Playing a conference opponent at sectionals is nothing new to the Valders boys basketball team.
VALDERS — Reaching sectionals is nothing new to the Valders boys basketball team.
The Vikings (20-4) will take on Eastern Wisconsin Conference rival New Holstein (20-4) Thursday at 7 p.m. in Menasha in the WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal.
This will also be No. 2 seeded Valders fourth-straight trip to the sectional semifinals, dropping two out of three.
Valders coach Trevor Schwoerer feels that playoff experience should benefit the Vikings.
"The heartbeat of our guys will be a little slower," Schwoerer said.
When the two sides met in the regular season, No. 1 New Holstein won the first game 66-60 while Valders took the second 69-64.
That Vikings win Feb. 17 was the lone loss in EWC action for the Huskies.
In the two games, one thing was consistent for Valders and that was the play of senior Luke Goedeke and junior Kyle Tuma.
Goedeke and Tuma both averaged over 20 points while junior guard Treyner Sundsmo was the only other play for Valders to reach double digits in either game.
New Holstein, meanwhile, had four players score at least 10 points in both contests.
If the Vikings want to win against the Huskies a second time Thursday, Sundsmo's offensive touch could go a long way towards accomplishing that goal.
Sundsmo, who averages 12.5 points per game, hit his average with 12 points in Valders' victory over New Holstein while only tallying seven in the loss.
Another major difference between the two games was the Vikings' ability to contain the Huskies' top-offensive threat Nolan Beirne.
Beirne is a favorite, along with Goedeke, to win the EWC Player of the Year award so it's obvious as Beirne goes so does New Holstein.
After the senior forward notched 20 points in the first meeting, Beirne was held to just 13 in the rematch.
"I feel like we played better overall defensively as a team in that second game," Schwoerer said.
Schwoerer says strong team defense leads to better looks on the other end.
"Good defense leads to easier offense," Schwoerer said.
Beirne and Goedeke both average about 21 ppg while Devin Schisel scores over 15 a contest for New Holstein and Kyle Tuma over 17 for Valders.
The Huskies have three other players who record between 10 and 11 ppg while after Sundsmo the highest average for the Vikings is Fletcher Dallas at just above four.
Should the game come down to free throws at the end, New Holstein has the statistical advantage.
The Huskies have four players who convert at least 72 percent of their attempts from the line, led by Ryan Steffes at 82 percent.
Tuma leads Valders from the line, making 80 percent while Jake Beimborn is second at 66 percent.
The winner of New Holstein and Valders will face either No. 1 Xavier or No. 2 Little Chute Saturday at Kaukauna.