By Rich Palzewic
Contributing Writer
ASHWAUBENON – After a strong start, the Ashwaubenon boys’ basketball team ran away with its third WIAA Division 2 regional title in four years with a convincing win over Fox River Classic Conference rival Pulaski on March 2.
The Jaguars (22-4) jumped out to a 16-0 lead eight minutes into the game and cruised from there in a 77-59 victory.
With the win, Ashwaubenon, a No. 1 seed, will play No. 2 Plymouth (21-5), on Thursday, March 7.
“We were ready to go and took it to them early in the game,” Ashwaubenon Coach Mark Tomashek said. “It was great to see – the seniors wanted it.”
The Jaguars had balanced scoring as evidenced by Jackson Sims’ 23 points, Drew Tomashek’s 21 and Conner Jackson’s 13.
“It’s great for our team and community,” Sims said. “We won one my sophomore year, so it’s great to win another one. Hopefully, this brings the community closer together.”
Sims sat out Ashwaubenon’s 85-32 victory over Marinette a night before with an injury.
“I wasn’t sure how I’d come out and play tonight, but I’m feeling good,” Sims said.
During the Jaguars’ 16-0 run to start the game against the Red Raiders, Sims pumped in eight points.
“Sims showed up tonight, but I also give lots of credit to Pulaski – after its slow start, they figured things out,” Tomashek said.
The Red Raiders (15-12) didn’t score their first bucket of the game until almost eight minutes had elapsed.
Colin Schultz scored the first of his 20-point first-half points before Dylan Dorn slammed one home on a breakaway to cut the margin to 16-4.
Schultz, who ended with 24 points, hit four three-pointers during the first half, including one as the first-half buzzer sounded.
“Schultz is a nice player,” Tomashek said. “I gave the boys some words of ‘kindness’ at halftime, and we held him to four points in the second half.”
Under first-year Coach John Polkowski, who came to Pulaski after 10 years as the coach at Green Bay Southwest, the Red Raiders had some issues early cracking the Jaguars’ zone defense before Schultz got hot.
Leading 31-20, Ashwaubenon sophomore Carson Dorgu slammed home an alley-oop dunk to bring the crowd to its feet.
In the second half, Sims hit back-to-back threes early to bump the lead to 45-31.
“My three-point shot has come a long way,” Sims laughed.
With a bit more than five minutes remaining in the game, the Jaguars led 60-48 but closed out the contest on a 17-9 surge to win going away.
Dorn ended with 15 points, including 13 after intermission.
The sectional semifinal game was supposed to be played at Ashwaubenon, but because the Jaguars are playing in the game, it has to be moved to a neutral site.
“Plymouth likes to run up and down the floor,” Tomashek said. “It will be a tough game.
Plymouth outscored Notre Dame in its regional final game, 96-88.