It’s been 22 years since Milwaukee Vincent won gold at the WIAA Boys Basketball State Tournament, which until Saturday afternoon, was the last state title for an MPS team.

For head coach Torre Johnson, he got to win gold while coaching his son Dooney at his alma mater, which for Coach Johnson meant that much more.

The game also came with an added layer as Cambridge ended the Pioneers season last year in the regional finals. It didn’t appear that Johnson or the rest of the Pioneers forgot that.

Despite that fact, Cambridge was prepared, having had an impressive run in the playoffs to the state championship game.

Johnson, a Gonzaga recruit, dominated the game early on. At 6-6 he’s nearly impossible to stop with one defender, and he showed why, slicing through the Blue Jay defense and burying shots from deep. Johnson had 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting in the first half.

Cambridge senior Jett Horton showed a lot of grit in this one after getting smacked in the face and possibly suffering a nose injury, he returned after just a minute on the bench and buried a triple the first possession back on the floor. Horton had 11 points at the intermission.

As halftime approached, Jasan Dennis had a layup in transition to give the Pioneers a one-point lead. Cambridge broke the press the next possession and found Cal Nottestad for a corner three to give the Blue Jays a 32-30 lead.

A lot of that success for the Cambridge offense came via the cut, whether it was a 45-degree off a baseline drive, or a back door initiated by a dribble at.

In speaking of adjustments, Coach Johnson noted in the postgame presser they needed to “eliminate easy points” in reference to those back door opportunities and open threes.

Coach Alex Ranney of Cambridge talked about being “heavy in the gap” with regards to the help on Johnson. The Blue Jay defense improved in that respect, holding Johnson to just six points on six shot attempts.

Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, senior Jaden Hardiman took flight. The senior wing went a perfect 5 for 5 from the field with a few monster dunks, and making all five free throw attempts.

Around the nine-minute mark with a two point lead, Juneau pulled it out and held the ball near half court for three minutes. It ended up being a four-minute possession that ended in a Hardiman put back dunk and-1.

A few missed opportunities by Cambridge down the stretch quenched a possible Blue Jay final push. That and the fact that Juneau made 10 of 12 free throws in the final three minutes of the game.

Horton finished with 14 points and two assists while Evan Harbort (2028) added 11 points and five rebounds to lead Cambridge.

“They bought in to being a basketball town” is what Coach Ranney said about Cambridge as a whole during this playoff run.

It was the first trip to the state tournament in the program’s history, and ended in a silver ball to display back in their trophy case.

Johnson finished with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks as he got to play in front of a statewide audience for the first time. Hardiman had 17 points and 4 rebounds for the Pioneers as well.

Juneau will take home the gold ball from their first ever trip to the WIAA Boys Basketball State Tournament. A great ending to the Pioneers season and showcase for the MPS, winning gold again.