The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association boys basketball tournament rolls on with sectional semifinals March 12 and sectional finals March 14.
Thirteen Milwaukee-area programs remain alive for six state title berths across three divisions. All sectional semifinal games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Here is a look at the schedule, matchups and predictions for who will be heading to the Kohl Center in Madison for the state tournament March 19-21.
Division 1, Sectional 2
No. 1 De Pere (23-3) vs. No. 5 Germantown (17-9)
Location: Sheboygan North High School
De Pere will look to end the season of a Greater Metro Conference team for the second consecutive game, as the Redbirds face Germantown after knocking off Menomonee Falls (85-56) in their regional final. Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Mr. Basketball Award semifinalist Cahlil Jones (23.7 points per game) has led the Warhawks to a regional title for the second time in the past three seasons, but have they met their match in an experienced De Pere team? Perimeter defense will be key for the Warhawks, as De Pere junior Will Krueger can be streaky from deep. He hit seven 3-pointers against Menomonee Falls and averages three makes per game. Germantown has gotten great play from Jones in the postseason with 29 points in a 110-82 win over Green Bay Preble and 26 in an 89-71 win over Hartford. But the Warhawks will need the type of supplementary scoring they got in the Hartford game from seniors Darrius Peete (13.1 ppg) and JJ Walters (14.8) when defenders key on Jones.
Prediction: De Pere, 85-76.
No. 3 Brookfield East (21-5) vs. No. 10 Oshkosh North (18-8)
Location: Hartford High School
Germantown’s Greater Metro Conference co-champion from Brookfield East is also trying to reach the sectional final, as it faces face one of a couple surprising No. 10 seeds still alive in the Oshkosh North Spartans. The seeding underdog made it to the Division 1 state semifinals last year, largely on the back of Mr. Basketball Award winner Zay Mitchell. Without the graduated star, Oshkosh North has still seen success as seniors Bryce Ott (22.1 ppg, 8.4 rebounds) and Jackson Anderson (14.0 ppg), among others, have taken on larger roles. They will contend with a Brookfield East team featuring an exciting mix of experienced and breakout talent. Senior TJ Platz (19.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg) has been an efficient contributor in the paint and occasionally around the perimeter. He leads a trio that also includes senior Ronje Horton Jr. (14.8 ppg, 3.8 assists) and freshman Max McMullen (18.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.2 apg). Potentially a lower scoring game in this one between two teams that have played well defensively in their postseason matchups.
Prediction: Brookfield East, 65-58.
Sectional champion prediction: De Pere over Brookfield East, 77-72.
Division 1, Sectional 4
No. 1 Wisconsin Lutheran (26-0) vs. No. 4 Milwaukee Hamilton (18-8)
Location: Whitefish Bay High School
Can anyone stop Wisconsin Lutheran? The Vikings look to be a team surging toward a date with destiny through two playoff games, including a 74-18 regional final win over Oak Creek in which they led 40-4 at halftime. Wisco boasts one of the longer lineups in the state, led by WBCA 2026 Mr. Basketball finalist Zavier Zens (23.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.5 apg). Junior 6-foot-10 guard Kager Knueppel (16.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and sophomore 6-7 forward Kinston Knueppel (9.7 ppg) are carrying the torch for their NBA older brother Kon as well.
All due respect to a Hamilton team that has now won three regional titles in the last four seasons, but the playoff run should end here at the hands of a Vikings team no program in the state has come close to slowing down. This season has been an exciting one for the Wildcats to build upon. Sophomore Jayden Burell (19.7 ppg), junior Rakwon Rogers (17.7 ppg), sophomore Justin Speed (14.7) and junior Osman Mohamed (12.5 ppg) all have had a productive season and are projected to return next year.
Prediction: Wisconsin Lutheran, 86-46.
No. 3 Racine Case (21-5) vs. No. 10 Muskego (13-12)
Location: Waukesha South High School
The Milwaukee area’s last Cinderella team, Muskego, looks to stave off the stroke of midnight with another upset after knocking off No. 2 seed West Allis Central, which was without Mr. Basketball finalist Yusef Gray Jr.. A win for Muskego would be just the second time the Warriors have won three consecutive games in a roller coaster season. Racine Case has looked a lot more consistent throughout the year and appears to be sharing the ball at an especially potent rate this postseason. Through their playoff wins that have come 73-50 over Milwaukee Reagan and 83-67 over Kenosha Bradford, Case has a combined 38 assists. That’s an improvement of about three more per game than their season-long average of 16.
Prediction: 74-59, Racine Case.
Sectional champion prediction: Wisconsin Lutheran over Racine Case, 82-63.
Division 2, Sectional 2
No. 1 Port Washington (25-1) vs. No. 2 Slinger (22-4)
Location: Cedarburg High School
Both teams will be poring over the film from a Jan. 6 meeting that went 57-56 to Port Washington at Slinger. The biggest disparity in the team box score was turnovers. Slinger lost possession 20 times to 15 Pirates turnovers despite Slinger actually out-pacing Port Washington in steals, 14 to 9. The Owls have cut down on the unforced errors in the postseason, tallying 21 total turnovers across two wins over Kewaskum (70-47) and Nicolet (55-45). The Kohnen brother duo of Jack (20.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.6 apg) and Joey (16.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg) is the engine for the Owls offensively. Jack will be looking for a much better outing than his nine points on 3-of-11 shooting with 10 turnovers in the first meeting with Port Washington. The Pirates are upperclassmen-heavy, led by seniors Cal Loose (17.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Grady Karrels (14.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.4 apg). Whoever takes care of the ball best and manages to defend without fouling should prevail in what figures to be another close contest.
Prediction: Slinger, 63-60.
Sectional champion prediction: Slinger over Notre Dame, 67-58.
Division 2, Sectional 3
No. 1 New Berlin West (23-3) vs. No. 3 Wauwatosa West (20-6)
Location: Waukesha North High School
This meeting of the reigning D2 state champion Wauwatosa West Trojans and New Berlin West Vikings should feature some interesting defensive matchups. The Trojans will be tested by New Berlin West’s guard trio of junior Jayce Cook (19.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg), senior Evan Kern (16.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.0 apg) and senior Elijah Gammage (13.0 ppg), while UW-Green Bay commit Matthew Kloskey (23.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and junior Jalen Brown (20.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 6.3 apg) each pose the threat to take over a game.
While the Trojans are not quite on the level of Wisconsin Lutheran, New Berlin West’s two uncompetitive showings against some other NCAA DI-caliber athletes in a pair of blowout losses to Wisco do bode well for New Berlin West’s matchup against Kloskey and Brown.
Prediction: Wauwatosa West, 73-62.
Sectional champion prediction: Wauwatosa West over McFarland, 72-67.
Division 2, Sectional 4
No. 1 Whitefish Bay (20-6) vs. No. 3 Milwaukee Academy of Science (12-14)
Location: Brown Deer High School
Do not let the record fool you, Milwaukee Academy of Science can be a dangerous team as it continues its D3 title defense in D2. The Novas forfeited seven wins in January due to a WIAA rules “misinterpretation” that neither the school nor the association has elaborated on despite numerous Journal Sentinel inquiries. The core pieces of the title team may have moved on, but the next wave of talent is just as promising. The matchup with the Blue Dukes figures to come down to the pace of play. MAS likes to play fast and run the break at every opportunity, which Whitefish Bay cannot allow if the Blue Dukes expect to advance. Bay has fallen to a North Shore Conference rival in the postseason the past three seasons but has not been thwarted by such a foe so far this year. Expect the Blue Dukes to take the air out of the ball at several points as they seek to keep the Novas’ athletic talent from running the floor too often.
Prediction: Whitefish Bay, 64-55.
Sectional champion prediction: Waterford over Whitefish Bay, 78-74.
Division 4, Sectional 4
No. 1 Milwaukee Juneau (24-1) vs. No. 2 Cedar Grove-Belgium (21-5)
Location: Milwaukee Lutheran High School
The Juneau Pioneers have simply passed every test since an early-season loss to D1 West Allis Central that has proven to be their lone defeat. Gonzaga commit and junior Dooney Johnson (27.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 4.5 apg) leads one of the more electrifying offenses in the state alongside senior teammates Takis Tyler (17.7 ppg, 5.7 apg) and Jaden Hardiman (17.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Cedar Grove-Belgium narrowly survived its regional final matchup with Dominican, 81-79, and advancing has required some heroic efforts for seniors Carter Schmitz and Owen Grulke, who have outperformed their season scoring averages to lift the Rockets to this point. Even if that trend continues, the Rockets will need supplementary scoring to keep up with Juneau.
Prediction: Milwaukee Juneau, 88-77.
Sectional champion prediction: Juneau over Howards Grove, 81-74.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: WIAA boys basketball sectional preview: a look at Milwaukee-area matchups
Reporting by Zac Bellman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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