It’s a star-filled bracket.
That’s one way to characterize the regional of three of the Waukesha-area boys basketball teams after looking at the WIAA postseason brackets that were released last weekend.
From the state’s best team – Germantown – to arguably the state’s best player – Menomonee Falls’ J.P. Tokoto – this portion of the Division 1 bracket has plenty of sizzle.
There’s also a familiar Classic 8 foe – Arrowhead – that is suddenly one of the hotter teams around.
Waukesha West (12-9, 7-6 Classic 8), the fifth seed in the nine-team regional, received the best seed of the three schools and will open with Tokoto (a University of North Carolina recruit) and Falls (12-9, 7-6 Greater Metro Conference), the region’s fourth seed.
The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 2 at Falls.
Both teams are fourth in their respective conferences and while West has played better of late – despite a loss last Friday to Arrowhead – Falls might be playing better. After starting the season 1-4 and then 4-7 after its first 11 games, the Indians have won eight of its last 10 games.
Waukesha North (13-8, 6-7) is the region’s sixth seed and opens at third-seeded Arrowhead (12-9, 9-4). The game is also at 7 p.m. March 2.
This will be the third time North and Arrowhead are squaring off this year and the Warhawks are going for a clean sweep. Arrowhead already owns two double-digit wins over North – 50-35 on Dec. 16 and 62-41 on Feb. 3. And the Warhawks enter Thursday’s regular-season finale with Mukwonago on a five-game winning streak.
Waukesha South (1-20, 0-13), the region’s ninth seed, begins tournament play a few days earlier on Tuesday Feb. 28, as the Blackshirts play on the road against the region’s eight seed, Hartford Union (6-15, 2-11). Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
If South can get its first win since Dec. 28 and end a 13-game losing streak, its reward is a trip to Germantown (21-0, 13-0 North Shore Conference), the region’s top team and the state’s No. 1 team all year. The Warhawks, who have multiple NCAA Division 1 talents, have won every game by double digits, usually winning its contests by 20-40 points.
Homestead (18-3, 11-2 North Shore) the 10th-ranked team in the state, is the region’s No. 2 seed and most likely will play the winner of the North-Arrowhead game.
While a couple of those games could be intriguing, this bracket belongs to Germantown and the Warhawks should battle one of the powers from the Ashwaubenon Regional in the sectional championship for the right to be one of the final four teams in Madison fighting for the gold ball.
Like Waukesha South, Catholic Memorial (11-10, 5-8) in Division 2 did not receive a bye and opens postseason play at 7 p.m. Feb. 28. The Crusaders are the eighth seed in the Greenfield Regional and host ninth-seeded Union Grove (12-9, 8-5 Southern Lakes).
The Broncos are 2-5 in their last seven games with one of the losses being to a common opponent – Waukesha North. CM didn’t have any luck against the Northstars either, as the Crusaders were swept by North in Classic 8 play.
If Memorial defeats Union Grove, the Crusaders get the region’s top team, Whitnall (19-2, 14-2 Woodland Conference). The Falcons, ranked fourth in the state in Division 2, have won their last seven games, clinched the outright Woodland Black Division title last Friday and is only three points from being undefeated.
Before these games, though, all the Waukesha-area schools finish up conference play at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Catholic Memorial hosts Kettle Moraine (5-16, 3-10), Waukesha West hosts Waukesha North, while Waukesha South travels to conference front-runner, Pius XI (18-3, 11-2).
The girls’ postseason brackets have not yet been released as their season goes a week longer than the boys. As a result, the Waukesha-area teams have a regular Friday night schedule this week.
The schedule includes Waukesha West (7-11, 3-9 Classic 8) at Waukesha North (10-10, 2-10), South (10-10, 4-8) hosting Pius XI (16-4, 11-1) and Catholic Memorial (9-11, 6-6) at Kettle Moraine (8-12, 6-6).
State wrestling is also this weekend with the Waukesha-area schools being well-represented. Bill Prochniewski of Waukesha South, who is undefeated at 45-0, has the best chance of winning a state title at 106 pounds.
Here is a preview of the state tournament, a look at other Waukesha athletes heading to Madison and a recap from last weekend’s sectional meet: http://bit.ly/y5Ykdf
The wrestlers from Waukesha look to continue the success the swimmers had in Madison. Waukesha South’s Noah Potratz won the 500-yard freestyle for the second straight year at the WIAA Division 1 state swimming and diving meet last weekend.
Here is a recap of his state meet and how his team and the Waukesha North/Mukwonago team did at state: http://bit.ly/zdE2Yu