State Boys Basketball Preview: Division 3
Tuesday, March 14th, 2017 -- 9:46 AM
The 102nd Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Boys Basketball State Tournament will take place Thursday-Saturday, March 16-18, at the Kohl Center in Madison. Here's a preview of the Division 3 field....Thursday, March 16
Division 3
Prescott (23-3) vs. Lake Mills (24-2) - 1:35 p.m.
Xavier (26-0) vs. Ripon (26-0)*
*Note: Subsequent games of each session will begin approximately 15 minutes following the previous game.
ABOUT THE DIVISION 3 FIELD: Xavier, the State runner-up the past two seasons, is making its third straight appearance at State and its fourth overall. The Hawks’ first experience in the tourney was in 2009 when they fell in the semifinals in Division 2. They earned their third straight berth in the semifinals with a 63-57 victory over Valders in the Kaukauna Sectional final. The Hawks are the champions of the Bay Conference this season. As a former member of WISAA, the Hawks won titles in 1963 and 1995, and finished runner-up on five other occasions. Ripon makes its fifth trip to the State Tournament and the first since 2003, which resulted in a loss in the Division 2 semifinals. The Tigers’ first three tournament experiences date back to 1918, 1931 and 1936. This season, the Tigers are the champions of the East Central Conference, and they advance from the Whitefish Bay Sectional by defeating Martin Luther in the final, 78-63. Prescott is making its second appearance in the last three years after qualifying for the first time in 2015, which resulted in a loss in the semifinals. The Cardinals advance to the semifinals again this season following their 78-62 victory over Mauston in the Menomonie Sectional final. They are the champions of the Middle Border Conference in 2017. Lake Mills is celebrating its first-ever appearance in the State Tournament. After their first-place finish in the Capitol Conference this season, the L-Cats navigated through the Waunakee Sectional, which culminated with a 50-47 win over Adams-Friendship in the final.
STATE TOURNAMENT ON THE AIR: The State Tournament will be televised live in our area on WAOW-TV in Wausau, WXOW-TV in La Crosse, WQOW-TV in Eau Claire.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.