(WIAA) – Champions in five divisions earned gold trophies at the 2026 State Girls Basketball Tournament Saturday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon.
Second-seeded Arrowhead (28-2) and top-seeded Wauwatosa East (29-1) locked into a instant classic in the Division 1 championship game to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the State Girls Basketball Tournament. The Warhawks defeated the Red Raiders 80-74 in double overtime.
Wauwatosa East led throughout much of the game, but trailed 62-58 with 28 seconds remaining in regulation when Ellie Duprey tied the game for the Red Raiders with eight seconds showing on the clock. She hit a three-pointer and was fouled, proceeding to complete a four-point play to send the game into overtime.
Nothing was decided in the first overtime with each team scoring three points. In the second overtime, Natalie Kussow scored eight of her game-high 34 points to propel the Warhawks to the victory.
Kussow recorded a double-double in the game with 10 rebounds to go with her point total, and she also distributed six assists. Libby Gilmore also contributed with a double-double, scoring 11 points and collecting a game-high 13 rebounds. Sidney Zehner added 12 points and six assists.
The Red Raiders had five players score in double figures. Mikaia Litza led the way with 26 to go with a team-high 10 rebounds and game-high nine assists. Audrey Sellinger tossed in 14 points, Deprey scored 12, and Emma Close and Ellie Pudelko each added 11.
Arrowhead defeated Pewaukee 72-49 in the semifinals to earn its berth in the championship game. In their 13th State appearance, the Warhawks win their second title in the past three seasons and their fourth overall.
Wauwatosa East, last year’s champion in Division 2, finishes runner-up in its fifth State experience. The Red Raiders advanced to the title game following a 62-58 victory over Notre Dame in the semifinals.
Division 2: Whitefish Bay (26-4), the #2 seed, edged fourth-seeded Beaver Dam (23-7) 64-63 to claim the Division 2 title.
The Blue Dukes went on a 7-0 run at the end of an evenly played first half to take a 38-30 lead into the locker room at halftime. A 9-0 run to start the second half appeared to put Whitefish Bay in the driver’s seat for comfortable ride to the title. That’s when the Golden Beavers began a 22-4 run to take a 52-51 lead with 9:02 to play in the game. With Beaver Dam leading 63-60 with 1:32 to play in regulation, Sage Miskel scored twice in the paint in successive possessions for the Blue Dukes to provide the margin of victory.
Miskel led Whitefish Bay in scoring with 18 points. Madaline Volpe added 12 points to the offensive attack, and Rowan Counsell and Carrington Balthasar chipped in with 10 points apiece. Counsell also contributed with a team-high 10 rebounds and five assists.
The Golden Beavers were efficient from the three-point arc, converting 9-of-13 three-point attempts (.692). Joelee Drzonek went 4-for-4 beyond the arc and scored a game-high 19 points. Nataya Donaldson and Emma Julka also scored in double figures with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Donaldson was also the game’s leader in rebounds with 13, and Sheamarie Ashley handed out a game-high six assists.
Whitefish Bay defeated Elkhorn 78-42 in the semifinals to advance to the title game. The Blue Dukes win their first championship in eight State experiences.
Beaver Dam downed Rice Lake 70-58 in the semifinals and placed runner-up in their seventh State appearance.
Division 3: Top-seeded Oostburg (30-0) rolled to its second consecutive Division 3 championship, defeating second-seeding Wisconsin Dells (29-1) 64-37 in the title tilt.
The Lady Dutch scored the first eight points of the game and led 12-1 before the Chiefs fought back to pull within a basket at 14-12 with an 11-2 run. Oostburg responded by building a double-digit lead throughout the remainder of the first half for a 42-21 halftime advantage. The closest Wisconsin Dells would get in the second half was 18 points with a three-pointer start the scoring in the second half.
The Lady Dutch were led by the trio of Ketterhagen sisters. Ady Ketterhagen led the team in scoring and rebounds with 20 points and nine rebounds. Kinsley Ketterhagen contributed 14 points, six rebounds and a game-high five assists, and Riley Ketterhagen added 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Chiefs were led on offense by Jaz Alwin’s 20 points. Natalie Backhaus chipped in with seven points and a game-high 11 rebounds to go with a team-high four assists.
Oostburg defeated Mosinee 63-50 in the semifinals to advance to the championship game for the second year in a row. The Lady Dutch win the program’s fifth title in their 12th State appearance. Wisconsin Dells beat Kettle Moraine Lutheran 77-71 in the semifinals to advance to the final, finishing runner-up in its second State experience.
Division 4: Top-seeded Neillsville (29-1) turned back third-seeded Albany/Monticello (27-3) 43-40 in the Division 4 title game to win the championship.
The Warriors withstood a late comeback attempt by the Space Stallions. Trailing by seven with one minute remaining in the game, Albany/Monticello’s Heidi Olson drained a three-pointer. Molly Olson then made a steal on the next Neillsville possession, and Annie Olson cut the Albany/Monticello deficit to one at 41-40 with a three-pointer with 30 seconds remaining. However, Madi Davel secured the title for the Warriors with a steal and two free throws in final moments.
The Warriors had a significant 36-19 rebound lead on the glass, including a 16-0 advantage in second-chance points. Eden Mang recorded a double-double for the Warriors with a game-high 16 points with 10 rebounds. Braelyn Anding netted 10 points, and Tessa Warren led all players with 14 rebounds for Neillsville.
Albany/Monticello featured a balanced scoring attack. Annie Olson led the team with nine points, and Emersen Butts, Molly Olson and Heidi Olson all added eight points. Butts also handed out a game-high eight assists and made four steals for the Space Stallions.
Neillsville advanced to the championship game following a 58-31 victory over Lomira in the semifinals. The Warriors win their second championship in the program’s seventh State experience.
Albany/Monticello finishes runner-up in its second State appearance as a co-op program after advancing to the final with a 45-31 win over St. Mary Catholic in the semifinals.
Division 5: Second-seeded Pacelli (25-4) cruised to the Division 5 championship with a 70-40 win in the title game over top-seeded Eleva-Strum (30-1) in the battle of Cardinal mascots.
Pacelli took a 4-3 lead at 16:32 in the first half and would never relinquish that lead. Ahead 35-25 at the half, Pacelli used a 13-point run to extend its lead to 52-30 with 10:12 remaining in the game and led by as many as 32 points in the second half.
Jaedyn Zdroik led Pacelli with a triple-double in the game with 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. The 19 caroms tied a Division 5 record and the 10 assists set the division mark. Ella Van Order tossed in 19 points, and Haylee Cisewski chipped in with 14 points for the Cardinals, who out-rebounded Eleva-Strum 52-37 and outscored them 34-12 in the paint.
Eleva-Strum was led by Avery Glenz with 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Aliza Kulig also scored in double-figures with 11 points and pulled down six rebounds.
Pacelli advanced to the championship game with a 49-40 win over Barneveld in the semifinals. The Cardinals win the school’s first championship in its first-ever appearance in the State Tournament.
Eleva-Strum defeated Fall River 70-54 in the semifinals to advance to the final. The Cardinals finished runner-up in its second State appearance.
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