How 'bout them Orioles

There are certain teams you can tell are made for state tournament runs.

It's kind of hard to describe, but they have to have certain characteristics. They have to have a certain swagger. They have to have a star player. They have to have a player that does the dirty work. They have to have a great shooter. And they have to have multiple ways of beating you, and multiple ways of stopping you. In other words, they have to be able to minimize their weaknesses while enhancing their strengths.

From what I saw in their 48-27 victory over Ozaukee on Thursday night, the North Fond du Lac Orioles are that team. They certainly have a swagger winning 12 straight, the last of which came by 21 points over a team that won 18 games in the regular season. They have the start player in Tori Fink. They have the player that does the dirty work in Claire Roberts. They have a great shooter in Emily Bestor. They can beat you inside, as they did on Thursday, or outside with Fink and Bestor. And they have enough depth down low and enough talent on the wing to defend anyone.

Saturday's game with state-tournament favorite Oostburg should be a doozy. I'd place my money on the winner making it to Madison.

Other quick thoughts from Thursday:

***The Fond du Lac boys basketball team is so close to becoming a very, very good team. This stikes me as a team that, if it finds its groove, could make another deep run in the tournament. Or it could go out in the first round. Either way, I know they are one of the more dangerous teams that has to play a road game in the first round.

***The Campbellsport girls showed their mettle in a thrilling victory over Kettle Moraine Lutheran. The Cougars scored 29 points in the fourth quarter, most of which was done with leading scorer Kallie Benike on the bench after she fouled out.

***This doesn't have anything to do with high school hoops, but did you see this hockey fight Thursday night? Chances are this YouTube video might come down sometime during the day, so check out the video on the ESPN story here.