WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament Preview....Division 1
Friday, March 15th, 2024 -- 6:03 AM
The 108th Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Boys Basketball Tournament continues today - Saturday at the Kohl Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
The State Tournament will be televised live in our area on WAOW Wausau, WXOW La Crosse, and WQOW Eau Claire.
Here's a preview of the Division 1 field...
Friday, March 15
Semi-Finals
Division 1
#1 Arrowhead (26-2) vs. #4 Neenah (21-7) - 6:35 p.m.
#2 Kettle Moraine (25-3) vs. #3 Marquette (24-4)*
Championship Final - Saturday, March 16
Approx. 15 minutes following Div. 2 championship game
*Note: Subsequent games of each session will begin approximately 15 minutes following the previous game.
ABOUT THE DIVISION 1 FIELD: Last year’s runner-up Arrowhead is the top seed in the bracket. The Warhawks are making their sixth State appearance overall and their second in a row. They won the title in 2010 to account for their one championship. In addition to last year’s second-place finish, the Warhawks also finished runner-up in 2017. This season, they defeated De Pere 85-80 in the final of the sectional held at Oshkosh North to earn their berth in the tourney. They are the champions in the Classic Eight Conference this season. Second-seeded Kettle Moraine qualifies for the State Tournament for the second time after making the first appearance in the program’s history last season, which resulted in a loss in the semifinals. The Lasers earned a return trip to Madison with a 56-43 win over Janesville Craig in the Elkhorn Sectional final. They were runner-up behind Arrowhead, the top seed in the bracket, in the Classic Eight Conference this winter. Marquette, the #3 seed, is making its third appearance at State and the first since 2016. The Hilltoppers advanced to the semifinals in their first experience in 2010, and then fell in the semifinals in 2016 after the Division 1 State Tournament field was narrowed to four teams. This season, they advance to the semifinals by downing West Allis Central 64-58 in the final of the Racine Horlick Sectional. The Hilltoppers are the champions of the Greater Metro Conference this year. Prior to joining the WIAA, Marquette had an illustrious history as former members of WISAA. The Hilltoppers 15 championships came in 1928, 1929, 1954, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1994 and 1999. In addition, they recorded runner-up finishes in 1931, 1949, 1950, 1958, 1963, 1976, 1990, 1991 and 1992. Fourth-seeded Neenah qualifies for the third straight season and for a membership-leading 30th time overall. The Rockets have won four championships in the school’s history. Those came in 1930, 1975, 1978 and again in 2022. In addition, they have an abundance of runner-up results, including 1920, 1939, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1988 and 2014. This season, the Rockets finished runner-up in the Fox Valley Association, and they advance to the State semifinals following a 52-48 victory over Marshfield in the Stevens Point Sectional final.
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