GIRLS BASKETBALL
AREA RANKINGS
1. Milwaukee King (9-0) 1 (last week) 2. Mukwonago (7-1) 2 3. Oak Creek (7-1) 3 4. New Berlin Eisenhower (7-1) 4 5. Arrowhead (6-1) 5 6. Kettle Moraine Lutheran (5-0) 7 7. Milwaukee Vincent (7-0) 8 8. Slinger (7-1) 10 9. Pewaukee (6-2) 10. Dominican (5-1) -
HONOR ROLL Player of the week
Shemera Williams, Milwaukee Academy of Science: Bigger games may await the junior, but for the moment her 53-point performance in a 92-67 victory over Milwaukee Washington Friday is a personal high. It is also the sixth-best total for a girl in state history, according to records kept by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. The performance is her second 50-point game. The 5-foot-9 guard scored 51 in a sectional final victory last season. She leads the state in scoring with 42.8 points per game and averages about 13 rebounds and nine assists per contest. Honorable mention Hannah Belanger, Grafton: The junior scored her 1,000th point during a 16-point effort in a 58-16 victory over Nicolet on Friday. The 5-8 guard is tied for the North Shore Conference lead in scoring with 17.8 points per game. Marleah Drake, Milwaukee Riverside. The senior guard led the Tigers to two victories last week that pushed their record to 4-3. Tuesday she posted personal highs in points (25) and rebounds (10) in a 64-56 victory over Messmer. Three days later she finished with 14 points, seven steals and four assists in a 73-42 win over Milwaukee Golda Meir. Rachel Osell, Martin Luther: The 5-10 senior forward recorded her third double-double in scoring and rebounding of the season when she scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds Friday in a 46-29 victory over Racine St. Catherine's. That effort came three days after she recorded season highs in scoring (21 points) and rebounding (13) in a 55-53 win over St. Thomas More.
Teams of the week
Pius XI: The Popes (6-3) rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit Friday to hand Shorewood a 50-49 loss, its first defeat of the season. Senior guard Jordyn Zader’s bucket in the final seconds - it was her only basket of the night - was the difference. Senior guard Alexis Richardson finished with 12 points and six rebounds and Becca Nicholls, a senior forward/center, went 3 for 6 from three-point range for the Popes. Pius, which held the Greyhounds to 45% shooting, won for the sixth time in seven games. Shorewood entered play ranked ninth in the area rankings and eighth in the wissports.net Division 2 state coaches poll. Brookfield Central: The Lancers (3-3) started the season slow but made a major statement last Tuesday with a 51-34 victory over previously undefeated Sussex Hamilton. It was the third straight victory for the Lancers, who edged Greater Metro Conference rival Brookfield East, 34-31, on Dec. 8. Against Hamilton, sophomore forward Anna Mortag finished with 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting. The team got nine points and four rebounds from C.J. Romero, a freshman point guard who made three of four shots. The defense, meanwhile, held Hamilton to 27% shooting (12 of 45) and 20% (3 for 15) from three-point range.
GAMES TO WATCH
Sussex Hamilton at West Allis Hale, 7:15 p.m. Tuesday: Hale has a chance to bounce back from Friday’s twopoint loss to Brookfield East and take sole possession of first place in the Greater Metro. Pewaukee at Pius XI, 5:15 p.m. Thursday: Fresh off their victory Friday over previously undefeated Shorewood, the Popes turn their attention to Pewaukee, which is undefeated in the Woodland West. Shorewood at Milwaukee Vincent, 7 p.m. Thursday: Two of the state’s top Division 2 teams meet in non-conference play. Mark Stewart