Tosa West beats Brookfield Central to lead area boys hoops sectional semifinal scores

WAUKESHA − Sometimes the rubber match is just the place to find a bounce-back. It certainly was for one player in Wauwatosa West's 63-58 sectional semifinal win over Brookfield Central on Thursday.

Tosa West senior Jake Hansen had put up two uncharacteristic games against Greater Metro Conference rival BC earlier in the year, combining for 17 points on just 5-of-28 shooting. Trojans head coach Christopher Newbauer's advice to the crucial piece to Tosa West's attack was to avoid forcing shots, as he had seen a bit in those two previous outings.

"Sometimes it seems like when we play some of these Brookfield schools or conference teams, he tends to force it a bit. I just said to be patient and let the game come to him, step into his shot when we feed him," Newbauer said.

There is a bit of history there for the Brookfield born and raised Hansen. While some generally good-natured exchanges took place with him and the BC student section Thursday night, the senior wanted to make his loudest impression on the court.

"A game like this, I feed off energy, so if I hit a shot, my meter's going up, I'm getting into it with the crowd, I'm hyping our crowd up," Hansen said. "If other people want to say stuff to me, I use that stuff as fuel to keep going."

It was undoubtedly a get-right game for Hansen at a critical time, as he led the Trojans with 23 points, 15 of which came on five converted threes. His efforts combined with 22 points from Jalen Brown to lead a gritty effort fueled by the types of opponents in and out of conference that Tosa West had faced all year long.

"Our conference is one of the best in the state, and we played a really challenging nonconference schedule. We played Whitnall, we played De Pere, we played Edgerton, we played Waterford," Newbauer said. "I think that, with our conference, prepared us for this stuff."

The Trojans will face No. 1 Mount Horeb, which beat No. 7 Monona Grove in a 49-45 final, in Saturday's sectional final at Oconomowoc at 1 p.m.

State hopes alive for nine teams after other action Wednesday and Thursday

Ten total games Wednesday and Thursday night held the fates of 17 area teams' seasons in the balance, with nine programs moving another critical step closer to the Kohl Center in Madison with wins. Here is a look at a competitive slate of contests to determine the sectional final participants. All sectional finals are scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday

D4, Sectional 4: No. 6 The Prairie School def. No. 1 Cambridge, 57-52 (OT)

The Prairie School nearly saw a late lead slip from its grasp as Cambridge's Matt Buckman was fouled nearly as time expired with his team trailing, 50-47. He hit all three free throws to tie the game, but The Prairie School would take the lead back with 31.6 seconds remaining in overtime on a reverse layup by Dalton Ahlensdorf.

Sectional final: The Prairie School vs. Cedar Grove-Belgium, 5 p.m. at Whitefish Bay.

D3, Sectional 4: No. 5 Carmen Northwest def. No. 2 Oostburg, 68-63

Carmen Northwest's Cinderella run continued with a narrow win over Oostburg, led by a second half in which the Eagles outscored the Flying Dutchmen 34-28 after halftime.

Sectional final: Carmen Northwest vs. Milwaukee Academy of Science, 1 p.m. at Brown Deer.

Thursday

D1, Sectional 3: No. 5 Sun Prairie East def. No. 1 Kettle Moraine, 80-71

Sun Prairie East knocked off the Lasers at Mukwonago, ending KM's bid at a third straight WIAA state tournament appearance, as well as a perfect season. It was KM's first loss in nearly a calendar year, dating back to the state semifinal loss to Marquette last postseason.

Sectional final: Sun Prairie East vs. Waunakee, 1 p.m. at Oregon.

D1, Sectional 4: No. 1 Wisconsin Lutheran def. No. 4 Oak Creek, 59-47

Led by 25 points from Zavier Zens, the Vikings expanded a slim 26-23 halftime lead over the second half to pull away from the Knights. Wisconsin Lutheran has a familiar foe in between it and a return to the Kohl Center after winning last year's WIAA D2 state title.

D1, Sectional 4: No. 2 West Allis Central def. No. 3 Westosha Central, 93-79

The Bulldogs earned a third meeting with Woodland Conference foe Wisconsin Lutheran by handling Westosha Central at Racine St. Catherine's. It is WAC's second trip to the sectional final in as many years.

Sectional final: Wisconsin Lutheran vs. West Allis Central, 4 p.m. at Waukesha South.

D2, Sectional 2: No. 3 Cedarburg def. No. 1 Slinger, 75-66

Cedarburg shocked a North Shore rival that beat it twice in the regular season with a nearly double-digit win over the Owls. The Bulldogs are a win away from the program's fourth state tournament appearance and first since 2017.

Sectional final: Cedarburg vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m. at Manitowoc Lincoln.

D2, Sectional 4: No. 1 Waterford def. No. 2 Whitnall, 56-49

Waterford kept the quest for a program-first WIAA state tournament appearance alive by outlasting Whitnall, a program with experience at state just two seasons ago.

D2, Sectional 4: No. 1 Racine Park def. No. 2 Greenfield, 73-69 in OT

Racine Park is a win away from its first WIAA state tournament appearance since 1960 after edging past Greenfield in overtime. Park sophomore Zare Gwinn was fouled while taking a potential game-tying three in the closing seconds of regulation, and hit all three free throws to end regulation tied at 59. Gwinn also converted a driving layup in overtime to take a four-point lead that the Panthers would hold on to through the final minute at the line.

Sectional final: Waterford vs. Racine Park, 1 p.m. at Whitefish Bay.

D3, Sectional 4: No. 1 Milwaukee Academy of Science def. No. 3 Racine Lutheran, 86-71

The Novas are a win away from returning to state for the third time in four years after beating Racine Lutheran, which was chasing a second program appearance at WIAA state. MAS will face Carmen Northwest in an all-area D3 Sectional 4 final.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sectional final boys basketball Wauwatosa West Brookfield Central

Topics

Pittsford vs West Genesee hockey updates, score from NY state semifinals

Pittsford (19-3-2) takes on West Genesee (20-0-3) in the NYSPHSAA semifinals.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 15
Cold-shooting Goodhue girls done in by West Central Area in state semis

Mar. 14—MINNEAPOLIS — That target on the backs of the No. 1 ranked Goodhue girls basketball team, it finally did affect the state's defending champion. With it — and thanks also to West Central ...
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 15
West Texas, San Angelo-area high school baseball schedule, scores and top players March 17-22

The West Texas, Concho Valley and San Angelo-area high school baseball regular season rolls on. Here are the schedules, scores and top players this week.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
West Texas, San Angelo-area high school softball schedule, scores and top players March 17-22

The West Texas, Concho Valley and San Angelo-area high school softball regular season rolls on. Here are the schedules, scores and top players this week.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
'We'll be back, I promise:' Lakota West falls at buzzer in Division I state semifinal

Lakota West plays Reynoldsburg in the OHSAA boys basketball Division I state semifinals at Wright State University's Nutter Center
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 16
ACC Tournament scores today: Game highlights, updates, from semifinals in Charlotte

It's Day 4 of the ACC Tournament. Follow along with updates and highlights from every semifinal game at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
De Pere, Notre Dame, Bonduel advance to boys basketball sectional championship games

De Pere holds off Sheboygan North, Notre Dame wins on buzzer-beater and Bonduel rolls past Southern Door in boys basketball sectional semifinals.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
Ohio high school basketball tournament scores | OHSAA state semifinals

The 2025 OHSAA boys basketball tournament continues this week. Here's a look at the Ohio high school state semifinal scores from across the state.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 15
Hunter scores 21, No. 10 Clemson battles back to beat SMU 57-54 to reach ACC Tournament semifinals

Chase Hunter scored 21 points, Jaeden Zackery added 11 points and No. 10 Clemson battled back to beat SMU 57-54 on Thursday night for its ninth straight win to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference ...
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14

Tosa West beats Brookfield Central to lead area boys hoops sectional semifinal scores

State hopes alive for nine teams after other action Wednesday and Thursday

Wednesday

D4, Sectional 4: No. 6 The Prairie School def. No. 1 Cambridge, 57-52 (OT)

D3, Sectional 4: No. 5 Carmen Northwest def. No. 2 Oostburg, 68-63

Thursday

D1, Sectional 3: No. 5 Sun Prairie East def. No. 1 Kettle Moraine, 80-71

D1, Sectional 4: No. 1 Wisconsin Lutheran def. No. 4 Oak Creek, 59-47

D1, Sectional 4: No. 2 West Allis Central def. No. 3 Westosha Central, 93-79

D2, Sectional 2: No. 3 Cedarburg def. No. 1 Slinger, 75-66

D2, Sectional 4: No. 1 Waterford def. No. 2 Whitnall, 56-49

D2, Sectional 4: No. 1 Racine Park def. No. 2 Greenfield, 73-69 in OT

D3, Sectional 4: No. 1 Milwaukee Academy of Science def. No. 3 Racine Lutheran, 86-71

Topics

Related

Pittsford vs West Genesee hockey updates, score from NY state semifinals

Cold-shooting Goodhue girls done in by West Central Area in state semis

West Texas, San Angelo-area high school baseball schedule, scores and top players March 17-22

West Texas, San Angelo-area high school softball schedule, scores and top players March 17-22

'We'll be back, I promise:' Lakota West falls at buzzer in Division I state semifinal

ACC Tournament scores today: Game highlights, updates, from semifinals in Charlotte

De Pere, Notre Dame, Bonduel advance to boys basketball sectional championship games

Ohio high school basketball tournament scores | OHSAA state semifinals

Hunter scores 21, No. 10 Clemson battles back to beat SMU 57-54 to reach ACC Tournament semifinals

More from Yahoo Sports

USMNT 2026 World Cup roster Big Board 2.0: The Nations League fallout

Naji Marshall's 22 leads Mavericks to 120-101 rout of Nets in Anthony Davis' return

Miami WR potentially tanks draft stock at pro day

Maryland vs Florida Prediction: Odds, Expert Picks, Betting Trends and Stats for 2025 March Madness Sweet 16

Titans have dinner with Cam Ward ahead of his pro day

More in Sports

Women's Sweet 16 rankings: UConn is No. 1, USC holds tight at No. 4 as Trojans await word on Watkins

Anthony Davis' return is admirable, but misguided as Mavericks compete for a Play-In spot they shouldn't want

USC advances but sees injured Watkins carried off

From a $765 million signing to the new Evil Empire: The moves that sent shock waves through MLB

Jayson Tatum injury: Celtics star rolls ankle, leaves game vs. Kings after landing on Domantas Sabonis' foot