Amherst’s defense stifles Algoma in semifinal
By Greg Seubert
It’s been quite a boys’ basketball season for the Central Wisconsin Conference.
Two CWC teams – Amherst out of the CWC-8 and Almond-Bancroft from the CWC-10 – will play for a trip to state Saturday, March 12, after winning WIAA sectional semifinal games March 10.
Amherst improved to 24-1 with a 42-27 win over Algoma in a Division 4 matchup at Green Bay Southwest, while A-B came back to knock off Pittsville 38-34 in Division 5 in Stevens Point.
Top-seeded Amherst will now face No. 2 Marathon (22-3) at 5 p.m. March 12 at Appleton East, while third-seeded A-B (24-2) will take on No. 4 Green Bay NEW Lutheran (12-14) at 2 p.m. at D.C. Everest High School in Schofield.
Another area team is also one game away from state, as Hortonville handed Wausau East a 54-45 defeat in a Division 2 sectional semifinal in Merrill. The top-seeded Polar Bears (18-7) will play another No. 1 seed, 21-4 La Crosse Central, at 1 p.m. March 12 in Stevens Point.
Amherst 42, Algoma 27
Defense has been the Falcons’ calling card all season and that was the case again against the Wolves.
Amherst held Algoma scoreless until Booker Prokash’s basket nearly eight minutes into the game cut the Falcons’ lead to 6-2.
The Falcons led 21-12 at halftime and never let the Wolves get any closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Tyler Biadasz led the Falcons with 11 points and was the only player in the game in double figures. Caleb Lohenry led Algoma with eight points.
A-B 38, Pittsville 34
The Eagles trailed 23-19 at halftime, but outscored the Panthers 19-11 in the second half.
Dylan Bunders led the Eagles with 21 points and Jacob Allind led Pittsville with 10.
Hortonville 54, Wausau East 45
East trailed the entire game and pulled to within 43-40 with 2:33 remaining, but Hortonville sealed the win from the free-throw line.
The Polar Bears led 26-22 at halftime and outscored East 28-23 over the next 18 minutes.
Ryan Krueger had a game-high 23 points for Hortonville, while JP Lacy led East with 19.