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The 2023-24 Appleton East High School girls basketball team. (Submitted photo)
Appleton East

Neenah fights off pesky Appleton East to take WIAA Division 1 girls basketball regional final

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AppletonSportsPage.com

NEENAH – Allie Ziebell scored 21 of her game-high 29 points after halftime, sparking a big second-half run for Neenah as it pulled away to defeat Appleton East 69-50 in a WIAA Division 1 girls basketball regional final Saturday night at Neenah High School.

The 11th-seeded Patriots, fresh off an upset win over No. 6 seed Superior and the long bus ride back and forth that went with it, came out inspired in the first half and led much of the way before Neenah pulled in front 27-26 at the halftime break.

Ziebell, a University of Connecticut recruit and state player of the year candidate, hit three 3-pointers early to help Neenah pull away. The Rockets outscored Appleton East 42-24 in the second half, 21 coming from Ziebell, who finished a perfect 12-for-12 at the free throw line.

No. 2 seed Neenah (21-5) moves on to a sectional semifinal against No. 3 seed Hudson (20-5), a 50-42 winner over Marshfield on Saturday. The game is scheduled to be played at Oshkosh North High School, but the site may be changed by the WIAA.

Torie Neubauer scored 20 points, which included three 3-pointers, and Lilly Meulemans added nine for Appleton East, which ends its season with a 15-11 record.

Rowan Klesmit also chipped in 17 points for the Rockets.

Rockets 69, Patriots 50
Appleton East   26   24   –   50
Neenah   27   42   –   69
APPLETON EAST (50): Lucy Doszak 0 0-2 0, Ava Schwan 2 0-0 5, Jenna Ott 2 0-0 5, Lindsay Gerard 2 0-0 4, Marissa Schwartz 0 0-0 0, Lilly Meulemans 4 1-2 9, Torie Neubauer 8 1-1 20, Aubree Erickson 0 0-2 0, Ella Sweeney 2 2-2 7. FG: 20. FT: 4-9. 3-pointers 6 (Neubauer 3, Ott 1, Schwan 1, Sweeney 1). Fouls: 20. Fouled out: none. Record: 15-11.
NEENAH (69): Allie Ziebell 7 12-12 29, Ellie Buss 3 0-1 7, Kayla White 1 0-0 2, Rowan Klesmit 7 2-4 17, Rachel Dietrich 0 0-0 0, Korianna Bartman 1 0-0 2, Abbie Fischer 3 2-3 10, Amaya Jones 0 2-2 2. FG: 22. FT: 18-22. 3-pointers: 7 (Ziebell 3, Fischer 2, Klesmit 1, Buss 1). Fouls: 14. Fouled out: none. Record: 21-5.