The Northwestern High School basketball team is one win away from a WIAA Division 3 State Tournament berth after a 66-46 win over the St. Croix Central Panthers in a sectional semifinal game Thursday, March 7, in Amery.
Northwestern will take a 20-5 record into the sectional championship game against Wisconsin Dells (20-5) Saturday, March 9, in Marshfield.
Wisconsin Dells advanced with a 70-64 win over previously undefeated Stratford (24-1). Both Northwestern and Wisconsin Dells are No 2 seeds.
Sam Risley led the Tigers with 14 points, all in the first half. Brody Payton was next with 13 points, six rebounds and five assists; and Andrew Klobucher had 12 points on four 3-pointers, eight rebounds and four assists.
Peyton Nogal led the Panthers (15-10) with 11 points, all in the first half. Kelson Klin was next with 10 points.
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The Tigers and Panthers traded baskets to open the game until a Jenner Graff 3-pointer gave Northwestern a 7-4 lead.
The Tigers gradually built their lead to 10 points at 20-10, but the Panthers clawed back to make it 21-15 on a Nogal 3-pointer.
Klobucher matched that 3-pointer and the Tigers eventually built a pair of 12-point leads, including 31-19 on a Risley basket.
Two Nogal free throws completed the scoring in the first half with the Tigers leading 31-21.
The Tigers roared out of the locker room after the intermission with a 9-0 run for a 40-21 lead.
Northwestern followed with a pair of 21-point leads, including 50-29 on a Klobucher 3-pointer.
Back-to-back baskets by Carsen Nykanen made the score 54-30, and back-to-back 3-pointers by Dayne Evanson and Payton gave the Tigers a 62-35 lead with around four minutes remaining.
The Tigers cleared the bench with 2:37 remaining, but the weren’t done scoring as Gervase Thompson and Coy Nelson both made baskets.
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NOTE: There is a chance Saturday’s game may be moved up from 4 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Northwestern 31-35-66
St. Croix Central 21-25-46
Northwestern - Sam Risley 14, Brody Payton 13, Dayne Evanson 6, Andrew Klobucher 12, Jenner Graff 5, Jake Brill 4, Greg Ruhman 4, Carsen Nykanen 4, Coy Nelson 2, Gervase Thompson 2. 27 3-11 66.
3-point goals - Klobucher 4, Evanson 2, Payton, Graff.
St. Croix Central - Peyton Nogal 11, Zakery Jourdeans 5, Austin Kopacz 5, Trevor Kobacz 2, Kelson Klin 10, Will Soderberg 2, Joe Hueg 1, Gabe Siler 10. Totals 12 18-22 46.
3-point goals - Siler 2, Jourdeans 1, Nogal 1.
