MADISON, WI- A suffocating full-court press and a fast-paced attack led Freedom to a commanding 66-32 victory in the state semifinals, securing a spot in the championship game for the first time in 35 years. From the opening tip, Freedom’s defensive pressure dictated the tempo, creating a flurry of turnovers that resulted in easy transition baskets.
Early Dominance and Relentless Pressure
From the outset, Freedom dictated the pace, with head coach Andrew Gibbons crediting his team’s defensive pressure for their fast start. “We did a nice job in our press right from the start, and we felt that really set the tone for the entire game,” he said. “We talked about winning four-minute segments, and the guys bought into that.”
The pressure led to an avalanche of mistakes from their opponent, resulting in a 17-4 run in the first half. Freedom forced 16 turnovers while limiting their opponent to just 27.1% shooting from the field (13-of-48). Drew Kortz, who helped lead the team with 27 points, acknowledged the impact of the press. “You can get really lost in the press,” he said. “Once they turned it over a couple of times, it just snowballed, and we kept capitalizing on it.”
Offensive Firepower and Dunk Show
Freedom’s offense was firing on all cylinders, shooting 48.3% from the field (28-of-58) and hitting 30.8% from three-point range (8-of-26). Donovan Davis was nearly unstoppable, posting a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds while making an impressive 12-of-13 field goals. His four dunks electrified the Kohl Center crowd, further demoralizing the opposition.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the Kohl Center, but to get those dunks just made it even better,” Davis said. “That was all because of my teammates setting me up for those opportunities.”
Kortz added 11-of-17 shooting, including four three-pointers, to complement Davis’ inside dominance. Freedom also got contributions from Owen Henkel (4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists) and Al Wesoloski (3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals) in a well-rounded team effort.
Looking Ahead to the Championship
Despite the blowout win, Freedom remains focused on areas for improvement heading into Saturday’s final. “There were times we gave up too many offensive rebounds,” Kortz admitted. “We need to hustle more, get after loose balls, and clean up our set plays.”
Coach Andrew echoed that sentiment. “There are always things to clean up, whether it’s a state semifinal or a Tuesday night in the regular season,” he said. “We just want to keep getting better.”
Freedom now has the opportunity to capture its first state title in 35 years, with the community rallying behind them. “The whole town has been supporting us, and now we just have to lock in and get it done on Saturday,” Kortz said.
They will play the team that was ranked number one all season, Milwaukee Academy of Science (24-1).
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