King scores 28 as Central heads to state championship berth

At 6:35 p.m. Saturday, Red Raiders play Cedarburg for championship

MADISON, Wis. — The top-ranked Central boys basketball team is headed to the state championship. 

The Red Raiders had no problems with Waunakee in a 78-56 Division 2 state semifinal win Friday at the Kohl Center.

At 6:35 p.m. Saturday, Central (25-2) will play second-ranked Cedarburg (25-2), which needed 46 points from John Diener to get by No. 5 Milwaukee Washington. Diener was 16 of 29 from the field and 5-for-8 from beyond the arc.

Kobe King had 28 points, six rebounds and five assists in the win for the Red Raiders.

The senior, who is headed to UW-Madison next season, was 10 of 17 from the field.

As a team, Central shot 51 percent and held Waunakee to 33-percent shooting.

Four others scored in double figures for the Red Raiders. Johnny Davis came off the bench, getting 14 points, 9 rebounds. Teammates Bailey Kale scored 11, while both Isaiah Dahman and Jordan Davis had 10.

Central, which led by as many as 24 midway through the second half, outscored Waunakee 40-20 in the paint and 16-4 on fastbreaks.