D5 State Tournament: What to Watch For

The fields are set, and we know the State Semifinal matchups on Thursday and Friday, before we reach the final day of the season, Championship Saturday. We will take a look at the semifinal matchups in each of the five divisions leading up to 1:35 pm on Thursday, when we tip off at the Resch Center. We will start with D5 and work our way to D1 on Thursday Morning.   No. 1 Eleva-Strum vs. No. 4 Fall River   The key to this game will be how well Fall River can handle the ball. Eleva-Strum has a unit that wants to play high-possession games and will attempt to make plays on the ball. Maddea Brown and Avery Spangeberg are players who have the tools to force mistakes or turnovers out of opposing teams, and Fall River is a team that averages a little over 20 turnovers per game. If they turn the ball over 20 times against Eleva-Strum, they will be fighting an uphill battle.   Outside of the ball control, Fall River will need massive games from its senior duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1242892' first='Emma' last='Sampson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='874589' first='Natalie' last='Fietz']. Sampson is an athletic forward who controls the area around the basket, and her physicality will be valuable in this game. Fietz is an aggressive guard who does her best work when she can get downhill and attack the basket. She will put pressure on the Cardinals' defensive backline and will be a key figure if the Pirates can pull off an upset.   The x-factor for the Pirates may be sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1227271' first='Nevaeh' last='Schultz']. The off-ball guard is the best perimeter shooter and will have opportunities to get open looks because of the press the Cardinals implement. If she can get rolling early, the Pirates could put themselves in a position to compete.   The player who could be a difference maker in two potential games this week is [player_tooltip player_id='751245' first='Avery' last='Glenz']. The junior Cardinals guard is a talented passer who can attack off the dribble and score from all three levels. She is a player who could catch the attention of neutral observers this week in Green Bay.   The early portions of the game will tell you how this game will go.   No. 2 Pacelli vs. No. 3 Barneveld   The two-three game in D5 may be one of the most evenly matched Semifinals of the weekend.   Arguably, Barneveld has the top player in the division in [player_tooltip player_id='533073' first='Izabel' last='Durst'], who was outstanding in the Eagles State Semifinal win against Lourdes Academy last season. The Barneveld guard will be the focal point of the Eagles' offense and generate opportunities for her teammates. Her ability to create with the ball in her hands will be crucial for the Eagles.   There won't be anyone else who jumps out like Durst, but some other teams can help their team win on the margin, and I'm looking at two players who fit that bill in Aleea Norton and Hannah Esch. Norton and her younger sister, Mya, are physical players who thrive around the basket and are willing to dig in and rebound defensively. Esch is Durst's backcourt mate, but she is a hard-nosed player who is an aggressive defender who can force live-ball turnovers and earn her team an extra possession.   On the other side of the floor, Pacelli is a talented group that has had some luck, and sometimes that sort of adversity can flip a switch for a team. The team that beat Almond-Bancroft twice in the regular season was a different group that played the Eagles in the Sectional Semifinal, beating their conference rivals by 23 points.   The Cardinals are led by junior [player_tooltip player_id='876098' first='Jaedyn' last='Zdroik'], who does a little of everything on both ends of the court. She is a rangey 5'10 guard/wing who can handle the ball and attack off the dribble. She will be the player with the ball in her hands, making crucial decisions in this game. There may not be a D5 player who has had her level of production, and now she'll have a chance to make winning plays at the highest level of D5 basketball.   Unfortunately, a knee injury means Mady Pionek will be out, but other players have stepped up in her absence. Ella Van Order has earned more usage and has been excellent in her senior season. She is a solid scorer alongside Zdroik and can take some of the offensive pressure away from her, while also being a solid rebounder.   The two other players to note because of their impact away from the ball and defensively are Haylee Ciesewski and newcomer [player_tooltip player_id='1232085' first='Kinsley' last='Schurk'].

The fields are set, and we know the State Semifinal matchups on Thursday and Friday, before we reach the final day of the season, Championship Saturday. We will take a look at the semifinal matchups in each of the five divisions leading up to 1:35 pm on Thursday, when we tip off at the Resch Center. We will start with D5 and work our way to D1 on Thursday Morning.