High School

Sun Prairie East Boys Basketball Team Pulls Stunning Upset In WIAA Sectional Semis

Fifth-seeded Cardinals eliminate top-seeded Kettle Moraine, snapping Lasers' 26-game winning streak

Jeff Hagenau

Sun Prairie East's Chris Davis Jr. (4) dunks during the Deer District Prep Showcase game against Stevens Point at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI. on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025.
Sun Prairie East's Chris Davis Jr. (4) dunks during the Deer District Prep Showcase game against Stevens Point at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI. on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. / Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At tournament time, it's all about peaking at the right time, fighting through the big-game pressure, and surviving to play another day.

The fifth-seeded Sun Prairie East High School boys basketball team fittingly emphasized that point as it upset top-seeded state powerhouse Kettle Moraine 82-71 in a Wisconsin (WIAA) Division 1 sectional semifinal game at Mukwonago High School on Thursday night.

The memorable performance took on added significance as it snapped No. 1-ranked Kettle Moraine's 26-game winning streak, ending the Lasers' hopes for a state championship in the process.

It was the eighth consecutive victory for Big Eight Conference champion Sun Prairie East, which improved to 21-6 overall and advanced to face second-seeded Waunakee in a sectional final at Oregon High School on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Waunakee defeated third-seeded Verona 77-64 in another sectional semifinal Thursday.

Sun Prairie East led 72-67 late in the second half and responded with what proved to be a decisive 10-4 run, ignited on an aggressive inside basket by 6-4 senior guard/forward Max Raimer with 1 minute, 35 seconds remaining. The Cardinals put an exclamation point on the night with a slam dunk by 6-5 senior guard Chris Davis Jr., an Arkansas State University recruit, moments before the final buzzer sounded.

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-- Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com

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Jeff Hagenau
JEFF HAGENAU

Jeff Hagenau has been a sports writer in southeast Wisconsin for the past 28 years, covering at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He graduated from Carroll University with a degree in journalism and has showcased his versatility by reporting on a wide array of sports over the course of his memorable career.

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