D1 State Tournament Key Players

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are down to the final four with the Division 1 state semi-finals starting Friday. Today I will be pointing out one player, from each team, that will be key to their team's chances of taking home the gold ball on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='400915' first='Mikaia' last='Litza']</strong>-Wauwatosa East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Red Raiders, last season's Division 2 state champion, are poised to repeat that feat, this time, as the #1 seed in the D1 tournament. That incredible accomplishment is largely in part to the play of the 5-8 senior Litza. A game changer, on both ends of the court, the DePaul commit, The Red Raiders single season and career leader in assists, is averaging 18.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.8 apg, and 3 steals per game while shooting over 60% from the floor and 79% from the stripe. Even when doubled she has the ability to make good decisions on when to shoot or find her open teammates which makes this 'Tosa East team extremely difficult to beat as they have run through their first four games with a 49.5 point average margin of victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1275665' first='Destiny' last='Webster']</strong>-Notre Dame</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tasked with stopping the aforementioned Litza will be Notre Dame's "defensive stopper" 5-8 senior [player_tooltip player_id='1275665' first='Destiny' last='Webster'] fresh off of the Tritons upset of last season's champion Kimberly. Not known as much for her offense, 10.8 ppg on the season, Webster stepped up in the Kimberly game with 18 points and 21 in the Final a 69-54 victory over SPASH and her play, on both ends, will be key if the Tritons are to end Wauwatosa East's undefeated season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='533057' first='Natalie' last='Kussow']</strong>-Arrowhead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pretty much a no-brainer choice for who will be key for the Warhawks state title chances. Kussow, a Ms. Basketball semi-finalist and future Minnesota Gopher, has been the engine for this 25-2 Arrowhead team averaging 26.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.0 steals and a block per game. The Warhawks have been rolling, in the tournament, beating their opponents by an average of 29.5 points per game as the head into a tough matchup with 23-4 Pewaukee on Friday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='536013' first='Giselle' last='Janowski']</strong>-Pewaukee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A fellow Ms. Basketball semi-finalist herself, the 5-8 senior, a Badger commit, will match up with Arrowhead's Kussow, one more time, in the late game Friday, before both move to the Big 18...I mean Big 10 next season. For the season, Janowski is averaging 15.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.1 spg while shooting 43% from three and 89% from the free-throw line. While the Pirates scoring mix, has been fairly balanced, Janowski's play will be key for Pewaukee to make it to Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->