MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Brendan Ortiz's driving layup with 2.1 seconds left gave Madison Memorial a wild 80-78 triple-overtime victory over De Pere to clinch the WIAA Division 1 boys' basketball championship on Saturday.
It was a fitting finish for Ortiz, whose clutch shooting was responsible for sending the game into all three overtime periods.
"I just started crying, right away," Ortiz said. "I have so much passion for this game."
It was the third state title since 2005 for Madison Memorial (22-6), which finished runner-up last year and won state titles in 2009 and 2005.
"It had to be great TV," Memorial coach Steve Collins said. "I think I aged about 25 years."
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Reece Zoelle and Brett VandenBergh scored 19 points each for De Pere (25-3), which was making its second appearance at the state tournament and its first since 1977.
Tre' Burnette scored 17 points to lead Memorial.
Ortiz hit a game-tying 3-pointer just before the final buzzer in regulation, sending the game into overtime.
Mason Mocarski hit a 3-pointer to give De Pere a 68-66 lead with 16 seconds left in the first overtime -- but De Pere was hit with a technical foul for calling a timeout when they didn't have any left, allowing Ortiz to hit a pair of free throws and send the game into a second overtime.
Mocarski converted a three-point play to give De Pere a 1-point lead with 2:49 left in overtime, and Miles Chamberlain missed a pair of free throws for Memorial. Memorial then came up with a steal -- but Chamberlain was called for a charge on the other end.
VandenBergh then hit one of two free throws, putting De Pere up 72-70 with 27.3 seconds left.
A foul once again sent Ortiz to the line with a chance to tie the game -- and he did it again, hitting them both.
Zoelle missed a late jumper for De Pere, and the game went into triple overtime.
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Zoelle hit a 3-pointer with 2:45 left in the third overtime, giving De Pere a 75-73 lead. Jester Weah hit one of two free throws for Memorial after hitting the floor hard, cutting the lead to 1.
De Pere turned the ball over, and Ngijol Songolo scored inside to give Memorial a 1-point lead with 1:11 left. Ortiz then hit a pair of free throws, giving Memorial a 78-75 lead with 35.9 seconds left.
Zoelle hit a frantic 3-pointer to tie -- but Ortiz drove for a layup to give Memorial the win.
"I decided to take it to the rack, and the floater was there," Ortiz said.
Ortiz then sealed the victory with a steal on the final inbounds play.
