ARCADIA — The experience of three pressure-packed postseason games paid off for the West Salem High School basketball team on Saturday.
Menomonie gave the Panthers all they wanted to handle and built a 10-point lead in the second half, but going through one-, two-, and three-point victories in WIAA Division 2 regional and sectional wins over New London, Onalaska and Central had West Salem prepared — even when presented by a 6-foot-8 hurdle.
Junior Elliott Corcoran knocked down a 3-pointer with 2 minutes to put the Panthers ahead for good in what became a 61-56 victory in a sectional final at the Wanek Arena. The win pushes West Salem to the state tournament for the fourth time in five years.
Corcoran scored 21 points, and the Panthers (24-4) fought back from deficits of 32-22, 39-30 and 45-36 as Menomonie junior Trevor Robert accumulated 21 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots.
Corcoran scored seven points over the final 4:02, and junior Drew McConkey held Robert to one point after his putback gave the Mustangs (19-9) a 47-39 lead with 6:28 to go.
“We saw that we can persevere and win close games,” McConkey said of the current playoff run that takes them to the Kohl Center for a semifinal on Friday afternoon. “We were down by seven at halftime, and we knew we could come back.”
McConkey added 19 points, senior Will Schmidt eight and senior Nate Dillaber seven for the Panthers, who gave up the lead when Robert scored to give Menomonie a 20-18 lead with 3:44 left in the first half and held it until a Will Schmidt drive to the basket gave West Salem a 50-49 lead with 3:28 left in the game.
The Panthers had all kinds of trouble neutralizing Robert in the first half as his nine points and 11 rebounds sparked the Mustangs’ 29-22 advantage.
Robert found his most success on an inside spin that he finished with his left hand. Three of those baskets either tied the game or put Menomonie ahead.
Robert also blocked five first-half shots.
This story will be updated.
