By Adam Roberts – 2/22/2021

This year has of course brought about numerous changes to the way we conduct sports, and life in general. But one thing remains the same: the Aquinas girl’s basketball team is back at state. And this year they’re being joined by two other programs.

The Blugolds, Onalaska, and Bangor are all still alive in their quest for a state title. And we now know who each team will face in the semifinals and when.

First, at the La Crosse Center the Cardinals will take on three-seed Mineral Point on Friday at 12:25. The Pointers have taken down Darlington, Potosi/Cassville, Waterloo, and Fennimore to reach this point while Bangor has defeated Mel-Min, Cashton, and Auburndale (Hillsboro forfeited their sectional semifinal). The winner will face either top-seed Mishicot or the Crickets of Fall Creek that evening at 6:35.

In Division 3, the Blugolds open up the Menominee Nation Arena’s slate of playoff basketball against Westfiled at 10:45 Friday morning. The Pioneers were the class of the South Central Conference this year and have racked up 20 wins, while Dave Donarski’s Blugolds are once again the team to beat with an undefeated 21-0 record. The winner plays either Lake Mills or Howards Grove, who notably defeated Aquinas in the 2017 state final, later that evening.

And back at the Center in Division 2, the Hilltoppers get perhaps the toughest draw having to face 26-1 Notre Dame. The Sarah Rohde coached team has three players averaging in double figures and their only loss was to an excellent Kimberly team back on December 5th. The winner gets either New Berlin Eisenhower or Reedsburg that evening.

By Adam Roberts – 2/19/2021

With news about the WIAA Division 2, 4, and 5 girl’s basketball state semis and finals coming to the La Crosse Center, there certainly is some intrigue going into this weekend’s high school basketball playoff games. There’s a chance for three girl’s teams to make the state semis tomorrow, with two of those teams possibly playing at the Center.

In Rice Lake, the Onalaska girls will visit the Warriors in Division 2. The Hilltoppers defeated Medford on Thursday to reach this point, and a win Saturday would be a monumental step forward for Shane Schmeiling’s program. Keep an eye out for Olivia Gamoke; another 20+ point performance could be the barometer for success tomorrow, and it Molly Garrity compliments Gamoke with at least 10, I think Onalaska should advance.

In Division 4, Bangor advanced to tomorrow’s sectional final by way of a Hillsboro forfeit, but don’t think for a second that the Cardinals didn’t earn their spot. 18-2 Bangor took a loss on the fifth to a very formidable Royall team in stride, and coach Merlin Jones’ ladies have looked excellent since. As for Aquinas, if they take down St. Croix Falls tomorrow, they’ll take a 21-0 record to the Menominee Nation Arena in Oshkosh in a fifth straight state appearance.

Running alongside these games are the boy’s regional semis and finals. Undefeated and #1 Onalaska begins a hopeful run to state against Black River Falls while West Salem looks to upset Tomah (6:45 tonight on ESPN La Crosse 105.5 and espnlacrosse.com). Aquinas also begins their playoff run as a one-seed in Division 3 hosting Mondovi while elsewhere a 2-3 game pits Viroqua against Poynette. And our area has three Division 4 games tonight as Blair-Taylor hosts Plum City, Bangor faces division rival Cashton, and one-seed and perhaps the most slept on team in the area Luther welcomes Mel-Min.

By Adam Roberts – 2/19/2021

While the news may not carry much weight, given that his team is in the middle of its worst losing streak since 2016-17 and the fact that the game itself is being scrutinized by the player community, but the Greek Freak is once again one of the first five Easter Conference representatives in the All Star Game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was once again named an All Star starter yesterday for the fifth straight year. He is joined in the frontcourt by Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, Philly’s Joel Embiid, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, and Miami’s Jimmy Butler.

In regular Bucks news, the team’s downward spiral continued yesterday with a 110-96 loss to Toronto. Milwaukee faces Oklahoma City tonight, who defeated the Bucks last week 114-109.

By Adam Roberts – 2/18/2021

The slow but steady attempt to bring back fans in stadiums continues this week. Earlier the Bucks played their first game with fans in close to a year, and now we’ve learned that another major Wisconsin sports staple will be welcoming fans back in 2021.

In a video message from athletic director Barry Alvarez, the University of Wisconsin announced that Camp Randall will be allowing people to attend Badger football games once again. Details as to how many people will be permitted to attend still aren’t known.

You can check out the official statement here.

By Adam Roberts – 2/17/2021

A member of the Bucks executive team, and son of co-owner Marc Lasry, will make a run at Ron Johnson’s Senate seat in Washington.

33-year-old Alex Lasry announced his intention to run for the seat in 2022 yesterday, marking the first time the Bucks senior VP will run for public office despite some experience in the political world serving as host committee chair for the 2020 Democratic National Convention awarded to Milwaukee last year but largely held virtually.

Lasry was a public voice of support while the Bucks made the decision not to take the floor during their first-round playoff series against the Magic last August after the Jacob Blake shooting, and also made headlines last month for receiving an available COVID vaccine at the senior living center in Milwaukee where his wife’s uncle is a rabbi despite not being in a Wisconsin priority group.

Lasry joins Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson as the only two current candidates vying for the seat next year, though others may join the race in the coming months.