This story is sponsored by: Valley Communities Credit Union
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – A week off was just what the Marshfield boys basketball team needed.
After losing its regular-season finale 54-31 to Wisconsin Rapids on Feb. 24, its sixth loss in its last 13 games, Marshfield had to regroup.
The Tigers, who received a first-round bye in the WIAA Division 1 playoffs, used an eight-day layoff to their advantage and crushed Eau Claire Memorial 70-42 in a regional final on Saturday.
A rejuvenated Marshfield (17-6) travels to D.C. Everest High School on Thursday for a playoff rematch with Superior (16-7) in a Division 1 sectional semifinal. Game time is 8 p.m. The winner moves on to the sectional final Saturday at D.C. Everest, with a Super Tuesday final set for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Tuesday, March 15. The WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament is March 17-19 at the Kohl Center in Madison.
“The five divisions is going to create an eight- or nine-day layoff for a lot of teams around the state, and you’re going to get a mixed reaction from that time off,” Marshfield coach Craig Michaelis said after the Tigers’ win on Saturday. “I’ve heard from other coaches that they felt like they would have rather played and didn’t like the time off. For us, honestly, it came at a great time. We weren’t playing well, we needed to get back and refocus on some areas of our game if we’re going to have a chance during the stretch run. The guys embraced it, they practiced very hard, they worked hard on defense and it translated to today’s game.”
Senior Cale Zuiker, who scored 24 points in the Tigers’ win over Memorial, said the team had a great week of practice and wanted to show it was hungry for postseason success.
“Those first couple of minutes (an 8-0 run to start the game) really exemplified what it meant to have a week of practice and come out and play,” Zuiker said. “It felt so good to come out to a good start after that long week of practice.”
After a 9-0 start to the season, Zuiker said the Tigers got away from what got them off to that great start. Saturday’s win was the start of something he hopes will continue throughout the next week.
“We didn’t have a desire defensively,” Zuiker said of the Tigers’ slide in the second half of the season. “Offensively, we kind of rushed our shots and didn’t get what we wanted to get, but (Saturday), we set the defensive tone – held them to 17 points in the first half, 40 for the game – and took really good shots, and it showed with 70 points on the scoreboard.”
Marshfield beat Superior 49-42 in a Big Rivers/Wisconsin Valley Conference Challenge game on Dec. 30 at D.C. Everest. Last year, Superior ended the Tigers’ beat season in 36 years by beating them 63-56 in a regional final that went down to the final minutes.
Michaelis expects another tough game with Superior on Thursday.
“They’re a talented basketball team,” Michaeli said. “Nothing’s easy. You get to this point in the season – every team that’s left is there for a reason. It’s going to take our best effort. I’m excited the way we executed (Saturday), I’m excited the way played together. It bodes well when you do that, but it’s going to take our best effort.”
WIAA Division 1 Playoffs
Super Tuesday 4 Bracket
Thursday, March 10
Sectional Semifinals
At D.C. Everest
No. 5 La Crosse Central at No. 1 D.C. Everest, 6 p.m.
No. 3 Superior vs. No. 2 Marshfield, 8 p.m.
At Brown County Arena, Green Bay
No. 1 De Pere vs. No. 4 Pulaski, 6 p.m.
No. 3 Sheboygan North vs. No. 2 Bay Port, 8:15 p.m.
Saturday, March 12
Sectional Finals
La Crosse Central-Everest winner vs. Marshfield-Superior winner at D.C. Everest, 7 p.m.
De Pere-Pulaski winner vs. Sheboygan North-Bay Port winner at Brown County Arena, Green Bay, 1:30 p.m.
Super Tuesday Final
Tuesday, March 15
Sectional winners at UW-Stevens Point, 7 p.m.