Trojans face Evansville in sectional semifinal Thursday
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
The final score from two games with Evansville during the regular season shows a two-point win for both the Blue Devils and East Troy.
But the reality is the Trojans also enjoyed huge leads in each contest before Evansville charged back.
Now with the season on the line, neither team can avoid a misstep.
East Troy (16-7) and Evansville (16-8) meet in the rubber match, this time in a Division 3 sectional semifinal contest Thursday night at Beloit Memorial. The winner in the 7 p.m. contest advances to a sectional final Saturday against either Adams-Friendship (15-8) or River Valley (19-5) at Middleton, beginning at 1 p.m.
The Trojans defeated Evansville 59-57 in January, but fell 47-45 in the rematch Feb. 20.
“It should be a really good game,” East Troy coach Darryl Rayfield said. “They have a sophomore kid (Brennan Banks) who is averaging 21 points a game, he’s a good player.
“They have a 6-6 kid, (Kyle) Rutkowski, who is a good inside kid. In both games, we built a 16-point lead and (lost it). … I’m looking forward to it. It seems like a pretty even game.”
Heading into Thursday, Banks, a 6-0 sophomore, leads Evansville with 20.8 points per game, including 20 3-pointers. Banks, a junior, is next at 15.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.
For the Trojans, Connor Mitchell leads the way at 12.6 points per game, followed by Will Iloncaie and Joseph Ciriacks at 11 and Matt Kaminski at 8.9.
Rayfield was pleased with his team’s defensive effort in both regional games, and knows that has to continue Thursday and Saturday, if the Trojans can advance.
Like most squads, East Troy’s offense is built off its defense – and that won’t change.
“We need to keep Rutkowski from being a factor inside,” Rayfield said. “If we can get transition (baskets) a little bit like we’ve been doing, that will help us as we move forward here.
“Making shots and getting into transition is good for us. If we can rebound and (do those things), I think we’ll be OK.”
The other half of the bracket features Adam-Friendship, which advanced with a 35-32 win over Lodi last weekend, and River Valley, a 58-42 winner over Dodgeville in the regional final.
East Troy is seeking a return to state for the second time in three years. The Trojans last advanced in 2013, while Evansville’s last trip was way back in 1938.
Adams-Friendship made the trip in 2008, and River Valley enters the weekend in search of its first-ever state tournament berth.
Rayfield is excited for the opportunity that awaits this weekend, and he knows the community is as well.
“It seems like in East Troy at this time of the year, you’re expected to be in these games,” he said. “There’s no better feeling than having that backing.
“The expectations are still high. We’re looking forward to it. The kids are looking forward to it, and I think the community is looking forward to it as well.”
