State Tournament Notebook: D3 semifinals

Academy of Science 65, Lake Mills 61 *** It will go down as one of the best games in this state tournament, regardless of what happens the rest of the way. Milwaukee Academy of Science got a late, clutch, cold-blooded three from senior standout and Iowa State recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1447228' first='Jamarion' last='Batemon'] with just under two minutes left, helping his team overcome a one-point deficit on the way to its four-point victory over a very game, disciplined and talented Lake Mills squad. Batemon had been held somewhat in check for much of the game by Lake Mills senior star [player_tooltip player_id='1412881' first='AJ' last='Bender'], but that memorable triple gave the Novas the lead for good and lifted Academy of Science to its 24th win in 25 outings. The Novas move into a state-title game for the second time in four years. MAS lost to Roncalli in the 2022 D4 state-title game and hope to reverse that outcome on Saturday when it takes on Freedom in the Division 3 championship game. *** Batemon finished with 22 points but needed 17 shots to get that total as Bender stayed with him throughout the contest. Still, Batemon came through with the game on the line and his team needing a big momentum play. "I knew we were struggling to get the lead and (Bender) was guarding me well," Batemon said. "Big-time players make big-time plays. I saw the opportunity to take that shot and took it. It's a shot I want to take and have taken before." Batemon, one of six finalists for the Mr. Basketball award, had three rebounds and made all four of his foul shots while playing nearly the entire game. "Every time Jamarion goes up for a three, you hold your breath and say, 'oh bleep'," Lake Mills coach Steve Hicklin said. "To see him knock down that shot was not a surprise. "Fatigue might have been a little bit a part of it for us at the end. They turned up the pressure another notch in the second half. Credit to them for their defense late in the game." *** [player_tooltip player_id='1390441' first='Devin' last='Brown'] had a monster block and made two foul shots in the closing seconds of the game to seal the win for Academy of Science. Lake Mills had the ball in Bender's hands with under 10 seconds left in a two-point game, but [player_tooltip player_id='1481181' first='Amare' last='Jackson'] slowed Bender's drive and Brown came from behind for the block. He was fouled a few seconds later and calmly swished his two foul shots to account for the 65-61 final score. Brown, a Coastal Carolina recruit, finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. *** Bender was nothing short of outstanding all game for the L-Cats, who finish the season with a 24-5 record. The NCAA Division II recruit for Minnesota State-Mankato had 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots. He also did a stellar job of chasing around Batemon and making things tough for MAS' best player. *** Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2346694' first='Tyler' last='Wollin'] and senior [player_tooltip player_id='2819684' first='Tanner' last='Wendorf'] turned in very strong outings as well for Lake Mills. Wollin finished with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. He missed a three that would have given Lake Mills a 64-60 lead with just over two minutes remaining and, seconds later, Batemon gave MAS the lead for good with his triple. Wendorf had 14 points and six rebounds and doubled his season total of made three-point shots by sinking two triples for the L-Cats. BOXSCORE Lake Mills (31-30 = 61) Wollin 15, Bender 23, Schaefer 2, Wendorf 14, Benish 5, Horkan 2, Christian 0. Three-point field goals: Wollin 3, Bender 3, Wendorf 2, Benish 1. FT: 6-9. Fouled out: None. Record: 24-5. Academy of Science (28-37 = 65) Keys 6, Jam. Batemon 3, Jackson 7, Dev. Brown 19, Jar. Batemon 22, Burkes 4, Valeri 2, D'Anth. Brown 2. Three-point field goals: Jam. Batemon 2, Keys 2, Jam. Batemon 1, Dev. Brown 1. FT: 11-13. Fouled out: None. Record: 24-1.   Freedom 66, Elk Mound 32 *** Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1847792' first='Donovan' last='Davis'] (6-8), who owns NCAA Division I scholarship offers from Iowa State, Marquette and Wisconsin, came into the contest leading Freedom in scoring (22.7 ppg), rebounding (11.7 rpg), assists (4.4 apg), steals (77) and blocked shots (21). He finished the game against Elk Mound with 27 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one blocked shot. His level of activity for being just a sophomore is off the charts and his future growth, both physically and mentally, should attracik additional scholarship options. Davis set an individual record for best field goal percentage in a Division 3 game by making 12 of his 13 shots from the field for .923 percent, breaking the old mark of .778 set by Kyle Kneser of Markesan in 1996. *** [player_tooltip player_id='2492814' first='Drew' last='Kortz'], a 6-foot-1 senior and the other half of Freedom's fantastic one-two scoring duo. matched Davis with 27 points of his own. He made four of-seven shots from outside the arc and continually got to the basket and finished. Kortz, who is uncommitted for next season, also have five rebounds, two assists and two steals. *** Freedom wrapped up this game in the first half when it outscored Elk Mound 42-11. The effective 1-2-2 zone press the Irish used helped to force 13 turnovers that Freedom converted into 21 points. In addition, Elk Mound went just 4-of-20 from the field and 1-of-10 from three-point range in the first 18 minutes. BOXSCORE Elk Mound (11-21 = 32) Robinson 0, Jerome 10, Knutson 2, Diermeier 6, Noller 7, Dutzle 0, B. Niven 3, Schindler 3, Svee 0, Vieth 0, Buchholtz 0, Lipscomb 0, K. Nevin 0, Loiselle-Christianson 1, Mohr 1, Heath 0, Brantner 0. Three-point field goals: Noller 1, B. Niven 1. FT: 4-7. Fouled out: None. Record 24-5. Freedom (42-24 = 66) Calhoon 0, Wesoloski 3, Vandenberg 2, Kortz 27, Davis 27, Rueckl 0, Henkel 4, Barse 0, P. Jochimsen 3, Dayton 0, Garvey 0, Merbach 0, Lang 0, Aerts 0, R. Jochimsen 0, Micke 0.Three-point field goals: Kortz 4, Davis 2, P. Jockimsen 1, Wesoloski 1. FT: 2-3. Fouled out: None. Record: 28-1.

Academy of Science 65, Lake Mills 61

*** It will go down as one of the best games in this state tournament, regardless of what happens the rest of the way. Milwaukee Academy of Science got a late, clutch, cold-blooded three from senior standout and Iowa State recruit Jamarion Batemon Jamarion Batemon 6'3" | CG Milwaukee Academy Of Science | 2025 State #174 Nation WI with just under two minutes left, helping his team overcome a one-point deficit on the way to its four-point victory over a very game, disciplined and talented Lake Mills squad. Batemon had been held somewhat in check for much of the game by Lake Mills senior star AJ Bender AJ Bender 6'3" | CG Lake Mills | 2025 State WI , but that memorable triple gave the Novas the lead for good and lifted Academy of Science to its 24th win in 25 outings. The Novas move into a state-title game for the second time in four years. MAS lost to Roncalli in the 2022 D4 state-title game and hope to reverse that outcome on Saturday when it takes on Freedom in the Division 3 championship game.

*** Batemon finished with 22 points but needed 17 shots to get that total as Bender stayed with him throughout the contest. Still, Batemon came through with the game on the line and his team needing a big momentum play.

"I knew we were struggling to get the lead and (Bender) was guarding me well," Batemon said. "Big-time players make big-time plays. I saw the opportunity to take that shot and took it. It's a shot I want to take and have taken before."

Batemon, one of six finalists for the Mr. Basketball award, had three rebounds and made all four of his foul shots while playing nearly the entire game.

"Every time Jamarion goes up for a three, you hold your breath and say, 'oh bleep'," Lake Mills coach Steve Hicklin said. "To see him knock down that shot was not a surprise.

"Fatigue might have been a little bit a part of it for us at the end. They turned up the pressure another notch in the second half. Credit to them for their defense late in the game."

*** Devin Brown Devin Brown 6'7" | PF Milwaukee Academy Of Science | 2025 State #196 Nation WI had a monster block and made two foul shots in the closing seconds of the game to seal the win for Academy of Science. Lake Mills had the ball in Bender's hands with under 10 seconds left in a two-point game, but Amare Jackson Amare Jackson 6'4" | SF Milwaukee Academy Of Science | 2025 State WI slowed Bender's drive and Brown came from behind for the block. He was fouled a few seconds later and calmly swished his two foul shots to account for the 65-61 final score. Brown, a Coastal Carolina recruit, finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

*** Bender was nothing short of outstanding all game for the L-Cats, who finish the season with a 24-5 record. The NCAA Division II recruit for Minnesota State-Mankato had 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots. He also did a stellar job of chasing around Batemon and making things tough for MAS' best player.

*** Sophomore Tyler Wollin Tyler Wollin 6'4" | SF Lake Mills | 2027 State WI and senior Tanner Wendorf Tanner Wendorf 6'5" | C Lake Mills | 2025 WI turned in very strong outings as well for Lake Mills. Wollin finished with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. He missed a three that would have given Lake Mills a 64-60 lead with just over two minutes remaining and, seconds later, Batemon gave MAS the lead for good with his triple. Wendorf had 14 points and six rebounds and doubled his season total of made three-point shots by sinking two triples for the L-Cats.

BOXSCORE

Lake Mills (31-30 = 61)
Wollin 15, Bender 23, Schaefer 2, Wendorf 14, Benish 5, Horkan 2, Christian 0. Three-point field goals: Wollin 3, Bender 3, Wendorf 2, Benish 1. FT: 6-9. Fouled out: None. Record: 24-5.
Academy of Science (28-37 = 65)
Keys 6, Jam. Batemon 3, Jackson 7, Dev. Brown 19, Jar. Batemon 22, Burkes 4, Valeri 2, D'Anth. Brown 2. Three-point field goals: Jam. Batemon 2, Keys 2, Jam. Batemon 1, Dev. Brown 1. FT: 11-13. Fouled out: None. Record: 24-1.