WIAA State Boys Basketball Preview: Division 4
Wednesday, March 14th, 2018 -- 6:40 AM
The 103rd Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Boys Basketball State Tournament will take place this Thursday-Saturday, March 15-17, at the Kohl Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Here's a preview of the Division 4 field.....Thursday, March 15
Division 4
#1 Roncalli (21-5) vs. #4 Pardeeville (23-3) - 6:35 p.m.
#2 Clear Lake (25-0) vs. #3 Marathon (22-4) will begin approximately 15 minutes following the previous game.
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, and WQOW-TV in Eau Claire. The championships will also be streamed on the statewide network station websites. Also, download the Magic of March app for your source for live streaming video, scores, highlights and more about the WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament on iOS or Android phones and tablets.
ABOUT THE DIVISION 4 FIELD: Top-seeded Roncalli is making its second straight appearance and its seventh overall. In each of the Jets’ previous six experiences, they have fallen out of title contention in the semifinals. They return to the tournament field following a 60-50 win over The Prairie School in the Waukesha South Sectional final. The Jets placed runner-up in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference standings this season behind co-champions New Holstein and Division 3 qualifier Valders. The only other experience at State for second-seeded Clear Lake came in Class C back in 1972 when the Warriors fell in the semifinals. They won the Central Division of the Lakeland Conference this season, and they are the champions of the New Richmond Sectional after downing Durand 51-44 in the final. Third-seeded Marathon returns to the State tournament for the first time since 2011 and for the eighth time overall. The Red Raiders won the championship in that most recent appearance, and they had three straight Class C championships from 1975-77 to give them four State crowns overall. They defeated Shiocton 60-48 in the Wausau East Sectional final to advance to State this season. They finished runner-up to Auburndale in the South Division of the Marawood Conference this year. Fourth-seeded Pardeeville returns to the tournament for the first time since 1978 and for the sixth time overall. The Bulldogs claimed the State Class C championship in its first-ever experience at State in 1936. In addition, they finished runners-up in 1975 and 1978. This season, they edged Mineral Point 62-61 in the final of the Baraboo Sectional to advance to the State semifinals. They are the champions of the West Division of the Trailways Conference this year.
THREE-POINT CHALLENGE: The WIAA will conduct the fourth 3-Point Challenge prior to Saturday’s championship games. The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Kohl Center. The top two players per division were selected for the contest based on the best 3-point field goal percentage with a minimum of 75 attempts during the regular season. The contestants representing Division 4 will be sophomore Trey Zastrow of Manitowoc Lutheran and junior Blake Pedrin of Howards Grove.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.