North girls playing for tournament time

The Eau Claire North girls basketball team has won five Big Rivers Conference championships this decade.

It has zero state tournament appearances.

North's star guard Hannah Quilling wants that to change. So while the Huskies' 57-52 overtime victory over Memorial on Tuesday night may have thrust them back into the BRC race, that's not why Quilling was excited.

"I think I can say for myself as well as any one of the girls in the locker room that we couldn’t care less about the conference," Quilling said. "We won it too many years in a row to have nothing happen with it.

"Tournament time is what we are playing for. We couldn't care less if we go 0-12 in the conference. We need to be ready for the tournament. That is what we are playing for."

While going 0-12 may not be the best way to get ready for the tournament, playing tough competition is. And that's exactly what North has done. The Huskies have played La Crosse Logan, Marshfield, Ashwaubenon and Middleton. They play D.C. Everest on Tuesday. The BRC is loaded this season, and any one of five teams could emerge as the champion.

"It's all about confidence," Quilling said. "We need to know that we can play with these teams and win these close games."

North isn't the only BRC team to play a tough schedule. Memorial and Chippewa Falls have played many of the same teams that North has, meaning the entire BRC should be tournament-tested come March.

- John Casper Jr.