BLANCHARDVILLE - Pecatonica junior Jaden Hendrickson scored a team-high 16 points and the Vikings sank 11 3-pointers en route to a 76-68 win over Fall River in a WIAA Division 5 regional semifinal game Friday.
"It's the most 3-pointers we have made this year," Pecatonica coach Matt Fink said. "Those are the shots they (Fall River) gave us. We were fortunate to knock them down when we needed to."
With the win, Pecatonica (16-7), the co-champions of the Six Rivers East along with Barneveld, will host the Golden Eagles (16-8) in a regional final tonight. The Vikings split two games with the Eagles this year.
For Pecatonica, senior Evan Prust and junior Colton Schraepfer each had 15 points, junior Zak Eaton had 10 and junior Carter Ruegsegger hit three 3s to finish with 9 points.
"We just had to hang in there," Fink said. "It's playoff basketball and your opponent will make runs."
Pecatonica jumped out to a 37-27 lead at the half. The Vikings led by as many as 12 points in the second half. Fall River cut the Vikings' lead to two pints in the second half. Pecatonica answered with a 10-0 run.
Fall River's Gage Nemechek drilled six 3s and scored a team-high 20 points. Fall River's Tanner Liebenthal also had 20.
Fink is looking forward to the rubber match against Barneveld.
"It's going to be a war," he said. "It's round 3. You have two teams with kids, coaches and their communities who really care."
Barneveld 48,
Black Hawk 40
BARNEVELD - Kauy Fargo scored a game-high 22 points to lead the second-seeded Eagles to a win over rival Black Hawk in a WIAA Division 5 regional semifinal game Friday.
"I thought we did a really good job against their matchup zone," Black Hawk coach Charlie Anderson said. "We really focused on trying to play with a fast tempo. They did a really good job of keeping it slow."
Black Hawk (16-7) led 40-36 with 8 minutes to go. Barneveld had one possession in the second half where they had three offensive rebounds and then hit a 3.
"That was a big momentum turn," Anderson said.
Black Hawk senior Jett Rufenacht scored a team-high 15 points and junior Conner Meyer added 14.
The Eagles made eight more free throws than the Warriors and attempted more than two times the free throws. Barneveld went 14 of 21 at the charity stripe, while Black Hawk shot 6 of 9.
"That was also a big factor," Anderson said.
"It's the most 3-pointers we have made this year," Pecatonica coach Matt Fink said. "Those are the shots they (Fall River) gave us. We were fortunate to knock them down when we needed to."
With the win, Pecatonica (16-7), the co-champions of the Six Rivers East along with Barneveld, will host the Golden Eagles (16-8) in a regional final tonight. The Vikings split two games with the Eagles this year.
For Pecatonica, senior Evan Prust and junior Colton Schraepfer each had 15 points, junior Zak Eaton had 10 and junior Carter Ruegsegger hit three 3s to finish with 9 points.
"We just had to hang in there," Fink said. "It's playoff basketball and your opponent will make runs."
Pecatonica jumped out to a 37-27 lead at the half. The Vikings led by as many as 12 points in the second half. Fall River cut the Vikings' lead to two pints in the second half. Pecatonica answered with a 10-0 run.
Fall River's Gage Nemechek drilled six 3s and scored a team-high 20 points. Fall River's Tanner Liebenthal also had 20.
Fink is looking forward to the rubber match against Barneveld.
"It's going to be a war," he said. "It's round 3. You have two teams with kids, coaches and their communities who really care."
Barneveld 48,
Black Hawk 40
BARNEVELD - Kauy Fargo scored a game-high 22 points to lead the second-seeded Eagles to a win over rival Black Hawk in a WIAA Division 5 regional semifinal game Friday.
"I thought we did a really good job against their matchup zone," Black Hawk coach Charlie Anderson said. "We really focused on trying to play with a fast tempo. They did a really good job of keeping it slow."
Black Hawk (16-7) led 40-36 with 8 minutes to go. Barneveld had one possession in the second half where they had three offensive rebounds and then hit a 3.
"That was a big momentum turn," Anderson said.
Black Hawk senior Jett Rufenacht scored a team-high 15 points and junior Conner Meyer added 14.
The Eagles made eight more free throws than the Warriors and attempted more than two times the free throws. Barneveld went 14 of 21 at the charity stripe, while Black Hawk shot 6 of 9.
"That was also a big factor," Anderson said.
