Nicolet is taking pride in defense
Fans love the dunks and the fast breaks, but what could bring Nicolet its first boys basketball state championship happened on the other end of the floor Friday night.
The Knights appeared to take their performance on defense personally in the second half against Homestead, providing a glimpse of what opponents will be faced with during the postseason. The immediate return was a 74-65 victory for the nation’s ninth-ranked team over its chief rival, the last legitimate hurdle between Nicolet and its first conference title since 2005.
Junior guard/forward Jalen Johnson recorded another triple double – 22 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Jamari Sibley, a junior forward, posted 20 points and rebounds. Senior guard Sonny Phinisee put together a nice floor game, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds and five assists to go with two steals and two blocks.
More than any individual, however, it was the collective work Nicolet put in defensively that stood out. The Knights can put a big lineup on the floor with Johnson and Sibley, both 6-9, 6-7 senior Jarrett Henderson and guards Kobe Johnson, a 6-3 sophomore, and Phinisee, who is 6-0. Their size and mobility can make the game difficult for opponents, as Homestead found Friday.
Christensen wins No. 500
Racine Lutheran’s Jeff Christensen recorded his 500th victory Thursday with a 75-46 victory over Kenosha St. Joseph. He is the 29th coach in state history to reach the milestone and just the 13th to win that many games with one school.
Entering the team’s game against Catholic Central on Saturday, Christensen had a 500-238 record in 30 seasons. The next closest is Martin’s Luther’s Paul Wollersheim, who is 41892.
Greenfield’s title run memorable
The Hawks clinched outright their first league title since 2004 with a 6866 victory over second-place Milwaukee Lutheran on Friday. Greenfield goes for an undefeated season in the Woodland East on Friday against Shorewood.
Martin Luther has a Big Three
We can debate what team has the best Big Three in the area, but Martin Luther seniors Trequan Carrington, Ace Evans and Xavier Jones are hard to top in this regard: All three are 1,000-point scorers.
Jones, a 6-5 wing, was honored for reaching 1,000 points earlier this season. Evans scored his 1,000th point in win over Catholic Central on Tuesday. Carrington reached the mark Friday in a win over St. Thomas More.
Westosha Central states its case
Central (15-1) continues to carry the flag for Southern Lakes basketball. Friday the Falcons defeated Classic 8 leader Waukesha West, a team that is ranked seventh in Division 1 by the Associated Press, 75-65. They should be formidable opponent in the playoffs again.