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Expect a physical, power matchup in Saturday’s Division 2 championship game after Nicolet and Milwaukee Washington moved out of the semifinal round on Friday at Kohl Center. One of those teams was fully expected to be in Saturday’s Division 2 championship game. The other was always a possibility that had unfinished business from 2018.

“It’s going to be an awesome atmosphere (Saturday),” Washington coach Fred Riley said after the Purgolders survived with a 72-71 overtime semifinal win over La Crosse Central. “This hype has been building since August and this is what the state has been waiting on. Both teams have fought hard, I mean exceptionally hard, through conference, through regionals and sectionals.”

Kobe Johnson scored 20 points and Jalen Johnson had 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Knights dominated the second half to pull away from the Elks (23-4).

Nicolet (25-2) started to take control when it went to full-court pressure late in the first half after Elkhorn had taken a surprising 20-15 lead with a 13-0 run. The Knights scored the final six points of the first half to take the lead on a James Graham dunk.

The Knights’ pressure eventually wore down Elkhorn, as Nicolet took a double-digit lead eight minutes into the second half and steadily expanded it over the final 10 minutes.

“We got off to a slow start, which is kind of been who we’ve been in the past,” Nicolet coach Allan Hanson said. “It took a little bit to get going but I think we kind of turned it up toward the end of the first half.”

After an intentional foul called on Elkhorn, the Knights hit two free throws, followed by a steal and a Jalen Johnson dunk as part of a 6-0 run that gave Nicolet a 25-24 halftime lead. An 8-0 start to the second half built Nicolet’s lead to nine at 33-24.

“We talked with the guys in the locker room at the half and they responded,” Hanson said.

The Elks upended the expected script early when they took the lead midway through the first half with crisp offensive movement and lengthening possessions.

“The reality is that we had to play pretty perfect to be in the game against these guys,” Elkhorn coach Josh Skatrud said. “We were really, really good early but made some mistakes when they went on that run before halftime. You can’t simulate what they are and what they do, and ultimately, things started to get from us.”

Sophomore Kobe Johnson led Nicolet with 20 points, while Jalen Johnson had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Luke Umnus paced Elkhorn with 13 points.

While top-seeded Nicolet had an easier time on Friday with a 70-46 victory over a scrappy Elkhorn squad, the Knights will have to face a Washington team that still recalls the tough loss to Kaukauna in last year’s title game.

The Purgolders (22-5) came back from a four-point deficit in overtime to beat the Red Raiders in the state semifinals for the second straight year. Michael Foster Jr. dominated that final half-minute, hitting a three-pointer, making a block on a Red Raiders drive, and finally sinking the winning shot with four seconds left in overtime.

“I was searching, looking for who should I give it to,” said Foster of the game-winner, which completed his 14-point, nine-rebound game. “But I was ready and just knocked it down.”

Washington was saved earlier in the game by some of its role players, as Foster, Deontay Long, and Tre White were struggling to score and Central built a 14-point lead early in the second half. Most notably, sophomore guard Chianti Clay hit four three-pointers after coming off the bench.

“At the beginning of the year with us, we shuffled so many rotations, so it was nothing familiar with us, but just when I was going to call a number,” Washington coach Fred Riley said. “And if you ask Chianti Clay, Chianti Clay is so confident in himself that he’s going to say he should be starting and getting 15, 20 shots a game. I love that about the young fella, but it was killing us at the beginning of the year because he had to learn how we win.”

For La Crosse Central (24-3), it was a second straight loss in the state semifinals to the Purgolders after dropping a 70-58 game to them a year ago. This time may have hurt a little more because of the early lead established by the Red Raiders and a loss of the overtime lead.

“They hit some big shots throughout the second half and especially Foster at the end there,” Central coach Todd Fergot said of Washington. “We certainly kept our composure and played it one possession at a time, but they just made big plays at the end.”

Johnny Davis’ two free throws with four seconds left in regulation tied it at 63-63, and the Red Raiders went on an 8-0 run in overtime to lead 71-67 before Foster went on his big binge. Davis finished with 31 points to lead all scorers. Noah Parcher added 16 points and David Hayden for Central.

Johntae Martin’s 15 points led four Washington players in double figures, while Clay added 12 and Deontay Long 10 points and 10 rebounds.