Waukesha West has never been to the state girls basketball tournament. But then again, the Wolverines have never had a player like Dani Rhodes before, either.
The junior guard, already the leading scorer in program history and member of the 1,000-point club, will look to lead the Wolverines to new heights when the WIAA Division 1 playoffs begin for West on Feb. 27 and 28. The top-seeded team in the bracket has been one of the state's premier programs all year, but challengers are plentiful in the loaded sectional.
Arrowhead, the second-seeded team that handed West one of its two losses in a convincing 50-32 outcome Feb. 6, lurks as a potential sectional semifinal matchup. If not Arrowhead, it could be Germantown, the North Shore Conference champion with only three losses this year. And No. 3-ranked De Pere could wait in the sectional final with a state berth on the line.
"Our season can end at any time," Rhodes said. "That's the last thing we want to happen, for us and our school because it's never happened before (for West to get to state). No matter what, we've had the best season in Waukesha West girls basketball history. It's awesome to see us accomplish that, but our coaches set really high goals. We just have to keep playing like we've been playing lately."
Rhodes, a point guard who's been giving other teams in the Classic 8 Conference fits for three years, was held to just 2 points in the loss to Arrowhead. She bounced back with 27 in a win over Kettle Moraine a week later. Her average of 19.8 points per game is second in the conference, setting her up for a first-team All State type of season as a key part of a team that was ranked No. 1 for much of the year.
West won its first 15 games before falling in a tight battle to Milwaukee King.
"Our team knew we hadn't lost a game, but we were so humble about it, and we were a team that worked hard," Rhodes said. "I think it did help us in a way (to lose a game), because we know how that feels again, and now it's about whatever it takes to not let that happen again. ... We haven't made any changes since our first loss. We were coming off the best week of practice since the beginning of the season (after the Arrowhead loss), and the energy we had at practice was the energy we had at the beginning of the year. We were so much more focused, honing in on the rest of the season, whatever the outcome."
Rhodes, a dual-sport athlete who also stars as a forward for the elite Waukesha West girls soccer team, said the idea of becoming the school's all-time leading scorer was among the goals she considered before starting her high-school career.
"Those were really high goals for me, but I couldn't do it without my team," she said. "I've had some great teams and great coaches, and it's an accomplishment that's great to be able to share with them. I did have ambitions when I was younger, but to have it come true is awesome."
She identified her court vision as an asset that made her so dangerous.
"Even if it's the smallest opening, I look to take it, or I see if a teammate is open down low," she said. "I just look for things to open up; it's just timing. You keep looking for it, keep looking for it. As time goes on, you can create for yourself. Learning not to force things has helped."
She said playing soccer also uses some of those same skills, evaluating the field and finding the gaps. Rhodes doesn't know which sport she'll pursue at the next level.
"Sometimes I know, and sometimes I just don't," she said. "Basically every season, I love that sport (that I'm currently playing). I play both all year round, and I'd do anything to play both in college. Whatever my future holds, I'm excited for it. I can't go wrong with either one."