The Washington Park Panthers boys basketball team defeated Milwaukee’s Rufus King Generals Saturday night and will take on Milwaukee Marquette Thursday in their march to the state championship tournament in Madison.
For the last several years, Racine Unified boys basketball teams have played in regional championships against powerhouse Milwaukee teams like King and come up short. The Panthers’ victory Saturday allows Park to move onto another tough opponent, Milwaukee Marquette.
Park came out on top, 71-66 at the final buzzer.
According to a story in The Journal Times, King’s Jordan Poole was held to 16 points, one point less than his 17-point game average, by Park’s Preniss McGowan. Senior forward Kaj Days recorded 13 points and 14 rebounds along with four blocks.
“I thought our kids did an outstanding job on their outstanding players,” Park Coach Jim Betker told the newspaper. “What a great win. Coach (Jim) Gosz and King have been the team to beat in our sectional and we knew it was going to be a tough game.”
Milwaukee Marquette advances to the sectional final after beating Brookfield Central.