State tournament finals games set in girls basketball

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MADISON - Championship Saturday is set for the WIAA State Girls Basketball Tournament after Friday's semifinial games at the Kohl Center.

Middleton downed defending state champion Milwaukee Pius XI in the Division 1 semifinals 50-39. The Cardinals' Kerry Gardner and Rachel Ecklund combined for 29 points and 19 rebounds. They'll take on Nicolet, which routed Eau Claire North 72-46 behind 16 points from Northwestern-bound Alex Cohen, the Knights' 6-4 center.

In Division 2, New London will face Luxemburg-Casco for the state title. New London beat Milton 59-49 after a 17-7 second half run led by the Bulldogs' Tara Knappstein, who scored 10 of those 17 points. They'll face the top-ranked team in the state who advanced with a 50-39 win over Whitefish Bay led by 60-1 senior center Janelle VandenPlas' 21 points.

Kewaunee will play Altoona tomorrow for the Division 3 girls’ state high school basketball crown. Kewaunee upset Whitefish Bay Dominican, the AP’s top-ranked team, 61-56 during the noon hour. Altoona eliminated Prairie du Chien this morning, 58-34. Dominican was outscored in every quarter but the final one. Kewaunee won the battle-of-the-boards, 34-to-22. And its inside presence helped Kewaunee get to the free throw line much more often. It made 18-of-25 from the charity stripe, to 7-of-12 for Dominican. And Kewaunee won despite committing twice as many turnovers, 14-to-7. Jill Kleiman scored 18 points for Kewaunee, which improved to 24-and-3. Deysh Smith-Jenkins had 21 for Whitefish Bay Dominican, which ends its season with its first loss against 26 victories.

Also playing Saturday, in Division 5, No. 1 Wausau Newman vs. River Ridge and in Division 4 it's No. 1 Eau Claire Regis against Algoma

Tags: prep girls basketball, prep