MILWAUKEE- The last time the Milwaukee King and Milwaukee Pius XI boys basketball teams met the stakes were much higher and the emotion was spilling out on the court.

The rivalry is a little less heated two years later but the outcome is still the same as King defeated Pius XI, 62-39, in the final game of the inaugural Nicole Ellis Foundation Shootout at South Division High School.

“I think we caught Pius at the right time,” said King coach Jim Gosz. “I was very pleased the way we bounced back from a tough emotional loss last night (to Milwaukee Riverside).”

The Generals (10-4 overall) were able to break open a close game with an 11-4 run in the second quarter. Sophomore Anthony Hatfield and junior Quintrell Rowe combined to score all 11 points during the run.

“We are really coming around since the beginning of the year,” said King senior Michael Ward.

Ward had one of his better games of the season scoring a team-high 12 points.

“I just try to do the little things to make our team better by hitting the glass and getting the loose balls,” said Ward.

Ward had his hands full with Popes sophomore Larry Fitzgerald. The 6-foot-3 guard had a game-high 14 points and was 4-of-5 from the field while hitting a three pointer.

However, Fitzgerald was the lone bright spot offensively for the Popes (6-11) other than Carrington Love who finished with 13 points but struggled from the free-throw line converting just one of six.

“We have done a much better job rebounding over the last few games,” said Ward.

Surprisingly, every player for the Generals scored except their leading scorer Courtlin Scott-Johnson.

“It really shows how balanced of a team we can be,” said Ward. “Any game someone can step up and have a huge game for us.”

MILWAUKEE KING……… 17 12 18 17—62
MILWAUKEE PIUS XI……9 8 8 14—39

MK- Arroyo Edwards 8, Silas Mills 4, Mike Ward 12, Leon Gray 5, Nic Stokes 7, Dominique Borom 6, Quintrell Rowe 6, Josh Lott 2, Anthony Hatifield 8, Devin Steel  4. FT: 12-22. 3-PT: 1. Hatfield 1.

MP- Larry Fitzgerald 14, Carrington Love 13, T.J. Krause 3, Mitch Borgardt 5, Matt McCann 4. FT: 3-11.   3-PT:  4. Love 2, Fitzgerald 1, Krause 1.