BRODHEAD - The 3-point shot has become a big weapon for the Brodhead girls basketball team.
Brodhead (24-0), ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press Coaches poll, has made 94 3-pointers this year as a team and is averaging about four 3-pointers per game. Brodhead sophomore Kylie Moe leads the Cardinals with 32 3-pointers and senior Meg Duffield has 30. The Cardinals are shooting 31.1 percent on 3-pointers this year and the prolific precision can lead to emotional swings in the tournament.
"They always have the green light," Brodhead coach Brad Pickett said of Moe and Duffield. "We practice them every day. That is one of the reasons we have been so good. I wouldn't say kids are better shooters. I just think over the last five years we have opened up our offense more. You just have to adjust to the personnel you have. The last couple of years we have had some kids who can shoot it pretty well."
For the third straight year, the Cardinals have reached the WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinals and they will play eighth-ranked Whitewater (21-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Janesville Parker. The Cardinals are on the brink of making the school's first state tournament appearance. If it comes down to a 3-pointer, the Cardinals have to like their chances. Duffield is the career leader in 3-pointers made with 109. The Cardinals have made an average of 83 3-pointers per year over the past five years and their shooting percentage from behind the arc has ranged from a low of 24.6 percent in 2009-10 to 31.3 percent in 2012-13.
"It doesn't really mean much to me now," Duffield said of being the Cardinals all-time career leader in 3-pointers. "It's more about the team."
It's a rematch for the Cardinals, which beat the Whippets 62-59 in overtime Jan. 30. Duffield is looking forward to the rematch with Whitewater. She doesn't feel any pressure to keep the undefeated record intact and roll to state.
"We are obviously excited because it's sectionals and we are ready to go," she said. "Once the playoffs started we kind of forgot we were undefeated. We forgot what we had done before. We take it one game at a time and we know what we want."
The Cardinals are led by 6-foot-1 senior Carly Mohns, a University of Iowa recruit, who is averaging 17.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. The Cardinals have more firepower than Mohns with three other players averaging more than eight points per game including senior Rachel Heller (10.7 ppg), Moe (10.7 ppg) and Duffield (8.4 ppg).
"Most teams are focused on Carly Mohns and doubling down on her," Duffield said. "That leaves us open. If we can knock them down that opens it up more for Carly down low."
The Whippets feature two 6-foot players and use a press to create havoc in games. Whitewater senior Brooke Trewyn at 5-10 averages 15.3 ppg and 6-0 junior Sarah Schumacher average 11.3 ppg.
"If we can handle the ball pressure we will be fine," Pickett said. "I think the key will be rebounding. We have to limit them to one shot. They are focused and have a business-like approach."
Brodhead isn't the only team that will have a rematch in the sectional semifinals. Black Hawk (17-6) will have a rematch against Randolph (22-2), ranked No. 4 in the WisSports.net Coaches poll, in a sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday in DeForest. The Warriors look to reverse the stranglehold Randolph had on them when they lost by 15 points earlier this year.
"We can go into it and play loose," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "We have nothing to lose. They are ranked. If we win, I think it would be an upset. They are a team we are capable of beating if we play well. We will go into Thursday and see where the cards fall."
Randolph is led by 6-0 Allison Pickhardt who is averaging 12.6 ppg and Michayla Swanson (10.3 ppg). The Rockets outscored the Warriors 18-4 in the second quarter the first time they played.
"They have a nice 1-2 combo," Flanagan said. "We have to play better defensively. They run a lot of ball screens. We have to take a look at how we approach our ball screen defense. If you give too much help off of the ball screen they will throw it into Pickhardt."
However, it was Randolph sophomore Brooke Roberts who scored 23 points to lead the Rockets to a 59-42 win over fifth-ranked Fall River in the regional championship game.
"Those three kids, any team in our conference would love to have," Flanagan said.
The Warriors are led by senior Jen Wellnitz, a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit who averages 23.8 ppg, 8.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 6.7 steals per game. Wellnitz is excepted to play after collapsing due to dehydration in the 43-41 win over Monticello in the regional final.
The Rockets rely on a 2-3 zone on defense. However, Flanagan understands it will take a team effort to upset the Rockets.
"It can't be just Jen on the offensive end," he said. "It's whether other kids can step up. They will do everything they can to take Jen away."
In the first meeting, the Rockets made 13 of 19 free throws in the fourth quarter when the Warriors were forced to foul in a comeback bid.
"It's always nice to have that familiarity," Flanagan said. "You can go back and look at the tape and the scouting reports. You can't simulate that. We can go back and maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses."
Brodhead (24-0), ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press Coaches poll, has made 94 3-pointers this year as a team and is averaging about four 3-pointers per game. Brodhead sophomore Kylie Moe leads the Cardinals with 32 3-pointers and senior Meg Duffield has 30. The Cardinals are shooting 31.1 percent on 3-pointers this year and the prolific precision can lead to emotional swings in the tournament.
"They always have the green light," Brodhead coach Brad Pickett said of Moe and Duffield. "We practice them every day. That is one of the reasons we have been so good. I wouldn't say kids are better shooters. I just think over the last five years we have opened up our offense more. You just have to adjust to the personnel you have. The last couple of years we have had some kids who can shoot it pretty well."
For the third straight year, the Cardinals have reached the WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinals and they will play eighth-ranked Whitewater (21-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Janesville Parker. The Cardinals are on the brink of making the school's first state tournament appearance. If it comes down to a 3-pointer, the Cardinals have to like their chances. Duffield is the career leader in 3-pointers made with 109. The Cardinals have made an average of 83 3-pointers per year over the past five years and their shooting percentage from behind the arc has ranged from a low of 24.6 percent in 2009-10 to 31.3 percent in 2012-13.
"It doesn't really mean much to me now," Duffield said of being the Cardinals all-time career leader in 3-pointers. "It's more about the team."
It's a rematch for the Cardinals, which beat the Whippets 62-59 in overtime Jan. 30. Duffield is looking forward to the rematch with Whitewater. She doesn't feel any pressure to keep the undefeated record intact and roll to state.
"We are obviously excited because it's sectionals and we are ready to go," she said. "Once the playoffs started we kind of forgot we were undefeated. We forgot what we had done before. We take it one game at a time and we know what we want."
The Cardinals are led by 6-foot-1 senior Carly Mohns, a University of Iowa recruit, who is averaging 17.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. The Cardinals have more firepower than Mohns with three other players averaging more than eight points per game including senior Rachel Heller (10.7 ppg), Moe (10.7 ppg) and Duffield (8.4 ppg).
"Most teams are focused on Carly Mohns and doubling down on her," Duffield said. "That leaves us open. If we can knock them down that opens it up more for Carly down low."
The Whippets feature two 6-foot players and use a press to create havoc in games. Whitewater senior Brooke Trewyn at 5-10 averages 15.3 ppg and 6-0 junior Sarah Schumacher average 11.3 ppg.
"If we can handle the ball pressure we will be fine," Pickett said. "I think the key will be rebounding. We have to limit them to one shot. They are focused and have a business-like approach."
Brodhead isn't the only team that will have a rematch in the sectional semifinals. Black Hawk (17-6) will have a rematch against Randolph (22-2), ranked No. 4 in the WisSports.net Coaches poll, in a sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday in DeForest. The Warriors look to reverse the stranglehold Randolph had on them when they lost by 15 points earlier this year.
"We can go into it and play loose," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "We have nothing to lose. They are ranked. If we win, I think it would be an upset. They are a team we are capable of beating if we play well. We will go into Thursday and see where the cards fall."
Randolph is led by 6-0 Allison Pickhardt who is averaging 12.6 ppg and Michayla Swanson (10.3 ppg). The Rockets outscored the Warriors 18-4 in the second quarter the first time they played.
"They have a nice 1-2 combo," Flanagan said. "We have to play better defensively. They run a lot of ball screens. We have to take a look at how we approach our ball screen defense. If you give too much help off of the ball screen they will throw it into Pickhardt."
However, it was Randolph sophomore Brooke Roberts who scored 23 points to lead the Rockets to a 59-42 win over fifth-ranked Fall River in the regional championship game.
"Those three kids, any team in our conference would love to have," Flanagan said.
The Warriors are led by senior Jen Wellnitz, a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit who averages 23.8 ppg, 8.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 6.7 steals per game. Wellnitz is excepted to play after collapsing due to dehydration in the 43-41 win over Monticello in the regional final.
The Rockets rely on a 2-3 zone on defense. However, Flanagan understands it will take a team effort to upset the Rockets.
"It can't be just Jen on the offensive end," he said. "It's whether other kids can step up. They will do everything they can to take Jen away."
In the first meeting, the Rockets made 13 of 19 free throws in the fourth quarter when the Warriors were forced to foul in a comeback bid.
"It's always nice to have that familiarity," Flanagan said. "You can go back and look at the tape and the scouting reports. You can't simulate that. We can go back and maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses."
