Milwaukee Academy of Science Advances to D3 Championship with Late Game Heroics

MADISON, Wis. — Milwaukee Academy of Science secured a spot in the D3 State Boys Basketball Championship after a thrilling 65-61 semifinal victory over Lake Mills Thursday at the Kohl Center. Jamarion Batemon delivered a crucial three-pointer with under two minutes left, swinging the momentum in favor of Milwaukee, while Devin Brown sealed the game with two decisive free throws in the final moments.

Batemon led his team with 22 points, while Brown contributed 19 points to the effort. Milwaukee took advantage of turnovers, scoring 19 points off Lake Mills’ mistakes compared to just 11 for their opponents. Despite the challenge, Lake Mills’ AJ Bender put forth a commendable performance, netting 23 points and shooting 75% from beyond the arc with a 3-for-4 mark.

The high-stakes match epitomized the intensity of state tournament play, and Batemon emphasized the team’s unity post-game. “We all worked hard for this moment, and it feels great to see it pay off,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the Kohl Center buzzed with excitement as 20 schools from across Wisconsin competed for state titles, with four teams representing Northeast Wisconsin in various divisions. Champions were crowned on Saturday, including Aquinas, who defeated Bonduel 74-45 in Division 4.

In the Division 1 finals, Oshkosh North narrowly lost to the top-seeded Wisconsin Lutheran 58-57. Spartans coach Brad Weber praised his team’s resilience, stating, “We are unbreakable. We got beat tonight, but nobody broke us.” Oshkosh North star Xzavion Mitchell, who scored 27 points and was named WBCA’s Mr. Basketball, noted the importance of their journey this season: “Every game in our conference built us for this opportunity.”

In Division 3, Freedom cruised past Elk Mound with a final score of 66-32, thanks to dominant performances by Drew Kortz and Donovan Davis, who each scored 27 points. Freedom’s defensive pressure effectively stifled Elk Mound, who could only manage to convert four of their 20 shots in the first half.

Freedom head coach Andrew Gibbons credited his players’ execution. “Things went well. Obviously, there’s some things we want to clean up, but overall, we followed the game plan perfectly,” he said.

As they prepare for the championship showdown against Milwaukee Academy of Science, Gibbons is focused on maintaining their strong play. “The key is to stay disciplined and let our experience guide us,” he said.