E-T over Bloomer

Other sectional winners: Little Chute, East Troy, Racine St. Catherine’s

Division 4

Regional quarterfinals: Mondovi over Neillsville, Whitehall over Iowa-Grant, Boscobel over Mel-Min
Regional semifinals: Mondovi over Necedah, Bangor over Whitehall, Luther over Boscobel, Blair-Taylor over Pittsville
Regional finals: Bangor over Mondovi, Blair-Taylor over Luther

Sectional semifinals: Blair-Taylor over Bangor, Cuba City over Cambridge
Sectional final: Cuba City over Blair-Taylor

Regional quarterfinals: Webster over Flambeau, Boyceville over Clear Lake, Phillips over Glenwood City, Spring Valley over Ladysmith, Cadott over Abbotsford,  Regis over O-F, Spencer over Athens, Thorp over Stanley-Boyd
Regional semifinals: Grantsburg over Webster, Cameron over Boyceville, Hurley over Phillips, Chequamegon over Spring Valley, Elk Mound over Cadott, Regis over Fall Creek, Colby over Spencer, Colfax over Thorp
Regional finals: Grantsburg over Cameron, Hurley over Chequamegon, Elk Mound over Regis, Colfax over Colby

Sectional semifinals: Grantsburg over Hurley, Colfax over Elk Mound
Sectional final: Colfax over Elk Mound

Other sectional winners:  Oshkosh Lourdes, Dominican

Division 5

These are the most entertaining of the area brackets, because there are a number of quality, local teams (McDonell, Augusta, Elmwood, Gilmanton, Clayton, Siren) that have what it takes to be playing on the floor at the Kohl Center.  Out of that group, it’s possible that two will make it through to state.

Regional quarterfinals: McDonell over Independence, C-FC over ECIL, Elmwood over Plum City, Gilmanton over Brookwood, Augusta over New Lisbon, Eleva-Strum over Lincoln.
Regional semifinals: McDonell over C-FC, Gilmanton over Elmwood, Augusta over E-S
Regional finals: McDonell over Gilmanton, Augusta over Royall

Sectional semifinals: McDonell over Augusta, Benton over Southwestern
Sectional final: McDonell over Benton

Regional quarterfinals: Siren over Butternut, Luck over Mellen, Washburn over South Shore, Frederic over Shell Lake, Solon Springs over Mercer, Bayfield over Birchwood, Winter over Northwood, Drummond over LCO, Prentice over Granton, Gilman over O-W, New Auburn over WI Valley Lutheran, Turtle Lake over Prairie Farm, Marshfield Columbus over Rib Lake, Greenwood over Lake Holcombe, Bruce over Loyal, Clayton over Cornell
Regional semifinals: Siren over Luck,  Frederic over Solon Springs, Solon Springs over Bayfield, Drummond over Winter, Prentice over Gilman, Turtle Lake over New Auburn, Marshfield Columbus over Greenwood, Clayton over Bruce
Regional finals: Siren over Frederic, Drummond over Solon Springs, Prentice over Turtle Lake, Clayton over Marshfield Columbus

Sectional semifinals: Siren over Drummond, Clayton over Prentice

Sectional final: Clayton over Siren

Other sectional winners: Sheboygan Lutheran, Randolph

It promises to be one wild ride through the regional and sectional brackets on the way to Madison.  See you at one of the gyms around the area!

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports