Solid prep basketball match-ups Thursday

Don't forget to log onto www.postcrescent.com Thursday and take part in our basketball chat. Joel Christopher will be the moderator. It'll be a big day with the WIAA state basketball tournament getting under way in the early morning, the NCAA Tournament getting started in late morning and girls' sectional finals at night.
Here is a look at our area prep games:

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

When: Thursday

What: State quarterfinals

Division 1
* Antigo (24-0) vs. Appleton East (21-5) at Kohl Center, Madison, 1:35 p.m.: Antigo

Appleton East finished second at 14-4 in the Fox Valley Association. The Patriots are led in scoring by 5-8 junior point guard Johnny Coenen and 6-2 junior forward Caleb Zeegers at 11 ppg. and 10.7 ppg., respectively. Junior Trent Schmidt, a 6-3 forward, averages 10.2 ppg. East advanced to state with a 42-40 win over top-ranked De Pere on Saturday. It is the school’s sixth state appearance and first since 1996. East was a state runnerup in both 1986 and 1990. The Patriots are on an 11-game winning streak. East’s last loss was a 72-62 setback at home against Kaukauna on Jan. 26. Appleton East coach John Mielke is in his 10th season as Patiots coach. He has a 137-92 record at the school and is 274-178 overall. Prior to joining the Patriots, Mielke was head coach at Antigo.

Antigo, which won the Great Northern Conference championship at 12-0, has earned a berth in the state tournament for the 13th time and first since 1995. The Red Robins have not advanced past the semifinals in any of their previous appearances. Antigo advanced with a 62-45 sectional final win over Merrill. The Red Robins are led in scoring by 6-3 senior guard Jordan Mach, a UW-Parkside recruit, who averages 29.5 ppg, and Skylar Cameron, a 6-3 senior forward, at 13.4 ppg.

* Madison Memorial (21-4) vs. Neenah (17-9) at Kohl Center, Madison, approximately 3:45 p.m.: Madison Memorial, the defending state champions, are making their seventh straight state appearance. Memorial also won a state championship in 2005 and finished as runner-up in 2004, 2006 and 2008. Memorial tied for the Big Eight championship with Madison East, both at 15-3. The Spartans are led in scoring by Marquette University recruit Vander Blue at 17.2 ppg., Tre Creamer at 14.7 ppg. and Junior Lomomba at 10.4 ppg. Spartans coach Steve Collins is in his 12th year at the school and has a 230-59 overall record.

Neenah tied for third in the FVA with Oshkosh North and Appleton West at 11-7. Neenah is led in scoring by 6-0 senior guard Patrick Follen’s 12.7 ppg and 6-5 senior guard/forward Josh Hopfensperger’s 11.9 ppg. Neenah advanced to state with a 48-42 win over Sheboygan South in a sectional final in Oshkosh on Saturday. This will be the Rockets’ 25th appearance at the state tournament, but first since 2000. Neenah won state championships in 1930, 1975 and 1978. Neenah was runner-up in 1920, 1939, 1969, 1970, 1972 and 1988. The Rockets are coached by Chas Pronschinske, who is in his fifth season at the school. He is 63-52 at Neenah and 182-108 overall.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
When: Thursday

What: Sectional semifinals

Division 2
* (No. 1 seed) Luxemburg-Casco vs. (No. 1 seed) Freedom at Seymour, 5:30 p.m.: Luxemburg-Casco won the Bay Conference at 14-2 and is 22-3 overall. The Spartans are led in scoring by 6-1 junior center Janelle VanderPlas at 18.2 ppg. and 5-10 junior forward Kelsey Jonioux at 8.6 ppg. Luxemburg-Casco advanced to sectionals with a 56-44 win over Denmark on Saturday.

Freedom won the Eastern Valley Conference at 18-0 and is 22-1 overall. The Irish are led in scoring by Katie Gonnering at 13.7 ppg. Freedom’s only loss this season was a 37-32 decision to New London at home on Dec. 22. The Irish advanced to sectionals with a 62-42 win over Green Bay Notre Dame on Saturday.

* (No. 2 seed) Winneconne vs. (No. 2 seed) Xavier at Seymour, 7:30 p.m.: Winneconne placed second in the Eastern Valley Conference at 15-3 and is 22-3 overall. The Wolves are led in scoring by 5-10 senior forward Kathryn Koeck at 14.2 ppg. and 5-7 senior guard/forward Maggie Peerenboom at 12.6 ppg. Winneconne is coming off of a 44-32 win over New London on Saturday.

Xavier tied with Fox Valley Lutheran for fourth place in the Eastern Valley Conference at 11-7 and is 17-8 overall. The Hawks are led in scoring by 5-7 senior forward Claire Burkhart at 8.7 ppg and 5-11 junior guard Lexi Thein at 7.1 ppg. Xavier beat top-seeded Chilton 46-36 in a regional final on Saturday.

Division 3
* (No. 1 seed) Oshkosh Lourdes vs. (No. 1 seed) Brillion at Kimberly, 7 p.m.: Oshkosh Lourdes won the Trailways-North title at 15-0 and is 22-3 overall. The Knights are led in scoring by 6-0 sophomore Lexie Peterman at 17.5 ppg. and 5-10 sophomore guard Teenie Lichtfuss at 11.8 ppg. Lourdes defeated Weyauwega-Fremont 49-48 in a regional final on Saturday.

Brillion won the Olympian Conference title at 18-0 and is 24-1 overall. The Lions are led in scoring by 5-9 senior guard Alyssa Olp at 11.8 ppg. and 6-0 sophomore forward Kylie Moxley at 11.2 ppg. Brillion’s lone loss was a 55-52 setback on Dec. 7 at Luxemburg-Casco. The Lions beat Manitowoc Roncalli 40-28 in a regional final on Saturday.