GREEN BAY, Wis. – Defending champion and top-seeded Aquinas (27-1) won the Division 4 championship of the State Girls Basketball Tournament with a 65-39 win over Melrose-Mindoro at the Resch Center Saturday.

The Blugolds led for most of the game. The only lead for the Mustangs was a 14-12 advantage at the 7:50 mark of the first half. Aquinas held their largest lead of the half at 23-18 and entered the halftime intermission ahead 23-20.

The Blugolds’ dominance in the second half began with a 15-0 run to start the period. They shot 59 percent from the field in the half, including 50 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Aquinas maintained its double-digit lead and the rest of the way with the final score serving as the Blugolds’ largest lead of the game.

“We typically have a big pop to start the second half,” Aquinas Head Coach Dave Donarski said. It certainly doesn’t hurt when you have kids making a lot of shots. That was the spurt that opened up the game for us.”

Aquinas set a Division 4 State Tournament record by making nine three-pointers in the game, and Kayla Bahr tied the tournament record for most three-pointers in a game and for three-point field goal percentage, making 5-of-5.

Lexi Donarski led all scorers in the game with 22 points to go with a team-high four assists. Bahr added 17 points, and Taylor Theusch contributed with 11 points. Courtney Becker controlled the glass for the Blugolds with a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Mustangs struggled offensively, converting on 31 percent of their shots from the floor in the game, including 1-of-19 from three-point distance. Erika Simmons was the only player to score in double-figures for the Mustangs with 12 points. She also led the team on the boards with nine rebounds. 

Melrose-Mindoro (26-2) finishes runner-up to Aquinas for the second straight season in their second appearance at State, and the Blugolds win their second title in three State appearances.

Aquinas (27-1) 65, Melrose-Mindoro (26-2) 39 - Stats