Craig’s boys basketball team has proven that when it comes to success on the court, teamwork is key. After a challenging start to the season, the senior-dominated squad rallied together to secure their first regional championship since the 2012-2013 season.
After losing to Sun Prairie East 72-54 on January 16, Craig’s boys basketball team found itself in the middle of the conference standings with a record of 8-7.
Since then, the team has been on a tear, going 10-1 in their last 11 games. They rode that hot streak into the WIAA playoffs, and are regional champions after defeating #2 seed Waunakee on Saturday, Mar. 2, by a score of 63-59.
The Cougars were led by Carson McCormick’s 23 points and Kyle Chrostowski’s hot shooting from beyond the arc.
Cougars Take Down Middleton
The Cougars advanced to the regional championship game with their 75-54 win over conference rival Middleton the night before.
The Cardinals came out hot, as sophomore Isaiah Oliver scored 7 quick points and put Craig in a 7-2 hole. But Craig started finding its touch, hitting three pointers and making stops at the defensive end. They led at halftime 43-30 and pushed their lead to 52-34 with 14 minutes left in the second half.
Middleton went on a 12-2 run to pull within 8 points, 54-46. But that was the closest they would get the rest of the way. “It’s always nice to beat Middleton,” said senior Charlie Claas, “no matter the sport.”
Craig had double-digit scoring efforts from senior Carson McCormick (12 points) and 17 from junior post player Judson Henkel.
Standing 6’ 8”, Henkel is shorter than highly touted Middleton junior Will Garlock, who stands 6′ 11” and has gotten Division 1 offers from major schools like Wisconsin and Marquette.
Henkel was unintimidated. He not only outscored Garlock 17-15, but outrebounded him 10 to 5.
Seniors Charlie Class and Michael Zink also provided sparks on defense. Claas’s two straight rebounds on the same possession in the second half brought a roar from the crowd. “That’s fun for me,” said Claas. “I just go up in the air and grab it.”
Coach Ben McCormick loves the spark Claas provides. “Charlie has been that way all year,” he said. “I turned to our bench one time and said, ‘Guys, that’s a winning play.’”
Claas might not score a lot of points, but he helps the team in other ways. “He does so many valuable things like communicating and passing. He’s such a great kid.”
McCormick says that the key to winning basketball is sharing the ball, shooting well, and playing good defense, three things that have keyed the Cougars’ hot steak.
“Middleton is a really good team with a high D-1 player in Garlock, and we tried to do everything we could to slow him down,” he said. “Proud of our effort. Our guys really battled. A great team win.”
The Cougar scoring was led by senior Jackson Bertagnoli and his 22 points. He scored in down low and from the outside, giving the Cougars a potent and hard-to-defend attack. “Jackson was huge tonight,” said coach Ben McCormick. “He scored in the post and took advantage of some mismatches.”
It was the right time for Bertagnoli to find his game.
“I’ve been off a little recently, but with the playoffs, no better time to get it together,” he said, and he credited the team for his success. “My teammates got me open, and that’s really how Craig plays.”
Waunakee a Tough Opponent
McCormick knew they couldn’t admire this win too long. They had to turn around and take on Waunakee the next day. “There’s a reason Waunakee is a two seed,” said McCormick. “They are a very good team.”
Claas agreed with his coach. “Waunakee is legit,” he said. “We just play loose and as a team. That’s what we try to do every game. We should be good,” added, showing the confidence the team has right now,
Bertagnoli added, “We play unselfish and always look to share the ball and get the best shot. And we have a lot of guys that can get hot and take the shot.”
The scoring output of McCormick and Chrostowski’s hot shooting proved the veracity of Jackson’s words and showed what this team is made of.
McCormick credits the experience and unselfishness of his team. “Our seniors have been playing together a really long time, and our underclassmen have jelled,” he said, adding, ”We’re trying to make the right play for the right person, whoever that is. There’s not a whole lot of individual play, which makes us tough to defend at times, especially when we’re shooting the ball well.”
Sectional Awaits
Craig aims to continue their hot shooting against conference champion and #3 seed Sun Prairie West, a team that averages over 90 points a game. Craig will also have to contend with the nation’s second leading scorer, Chris Davis, Jr.
The sectional semifinal game tips off at 7 PM on Thursday, March 7, at Waunakee.
The Wolves beat Craig twice during the season, but Craig is a confident team. Plus, their counterparts on the girls side showed what can be done. In the regional semifinal, Craig’s girls defeated Madison East, a team that defeated them twice in the regular season. The Cougar boys hope to do the same thing.
If Craig gets past the West Wolves, they will take on either Kettle Moraine or Beloit Memorial for the opportunity to return to the Kohl Center for the first time since the 2002-2003 season.
But Charlie Claas won’t let his teammates look ahead. “It’s one game at a time,” he said.
