By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – For the first time since 2000, the Bay Port girls’ basketball team will be participating in the WIAA State Tournament.
And they intend on making some noise.
The Pirates, the No. 4-ranked Division 1 team in the state, earned the No. 2 seed and will play No. 3 Kimberly (23-3) Friday, March 8, in the state semifinals at 8:15 p.m. at the Resch Center.
No. 1 Mukwonago (24-1) and No. 4 Middleton (21-5) will square off in the other semifinal game.
The winners will play for the state title March 9 at 8:15 p.m.
Once the four representatives were finalized after sectionals, the teams were re-seeded for the state tournament.
All four teams are ranked in the top 10 in the latest Wissports.net Division 1 Coaches Poll, with Mukwonago holding the top spot, Kimberly in sixth and Middleton 10th.
The only opponent Bay Port has faced this season is Middleton, which they beat 48-42 in the Middleton Holiday Shootout last December.
“There is a sense of relief getting to the state tournament,” said Bay Port head coach Kati Coleman. “Especially with the expectations coming into the season, and the outside sources saying we should be there. It’s a weight off our shoulders, and now we can just go out and play.”
Coleman has state tournament experience herself as a member of the 2004 Ashwaubenon team that played in Madison.
Coleman – then known as Harty – still holds the Division 1 record for most assists (11) and steals (12) in a state game.
“I think the mindset from a player to a coach is very different,” said Coleman. “As a player, I was able to physically do what I was able to do on the court to help my team. As a coach, I’ll be physically telling the girls what to do and hope they do it. It’s not my turn anymore – it’s their turn. I can only share my experiences with them.”
Kimberly plays in the Fox Valley Association and won the conference title with a 16-2 record.
The Pirates will have to contend with sophomore guard Maddy Schreiber (14.9 points per game), senior guard Shea Deschant (14.1) and junior forward Marissa Murray (9.4).
“Kimberly plays a high-tempo game,” Coleman said. “They have a number of players that can really play. They want to press, turn you over and force the pace. I anticipate it will be a much different game than our sectional final game. We will run with them, go up and down the floor and try to disrupt them on offense. It’s going to be a good game – we match up well.”
Mukwonago’s only loss this season came against Milwaukee King, a team they recently beat in the sectional finals, 62-55.
Seniors Natalie Anderson (17.4) and Grace Beyer (14.2) both have connected on more than 40 three-pointers this season.
“They are tough,” Added Coleman. “They have two or three girls going Division 1 or Division 2. They have experience and just beat Milwaukee King. They get up and go and are crafty. Their average margin of victory is by like 30 points.”
Middleton won the Big Eight Conference and is led by Sitori Tanin (12.9) and Hannah Flottmeyer (10.6).
Coleman said Middleton is a long team that runs mainly a 1-3-1 zone defensively.
The hardest part for the Pirates is the fact it will be almost a week between their sectional final win over Arrowhead and the game against Kimberly.
“You’re not used to having four practices in between games,” Coleman added. “We have to keep it light and fun for the girls and keep them distracted. It’s like preseason all over again.”
For the full WIAA girls’ state basketball brackets, CLICK HERE.