* Credit the Raiders for understanding that they are playing second fiddle to the girls this weekend. The boys are taking the proper approach to sectionals, as junior standout T.J. Kellner expressed after Friday's thrilling win: "We think about it maybe the day before the game, how many fans we'll have. But we have each other."
* Kellner is also relishing the underdog role North's boys have played throughout the postseason. They have knocked off two higher-seeded opponents, including one on their home court (Oshkosh West) and another Friday when the crowd was decidedly pro-Neenah. Even with North's rich history (5 sectional trips the last 6 seasons), Kellner reminds that the school can't be counted out tonight: "Not many teams can score 92 points in a game," a reference to the 92-90 win at Oshkosh North last Saturday.
* One of the abilities of a strong team is to adjust to the conditions of the game, and North received an A in this department. After relying on the 3-ball to upset Oshkosh North, the Raiders made only 4 of 13 against Neenah. Instead, guys like Alex Jordan and Kellner found success driving to the basket and forcing Neenah's big men to foul or leave their player, giving open looks to Cory Dodge, Tom Eirich, Steven Lacy and Derek Duessing, who hit a huge "3" at the end of the third quarter to tie the game at 41, for easy baskets.
* Tom Desotell did a great coaching job with his center, Tom Eirich, who was giving up 5 inches to Neenah's Khalil Trocme. Eirich got frustrated early and had some shots blocked and others altered. But during Eirich's trips to the bench Desotell could be heard encouraging Eirich, coaching him to let the shots come to him, giving advice how to guard Trocme "get the body on the big guy," keeping his head up. It resulted in Eirich contributing six points in a strong second half before fouling out. He finished with 10 points and 3 rebounds.
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