Division 2 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 Rice Lake vs. No. 4 Beaver Dam   The moment these two teams line up on the floor, the size difference in the frontcourt will be noticeable. Rice Lake has a 6'3 wing in [player_tooltip player_id='533077' first='Adaline' last='Sheplee'] and a 6'1 post in [player_tooltip player_id='914910' first='Addison' last='Schmidt'], and both crash the glass on both ends at an elite level, especially Schmidt. Limiting those two on the glass will be key for the Golden Beavers.   The Rice Lake Warriors are averaging more than 40 rebounds per game, and 15 of those come on the offensive glass. I don't think the Warriors are that efficent offensively, but when you outshoot teams by default every night, because of the offensive rebounding, they become a frustrating team to defend.   As a team, they're an okay perimeter shooting team, but that is because so many players get open looks waiting for kickouts from Sheplee or Schmidt off their offensive boards. However, if they have one of [player_tooltip player_id='884745' first='Brielle' last='Balts'], Abby Dobereiner, or [player_tooltip player_id='1415960' first='Harper' last='Schommer'] knocking down four shots from behind the arc, the math to beat them becomes a lot harder to find.   The other thing I'll be curious to see is how the Golden Beavers try to defend [player_tooltip player_id='533077' first='Adaline' last='Sheplee']. They don't have the size or length to bother her around the basket, but have some scrappy guards who may make things harder for her on the perimeter, and they also could send multiple players after her, or play a zone.   It is easier said than done, but a good way for the Golden Beavers to control this game is to make shots. I'm sure they know they'll give up some second-chance points, but if they can make ten three-pointers or something around that number, it could prove pivotal. They've been a little streaky from the perimeter, but it's something to watch.   [player_tooltip player_id='533067' first='Nataya' last='Donaldson'] has excelled around the basket and will face a challenge imposing her will against the Warriors, but it's not impossible. She is a crafty player who uses her strength to create space to score around the basket, but she will be met with more size and length than she's seen all season. Of all the players on the Golden Beavers' roster, if anyone were to get the Rice Lake bigs in foul trouble, it'd be her.   The other two players in the Golden Beavers' trio are Emma Julka and [player_tooltip player_id='842257' first='Sheamarie' last='Ashley'], who each make winning plays on both ends of the floor. Julka is a player who seems to rise to the occasion late in games, takes care of the ball, and makes the right play within their offense. Ashley is a high-motor guard who will push the ball up the floor in transition and score before defenses can get set.   The other key for Beaver Dam will be if they can force mistakes from the Warriors' guards and get layups in transition.   No. 2 Whitefish Bay vs. No. 3 Elkhorn   I talked a little bit about the Elkhorn group being tested against a talented Milton backcourt, and this Whitefish Bay game will be an even bigger test for the Elks.   The Elks will play through their talented senior forward, [player_tooltip player_id='533068' first='Kyrin' last='Lile'], who will be the player who gives the Blue Dukes the biggest challenge defensively because there won't be a player of her size who can guard her in isolation. My guess is they will make her pass the ball out of doubles, which she's more than capable of doing, but the onus may be on the perimeter players to make open shots.   [player_tooltip player_id='667660' first='Emilyn' last='Bonow'] is a solid perimeter shooter who can make jumpers in bunches, and she may need to in this game. However, the player to watch attacking defenses off the catch is [player_tooltip player_id='556153' first='Kylie' last='Schultz']. She is a pass-first player, and if she can attack recovering defenses, she could generate open looks for herself with her floater or a wide-open look for her teammates against a scrambling defense.   For the Blue Dukes, they'll look to use their guards to make things happen off the dribble. [player_tooltip player_id='751283' first='Rowan' last='Counsell'] is a skilled player who can get downhill, finish around size, and knock down shots from the perimeter. However, they have more weapons on the floor outside of her.   [player_tooltip player_id='751252' first='Carrington' last='Balthasar'] is coming off a seven three-pointer performance in a game the Blue Dukes may have trailed at halftime in a Sectional Final. [player_tooltip player_id='509716' first='Sage' last='Miskel'] is a physical, athletic, and relentless player who will be a handful to keep out of the paint. [player_tooltip player_id='1228363' first='Madeline' last='Volpe'] is a solid perimeter shooter and a hard-nosed defender. Even players like [player_tooltip player_id='751282' first='Rose' last='Mussoline'], Madonna Helf, and [player_tooltip player_id='891448' first='Lucy' last='Paulson'] can make winning plays on both ends of the floor.   It will be interesting to see if Elkhorn can play the game at a slower pace in the backcourt or if Whitefish Bay can speed up the game and make things happen in transition. These two teams have very different styles of play, and it will be intriguing to see if either of these two teams can control this game from start to finish. The outside perception is that Whitefish Bay should win this game, but there is a chance the Elks earn a statement win and find their way to Championship Saturday.

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.