Girls Basketball State Championship Recap: Best Game, Best Team, MVP, & All-Tournament Team

The 50th WIAA Girls Basketball State Tournament was completed over the weekend, and we were treated to some outstanding action across three days at the Resch Center in Green Bay. Below we will take a deeper look at the state tournament and hand out a few awards.

DIVISION 1
Semifinals - Friday, March 13 - 6:35 p.m.
#1 Wauwatosa East (29-0), 62 vs. #4 Notre Dame (24-5), 58 - Recap/Box Score
#2 Arrowhead (27-2), 72 vs. #3 Pewaukee (24-5), 49 - Recap/Box Score

Championship - #2 Arrowhead (28-2), 80 vs. #1 Wauwatosa East (29-1) 74 (2 OT) - Recap/Box Score

DIVISION 2
Semifinals - Friday, March 13 - 1:35 p.m.
#4 Beaver Dam (22-6), 70 vs. #1 Rice Lake (25-4), 58 - Recap/Box Score
#2 Whitefish Bay (25-4), 78 vs. #3 Elkhorn (24-5), 42 - Recap/Box Score

Championship - #2 Whitefish Bay (26-4), 64, #4 Beaver Dam (23-7), 63 - Recap/Box Score

DIVISION 3
Semifinals - Thursday, March 12 - 1:35 p.m.
#1 Oostburg (29-0), 63 vs. #4 Mosinee (24-5), 50 - Recap/Box Score
#3 Wisconsin Dells (29-0), 77 vs. #2 Kettle Moraine Lutheran (27-2), 71 - Recap/Box Score

Championship - #1 Oostburg (30-0), 64 vs. #3 Wisconsin Dells (29-1), 37 - Recap/Box Score

DIVISION 4
Semifinals - Thursday, March 12 - 6:35 p.m.
#1 Neillsville (28-1), 58 vs. #4 Lomira (22-7), 31 - Recap/Box Score
#3 Albany/Monticello (27-2), 45 vs. #2 Saint Mary Catholic (25-4), 31 - Recap/Box Score

Championship - #1 Neillsville (29-1), 43 vs. #3 Albany/Monticello (27-3), 40 - Recap/Box Score

DIVISION 5
Semifinals - Friday, March 13 - 9:05 a.m.
#1 Eleva-Strum (30-0), 70 vs. #4 Fall River (17-12), 54 - Recap/Box Score
#2 Pacelli (24-4), 49 vs. #3 Barneveld (22-8), 40 - Recap/Box Score

Championship Final - #2 Pacelli (25-4), 70 vs. #1 Eleva-Strum (30-1), 40 - Recap/Box Score

Three of Saturday’s state championship games weren’t decided until the final seconds, and it appeared the D2 championship that saw Whitefish Bay hold off Beaver Dam 64-63 would be the game of the tournament. That was until Arrowhead and Wauwatosa East played a two-overtime thriller that included an incredible four-point play to send the game to overtime and some incredible back-and-forth action from the tip. Both teams had chances to close things out several times, but it wasn’t until Arrowhead converted free throws at the end of double overtime and got a couple breakaways against the Tosa East press that the Warhawks could put the finishing touches on an 80-74 double overtime victory. It was a sweet measure of revenge for an overtime loss to Wauwatosa East during the regular season. Ms. Basketball winner Natalie Kussow was outstanding, scoring 34 points with 10 rebounds and six assists. Wauwatosa East senior Mikaia Litza was an assist away from a triple-double, scoring 26 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists.

Oostburg entered as an overwhelming favorite in Division 3, but the Flying Dutch got all they could handle early on in the state semifinals, as fourth-seeded Mosinee held a 30-22 lead at halftime. Shooting just 24% in the first half, Oostburg made lots of uncharacteristic mistakes, though they’d get corrected quickly after halftime. The Flying Dutch would dominate after the break and claim a 63-50 victory. They blitzed an outstanding Wisconsin Dells team in the championship game that was a showdown of undefeated squads, going on to claim a dominating 64-37 victory and second consecutive D3 title. Oostburg finished 30-0 and ranked number one in the state in any division in the Bound Power Index. Along the way, they did something likely never before accomplished in state history. The team defeated:

Natalie Kussow showed exactly why she was selected as the WBCA Ms. Basketball and will head to the University of Minnesota’s women’s basketball program next year. In the 72-49 semi-final win over Pewaukee, Kussow was clearly the best player on the court, making 10-of-15 field goal attempts en route to 26 points to go with nine rebounds. She was even better in the championship game, helping the Warhawks to an 80-74 double-overtime win. She had 11 points in the two overtime periods, including eight in the second overtime, finishing with 34 points. She added 10 rebounds and six assists in the game. She ended her standout four-year career with a pair of state titles and 2,759 points, placing her fifth on the state’s all-time list.

Sidney Zehner, Arrowhead - Lehner played an outstanding floor game all tournament, adding excellent defense as well. In the semifinal victory over Pewaukee, Zehner scored eight points and dished out six assists with three steals and a pair of rebounds. She scored 12 with six rebounds and six assists in the championship contest.

Libby Gilmore, Arrowhead - Gilmore had nine points and nine rebounds in the semifinal, coming up just short of a double-double. She delivered that double-double in the championship game, with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Mikaia Litza, Wauwatosa East - Litza gave it her all for head coach Mary Merg, scoring 14 points with eight assists and two rebounds in the state semifinal, then posting a team-best 26 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists in the title game.

Emma Close, Wauwatosa East - Close was part of three state tournament teams and ended with a strong performance in 2026. She had a game-high 21 points, including five made three-pointers, in the semifinals and contributed 11 points in the title game.

Kaia Waldrop, Notre Dame - Waldrop was tough to stop in the semifinal loss to Wauwatosa East, scoring 16 points, most of them inside, with 13 rebounds and three assists.

Giselle Janowski, Pewaukee - Janowski gave it her all for the Pirates, who came up short in the state semifinals. The senior Wisconsin recruit scored a team-high 21 points with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Madaline Volpe, Whitefish Bay - Volpe was on fire in the state semifinal win over Elkhorn, making seven-of-nine from the field overall, four-of-five from deep, and five-of-six from the free throw line. She’d finish with 23 points, four steals, three assists, and two rebounds. Volpe added 12 points, three assists, three rebounds, and two steals in the title game.

Sage Miskel, Whitefish Bay - Miskel displayed her characteristic aggressiveness and athletic ability in both games at state. She had 12 points, five steals, and five rebounds in the semifinal. In the championship game, she scored a team-high 18 points, none more important than what proved to be the game-winning layup with 43 seconds remaining.

Rowan Counsell, Whitefish Bay - Counsell had 15 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and five steals in the state semifinal. In the championship game, she scored 10 points with 10 rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

Nataya Donaldson, Beaver Dam - Donaldson poured in 25 points with nine rebounds, three assists, a steal, and no turnovers as Beaver Dam upset top-seeded Rice Lake in the state semifinal. The school’s all-time leading scorer also had 14 points and 13 rebounds in the championship game.

Joelee Drzonek, Beaver Dam - Drzonek entered the state tournament averaging 6.5 points per game, but eclipsed that in the semifinals with nine points. She ended up being the team’s leading scorer in the championship game with 19 points, making all four of her three-point attempts.

Adaline Sheplee, Rice Lake - Sheplee scored a team-high 24 points in the Warriors’ state semifinal defeat, grabbing seven rebounds with three steals as well.

Addison Schmidt, Rice Lake - Schmidt did damage inside to the tune of 18 points and nine rebounds and four blocks as the Warriors would go out in the state semifinals against Beaver Dam.

Kyrin Lile, Elkhorn - Elkhorn went out in the state semifinals against Whitefish Bay, but Lile showed why she’s a Division 1 player, scoring 13 points with six rebounds and a pair of assists for the Elks.

Ady Ketterhagen, Oostburg - Ady joined sisters Riley and Kinsley as back-to-back state champions in Division 3, as the Flying Dutch capped off one of the most impressive seasons we’ve ever seen. She had 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and four steals in the semifinal victory over Mosinee. Ady then scored a game-high 20 points with nine rebounds, three steals, and three assists in the championship game.

Riley Ketterhagen, Oostburg - Riley gritted her way through an ankle injury suffered just before halftime of the state title game, but would not be denied the chance to finish off her career on the court, returning to help close things out. She had 10 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal in that one, after posting 18 points, seven rebounds, six steals, and three assists in the semifinal.

Kinsley Ketterhagen, Oostburg - Kinsley had 12 points with four assists in the state semifinal victory over Mosinee, and followed that up with a very efficient performance in the championship contest that included 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block.

Jaz Alwin, Wisconsin Dells - Just a sophomore, Alwin led the Chiefs in scoring at the state tournament with back-to-back 20 point games. She made 14-of-24 shots from field on the weekend.

Natalie Backhaus, Wisconsin Dells - Backhaus dominated inside for Wisconsin Dells in the D3 semifinal over Kettle Moraine Lutheran, making nine-of-11 shots to finish with 23 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four blocks. She struggled shooting the ball in the championship game, but still have seven points, 11 rebounds, four steals, four assists, and two blocks.

Brooklyn Luehring, Kettle Moraine Lutheran - Luehring scored 20 points with four rebounds and four steals as the Chargers came up a little short to Wisconsin Dells in the Division 3 state semifinal.

Mya Mayer, Kettle Moraine Lutheran - Mayer battled it out inside to the tune of 17 points and seven rebounds for the Chargers.

Pacyn Stoffel, Mosinee - Stoffel is just a freshman yet came up big on the big stage at the state tournament. The 6-1 post player had 13 points with a game-high 12 rebounds in the semifinal loss to Oostburg.

Tessa Warren, Neillsville - Tessa Warren played outstanding in the state semifinal victory over Lomira, with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and six blocks. In the title game, she had just six points, but pulled down 14 rebounds with a couple blocks as well.

Eden Marg, Neillsville - Marg scored nine points with six rebounds in the state semifinal, adding two blocks and an assist as well. She led the Warriors with 16 points in the title game, pulling down 10 rebounds.

Molly Olson, Albany/Monticello - Olson had 14 points with four steals, four assists, and three steals in the semifinal, and drew an incredible 12 fouls on Saint Mary Catholic. She’d score eight points with four assists in the title game loss.

Emersen Butts, Albany/Monticello - Butts had nine points and eight rebounds during the semifinal victory against Saint Mary Catholic. She had eight points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in the title game, adding four steals as well.

Autumn Crowe, Saint Mary Catholic - Crowe was about the only player to get going offensively for Saint Mary Catholic, who scored just 31 points in the game. Crowe had more than half of them, pouring in 16 points with six rebounds and three assists.

Josie Christian, Lomira - Lomira didn’t get a lot going offensively, but Christian was a bright spot with 13 points, three assists, three steals, and two rebounds for the Lions.

Jaedyn Zdroik, Pacelli - Zdrois had a double-double in the state semifinal win over Barneveld, with 12 points and 11 rebounds. She did have 10 turnovers for the wrong kind of triple-double, but made up for it with a real triple-double in the state championship game, posting 20 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists as the team dominated Eleva-Strum in the title contest.

Ella Van Order, Pacelli - Van Order led the way with 25 points in the state semifinal victory, with seven rebounds and four assists. She kept up the outstanding play in the state championship game, scoring 19 points with five rebounds.

Avery Glenz, Eleva-Strum - Despite 10 turnovers in the state semifinal, Glenz did lead five Cardinals players in double figure points with 19 points, adding six rebounds. She scored 12 points with eight rebounds in the state championship game.

Izabel Durst, Barneveld - Durst finished her career with a 19-point performance in the state semifinals, grabbing four rebounds with three steals and two assists.

Natalie Fietz, Fall River - Fietz scored a game-high 20 points in the semifinal loss to Eleva-Strum. She’d add 10 rebounds and four assists.

Emma Sampson, Fall River - Sampson came very close to a triple-double in the semifinal loss to Pacelli, with 9 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists.