By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
If the opposition thought the East Troy boys basketball team may not be quite focused as the WIAA tournament began last week, all they had to do was read a pair of regional box scores.
It appears the Trojans are quite ready to go – and the final results prove that fact.
East Troy, ranked second in Division 3, rolled past St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy 98-45 in the regional semifinal, followed by a 61-41 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran in the final Saturday night.
The two victories improved the Trojans to 21-3 overall and sends them to the sectional round this week. East Troy will face Brown Deer in a semifinal Thursday night at Marquette.
Not that everything was easy last week for East Troy, as it led by just two points over Kettle Moraine at halftime.
But the Trojans made their move in the third quarter, as they enjoyed a 14-4 advantage to take a 12-point lead into the last period. East Troy sealed the victory with a 21-13 edge in the last eight minutes.
Nate Dodge led the way with 20 points, followed by Brett Prahl with 19, Alex Prahl with nine and Connor Mitchell with eight.
East Troy also enjoyed a significant advantage from the free-throw line, as it made 10 of 16 attempts, while Kettle Moraine was just three for five.
The opener one night earlier never was in doubt.
East Troy blitzed St. John’s with a 25-8 scoring advantage in the first quarter and a 28-4 bulge in the second to take a commanding 53-16 lead by halftime.
East Troy outscored St. John’s 55-33 in the final two quarters.
Dodge led a balanced scoring attack with 27 points, followed by Brett Prahl with 19, Alex Prahl with 13, Sam Eckert with nine and Jacob Growel with seven.
Semifinal presents challenge
It’s almost a certainty that things will get tougher from here, beginning with the semifinal contest Thursday against Brown Deer.
The Falcons enter the weekend at 21-3 overall and were ranked ninth in the latest Division 3 poll. Brown Deer advanced to the sectional with a 55-42 win last week over Racine St. Catherine’s.
Brown Deer has four players who score in double digits, led by 6-foot-3 senior Trayvon Palmer (17.3). He is followed by 6-3 senior D’Sean Groce (14.9), 6-7 junior Devonte Jackson (12.5) and 5-9 senior Desmond Jackson (11.2).
Entering the sectional, Brett Prahl leads the Trojans at 20 points per game, followed by Dodge (19.3) and Alex Prahl (11.6).
The winner Thursday will face either Oostburg (22-2) or Berlin (18-6) Saturday at Hartland Arrowhead High School for a berth in next week’s state tournament. Tip off in the sectional final is set for 2 p.m.
Oostburg is ranked 10th in Division 3.
