MarshfieldAreaSports.com
The 2025 WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament will be played at the Kohl Center in Madison from Thursday, March 20, to Saturday, March 22.
Play begins with semifinals with Divisions 3 and 4 on March 20, and continues with semifinals in Divisions 5, 2 and 1 on March 21.
Five divisional championship games will be contested Saturday, March 22, beginning with the Division 5 game at 11 a.m.
Ticket prices for the tourney are $13.50 per session for all seating at the Kohl Center. Order tickets online by selecting the “Tickets” option at the top of the WIAA homepage or the Tickets page at: https://www.expressoticketing.com/wiaa/pickevent.aspx?ECN=49.
All of the games will be televised live on WAOW-TV 9 of Wausau and at waow.com.
Here is a preview, courtesy of the WIAA:
DIVISION 1: Wisconsin Lutheran, the 2024 Division 2 champion, moves up a division and receives the top seed in the bracket. The Vikings are making their fifth appearance at state overall. They have advanced to the championship game in each of their previous experiences. Wisconsin Lutheran also won Division 2 titles in 2009 and in 2014 after finishing runner-up in 2013. The Vikings were the champions in the West Division of the Woodland Conference this season. They continue on their quest for a fourth state title following a 72-53 win over West Allis Central in the Waukesha South Sectional final…Second-seeded Waunakee is making its fourth appearance in the state tournament and its first since 2017. The Warriors’ previous three experiences came in Division 2. The most notable result was a runner-up finish in 2016. This season, they are the co-champions in the Large Division of the Badger Conference with Fort Atkinson, and they are the representatives from the Oregon Sectional following their 75-70 win over Sun Prairie East in the final…Marshfield is the No. 3 seed. The Tigers will embark on their fifth state appearance and the first since 1994. Prior to that, one needs to go way back into the annals to account for their first three experiences. They qualified in 1928, 1931 and 1940 when there was only one division of play. The most notable of their previous experiences was the runner-up finish in 1940. This season, Marshfield won its fourth-straight Wisconsin Valley Conference title. The Tigers earned their first appearance in 31 years by downing Kimberly 62-35 in the Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln Sectional final…Fourth-seeded Oshkosh North is making its eighth overall appearance and the first since 2018 when the Spartans won their only state title. Prior to winning the title, their most notable advances in the state tournament were to the semifinals in 1992 and 2009 when eight teams qualified. The Spartans finished fourth in the Fox Valley Association this season, and they advanced to state through the Appleton North Sectional with a 79-75 win over De Pere in the final.
DIVISION 2: Racine Park has been issued the top seed in the bracket. The Panthers will be making their sixth state tournament appearance overall and their first in 65 years. They won the program’s only championship in 1943 when there was only one division of play in the tournament. They also advanced to the final in 1931 and finished runner-up. This season, they were the champions of the Southeast Conference. The Panthers rolled past Waterford 71-41 in the Whitefish Bay Sectional final to earn a berth in the state semifinals…Second-seeded Wauwatosa West will experience the state tournament for the first time in the program’s history following its 71-59 victory over Mount Horeb in the final of the Oconomowoc Sectional. The Trojans tied Brookfield Central for the Greater Metro Conference championship this season…Third-seeded Wausau East will appear at state for the fourth time and for the first time since 2007 when the Lumberjacks advanced to the semifinals in Division 1, which represents their furthest advance in their tournament experiences. They placed fifth in the Wisconsin Valley Conference this season, and they earned a berth in the tourney with a convincing 82-45 win over West Salem in the Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln Sectional final…Fourth-seeded Cedarburg returns to state for the first time since 2017 and for the fourth time overall. The Bulldogs advanced to the championship game in 2017 and finished runner-up to account for their most notable experience in the tournament. Their advancement to the state semifinals this season came by virtue of a 86-69 win over Notre Dame in the Manitowoc Lincoln Sectional final. They placed fourth in the North Shore Conference this season.
DIVISION 3: Top-seeded Freedom is celebrating its first trip to state in 25 years and its third overall. The Irish captured the Division 2 crown in 1990 after falling in the semifinals with its other tournament experience in 1979. They are the champions of the North Eastern Conference in 2025, and they defeated Little Chute 49-34 in the final of Seymour Sectional to remain in pursuit of the state championship…Second-seeded Milwaukee Academy of Science will appear at state for the third time and for the first time since back-to-back experiences in 2022 and 2023. The Novas finished runner-up in Division 4 in 2022 and moved up a division to qualify in Division 3 in 2023, which resulted in a loss in the semifinals. They played an independent schedule without conference affiliation this season and advanced to the state tourney following a 97-83 victory over Carmen Northwest in the Brown Deer Sectional final…Lake Mills, the No. 3 seed, returns to the tournament for the first time since 2021 and for the third time overall. The L-Cats are attempting to advance to the state final for the first time, falling in semifinals in Division 2 in 2017 and in Division 3 in 2021. After their first-place finish in the North Division of the Capitol Conference this season, the L-Cats navigated through the Baraboo Sectional, culminating with a 73-31 thumping of Wisconsin Dells in the final…Fourth-seeded Elk Mound is back in the state tournament for the first time since 2014 and for the fourth time overall. The Mounders were state runners-up in their first two appearances, including Class C in 1987 and Division 3 in 1994. Their return to the tournament comes on the heels of a 54-52 win over Amery in the Somerset Sectional final. The Mounders finished third in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference standings this winter.
DIVISION 4: Bonduel earned the top seed in its first-ever trip to state. The Bears punched their ticket to the Kohl Center with a 56-44 triumph over Auburndale in the Stevens Point Sectional final. They are the champions in the East Division of the Central Wisconsin Conference this season…Defending champion Mineral Point is the No. 2 seed. The Pointers return to the state tournament for the second year in a row and for the sixth time overall. They also advanced to the state championship game and finished runner-up in Class C in 1974 and in Division 4 in 2015. The Pointers cruised past Marshall 80-44 in the Verona Sectional final to earn the opportunity to defend the title. The Pointers are the champions of the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League this season…Third-seeded La Crosse Aquinas returns to state for the ninth time overall and for the second year in a row. The Blugolds have won four state titles. The most recent was the Division 3 championship in 2013. They also captured Division 3 crowns in 2008 and 2011, and the Division 2 title in 2003. The Blugolds also have two runner-up finishes on their ledger, those came in 2007 and in 2009. They are the co-champions of the Mississippi Valley Conference with Holmen this season. They make their way back to the Kohl Center by defeating Cumberland 69-56 in the Eau Claire North Sectional final. As a former member of WISAA, the Blugolds won titles in 1941, 1946, 1949, 1950 and finished runner-up on two other occasions…The Prairie School of Racine has been issued the fourth seed in the bracket. The Hawks’ only other experience at state resulted in a runner-up finish in 2021. This season, they placed seventh in the Metro Classic Conference during the regular season. Their improbable journey to the state semifinals was paved with a 61-58 win over Cedar Grove-Belgium in the sectional final played at Whitefish Bay. Prior to joining the WIAA, the Hawks won a WISAA championship in Class B in 1982. They also finished runner-up in Class B in 1980 and in Division 3 in 1992 and 1996.
DIVISION 5: Top-seeded Cochrane-Fountain City is returning to the tournament field for the second time. Their first appearance came in 2014, and that experience resulted in a loss in the semifinals. This year, the Pirates are the champions in the Small Division of the Dairyland Conference. Their return to the state semifinals comes following a 53-41 win over Royall in the La Crosse Logan Sectional final…Sheboygan Lutheran, the No. 2 seed, advances to the State Tournament for the fourth time overall and for the first time since winning the championship in 2019. The Crusaders also won the championship in 2012. This season’s path to the state tournament came through the Pulaski Sectional following a resounding 67-37 decision over Almond-Bancroft in the final. They were the tri-champions in the South Division of the Big East Conference this season with Kohler and Oostburg…Madison Abundant Life Christian is the third seed. The Challengers’ made their first appearance at state last season, which resulted in a runner-up finish. They return for the second year in a row following a 63-55 victory over Oakfield in the Portage Sectional final. They tied Deerfield for the championship in the South Division of the Trailways Conference this year…Fourth-seeded Turtle Lake qualifies for the first time in the school’s history. In another first, Angela Wagner becomes the first woman head coach of a boys basketball team participating in the state tournament. They placed third in the West Division standings of the Lakeland Conference this year. They defeated Rib Lake 53-45 in the final of the Altoona Sectional to earn their trip to the Kohl Center.
2025 WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament
March 20-22, at Kohl Center, Madison
Thursday, March 20
Division 3 Semifinals
No. 1 Freedom (27-1) vs. No. 4 Elk Mound (24-4), 1:35 p.m.
No. 2 Milwaukee Academy of Science (23-1) vs. No. 3 Lake Mills (24-4), 3:15 p.m.
Division 4 Semifinals
No. 1 Bonduel (27-1) vs. No. 4 Racine The Prairie School (14-15), 6:35 p.m.
No. 2 Mineral Point (27-1) vs. No. 3 La Crosse Aquinas (24-3), 8:15 p.m.
Friday, March 21
Division 5 Semifinals
No. 1 Cochrane-Fountain City (26-2) vs. No. 4 Turtle Lake (21-5), 9:05 a.m.
No. 2 Sheboygan Lutheran (24-4) vs. No. 3 Madison Abundant Life Christian (23-6), 10:45 a.m.
Division 2 Semifinals
No. 1 Racine Park (26-2) vs. No. 4 Cedarburg (20-8), 1:35 p.m.
No. 2 Wauwatosa West (22-6) vs. No. 3 Wausau East (20-7), 3:15 p.m.
Division 1 Semifinals
No. 1 Wisconsin Lutheran (26-2) vs. No. 4 Oshkosh North (19-9), 6:35 p.m.
No. 2 Waunakee (23-5) vs. No. 3 Marshfield (22-6), 8:15 p.m.
Saturday, March 22
Championship Games
Division 5, 11 a.m.
Division 4, 12:45 p.m.
Division 3, 2:30 p.m.
Division 2, 6:30 p.m.
Division 1, 8:15 p.m.