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Wausau Pilot & Review
MADISON – Wausau Newman Catholic started out hot and never trailed, rolling into the Division 5 championship game with a 52-42 victory over Royall in a D-5 semifinal at the 2023 WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament at the Kohl Center on Friday morning.
The Cardinals (26-4) will play for their first boys basketball state title on Saturday at 11 a.m. against Chippewa Falls McDonell (29-1). McDonell defeated Fall River 66-62 in the other semifinal Friday.
Newman Catholic started out the game on an 8-0 run and led 17-3 at one point before Royall made a game of it.
The Panthers cut the Newman lead to four on four occasions but each time the Cardinals were able to retaliate to maintain control.
Isaac Seidel scored 25 points, which included 10-straight free throws in the final 3 minutes, to pace Newman Catholic.
“It means a lot to these players and it means a lot to our community,” Newman Catholic coach Jeff Waldvogel said following the game on the television broadcast.
Seidel scored twice, and Mason Prey and Conner Krach added baskets as Newman ran out to an 8-0 lead.
After a 3-pointer by Royall, the Cardinals ripped off nine points in a row, which included a 3-pointer from Seidel and another basket by Prey, giving them a 17-3 lead 6:10 into the game.
Royall responded with a 10-0 run to get back into it, but the Cardinals never surrendered the lead.
A pair of 3-pointers from Seidel in the final 3 minutes of the half helped Newman take a 27-18 lead into halftime.
After Royall scored the first five points of the second half, Krach drained a 3-pointer and grabbed an offensive rebound, dishing a nice pass to Prey for a basket to quickly push the Cardinals’ lead back to nine.
Royall was as close as four at 35-31 with 7½ minutes to go, but Newman didn’t budge. Jackson Pfender hit a 3-pointer, Prey scored inside, and the Cardinals made 12 of 14 free throws in the final 3:18 to ice the victory.
Krach finished with 11 points and Eli Gustafson had a game-high 16 rebounds for Newman Catholic.
Cardinals 52, Panthers 42
Newman Catholic 27 25 – 52
Royall 18 24 – 42
NEWMAN CATHOLIC (52): Mason Prey 4-10 0-0 8, Jackson Pfender 1-5 3-4 6, Conner Krach 4-8 2-3 11, Isaac Seidel 6-12 10-11 25, Eli Gustafson 0-2 1-5 1, Thomas Bates 0-0 1-2 1, Aiden Spychalla 0-0 0-0 0, Quincy Pfender 0-0 0-0 0, Antony Hoffer 0-0 0-0 0, Liam McCarty 0-0 0-0 0, Lucas Pfiffner 0-0 0-0 0, Owen Sullivan 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 15-37. FT: 17-25. 3-pointers: 5-17 (Seidel 3-9, Krach 1-3, J. Pfender 1-4, Gustafson 0-1). Rebounds: 40 (Gustafson 16). Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: none. Record: 26-4.
ROYALL (42): Bryce Olson 2-2 2-2 7, Tucker Wildes 1-9 0-0 2, Carter Uppena 6-18 0-0 14, Gabe Keenan 4-11 0-0 8, Brady Uppena 1-8 1-2 3, Seth Brandau 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Ceizyk 0-0 0-0 0, Ben Crneckiy 0-1 0-0 0, Trey Wildes 0-0 0-0 0, Karter Olson 0-0 0-0 0, Joe Muehlenkamp 0-0 0-0 0, Tyrus Wildes 1-3 1-2 3, Jacob Dragon 1-3 0-0 2, Landon Lipke 1-1 0-0 3, Cole Eberhardt 0-0 0-0 0, Dylan Velazquez 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 17-56. FT: 4-6. 3-pointers: 4-16 (C. Uppena 2-9, B. Olson 1-1, Lipke 1-1, Keenan 0-1, Dragon 0-1, B. Uppena 0-3). Rebounds: 27 (Tu. Wildes 7). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: B. Uppena. Record: 22-8.
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