By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – The Ashwaubenon boys’ basketball team hit 16 3-point field goals en route to a 68-58 victory over Oshkosh North in a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 sectional semifinal game March 10 at Green Bay Southwest High School.
In the first half, 27 of the Jaguars’ 31 points came via the three.
“During the season, 2/3 of our points came from beyond (the 3-point) arc,” Ashwaubenon Head Coach Mark Tomashek said. “North played a 1-3-1 (zone), and we made them tonight. The kids made some big plays. Our strength is shooting the basketball, so please, play zone against us.”
No. 2-seeded Ashwaubenon will face No. 1-seeded Nicolet Saturday, March 12, for a trip to state on the line.
The sectional final game will be played at West Bend East High School.
“Nicolet gets after you hard-core defensively,” Tomashek said. “They’re quick – it’ll be a tough game. I’m glad we get to play another game.”
Besides Boone Kirst and Marcus Tomashek hitting 2-point field goals in the first half, the Jaguars connected on nine 3-pointers in the first 18 minutes of the game.
Tomashek had four 3s in the first half, while Jayden Schoen and Matt Imig hit a pair.
Kirst also had one, as Ashwaubenon led at the break, 31-22.
In the second half, the Jaguars mostly maintained their double-digit lead throughout, helped by seven free throws by Imig, who finished with 19 points.
With Ashwaubenon up 45-30, the Spartans went on a 7-0 run to make it 45-37, but that’s as close as they got the rest of the way.
The Jaguars then went on their own 7-0 spurt moments later to seize the momentum back.
“The FVA (Fox Valley Association) doesn’t lose much in the tournament,” Coach Tomashek said. “If you can beat an FVA team in the tournament, that’s a heck of an accomplishment.”
Marcus Tomashek finished with a game-high 26 points and had six 3s.
“When we saw North come out in a zone, we knew we’d get open 3s,” Marcus Tomashek said. “It was their choice to play a zone against a good shooting team, and they paid for it. I came out with confidence and had my shot going.”
Ashwaubenon’s only trip to state came in 2006.
“It’s been a dream for all of us to make it to state since we were young,” Marcus Tomashek said. “We’re one win away – we have to do it.”
North freshman Xzavion Mitchell had 26 points, while sophomore Steven Clark added 15.
“Mitchell is unreal,” Coach Tomashek said. “As a freshman in the FVA, he basically averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. How many freshmen do that? His ceiling is unbelievably high. North is going to have its time in the future, but tonight, our upperclassmen outplayed their underclassmen.”