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Wisconsin Lutheran wins a thriller over Marshfield to win the Division 1 State Title and make history

03/23/2025, 2:15pm CDT
By Colton Wilson

WSN Basketball Playoff Coverage presented by the Buckle Up Phone Down Pledge

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It was a great night cap on a championship Saturday and even better send off of the 2024-25 boys basketball season.

Wisconsin Lutheran came into this season with lowered expectations, something that seemed plausible with the graduation of Mr. Basketball Kon Knueppel and the face the Vikings moved into Division 1 due to the WIAA Tournament Performance Factor.

It became apparent early on in the year that this team didn't take a step back.

The result? Wisconsin Lutheran made history in winning its second consecutive state title. The Vikings went 30-0 and won the Division 2 title last year and took home gold in Division 1 on Saturday. They are the only team in state history to win a title in Division 2 and then Division 1 the following season.

It came via a second dogfight in as many days.

Like in the semifinals, Wisco built a double-digit first half lead, but needed to make plays at the end of the game to come back and win it.

Marshfield senior point guard Landen Lee had the Kohl Center buzzing throughout much of the second half and during the Tigers comeback stretch in the first. Lee pressured the Viking defense consistently getting to the rim downhill and making difficult shots with hands in his face on the perimeter. He finished the game with 22 points on 9 of 12 shooting and five assists.

It is the first time in 80 years that Marshfield will be taking back hardware from the boys basketball tournament. For head coach Chris Fischer, he understands the importance of this team on the Marshfield community. "There's going to be a lot of little kids picking up a basketball tomorrow -- trying to be the next Landon Lee or Brooks Hinson."

With 3:38 left in the game, Marshfield held a 55-50 lead, but over the course of the final few minutes, the Tigers got conservative trying and run off some block.

Like in Friday's semifinal win, role players stepped up in a big way for Wisconsin Lutheran.

Calling Alex Greene a role player is a bit of a stretch, but with Zavier Zens and Kager Knueppel garnering most of the highlights, the 6-4 senior forward can fall into that category. On Friday, he led the scoring down the stretch for the Vikings and Saturday he did more of the same.

Greene converted a tough layup to bring the Vikings within 55-52 with 3:12 left. He then got a steal with 56 seconds left that set up a layup by Zavier Zens to give Wisco a one-point lead. After Zens missed the front end of a bonus, Greene stole the inbound pass and knocked down one of two free throws that led to the eventual 57-55 win.

Greene wasn't the only role player to shine down the stretch. Josiah Rice, a senior guard, played 25 seconds in the first half, but with two-minutes left in the game he was subbed in to play defense with the Vikings down 3.

After Wisco took the lead, Rice was tasked with the defensive assignment of Landon Lee, who had carried Marshfield all game. Saving for the last shot, Lee looked to initiate the set but Rice stepped in and made one of the biggest plays in the game, swiping and stealing the ball, in turn securing the win for the Vikings.

That seemed to be a theme this season for Wisconsin Lutheran. The Vikings had the star power at the top of its rotation in Kager Knueppel and Zavier Zens, but players like Rice, Greene, Isaiah Mellock, Ben Langebartels, Riley Walz, and Kinston Knueppel were instrumental in the second title run.

Zens, a 6-7 Division 1 prospect, finished with a game high 19 points and 3 assists. Greene ended with 11 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals and Kager Knueppel had 10 points for the Vikings on five of vie shooting.

Tag(s): News Archive  BBB News  Boys Hoops Playoffs