Defending champion and top-seeded Beaver Dam (24-2) advanced to the final of the State Girls Basketball Tournament with a 54-43 victory over Hortonville in the Division 2 semifinals Friday afternoon at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis.
The Golden Beavers led for all but the first three minutes of the game and led by as many as 15 in the first half. In the second half, the Polar Bears managed to slice their deficit to five points on three occasions, but they could get no closer. A 9-0 Beaver Dam scoring run midway through the half sealed the victory.
Maty Wilke scored a game-high 19 points with a team-high eight rebounds to lead the Golden Beavers. She also contributed with a game-high six steals. The Beavers shot 50 percent from the field in the game and forced the Polar Bears into 22 turnovers.
Hortonville was led in scoring by Macy McGlone with 18 points, and Lexi Walter had a game-high 10 rebounds.
Beaver Dam returns to the championship game seeking its second straight championship. The Beavers also appeared in the Division 1 final in 1991 and finished runner-up. Hortonville (20-7) had its season come to an end in the State tournament for the third time.
Third-seeded New Berlin Eisenhower (24-3) defeated Monroe in the Division 2 semifinals of the State Girls Basketball Tournament Friday afternoon at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis.
The Lions engaged in a perimeter assault on the Cheesemakers and on the State record books. They connected on 10 three-pointers to set the Division 2 State tournament record for a single game, including nine in the first half.
Sydney Hillard hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in the first half to draw Monroe to within a point at 35-34, but Nikki Dienberg answered with a three-pointer of her own to give the Lions the momentum heading into the locker room.
The Lions scored the first six points of the second half to open a double-digit lead; however, the Cheesemakers fought back to within a point with 34 seconds remaining in the game. Hannah Plockelman sank a pair of free throws with 20 seconds remaining in the game to give the Lions the margin of victory. Two three-point attempts by Monroe that would have tied the game in the waning moments missed their target.
Four Lions scored in double-figures led by Julia Hintz with 18 points to go with five assets. Plockelman and Katie Ludwig scored 13 points and Erin Hedman added 10. Plockelman grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds as well. Monroe was led by Hilliard with a game-high 25 points, and Megan Benzschawel chipped in with 11 points.
New Berlin Eisenhower returns to the final for the second time in three seasons, winning the title in 2016. Monroe (24-3) ends its season at the State Tournament for the 10th time.