Boys basketball:
Brookfield Central, Washington advance.
BROWN DEER - Milwaukee Washington scored the first 12 points and never looked back in beating New Berlin Eisenhower, 52-43, Saturday afternoon to reach the boys state basketball tournament for the first time since 2009.
“You know what? It’s refreshing,” said Purgolders coach Freddie Riley, in his fifth year. “I know the tradition and the legacy here. It runs deep, like the Mississippi River. I feel very fortunate to be in the position to add on to the legacy that they already have here at Washington.
“What Coach (James) Gordon continued to do, Coach (Jay) Kenseth, Coach Clyde Rusk — rest in peace his soul, I know he’s smiling down on us and was helping us — those guys set the tone for Washington and I’m just trying to follow in their footsteps and make our whole district proud of us.”
Top-seeded Washington, ranked fifth in the final Associated Press Division 2 state poll, won its 10th straight game to improve to 22-4. The Purgolders will face secondranked Cedarburg in a state semifinal at 3:15 p.m. Friday in Madison.
Washington opened its season with a three-point loss to Eisenhower, but the Purgolders’ top two scorers, senior guard Tyree Ellis and sophomore forward Deontay Long, did not play. In the rematch, they combined for 23 of their 29 points in the second half.
“Oh my goodness, where do you want me to start,” Riley said. “Scottie and Jordan, Kobe and Shaq, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, LeBron and Dwyane Wade. This is a double duo that’s hard to contain. These guys are 6-4, 6-5, 200-plus pounds and can move. They’ve got skills, they’ve got pretty good IQ, they’re tough to match up with. … I’m blessed to coach two caliber guys like that.”
Eighth-ranked and second-seeded Eisenhower had won its previous 13 games but was denied its first state berth since 2008 after managing just 10 first-half points and trailing the entire contest.
“It always hurts, because everyone wants their season to end in Madison,” said Lions junior Bryce Miller, who had 22 points while three teammates combined for the other 21.
Credit Washington’s defense, as the Purgolders’ in-your-face smothering style caused fits for Eisenhower all game. Of the Lions’ first 13 possessions of the second half, seven resulted in turnovers.
That helped Washington take its biggest lead, 36-20, after two free throws by Johntae Martin with 9 minutes 36 seconds to go.
“One thing about Washington, if you know about the legacy and the tradition, they sit down and play defense,” Riley said. “That’s one thing I constantly continue to preach.”
Eisenhower got within 44-40 after two free throws by Sullivan Kulju with 1:58 remaining, but Washington scored the next eight points as the Lions missed five straight three-pointers.
“We were just fighting from behind the whole time,” Eisenhower coach David Scheidegger said.
Long put the game out of reach with an emphatic dunk despite being fouled, and his free throw gave his team a 10point lead with 36 seconds to go.
“It kind of cheered me up because I know I could’ve played better,” he said.
Riley somehow had to contain his excitement, however, because he and Eisenhower’s coach each received technical fouls with 8:21 left and could not leave their seat as a result.
“I’m a very emotional guy,” Riley said. “I played as a player with my heart on my sleeve. I like my players to take on my mentality because I’m very competitive.”