Unless you have been living under a rock you know this is obviously not a serious post….but here is how we think it would have happened
Semifinal: #2 Clear Lake (26-0) vs #3 Bangor (25-1) approximately 11a
ASHWAUBENON — After a week delay, due to the coronavirus scare, the 2020 WIAA Girls State Tournament is back!
Bangor’s defense keyed a big semi-final victory, as the Cardinals took down Clear Lake, 65-64, in the 2020 WIAA Girls State basketball tournament. Bangor is now one game away from winning their second gold ball in the past three years.
Clear Lakes’s senior, Maison Zimmer (23 points), nailed four 3-pointers in the final 52 seconds to nearly bring the Warriors back after a 10-point deficit in the final minute. But the Cardinals held on, hitting key free throws in the final seconds of the game.
Bangor’s stifling defense was on display for much of the game. The Cardinals held the Warriors to 30.8 from the floor. Clear Lake committed 22 turnovers as the Bagor came away with 12 steals.
Senior Karsen Kershner led the Cardinals with a double-double, putting up 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Junior Haley Jones also played an all-around game with 14 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Freshmen Nora Tucker had the best game in her young high school career with 20 points and seven rebounds.
When the Cardinals needed to come up big, the defense did the job. Clear Lake was within five at 50-45 with 6:22 remaining, but the Warriors missed their next three shots and turned the ball over three times in a span of two minutes as the Cardinals took advantage.
The Cardinals gained the game’s first double-figure lead of the game on a Taylor Jacobson jumper with 4:34 left in the second half at 55-45. Clear Lake had hung around, staying within three possessions throughout the second half.
Megan Miedema’s only two baskets of the day, came in the final 3:42, as the Cardinals took a lead of a dozen late.
The Warriors 3-point shooting helped them make a late comeback as Zimmer connected on those four 3-pointers in the final minute as Clear Lake cut the final margin to a point at 65-64.
Maddie Rosen (13) and Julianna Rosen (10) were the Warrior’s other double-figure scorers.
The Cardinals fended off the Warriors push early in the second half. Clear Lake cut their deficit to one at 32-31 on a Maison Zimmer 3-pointer. But the Cardinals responded with a 9-2 spurt keyed by a Nora Tucker 3-point play to lead 41-33 with 11 minutes left.
Defense was the name of the game in the first half as Bangor held a 25-17 lead at intermission. Combined, the teams shot 31.9 from the floor with the Cardinals going 10-of-29 for 34.5 percent and Clear Lake shooting 27.7 percent on 5-of-18. The Warriors missed all seven of their 3-point attempts. Bangor forced the Warriors into 13 first-half turnovers.
Clear Lake was held without a field goal for a span of 11:27 as the Warriors missed seven shots and turned the ball over eight times. Jacobson and Tucker canned back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Cardinals ahead, 14-10 with eight minutes left in the first half.
The Cardinals return to action on Saturday, March 21 as they will face #1 Black Hawk in the Division 5 WIAA State Championship at 11:05a.
FINAL 1 2 T
3 Bangor 25 40 65
2 Clear Lake 17 47 64
