State Tournament Preview: Division Five

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The final tournament we'll discuss is the one with the smallest schools. Division Five. D5 has some intriguing storylines in this one, including a possible No. 4 over No. 1 upset, but we'll talk about the teams and what to expect from each of them over the next few days.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>McDonell Central</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Macks are back for their third straight State Semifinal and looking to right the wrongs of the past few years. This Macks team has a talented backcourt and the experience needed in most champions. They've had heartbreaks and have battled through those to be here a third straight year, but here are the two kids you should watch. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='209585' first='Emily' last='Cooper'] is one of the better guards you may not have heard of at the state tournament. The junior shot over 40% from behind the 3-point line and was one of the leaders on her team in assists, to go along with her ability to defend at a high level on the perimeter. Future Viterbo guard Marley Hughes was one of my favorite kids to watch last year, especially in the second half against Assumption. After their leading scorer went down with an injury, Hughes was the one that grabbed the bull by the horns and led a furious comeback that came up just short. Basketball nerds will love what she does on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blair-Taylor</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='156080' first='Abby' last='Thompson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='156079' first='Lindsay' last='Steien'] has been one of the most productive backcourts in the state over the past few years. Steien is an elite D5 scorer and isn't afraid to shoot it from anywhere on the court. Thompson is a 5-foot-6 guard who likes to create turnovers and breakout opportunities. It will be those two kids' final run in high school, and both can end a game in a few possessions. If they're trailing late, they aren't out until the horn sounds. Expect anything from this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wabeno/Laona</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rebels came up just short last season, losing a close game to Assumption in the sectional title game. Their leading scorers have all been through a deep postseason run before, and that experience likely helped them get over the hump. Kaylyn LaRock, Rylee Yaeger, and Grace Krawze have all been as close as possible to state, and now that they're here, anything can happen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Albany</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've said it since before the season started, [player_tooltip player_id='448295' first='Abby' last='Hollis'] is someone to watch in D5, and here she and her Comets are playing at the state tournament. Hollis shot over 50% behind the 3-point line this season and made over 80 of them. Her shooting is elite in D5, and there is an off chance she shoots the Comets to a state title. The Comets also boast a junior guard Alana Durtschi, who shot from over 40% behind the 3-point line and won conference player of the year. This group is uber-talented and may be one of the most fun small schools to watch at the Resch Center this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->