Just like the past few years the winner of division two will come out of the southeast sectional. There are three very good teams in the Germantown Sectional. Port Washington, Catholic Memorial, and Wisconsin Lutheran all have equal chances to win state and honestly These are the top three teams with chance to win state and I really don't see another team that will challenge them. All three teams have proven themselves against the top D1 and D2 competition all year long.
Durand Sectional
Favorite
Onalaska- Won a conference that is full of D1 teams. Have one of the top post players in the state in 6'8 sophomore Nick Arenz.
Contenders
Northwestern- Final four team a year ago lost their top player but, still have 6'8 Donnie Hissa leading the way.
Darkhorse
Rice Lake- Plays in a D1 conference and have Wally Ellenson.
Green Bay West Sectional
Favorite
Waupun- High scoring team that is led by a high scoring senior Austin Armga.
Contenders
Seymour- Appear to be back to the Seymour of old and have a very strong junior class may be a year away from a return trip to state though.
Valders- Very disciplined team that rebounds very well and plays exceptionally well as a team.
Darkhorse
Oconto- Has a very good record and one of the top players in D2.
Waunakee Sectional
Favorite
Monroe- Appear to be headed back to state. Have very good guards as always but, have some nice size to mix with their outside shooting.
Contender
River Valley- My preseason pick to get to state. Bring back top two scorers from a year ago.
Prairie du Chien- Don't know much about them but, they were wishoops preseason pick to get to state.
Portage- Many people think they are the favorite. Play in a fairly strong Badger North conference.
Darkhorse
Madison Edgewood- Team that always seems to play tough and very hard and have battled Monroe very tough twice.
Germantown Sectional
Favorite
Wisconsin Lutheran- Have only lost three games this year. Twice to out of state teams and once in an upset to D1 Nicolet.
Contender
Catholic Memorial- Won one of the bests conferences in the state including one of the D1 favorites in Arrowhead who they defeated twice. Lost only twice to D3 power Dominican and Wisconsin Lutheran by one.
Port Washington- Another team that resides in one of the toughest conferences and has done very well. Josh Gasser is a top five player in the state.
Darkhorse
Whitefish Bay- Has already beaten Port Washington once this year and is battle tested in the conference.
Waupun over Onalaska- Waupun is a higher scoring team and is more battled tested. Honestly Onalaska would be here because of a weak sectional.
Wisconsin Lutheran over Monroe- Flavian Davis is a top five player in the state and Monroe has no one to guard him.
Wisconsin Lutheran over Waupun- Lutheran is battled tested and is more prepared for a title run. They are also the defending state champs.
As you can see I expect to see a back to back state champion in Wisconsin Lutheran and like I said earlier I only see two other choices in Catholic Memorial and Port Washington.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
D3 state predicitons
Division three has become known as the private division due to the fact that private schools have pretty much dominated the division since they joined up with the WIAA. This year may be different as their are some very tough public school D3's out there. Fall Creek was in the final four a year ago and bring back everyone aside from an injured point guard. Cuba City is ranked #1 and have the top player in D3 in Evan Richard. Blair Taylor was at state a year ago for D4 and bring back everyone and Brillon is another very good team. My picks will be favorite (team picked to get to state), contender (team that good just as easily make state), and darhorse (team that could make a run and get to state if things fall right).
Eau Claire North Sectional
Favorite
Fall Creek- One of the favorites all year long and bring back all their starters from a final four team from a year ago, with the exception of their injured point guard.
Contenders
Eau Claire Regis- Have a very solid starting five led by three great players in Connor Miller, Adam Ganske, and Jack Eaton. Ganske is a four year starter and Eaton three year.
Hurley- One of the highest scoring teams in the state and led by high scoring Daulton Levra.
Ashwaubenon Sectional
Favorite
Roncalli- Bring back a ton of guys from their final four team. Shoot the three extremely well and move very very well without the ball.
Contender
Brillon- State pick before the year started and played Roncalli to the wire twice.
Darkhorse
Marathon- Undefeated team so they must be good. Just don't think they've played the greatest competition.
Baraboo Sectional
Cuba City- Undefeated and #1 ranked team. They have the best D3 player in the state in Evan Richard.
Contender
Aquinas- Play in a D1 conference where they took second place.
Blair Taylor- Final four team a year ago in D4 and bring back just about everyone.
Darkhorse
Whitehall- Split with Blair Taylor in the regular season and got the 2 seed.
West Allis Central
Favorite
Dominican- Benefit from one of the toughest schedules in the state and split with St. Cats during regular season.
Contender
Racine St. Cats- Also had a very tough schedule like Dominican and split with them.
Darkhorse
Brookfield Academy- Played with Dominican and St. Cats in the same conference and should be battled tested.
Oostburg- Always tough team should make some noise come tournament time.
Fall Creek over Roncalli- Fall Creek has more balance and Roncalli relies on the three point shot and that will fail them eventually.
Dominican over Cuba City- Dominican with too much speed and athleticism.
Dominican over Fall Creek- Dominican will be battle tested at this point and have athleticism advantage.
Despite the fact that the public schools will make a good push I think the privates will come out on top again. As far as my percentages though I give Dominican 40% chance, Cuba City 40%, Falls Creek 20%, and St. Cats 20% chance. Looking at those numbers I'm not completely sure on who will win state.
Eau Claire North Sectional
Favorite
Fall Creek- One of the favorites all year long and bring back all their starters from a final four team from a year ago, with the exception of their injured point guard.
Contenders
Eau Claire Regis- Have a very solid starting five led by three great players in Connor Miller, Adam Ganske, and Jack Eaton. Ganske is a four year starter and Eaton three year.
Hurley- One of the highest scoring teams in the state and led by high scoring Daulton Levra.
Ashwaubenon Sectional
Favorite
Roncalli- Bring back a ton of guys from their final four team. Shoot the three extremely well and move very very well without the ball.
Contender
Brillon- State pick before the year started and played Roncalli to the wire twice.
Darkhorse
Marathon- Undefeated team so they must be good. Just don't think they've played the greatest competition.
Baraboo Sectional
Cuba City- Undefeated and #1 ranked team. They have the best D3 player in the state in Evan Richard.
Contender
Aquinas- Play in a D1 conference where they took second place.
Blair Taylor- Final four team a year ago in D4 and bring back just about everyone.
Darkhorse
Whitehall- Split with Blair Taylor in the regular season and got the 2 seed.
West Allis Central
Favorite
Dominican- Benefit from one of the toughest schedules in the state and split with St. Cats during regular season.
Contender
Racine St. Cats- Also had a very tough schedule like Dominican and split with them.
Darkhorse
Brookfield Academy- Played with Dominican and St. Cats in the same conference and should be battled tested.
Oostburg- Always tough team should make some noise come tournament time.
Fall Creek over Roncalli- Fall Creek has more balance and Roncalli relies on the three point shot and that will fail them eventually.
Dominican over Cuba City- Dominican with too much speed and athleticism.
Dominican over Fall Creek- Dominican will be battle tested at this point and have athleticism advantage.
Despite the fact that the public schools will make a good push I think the privates will come out on top again. As far as my percentages though I give Dominican 40% chance, Cuba City 40%, Falls Creek 20%, and St. Cats 20% chance. Looking at those numbers I'm not completely sure on who will win state.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
D4 state predictions
Normally I would do my player rankings at this time but, since the state tournament will be starting in less then a week. Typically I would start with D1 and go down but, since the big Madison Memorial vs Madison East game is tonight I will be going the opposite direction so I will know the outcome of that game close. Will also try to see if I can get the game on the net. Well here are my predictions for D4. Honestly I really don't know a ton about D4 so I will go with what I've heard and read about teams and by their records and who they've played. My favorite is the team that I believe will make it to state. My contenders are teams that could just as easily make it to state and then my darkhorse or longshots are teams that could make a state run if things go their way.
Spooner Sectional
Favorite
Marshfield Columbus- All year long they have been one of the top teams and play in a fairly strong conference that should of prepared them for a strong tournament run.
Contenders
Clayton- I don't know a thing about Clayton but, they have the best record in the sectional and seemed to be the favorite among the majority of people.
Luck- Have been to state in recent years and have the Mortel twins and a super senior in Carson Giller.
Appleton North
Green Lake- Have lots of height and athleticism. Don't have a lot of depth but, what team in D4 does?
Contenders
Wauasau Newman- Was early season favorite to get to state and a lot of people seem to be sticking with them.
Darkhorse
Suring- Have the experience of being at state a couple years ago and still have the same coach and high scoring junior Chad Strehlow.
Onalaska
Mcdonell Central- Play in a very tough D3 conference and nearly everyone has them as the odds on favorite to get to state.
Darkhorse
North Crawford- I honestly don't see another team that sticks out to me but, North Crawford has best record in sectional.
Fort Atkinson
Randolph- Easily the best sectional of them all. Randolph will probably face their toughest competition in the sectional semi and final. They have been beating D1s all year and can't imagine a D4 beating them without getting some luck.
Contenders
Sheboygan County Christian- Only team to beat Randolph a year ago and return majority of their team.
Racine Lutheran- Another team that has been playing bigger schools all year long and should be battle tested for the playoffs.
Benton- Defending state champs seem to be clicking at the right time behind their two returning starters from a year ago.
Barnveld- Are led by one of the top players in D4 in Logan Johnson.
Darhorse
Catholic Central- Not a great record but, play in a conference with some of the best D2 and D3 teams in the state.
State Predictions
Green Lake over Marshfield Columbus- Green Lake is just to big and are very athletic.
Randolph over Mcdonell Central- Kyle Kelm will dominate.
Randolph over Green Lake- Randolph has defeated them once before this year and this game should be no different. Expect a bigger game from Kelm then what he had in their first matchup.
Just like years past D4 goes through Randolph and this year will be no different. If Randolph is upset I believe that it will happen at the sectional level and whoever comes out of the Fort Atkinson sectional will win state. The southeast sectional might be the toughest D4 sectional that their has ever been.
Spooner Sectional
Favorite
Marshfield Columbus- All year long they have been one of the top teams and play in a fairly strong conference that should of prepared them for a strong tournament run.
Contenders
Clayton- I don't know a thing about Clayton but, they have the best record in the sectional and seemed to be the favorite among the majority of people.
Luck- Have been to state in recent years and have the Mortel twins and a super senior in Carson Giller.
Appleton North
Green Lake- Have lots of height and athleticism. Don't have a lot of depth but, what team in D4 does?
Contenders
Wauasau Newman- Was early season favorite to get to state and a lot of people seem to be sticking with them.
Darkhorse
Suring- Have the experience of being at state a couple years ago and still have the same coach and high scoring junior Chad Strehlow.
Onalaska
Mcdonell Central- Play in a very tough D3 conference and nearly everyone has them as the odds on favorite to get to state.
Darkhorse
North Crawford- I honestly don't see another team that sticks out to me but, North Crawford has best record in sectional.
Fort Atkinson
Randolph- Easily the best sectional of them all. Randolph will probably face their toughest competition in the sectional semi and final. They have been beating D1s all year and can't imagine a D4 beating them without getting some luck.
Contenders
Sheboygan County Christian- Only team to beat Randolph a year ago and return majority of their team.
Racine Lutheran- Another team that has been playing bigger schools all year long and should be battle tested for the playoffs.
Benton- Defending state champs seem to be clicking at the right time behind their two returning starters from a year ago.
Barnveld- Are led by one of the top players in D4 in Logan Johnson.
Darhorse
Catholic Central- Not a great record but, play in a conference with some of the best D2 and D3 teams in the state.
State Predictions
Green Lake over Marshfield Columbus- Green Lake is just to big and are very athletic.
Randolph over Mcdonell Central- Kyle Kelm will dominate.
Randolph over Green Lake- Randolph has defeated them once before this year and this game should be no different. Expect a bigger game from Kelm then what he had in their first matchup.
Just like years past D4 goes through Randolph and this year will be no different. If Randolph is upset I believe that it will happen at the sectional level and whoever comes out of the Fort Atkinson sectional will win state. The southeast sectional might be the toughest D4 sectional that their has ever been.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
3rd Round Team Rankings
With only a week to go until playoffs start this will probably be my last team rankings. After the state tournament its pretty obvious who the top teams are in the state and each division. I have finally gotten the chance to see some new teams play so my rankings are going to change a bit.
Overall Rankings
1. Madison East- Run the court extremely well and have a solid starting five that is as good as anyone in the state. Big man Marquis Mason is a difference maker on the inside whether he's scoring or not. Mason and Nimrod Hillard are one of the top combos in the state.
2. Madison Memorial- After watching them totally dominate Middleton the other night they really appeared poised to make a state run. Yes I did witness Sun Prairie beat Memorial but, I think right now Memorial is a better team.
3. Racine Park- Another team that runs the court very well. There top five guards really carry this team have seven guys that could probably average double figures.
4. Milwaukee Washington- Extremely athletic team that has the height and size to battle with anyone. Quevyn Winters is usually the best player on the court.
5. Sun Prairie- Have a lot of guys that can knock down the three point shot and handle themselves very well and have a lot of experience. Rely heavily on the three and when their not dropping their in trouble.
6. Milwaukee King- Another team with loads of talent that can go 12 deep and not lose a thing. Probably a year away from doing real damage.
7. Waunakee- After watching Waunakee struggle against Washington I believe they would really struggle against an athletic team that will pressure them. I still think they will beat Sun Prairie in the playoffs.
8. Oak Lawn Richards Ill- Run the court very very well and can score in a hurry. Knock down the three very well in transition.
9. Port Washington- Very disciplined team that has a star in Josh Gasser but, they don't need to rely on him every game to get the win.
10. Verona- Really seem to be peaking at the right time. Rebound very well and play great defense. Sam Karls appears to be that go to guy for them.
11. Waupun- Solid team overall that has the most impressive scorer that I've seen in Austin Armga.
12. Monroe- Just like every other Monroe team. They move extremely well without the ball, play very hard, and shoot the three very well. Unlike Monroe's of the past this team has some height.
13. Hamiliton Sussex- Another team that is extremely deep. Can go 12 deep with out losing much and every guy on the deep can hit the three point shot.
14. Appleton East- Live and die by the three and they shoot the three very well. Have some nice size with the 6'7 Mader brothers down low.
15. Valders- Great rebounding team that looks like a bunch of football players playing basketball, which is a good thing in this case. Pound the glass and run their offense very well.
16. Randolph- Great rebounding team. Very similar to Badgers in that they force teams to play at their speed and level. Not too mention they have 6'10 Kyle Kelm.
17. Middleton- Rebound very well with their overall team height advantage. If Matt Everson is on they could be trouble for some teams.
18. Beloit- Very athletic team with eight very solid players. If you pack it in can probably beat them though.
19. Monona Grove- Their two guards Zach Zweifel and Jackson Retzlaff can keep them in the game against anyone. They shoot the three and the mid range shot great and can get to the rim and score.
20. Lacrosse Logan- Big man Trevor Jorgenson is the thing that makes this team good. Very soft touch on the inside.
21. Wisconsin Dells- Shoot the three very well and big man Nate Gibson is a difference maker.
22. Baraboo- Have a couple stars but, just don't have the ball handlers to compete with the tough teams.
23. Waukesha West- Big man Ryan Solberg is a good player but, the rest of the team is a year away from really doing something.
24. Milwauke South- Very athletic team but, doesn't shoot real great and don't run much of an offense.
25. Reedsburg- Chad Mazur is a great great player but, they lack overall team talent. Jordan Van Cleave and Jon Stolte are solid role players.
HM
Green Lake
Division 1
1. Madison East
2. Madison Memorial
3. Racine Park
4. Milwaukee Washington
5. Sun Prairie
6. Milwaukee King
7. Waunakee
8.Verona
9. Sussex Hamiliton
10. Appleton East
HM
Middleton
Beloit
Division 2
1. Port Washington
2. Waupun
3. Monroe
4. Valders
5. Monona Grove
6. Wisconsin Dells
7. Reedsburg
8. West DePere- Very nice high low game but, lack overall athletic ability.
9. Shorewood- Lots of problems with this team. Take bad shots and don't rebound very well.
10. Mauston- Last D2 team left.
Division 3
1. New Lisbon- Not a good team but, are the only D3 team that I have seen play.
Divison 4
1. Randolph
2. Green Lake- Start three guys that are 6'4 or taller. Should be a team at state.
Well those are my ending rankings for the year. I'm somewhat disappointed that I didn't get the chance to see many teams outside of D1 but, I didn't make it to many tournaments which is a where I typically see the lower level teams. Can't wait for next week and the playoffs. In the next few days I'll do my final player rankings and then will have some of my tournament predictions.
Overall Rankings
1. Madison East- Run the court extremely well and have a solid starting five that is as good as anyone in the state. Big man Marquis Mason is a difference maker on the inside whether he's scoring or not. Mason and Nimrod Hillard are one of the top combos in the state.
2. Madison Memorial- After watching them totally dominate Middleton the other night they really appeared poised to make a state run. Yes I did witness Sun Prairie beat Memorial but, I think right now Memorial is a better team.
3. Racine Park- Another team that runs the court very well. There top five guards really carry this team have seven guys that could probably average double figures.
4. Milwaukee Washington- Extremely athletic team that has the height and size to battle with anyone. Quevyn Winters is usually the best player on the court.
5. Sun Prairie- Have a lot of guys that can knock down the three point shot and handle themselves very well and have a lot of experience. Rely heavily on the three and when their not dropping their in trouble.
6. Milwaukee King- Another team with loads of talent that can go 12 deep and not lose a thing. Probably a year away from doing real damage.
7. Waunakee- After watching Waunakee struggle against Washington I believe they would really struggle against an athletic team that will pressure them. I still think they will beat Sun Prairie in the playoffs.
8. Oak Lawn Richards Ill- Run the court very very well and can score in a hurry. Knock down the three very well in transition.
9. Port Washington- Very disciplined team that has a star in Josh Gasser but, they don't need to rely on him every game to get the win.
10. Verona- Really seem to be peaking at the right time. Rebound very well and play great defense. Sam Karls appears to be that go to guy for them.
11. Waupun- Solid team overall that has the most impressive scorer that I've seen in Austin Armga.
12. Monroe- Just like every other Monroe team. They move extremely well without the ball, play very hard, and shoot the three very well. Unlike Monroe's of the past this team has some height.
13. Hamiliton Sussex- Another team that is extremely deep. Can go 12 deep with out losing much and every guy on the deep can hit the three point shot.
14. Appleton East- Live and die by the three and they shoot the three very well. Have some nice size with the 6'7 Mader brothers down low.
15. Valders- Great rebounding team that looks like a bunch of football players playing basketball, which is a good thing in this case. Pound the glass and run their offense very well.
16. Randolph- Great rebounding team. Very similar to Badgers in that they force teams to play at their speed and level. Not too mention they have 6'10 Kyle Kelm.
17. Middleton- Rebound very well with their overall team height advantage. If Matt Everson is on they could be trouble for some teams.
18. Beloit- Very athletic team with eight very solid players. If you pack it in can probably beat them though.
19. Monona Grove- Their two guards Zach Zweifel and Jackson Retzlaff can keep them in the game against anyone. They shoot the three and the mid range shot great and can get to the rim and score.
20. Lacrosse Logan- Big man Trevor Jorgenson is the thing that makes this team good. Very soft touch on the inside.
21. Wisconsin Dells- Shoot the three very well and big man Nate Gibson is a difference maker.
22. Baraboo- Have a couple stars but, just don't have the ball handlers to compete with the tough teams.
23. Waukesha West- Big man Ryan Solberg is a good player but, the rest of the team is a year away from really doing something.
24. Milwauke South- Very athletic team but, doesn't shoot real great and don't run much of an offense.
25. Reedsburg- Chad Mazur is a great great player but, they lack overall team talent. Jordan Van Cleave and Jon Stolte are solid role players.
HM
Green Lake
Division 1
1. Madison East
2. Madison Memorial
3. Racine Park
4. Milwaukee Washington
5. Sun Prairie
6. Milwaukee King
7. Waunakee
8.Verona
9. Sussex Hamiliton
10. Appleton East
HM
Middleton
Beloit
Division 2
1. Port Washington
2. Waupun
3. Monroe
4. Valders
5. Monona Grove
6. Wisconsin Dells
7. Reedsburg
8. West DePere- Very nice high low game but, lack overall athletic ability.
9. Shorewood- Lots of problems with this team. Take bad shots and don't rebound very well.
10. Mauston- Last D2 team left.
Division 3
1. New Lisbon- Not a good team but, are the only D3 team that I have seen play.
Divison 4
1. Randolph
2. Green Lake- Start three guys that are 6'4 or taller. Should be a team at state.
Well those are my ending rankings for the year. I'm somewhat disappointed that I didn't get the chance to see many teams outside of D1 but, I didn't make it to many tournaments which is a where I typically see the lower level teams. Can't wait for next week and the playoffs. In the next few days I'll do my final player rankings and then will have some of my tournament predictions.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Middleton bounces back with win against Beloit
This game didn't play out like you would of expected judging by past performances of the two teams. Just one night ago Middleton was routed by 40 points to a Madison Memorial team that seems to be peaking and roughly a week ago Beloit defeated Memorial by roughly 13 points. Judging by those two outcomes you would expect a blow out and that's what we got, early on anyway. The only problem was it was Middleton blowing out Beloit. I came into the game excited to get the chance to see Beloit play given that Beloit had already defeated the two top teams in the conference and state in Madison East and Madison Memorial and seemed guaranteed a place at state after defeating Verona for a second time, their top contender in their sectional. Unfortunately Beloit wasn't anywhere near as impressive as I had expected.
Early on Middleton played a sagging man to man defense and really packed the inside and didn't allow Beloit to penetrate. Beloit seemed content to just take the outside and they weren't falling, frankly they weren't even getting close, air balling a handful of shots. Beloit seemed to have the same defensive philosophy as Middleton but, the only difference was that Middleton was knocking down the open shots that they were given. Middleton had a 15-7 first quarter lead. In the second quarter the outside shots stopped falling for Middleton but, that's when they took advantage of their superior height and were able to get second and third chances. Beloit continued to struggled on the offensive end as they were down 31-14 at half. Third quarter Middleton continued their dominance as they were up 46-28. Late in the third quarter and early in the fourth Middleton's star 6'2 senior Matt Everson came alive using his ball handling skills to get to the rim or get fouled, where he was automatic at the line. It appeared Middleton was ready to go into cruise control when Beloit finally came alive. Beloit seemed to be sparked by a technical foul on Everson, after he did alittle too much trash talking after a basket and then a missed dunk by 6'6 junior Ian Joyce. It seemed Beloit's best offense was putting their head down and just driving to the rim and either getting fouled or making the basket. It seemed throughout the fourth Beloit would make the shot every time and get fouled every time. In the end the calming free throw shooting of Everson helped seal the 59-53 win for Middleton.
Top Players
Matt Everson 6'2 senior Middleton- Had a very solid game making a couple three pointers, posting smaller defenders, and making his free throws. Everson could get anywhere he wanted on the court.
Michael Owen 6'7 senior Middleton- Moves extremely well for a big man and did a nice job of handling Beloit's pressure and was able to knock down the outside shot.
KJ Evans 6'3 senior Beloit- Didn't have a great game but, finally arrived in the fourth quarter scoring 12 points. Just a beast going to the rim and scoring baskets while drawing the contact and getting fouled.
Box Score
Middleton- Everson 22 Owen 14 Shane Adler 8 Corey Nelson 8 Joyce 4 Skylar Yaktus 3 Seth Coyne 0 Connor Wipfli 0 Aaron Katsuma 0 Sonny Bavery 0 Charlie Opitz 0
Beloit- Evans 12 Ahmad Shamsid-Dean 10 Sharod Stone 9 Dennis Crosby 7 Leketreius Broomfield 6 Mike Weston 6 Robert Douglas 3 Cameron Roegner 0
Despite Beloit's disappointing performance I still think that they are the top team in their sectional and have the best chance of getting to state. Their sectional just isn't that strong and like I said earlier they have already defeated the top contender twice this year. It is tough to beat a team three times in a year though so I'm leaving it up to a coin toss between Verona and Beloit as to who will get to state.
Early on Middleton played a sagging man to man defense and really packed the inside and didn't allow Beloit to penetrate. Beloit seemed content to just take the outside and they weren't falling, frankly they weren't even getting close, air balling a handful of shots. Beloit seemed to have the same defensive philosophy as Middleton but, the only difference was that Middleton was knocking down the open shots that they were given. Middleton had a 15-7 first quarter lead. In the second quarter the outside shots stopped falling for Middleton but, that's when they took advantage of their superior height and were able to get second and third chances. Beloit continued to struggled on the offensive end as they were down 31-14 at half. Third quarter Middleton continued their dominance as they were up 46-28. Late in the third quarter and early in the fourth Middleton's star 6'2 senior Matt Everson came alive using his ball handling skills to get to the rim or get fouled, where he was automatic at the line. It appeared Middleton was ready to go into cruise control when Beloit finally came alive. Beloit seemed to be sparked by a technical foul on Everson, after he did alittle too much trash talking after a basket and then a missed dunk by 6'6 junior Ian Joyce. It seemed Beloit's best offense was putting their head down and just driving to the rim and either getting fouled or making the basket. It seemed throughout the fourth Beloit would make the shot every time and get fouled every time. In the end the calming free throw shooting of Everson helped seal the 59-53 win for Middleton.
Top Players
Matt Everson 6'2 senior Middleton- Had a very solid game making a couple three pointers, posting smaller defenders, and making his free throws. Everson could get anywhere he wanted on the court.
Michael Owen 6'7 senior Middleton- Moves extremely well for a big man and did a nice job of handling Beloit's pressure and was able to knock down the outside shot.
KJ Evans 6'3 senior Beloit- Didn't have a great game but, finally arrived in the fourth quarter scoring 12 points. Just a beast going to the rim and scoring baskets while drawing the contact and getting fouled.
Box Score
Middleton- Everson 22 Owen 14 Shane Adler 8 Corey Nelson 8 Joyce 4 Skylar Yaktus 3 Seth Coyne 0 Connor Wipfli 0 Aaron Katsuma 0 Sonny Bavery 0 Charlie Opitz 0
Beloit- Evans 12 Ahmad Shamsid-Dean 10 Sharod Stone 9 Dennis Crosby 7 Leketreius Broomfield 6 Mike Weston 6 Robert Douglas 3 Cameron Roegner 0
Despite Beloit's disappointing performance I still think that they are the top team in their sectional and have the best chance of getting to state. Their sectional just isn't that strong and like I said earlier they have already defeated the top contender twice this year. It is tough to beat a team three times in a year though so I'm leaving it up to a coin toss between Verona and Beloit as to who will get to state.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Madison Memorial destroys Middleton
I hadn't seen Middleton since their first Big Eight game of the year and they were tied in third place in the conference so I figured that I'd go down and see them play Madison Memorial to see if they had improved as much as their record showed. Unfortunately this wasn't a good night for Middleton as Memorial completely dominated this game from start to finish. Memorial really turned up the defensive pressure playing man to man defense nearly the entire game and really flustered Middleton into numerous turnovers and some very difficult shots. On the other end Memorial was going to the offensive boards with reckless abandenment, seeming to get at least three chances at the hoop on every trip down the court until the ball went through the hoop.
Memorial really appears to be peaking at the right time as they used a eight man rotation moving players in and out without missing a beat and didn't have to rely on any one player as four different players scored in double digits and thats with their second leading scorer 6'2 senior Tre Creamer only scoring six points. Memorial jumped out to the 20-3 first quarter lead, 35-12 halftime score, and the a 57-22 after three. Memorial rested their starters nearly the entire fourth quarter as they cruised to a 76-34 win.
Top Players (sorry Middleton you didn't get anyone)
Junior Lomomba the 6'3 super soph appears to be fully healed from his wrist injury and looked very impressive in the game. Lomomba scored 10 points in the first half displaying a variety of moves included a very nice spin move and bank in shot from the block. Lomomba has a very solid post game but, is just as effective from the outside. Lomomba had a nice highligh dunk with a nice little reverse dunk in the fourth quarter. Memorial star 6'3 senior Vander Blue didn't have a great game, like I said but, he really didn't need to in this one. Blue really went to the glass extremely hard and was rebounding with a purpose. Blue only had 11 points but, was probably close to double digit rebounds and did a nice job of guarding Middleton star 6'2 senior Matt Everson when he was on him. Another player that appears to be fully back from injurty is freshmen 5'11 Brendan Ortiz. Ortiz doesn't appear to have the same elevation as he did before his leg injury but, appears to be comfortable on the court. in particular shooting the ball from the outside, which should be a nice boast to a team that at times struggles from the outside. Ortiz also looks very good handling the ball and I am very interested to watch this kid progressive throughout the next four years. 6'4 junior Tre Burnette appears to have regain his confidence to shoot as he knocked down a pair of threes mid game and then dominated in garbage time. One last kid that has really begain impressing me is 6'2 junior Jordan Fredrick, who I really questioned him starting the first time I saw him starting but, he appears to be more comfortable playing with the other starters and has really developed a nice midrange shot.
Box Score
Memorial- Lomomba 15 Burnette 13 Blue 11 Ortiz 11 Jamar Morris 9 Fredrick 6 Brian Nkemnji 6 Creamer 5 Miles Chamberlain 0 Josh Horman 0 Karl Klatt 0 Alvin Olson 0 Eric Fruhling 0 Steve Scharch 0 Ed Kluender 0
Middleton- Corey Nelson 6 Sonny Bavery 6 Everson 5 Charlie Opitz 5 Ian Joyce 4 Shane Adler 3 Michael Owen 3 Connor Stubbe 2 Seth Coyne 0 Connor Wipfli 0 Will O'Brien 0 Aaron Katsuma 0 Skylar Yaktus 0
After watching Memorial tonight I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to Memorial take down East next week and also to see Memorial make another run to state.
Memorial really appears to be peaking at the right time as they used a eight man rotation moving players in and out without missing a beat and didn't have to rely on any one player as four different players scored in double digits and thats with their second leading scorer 6'2 senior Tre Creamer only scoring six points. Memorial jumped out to the 20-3 first quarter lead, 35-12 halftime score, and the a 57-22 after three. Memorial rested their starters nearly the entire fourth quarter as they cruised to a 76-34 win.
Top Players (sorry Middleton you didn't get anyone)
Junior Lomomba the 6'3 super soph appears to be fully healed from his wrist injury and looked very impressive in the game. Lomomba scored 10 points in the first half displaying a variety of moves included a very nice spin move and bank in shot from the block. Lomomba has a very solid post game but, is just as effective from the outside. Lomomba had a nice highligh dunk with a nice little reverse dunk in the fourth quarter. Memorial star 6'3 senior Vander Blue didn't have a great game, like I said but, he really didn't need to in this one. Blue really went to the glass extremely hard and was rebounding with a purpose. Blue only had 11 points but, was probably close to double digit rebounds and did a nice job of guarding Middleton star 6'2 senior Matt Everson when he was on him. Another player that appears to be fully back from injurty is freshmen 5'11 Brendan Ortiz. Ortiz doesn't appear to have the same elevation as he did before his leg injury but, appears to be comfortable on the court. in particular shooting the ball from the outside, which should be a nice boast to a team that at times struggles from the outside. Ortiz also looks very good handling the ball and I am very interested to watch this kid progressive throughout the next four years. 6'4 junior Tre Burnette appears to have regain his confidence to shoot as he knocked down a pair of threes mid game and then dominated in garbage time. One last kid that has really begain impressing me is 6'2 junior Jordan Fredrick, who I really questioned him starting the first time I saw him starting but, he appears to be more comfortable playing with the other starters and has really developed a nice midrange shot.
Box Score
Memorial- Lomomba 15 Burnette 13 Blue 11 Ortiz 11 Jamar Morris 9 Fredrick 6 Brian Nkemnji 6 Creamer 5 Miles Chamberlain 0 Josh Horman 0 Karl Klatt 0 Alvin Olson 0 Eric Fruhling 0 Steve Scharch 0 Ed Kluender 0
Middleton- Corey Nelson 6 Sonny Bavery 6 Everson 5 Charlie Opitz 5 Ian Joyce 4 Shane Adler 3 Michael Owen 3 Connor Stubbe 2 Seth Coyne 0 Connor Wipfli 0 Will O'Brien 0 Aaron Katsuma 0 Skylar Yaktus 0
After watching Memorial tonight I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to Memorial take down East next week and also to see Memorial make another run to state.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Randolph shows D4 dominance
For the past 10 years or so Randolph has been the class of division four year in and year out and every so often there is a team or teams that people believe can challenge Randolph for that title. Typically it ends the same Randolph shows their dominance and every so often, an extremely rare occurrence, a team will take that title for a year from Randolph but, the next year Randolph is right back at the top. Well on Monday night Green Lake was the team many people believed that this was a team that could defeated Randolph but, after the game Randolph was still sitting as the top team.
Watching warm ups I thought that Green Lake had a legit chance as they start three guys that are 6'4 and taller that all move very well and look comfortable on the court. Like many D4 teams I questioned their depth though outside of those three players. Randolph didn't look like anything impressive in warm ups but, that didn't mean much for a Randolph team and they did have 6'10 senior Kyle Kelm, who is a shoe in for all state and maybe even a first teamer.
From the tip this game was extremely intense and both teams seemed very excited for this game. Green Lake game out gunning hit a pair of threes, while Randolph looked to Kelm to do the bulk of their scoring. At the end of one quarter the score was 10-10 but, Green Lake big man 6'5 sophomore Matt Van Scyoc had two fouls. In the second quarter Randolph stepped up the defense which flustered Green Lake a bit and they started to turn the ball over. Randolph struggled to find their range but, absolutely dominated the boards on both ends which allowed them second chances which the converted on or where fouled. Half time score was 23-17. Third quarter was much the same as Randolph continued to get second and third chances while Green Lake couldn't get the ball to stay in the rim. Randolph extended their lead to 10 at the end of third and midway through the fourth the lead had grown to 14 before Green Lake began taking a large amount of threes and started to hit a few. In the end Randolph hit their free throws and got the 44-34 win. Lead would of been more but, Randolph struggled from the free throw line and couldn't put the game away early.
Top Players
Kyle Kelm 6'10 senior Randolph- Did a great job of finding an opening at the free throw line against the Green Lake zone and getting to the rim and scoring.
Ben Syvertson 6'2 senior Randolph- This was the guy that probably won the game for Randolph. Did a great job going hard to the rim and rebounding and was also one of the few players for Randolph that would attack the rim off the bounce. Also guarded Green Lake's top player Brad Brooks.
Brad Brooks 6'5 senior Green Lake- Big guy that moves very well. Struggled a bit but, you could tell this kid was a star and really looked like a ball player. Did a nice job of guarding Kelm in man to man defense.
Box Score starter in Italics
Randolph- Kelm 19 Syvertson 9 TJ Huizenga 6 Brian Kampstra 5 Zach Reuter 4 Mike Thoreson 0 Jay Fish 0 Brandon Zimmerman 0
Green Lake- Brooks 10 Matt Neubauer 6 Conor Mc Elligott 6 Curtis Morgan 5 Matt Van Scyoc 5 Alex Van Lanen 2 Nate Polcyn 0 Noah Polcyn 0
I hontesly expected Randolph to win this game far easier then what they did but, then I have to remember that Green Lake is one of the top teams and have a very good chance to get to state. I'm still taking Randolph to win state but, I'm not sure it will be as easy as I previous had thought.
Watching warm ups I thought that Green Lake had a legit chance as they start three guys that are 6'4 and taller that all move very well and look comfortable on the court. Like many D4 teams I questioned their depth though outside of those three players. Randolph didn't look like anything impressive in warm ups but, that didn't mean much for a Randolph team and they did have 6'10 senior Kyle Kelm, who is a shoe in for all state and maybe even a first teamer.
From the tip this game was extremely intense and both teams seemed very excited for this game. Green Lake game out gunning hit a pair of threes, while Randolph looked to Kelm to do the bulk of their scoring. At the end of one quarter the score was 10-10 but, Green Lake big man 6'5 sophomore Matt Van Scyoc had two fouls. In the second quarter Randolph stepped up the defense which flustered Green Lake a bit and they started to turn the ball over. Randolph struggled to find their range but, absolutely dominated the boards on both ends which allowed them second chances which the converted on or where fouled. Half time score was 23-17. Third quarter was much the same as Randolph continued to get second and third chances while Green Lake couldn't get the ball to stay in the rim. Randolph extended their lead to 10 at the end of third and midway through the fourth the lead had grown to 14 before Green Lake began taking a large amount of threes and started to hit a few. In the end Randolph hit their free throws and got the 44-34 win. Lead would of been more but, Randolph struggled from the free throw line and couldn't put the game away early.
Top Players
Kyle Kelm 6'10 senior Randolph- Did a great job of finding an opening at the free throw line against the Green Lake zone and getting to the rim and scoring.
Ben Syvertson 6'2 senior Randolph- This was the guy that probably won the game for Randolph. Did a great job going hard to the rim and rebounding and was also one of the few players for Randolph that would attack the rim off the bounce. Also guarded Green Lake's top player Brad Brooks.
Brad Brooks 6'5 senior Green Lake- Big guy that moves very well. Struggled a bit but, you could tell this kid was a star and really looked like a ball player. Did a nice job of guarding Kelm in man to man defense.
Box Score starter in Italics
Randolph- Kelm 19 Syvertson 9 TJ Huizenga 6 Brian Kampstra 5 Zach Reuter 4 Mike Thoreson 0 Jay Fish 0 Brandon Zimmerman 0
Green Lake- Brooks 10 Matt Neubauer 6 Conor Mc Elligott 6 Curtis Morgan 5 Matt Van Scyoc 5 Alex Van Lanen 2 Nate Polcyn 0 Noah Polcyn 0
I hontesly expected Randolph to win this game far easier then what they did but, then I have to remember that Green Lake is one of the top teams and have a very good chance to get to state. I'm still taking Randolph to win state but, I'm not sure it will be as easy as I previous had thought.
Milwaukee Washington over Waunakee
On Saturday night I was able to get the rare chance to catch a Milwaukee school play north of Madison as Milwaukee Washington took down Waunakee. This game was a fairly sloppy game throughout. Milwaukee Washington wanted to push the tempo both offensively and defensively and Waunakee seemed to have no problem with playing the same way, which led to a lot of turnovers and led to scrums on the court at times, as it appeared no one could hang on to the ball.
Honestly there wasn't a ton to say about the game as it wasn't real intense game due to the lack of crowd and the game was never that close late in the game. It seemed Washington would get out to a 10 point lead and then Waunakee would cut it to six but, would never get any closer. Early in the game Washington really looked to there star 6'5 junior Quevyn Winters. Winters knocked down a three and then showed some nice moves in the post. Winter also was very solid on the glass getting some second chance buckets. For Waunakee their best offense was the offensive rebound and were led by 6'4 junior Austin Maly who had the first seven points for Waunakee most of which coming from second chance points.
In the second half Waunakee continued to struggle but, they did manage to hit four three pointers which kept them in the game. Washington continued to push the tempo which resulted it lots of lay ups. Senior point guard 5'11 Terry Taylor was able to use his superior ball handling skills to get to the rim and score. The player that benefited the most from the uptempo game was 6'1 junior Melvin Cook who used his athleticism to score in one on one settings going to the hoop. Waunakee's two junior stars 6'2 Jared Staege and 6'3 Beau Murray were kept in check most of the game. I don't know if it was Washington's defense or just bad games by each of the players. Staege had more turnovers then normal and couldn't buy a basket and Murray just didn't seem to have the ability to get by his defender. In the end Washington won by a seven point margin 63-56 which was basically the spread the entire game.
Top Players
Melvin Cook 6'1 junior Milwaukee Washington- Used his superior athletic ability to score at the rim.
Quevyn Winters 6'5 junior Milwaukee Washington- Easily the best player on the court. Used his size to score on the inside and showed a nice floater. Very heady player that doesn't make a lot of mistakes.
Terry Taylor 5'11 senior Milwaukee Washington- Superior ball handling skills that allowed him to beat his defender off the dribble. Has very quick hands that allow him to knock balls away.
Austin Maly 6'4 junior Waunakee- Very tough on the inside and was able to get second and third chance buckets.
Box Score starters in italics
Washington- Winters 19 Cook 13 Taylor 11 DeAndre Harris 10 Gederick Williams 4 Antonio Mayfield 3 Derrick Williams 2 John Cathy-Macklin 2 Ray Vonn Posey 0
Waunakee- Maly 14 Jacob Soper 11 Nick Soper 10 Murray 9 Staege 6 Cole Cefalu 5 Kyle Newhouse 2 Austin Prusha 0
Was very interesting to see a Milwaukee school coming up to the "North" and playing. Prior to this game I thought Washington would once again wind up at state but, after watching this game I'm not so sure and it will be a very tough sectional as always as Washington will have to battle, King, Riverside, and South just to get out of their sectional.
Honestly there wasn't a ton to say about the game as it wasn't real intense game due to the lack of crowd and the game was never that close late in the game. It seemed Washington would get out to a 10 point lead and then Waunakee would cut it to six but, would never get any closer. Early in the game Washington really looked to there star 6'5 junior Quevyn Winters. Winters knocked down a three and then showed some nice moves in the post. Winter also was very solid on the glass getting some second chance buckets. For Waunakee their best offense was the offensive rebound and were led by 6'4 junior Austin Maly who had the first seven points for Waunakee most of which coming from second chance points.
In the second half Waunakee continued to struggle but, they did manage to hit four three pointers which kept them in the game. Washington continued to push the tempo which resulted it lots of lay ups. Senior point guard 5'11 Terry Taylor was able to use his superior ball handling skills to get to the rim and score. The player that benefited the most from the uptempo game was 6'1 junior Melvin Cook who used his athleticism to score in one on one settings going to the hoop. Waunakee's two junior stars 6'2 Jared Staege and 6'3 Beau Murray were kept in check most of the game. I don't know if it was Washington's defense or just bad games by each of the players. Staege had more turnovers then normal and couldn't buy a basket and Murray just didn't seem to have the ability to get by his defender. In the end Washington won by a seven point margin 63-56 which was basically the spread the entire game.
Top Players
Melvin Cook 6'1 junior Milwaukee Washington- Used his superior athletic ability to score at the rim.
Quevyn Winters 6'5 junior Milwaukee Washington- Easily the best player on the court. Used his size to score on the inside and showed a nice floater. Very heady player that doesn't make a lot of mistakes.
Terry Taylor 5'11 senior Milwaukee Washington- Superior ball handling skills that allowed him to beat his defender off the dribble. Has very quick hands that allow him to knock balls away.
Austin Maly 6'4 junior Waunakee- Very tough on the inside and was able to get second and third chance buckets.
Box Score starters in italics
Washington- Winters 19 Cook 13 Taylor 11 DeAndre Harris 10 Gederick Williams 4 Antonio Mayfield 3 Derrick Williams 2 John Cathy-Macklin 2 Ray Vonn Posey 0
Waunakee- Maly 14 Jacob Soper 11 Nick Soper 10 Murray 9 Staege 6 Cole Cefalu 5 Kyle Newhouse 2 Austin Prusha 0
Was very interesting to see a Milwaukee school coming up to the "North" and playing. Prior to this game I thought Washington would once again wind up at state but, after watching this game I'm not so sure and it will be a very tough sectional as always as Washington will have to battle, King, Riverside, and South just to get out of their sectional.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Madison East gains sole possession of conference lead
I didn't see Madison East's two losses but, when I have seen East play they really seem to be on a mission to get to state and make a push for the title. Combine that with a Madison Memorial loss on Friday and their roller coaster play all year long, East seems more and more likely to win conference and to represent the Middleton Sectional at state, which has been dominated by Memorial as of late. Despite all this I'm still somewhat unsure of picking East to get to state. I feel that if Marquis Mason or Nimrod Hillard get in foul trouble or injured East will have a hard time beating some of the top teams in their conference and sectional.
Yes I did imply that East is a two man team but, in the game against Sun Prairie Friday night the rest of the team came up huge and really showed that they can make the plays when called upon. Mason and Hillard where their normal impressive selves but, they just didn't need to score as much as a pair of seniors 6'2 Drew McAdams and 6'4 Jeff Hull came up very big in this game. Early on Hillard started out very strong using his killer cross over to get to the rim and was able to finish with a couple of very nice floaters. Hull was a nice sidekick to Hillard early on as Hull knocked down a pair of 15 footers and then showed some nice post moves on the inside to score. On the other side Sun Prairie's senior leader 6'2 Michael Boos was absolutely lighting it up early in the game. Boos was able to hit shots coming off the screen and off the dribble. End of first quarter was 15-15. In the second quarter McAdams made his appearance for East and was probably the player of the game. In the past McAdams always struggled with his outside shooting but, tonight he just couldn't miss as he was hitting threes and deep twos all night long. Boos got some help from his teammates from long range as 5'11 junior Jaron Schaffner and 6'4 freshmen Nick Fuller each hit at least one three point shot. This game was really back and forth as the halftime score was East up 32-30.
In the second half East went cold from the field and started turning the ball over and only scored nine points. Sun Prairie was able to take advantage of this as Schaffner was able to get to the hoop and score, while Fuller was able to keep up the hot outside shooting. This was good for Sun Praire because Boos basically disappeared in the second half. SP also got a nice push from their bench as 6'4 junior Daniel Mifflin scored six points all in the third quarter I believe. This all led to a 44-41 Sun Prairie lead after three quarters. In the fourth quarter East was able to take the lead back for good behind their strong rebounding from Mason, McAdams, and Hull. McAdams really showed up big as he continued his torrid shooting from the outside and made all the little plays. McAdams was on a two on one break away and when it appeared his was going in for the layup he found teammate Nimrod Hillard with a beautiful behind the back pass. Then on a missed Mason free throw, McAdams was able to secure a rebound from four Sun Prairie defenders and get fouled and go back to the line. The final play was where Mc Adams dove for a loose ball with about 15 seconds left and he couldn't find an open teammate for he just threw the ball over his head to the other end of the court running about eight seconds off the clock. Game was sealed when Jaron Schaffner drove the lane and Mason blocked the shot off the backboard and then the ball hit Schaffner in the back of the foot and the ball went out of bounds.
Top Players
Nimrod Hillard 6'0 junior Madison East- Best cross over in the state and showcased a very floater in the lane.
Drew Mc Adams 6'2 senior Madison East- Basically said it all. Shot the lights out and did all the little things to key the victory.
Jeff Hull 6'4 senior Madison East- Was able to hit the 15 foot jumper and showed some very nice moves in the post with his back to the basket.
Marquis Mason 6'4 senior Madison East- Did it all tonight. Dominated the paint on the offensive and defensive end. Had 13 points, double digit rebounds, and probably a handful of blocks.
Jaron Schaffner 5'11 junior Sun Prairie- Came off the bench with 14 points. Hit the outside shoot and wasn't afraid to penetrate to the inside and score.
Michael Boos 6'2 senior Sun Prairie- Couldn't miss in the first half, hitting everything he put up. Did kind of disappear in the second half though.
Nick Fuller 6'4 freshmen Sun Prairie- Had a very nice night shooting from the outside lead the team with 15 points.
Box Score starters in Italics
Madison East- Hillard 16 Mc Adams 16 Mason 13 Hull 12 Rudly Bentley 4 Durley 2
Sun Prairie- Fuller 15 Schaffner 14 Boos 13 Jordan Noskowiak 7 Mifflin 6 Chris Hawkins 2 William Thiel 0 Chris Kujawski 0
It appears that Madison East is looking to get their playoff rotation set as they only went six deep in the game. East looks very impressive and like I said earlier appears to be ready to make a run at a state title and they could very well do just that. Sun Prairie is a very confusing team. Against teams like East and Memorial they play extremely close but, then they will lose to teams that are middle of the road teams. They will probably make a decent run in the playoffs and beat some decent teams specially considering they are in the toughest sectional in the state.
Yes I did imply that East is a two man team but, in the game against Sun Prairie Friday night the rest of the team came up huge and really showed that they can make the plays when called upon. Mason and Hillard where their normal impressive selves but, they just didn't need to score as much as a pair of seniors 6'2 Drew McAdams and 6'4 Jeff Hull came up very big in this game. Early on Hillard started out very strong using his killer cross over to get to the rim and was able to finish with a couple of very nice floaters. Hull was a nice sidekick to Hillard early on as Hull knocked down a pair of 15 footers and then showed some nice post moves on the inside to score. On the other side Sun Prairie's senior leader 6'2 Michael Boos was absolutely lighting it up early in the game. Boos was able to hit shots coming off the screen and off the dribble. End of first quarter was 15-15. In the second quarter McAdams made his appearance for East and was probably the player of the game. In the past McAdams always struggled with his outside shooting but, tonight he just couldn't miss as he was hitting threes and deep twos all night long. Boos got some help from his teammates from long range as 5'11 junior Jaron Schaffner and 6'4 freshmen Nick Fuller each hit at least one three point shot. This game was really back and forth as the halftime score was East up 32-30.
In the second half East went cold from the field and started turning the ball over and only scored nine points. Sun Prairie was able to take advantage of this as Schaffner was able to get to the hoop and score, while Fuller was able to keep up the hot outside shooting. This was good for Sun Praire because Boos basically disappeared in the second half. SP also got a nice push from their bench as 6'4 junior Daniel Mifflin scored six points all in the third quarter I believe. This all led to a 44-41 Sun Prairie lead after three quarters. In the fourth quarter East was able to take the lead back for good behind their strong rebounding from Mason, McAdams, and Hull. McAdams really showed up big as he continued his torrid shooting from the outside and made all the little plays. McAdams was on a two on one break away and when it appeared his was going in for the layup he found teammate Nimrod Hillard with a beautiful behind the back pass. Then on a missed Mason free throw, McAdams was able to secure a rebound from four Sun Prairie defenders and get fouled and go back to the line. The final play was where Mc Adams dove for a loose ball with about 15 seconds left and he couldn't find an open teammate for he just threw the ball over his head to the other end of the court running about eight seconds off the clock. Game was sealed when Jaron Schaffner drove the lane and Mason blocked the shot off the backboard and then the ball hit Schaffner in the back of the foot and the ball went out of bounds.
Top Players
Nimrod Hillard 6'0 junior Madison East- Best cross over in the state and showcased a very floater in the lane.
Drew Mc Adams 6'2 senior Madison East- Basically said it all. Shot the lights out and did all the little things to key the victory.
Jeff Hull 6'4 senior Madison East- Was able to hit the 15 foot jumper and showed some very nice moves in the post with his back to the basket.
Marquis Mason 6'4 senior Madison East- Did it all tonight. Dominated the paint on the offensive and defensive end. Had 13 points, double digit rebounds, and probably a handful of blocks.
Jaron Schaffner 5'11 junior Sun Prairie- Came off the bench with 14 points. Hit the outside shoot and wasn't afraid to penetrate to the inside and score.
Michael Boos 6'2 senior Sun Prairie- Couldn't miss in the first half, hitting everything he put up. Did kind of disappear in the second half though.
Nick Fuller 6'4 freshmen Sun Prairie- Had a very nice night shooting from the outside lead the team with 15 points.
Box Score starters in Italics
Madison East- Hillard 16 Mc Adams 16 Mason 13 Hull 12 Rudly Bentley 4 Durley 2
Sun Prairie- Fuller 15 Schaffner 14 Boos 13 Jordan Noskowiak 7 Mifflin 6 Chris Hawkins 2 William Thiel 0 Chris Kujawski 0
It appears that Madison East is looking to get their playoff rotation set as they only went six deep in the game. East looks very impressive and like I said earlier appears to be ready to make a run at a state title and they could very well do just that. Sun Prairie is a very confusing team. Against teams like East and Memorial they play extremely close but, then they will lose to teams that are middle of the road teams. They will probably make a decent run in the playoffs and beat some decent teams specially considering they are in the toughest sectional in the state.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Round Two Rankings
Still haven't seen another game so figured I might as well focus on my new player rankings. I haven't seen a ton of new players but, have see some players numerous times which allows me to get a better read on that players. As always only in state players are considered for class rank. My rankings of 1-3 could just about go any way 1 through 3 but, it came down to one was the player that has been huge at the end of every game. That player is Nimrod Hillard, who has probably been more valuable to his team than any player in the state.
Overall Rankings
1. Nimrod Hillard 6'0 junior Madison East- Possibly the best ball handler I've seen this year with a killer cross over. Can finish at the rim with a variety of moves and always comes up huge at the end of games. He also hits his free throws and can knock down the three.
2. Vander Blue 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Hasn't had a great year but, has really shown that he can do alittle bit of everything. Has shown that at the end of games he can absolutely take games over. Three point shooting is greatly improved and has some very nice handles with the ball. When he really goes for rebounds he is head and shoulders above everyone else and on any given night he is probably the best athlete on the court.
3. Marquis Mason 6'4 senior Madison East- Another guy that is probably the best athlete on the court night in and night out. Can control a game without even scoring and can jump out of the gym. Best shot blocker, rebounder, and dunker I've seen this year. When he gets the ball in the post nearly impossible to stop without fouling. Can occasionally step out and hit the outside shot.
4. Austin Armga 6'3 senior Waupun- Most impressive scorer I've seen this year. Nearly impossible to stay in front of and when he gets inside the free throw line he's going to score.
5. Tre Edwards 6'1 senior Racine Park- Another guard that finishes at the rim extremely well and in a variety of ways. Also has very very quick hands and uses them effectively to pick off passes.
6. Keith Sconiers 6'3 senior Oak Lawn Richards IL- Is very good with the ball in his hands. Loves to get out and run and can stop on a dime and hit the jumper or the three point shot.
7. Josh Gasser 6'4 senior Port Washington- Another kid that can do a little bit of everything and can take over a game without scoring. Runs the point, is one of the top rebounders on the team, and does average 20 plus points a game when he does score.
8. Tre Creamer 6'2 senior Madison Memorial- Has really formed a great 1 2 punch with Vander Blue. Can slash to the rim and score anytime he wants and this year he is finally starting to knock down the three point shot. Is the vocal leader for this team.
9. Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 junior Sun Prairie- When he can get his feet set he's going to knock down the outside shot. Comes off the screen very well and players very good tough defense.
10. Trevor Jorgenson 6'7 junior Lacrosse Logan- Big man with an extremely soft touch around the rim. Very solid get that uses his size to dominate the boards.
11. Brett Meinecke 6'2 senior Sussex Hamiliton- Very heading point guard that really looks for his teammates and keeps the offense balanced. Knocks down the three and can get to the rim and score.
12. Chad Mazur 6'3 junior Reedsburg- Absolute gunner shooting the ball, specially when he is coming off a screen. Can get his shot off at any time.
13. Sam Karls 6'4 senior Verona- Great defender that guards some of the best players in the state night in and night out. Loves to get physical on the inside and battle for rebounds. Good jumper and can knock down the three if given the open look.
14. Zach Zweifel 6'0 junior Monona Grove- Another big time scorer with a very nice mid range jump shot and can penetrate to the inside and score. Has an engine that doesn't quit.
15. Jared Staege 6'2 junior Waunakee- Most improved player I've seen this year. Is a true point guard and does a great job of running the team. Can finish at the rim very well and when given the hope three can hit it.
16. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 junior Monroe- Does a great job of coming off the screen setting his feet and hitting the shot. Great outside shooter but, also does a good job of posting up fellow guards and scoring on the inside.
17. Beau Murray 6'3 junior Waunakee- Very good penetrater that can get to the rim and score or get fouled and then go to the line where he always hits the free throws.
18. Ryan Solberg 6'6 senior Waukesha West- Tall long player with a very nice outside shot and runs the court very well.
19. Justin Ward 6'4 senior Wisconsin Dells- Long lanky player that shoots the three very well but, also handles the ball pretty well and can driver to the hoop and score.
20. Jackson Retzlaff 5'11 senior Monona Grove- Very good three point shooter and is a big time scorer.
21. Johnny Coenen 5'8 junior Appleton East- Ultimate pass first point guard and I love these type of players. Despite his size is able to get his shot at anytime and does a great job of setting up his teammates.
22. Andrew Schwoerer 6'4 senior Valders- Big man that controls the offensive and defensive boards. He runs the court very well and has soft hands and very nice footwork for a big man.
23. Derrick Cook 6'0 senior Milwaukee South- Big time scorer that doesn't dominate the ball and picks his time to score. Despite being only six foot does a great job of battling on the inside with far bigger players.
24. Nate Gibson 6'9 senior Wisconsin Dells- Another big man with a soft touch around the rim and can finish with his left or right hand and shoots free throws very well.
25. Isaih Bridges 5'8 senior Racine Park- Another undersized guard that can get his shot off at any time and is a big time scorer.
HM
Adonis Bailey 6'3 senior Oak Lawn Richards
Ian Joyce 6'6 junior Middleton
Brian Krohn 6'2 senior Sussex Hamiliton
Senior Rankings
1. Vander Blue 6'3 Madison Memorial
2. Marquis Mason 6'4 Madison East
3. Austin Armga 6'3 Waupun
4. Tre Edwards 6'1 Racine Park
5. Josh Gasser 6'4 Port Washington
6. Tre Creamer 6'2 Madison Memorial
7. Brett Meinecke 6'2 Sussex Hamiliton
8. Sam Karls 6'4 Verona
9. Ryan Solberg 6'6 Waukesha West
10. Justin Ward 6'4 Wisconsin Dells
HM
Jackson Retzlaff 5'11 Monona Grove
Andrew Schwoerer 6'4 Valders
Derrick Cook 6'0 Milwaukee South
Junior Rankings
1. Nimrod Hillard 6'0 Madison East
2. Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 Sun Prairie
3. Trevor Jorgenson 6'7 Lacrosse Logan
4. Chad Mazur 6'3 Reedsburg
5. Zach Zweifel 6'0 Monona Grove
6. Jared Staege 6'2 Waunakee
7. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 Monroe
8. Beau Murray 6'3 Waunakee
9. Johnny Coenen 5'8 Appleton East
10. Ian Joyce 6'6 Middleton- Gets position on the inside at will and is able to get the easy buckets and score. Also runs the court very well.
HM
Chris Hawkins 6'4 Sun Prairie
Mark Kowalke 6'6 Baraboo
Sophomore Rankings
1. Junior Lomomba 6'4 Madison Memorial- Back from his injury and isn't quite the same player as last year but, still the top of his class that I've seen. Has improved his ball handling and has looked very good in the post.
2.Sean McGann 6'3 Baraboo- Great athlete that can get to the rim and score. Also handles the ball very nicely.
3.Sam Mader 6'7 Appleton East- Big man that prefers to play like a guard handling the ball and shooting three but, can go to the inside and rebound.
4. Jamar Morris 6'4 Madison Memorial- Jumps out of the gym and absolutely dominates the inside at times.
5.Taron Edwards 5'10 Racine Park- Very ugly shot but, never seems to miss.
6. Vince Kube 6'2 Lacrosse Logan- Another athletic player that can shoot the mid range jump shot or get to the rim.
7. Sawyer Mosely 5'10 Port Washington- Handles the ball very well and is always looking for his teammates.
8. Rudy Bentley JR 5'7 Madison East- Another guy with great handles that can get anywhere he wants and isn't afraid to go up against bigger defenders.
9. Deion Jackson Body 5'8 Shorewood- Is a pretty solid outside shooter and handles the ball fairly well.
10.Brandon Hagenow 5'10 Sussex Hamiliton- Just a solid all around player that doesn't do much wrong and is a pretty good shooters
HM
Ryan Gerritson 6'3 Waupun
Freshmen Rankings
1. Brendan Ortiz 5'11 Madison Memorial- Heady point guard that runs the Spartans offensive really well and has a very nice shooting touch from the outside.
2. Nick Fuller 6'4 Sun Prairie- Guy that rebounds really well for a freshmen and shoots the spot up three pointer very well.
3. Austin Malone-Mitchell 5'8 Shorewood- Plays with lots of confidence and has a nice midrange game and can really put the ball in the hoop.
4. Shane Wimann 6'2 Wisconsin Dells- Looks like an upper classmen and plays like one too. Great rebounder and shoots the three well.
5. Joel Heesch 6'1 Mauston- Very smooth on the court, handles the ball, and shoots the three fairly well.
6. MJ Delmore 5'8 Wisconsin Dells- Very good point guard that does a nice job running the show, really looks to set teammates up, and shoots the three real well.
7. Alex Najeib 5'9 Shorewood- Really athletic kid that can do what he wants on the court. Does take some bad shots at times.
8. Brad Kenote 6'0 Rhinelander- Right now a hustler that doesn't look to shoot much but, has a nice shot and some pretty good ball handling.
9. Alex Barenklau 6'0 Monroe- Honestly don't remember much about this kid but, he was the only other freshmen that I saw that actually played.
Well there is my updated list of player rankings. I know there weren't a lot of changes but, like I said I haven't seen a lot of new players. Should have another updated list within the next week or two.
Overall Rankings
1. Nimrod Hillard 6'0 junior Madison East- Possibly the best ball handler I've seen this year with a killer cross over. Can finish at the rim with a variety of moves and always comes up huge at the end of games. He also hits his free throws and can knock down the three.
2. Vander Blue 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Hasn't had a great year but, has really shown that he can do alittle bit of everything. Has shown that at the end of games he can absolutely take games over. Three point shooting is greatly improved and has some very nice handles with the ball. When he really goes for rebounds he is head and shoulders above everyone else and on any given night he is probably the best athlete on the court.
3. Marquis Mason 6'4 senior Madison East- Another guy that is probably the best athlete on the court night in and night out. Can control a game without even scoring and can jump out of the gym. Best shot blocker, rebounder, and dunker I've seen this year. When he gets the ball in the post nearly impossible to stop without fouling. Can occasionally step out and hit the outside shot.
4. Austin Armga 6'3 senior Waupun- Most impressive scorer I've seen this year. Nearly impossible to stay in front of and when he gets inside the free throw line he's going to score.
5. Tre Edwards 6'1 senior Racine Park- Another guard that finishes at the rim extremely well and in a variety of ways. Also has very very quick hands and uses them effectively to pick off passes.
6. Keith Sconiers 6'3 senior Oak Lawn Richards IL- Is very good with the ball in his hands. Loves to get out and run and can stop on a dime and hit the jumper or the three point shot.
7. Josh Gasser 6'4 senior Port Washington- Another kid that can do a little bit of everything and can take over a game without scoring. Runs the point, is one of the top rebounders on the team, and does average 20 plus points a game when he does score.
8. Tre Creamer 6'2 senior Madison Memorial- Has really formed a great 1 2 punch with Vander Blue. Can slash to the rim and score anytime he wants and this year he is finally starting to knock down the three point shot. Is the vocal leader for this team.
9. Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 junior Sun Prairie- When he can get his feet set he's going to knock down the outside shot. Comes off the screen very well and players very good tough defense.
10. Trevor Jorgenson 6'7 junior Lacrosse Logan- Big man with an extremely soft touch around the rim. Very solid get that uses his size to dominate the boards.
11. Brett Meinecke 6'2 senior Sussex Hamiliton- Very heading point guard that really looks for his teammates and keeps the offense balanced. Knocks down the three and can get to the rim and score.
12. Chad Mazur 6'3 junior Reedsburg- Absolute gunner shooting the ball, specially when he is coming off a screen. Can get his shot off at any time.
13. Sam Karls 6'4 senior Verona- Great defender that guards some of the best players in the state night in and night out. Loves to get physical on the inside and battle for rebounds. Good jumper and can knock down the three if given the open look.
14. Zach Zweifel 6'0 junior Monona Grove- Another big time scorer with a very nice mid range jump shot and can penetrate to the inside and score. Has an engine that doesn't quit.
15. Jared Staege 6'2 junior Waunakee- Most improved player I've seen this year. Is a true point guard and does a great job of running the team. Can finish at the rim very well and when given the hope three can hit it.
16. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 junior Monroe- Does a great job of coming off the screen setting his feet and hitting the shot. Great outside shooter but, also does a good job of posting up fellow guards and scoring on the inside.
17. Beau Murray 6'3 junior Waunakee- Very good penetrater that can get to the rim and score or get fouled and then go to the line where he always hits the free throws.
18. Ryan Solberg 6'6 senior Waukesha West- Tall long player with a very nice outside shot and runs the court very well.
19. Justin Ward 6'4 senior Wisconsin Dells- Long lanky player that shoots the three very well but, also handles the ball pretty well and can driver to the hoop and score.
20. Jackson Retzlaff 5'11 senior Monona Grove- Very good three point shooter and is a big time scorer.
21. Johnny Coenen 5'8 junior Appleton East- Ultimate pass first point guard and I love these type of players. Despite his size is able to get his shot at anytime and does a great job of setting up his teammates.
22. Andrew Schwoerer 6'4 senior Valders- Big man that controls the offensive and defensive boards. He runs the court very well and has soft hands and very nice footwork for a big man.
23. Derrick Cook 6'0 senior Milwaukee South- Big time scorer that doesn't dominate the ball and picks his time to score. Despite being only six foot does a great job of battling on the inside with far bigger players.
24. Nate Gibson 6'9 senior Wisconsin Dells- Another big man with a soft touch around the rim and can finish with his left or right hand and shoots free throws very well.
25. Isaih Bridges 5'8 senior Racine Park- Another undersized guard that can get his shot off at any time and is a big time scorer.
HM
Adonis Bailey 6'3 senior Oak Lawn Richards
Ian Joyce 6'6 junior Middleton
Brian Krohn 6'2 senior Sussex Hamiliton
Senior Rankings
1. Vander Blue 6'3 Madison Memorial
2. Marquis Mason 6'4 Madison East
3. Austin Armga 6'3 Waupun
4. Tre Edwards 6'1 Racine Park
5. Josh Gasser 6'4 Port Washington
6. Tre Creamer 6'2 Madison Memorial
7. Brett Meinecke 6'2 Sussex Hamiliton
8. Sam Karls 6'4 Verona
9. Ryan Solberg 6'6 Waukesha West
10. Justin Ward 6'4 Wisconsin Dells
HM
Jackson Retzlaff 5'11 Monona Grove
Andrew Schwoerer 6'4 Valders
Derrick Cook 6'0 Milwaukee South
Junior Rankings
1. Nimrod Hillard 6'0 Madison East
2. Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 Sun Prairie
3. Trevor Jorgenson 6'7 Lacrosse Logan
4. Chad Mazur 6'3 Reedsburg
5. Zach Zweifel 6'0 Monona Grove
6. Jared Staege 6'2 Waunakee
7. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 Monroe
8. Beau Murray 6'3 Waunakee
9. Johnny Coenen 5'8 Appleton East
10. Ian Joyce 6'6 Middleton- Gets position on the inside at will and is able to get the easy buckets and score. Also runs the court very well.
HM
Chris Hawkins 6'4 Sun Prairie
Mark Kowalke 6'6 Baraboo
Sophomore Rankings
1. Junior Lomomba 6'4 Madison Memorial- Back from his injury and isn't quite the same player as last year but, still the top of his class that I've seen. Has improved his ball handling and has looked very good in the post.
2.Sean McGann 6'3 Baraboo- Great athlete that can get to the rim and score. Also handles the ball very nicely.
3.Sam Mader 6'7 Appleton East- Big man that prefers to play like a guard handling the ball and shooting three but, can go to the inside and rebound.
4. Jamar Morris 6'4 Madison Memorial- Jumps out of the gym and absolutely dominates the inside at times.
5.Taron Edwards 5'10 Racine Park- Very ugly shot but, never seems to miss.
6. Vince Kube 6'2 Lacrosse Logan- Another athletic player that can shoot the mid range jump shot or get to the rim.
7. Sawyer Mosely 5'10 Port Washington- Handles the ball very well and is always looking for his teammates.
8. Rudy Bentley JR 5'7 Madison East- Another guy with great handles that can get anywhere he wants and isn't afraid to go up against bigger defenders.
9. Deion Jackson Body 5'8 Shorewood- Is a pretty solid outside shooter and handles the ball fairly well.
10.Brandon Hagenow 5'10 Sussex Hamiliton- Just a solid all around player that doesn't do much wrong and is a pretty good shooters
HM
Ryan Gerritson 6'3 Waupun
Freshmen Rankings
1. Brendan Ortiz 5'11 Madison Memorial- Heady point guard that runs the Spartans offensive really well and has a very nice shooting touch from the outside.
2. Nick Fuller 6'4 Sun Prairie- Guy that rebounds really well for a freshmen and shoots the spot up three pointer very well.
3. Austin Malone-Mitchell 5'8 Shorewood- Plays with lots of confidence and has a nice midrange game and can really put the ball in the hoop.
4. Shane Wimann 6'2 Wisconsin Dells- Looks like an upper classmen and plays like one too. Great rebounder and shoots the three well.
5. Joel Heesch 6'1 Mauston- Very smooth on the court, handles the ball, and shoots the three fairly well.
6. MJ Delmore 5'8 Wisconsin Dells- Very good point guard that does a nice job running the show, really looks to set teammates up, and shoots the three real well.
7. Alex Najeib 5'9 Shorewood- Really athletic kid that can do what he wants on the court. Does take some bad shots at times.
8. Brad Kenote 6'0 Rhinelander- Right now a hustler that doesn't look to shoot much but, has a nice shot and some pretty good ball handling.
9. Alex Barenklau 6'0 Monroe- Honestly don't remember much about this kid but, he was the only other freshmen that I saw that actually played.
Well there is my updated list of player rankings. I know there weren't a lot of changes but, like I said I haven't seen a lot of new players. Should have another updated list within the next week or two.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
2nd Round Team Rankings
I know it has been a long time since my last post but, I just haven't been to many games as of recent and haven't seen a lot of new teams that can change my rankings much. I have seen more lower level teams which will help me be able to expand my lower division rankings. There is about a month to go until playoffs start and I'm already really excited for the playoffs and going through my picks for the brackets and trying to figure out what the seedings may be for the brackets. Well here are my updated rankings which really aren't that updated as many of the teams have remained the same. Division rankings will only include teams from Wisconsin.
Overall Rankings
1. Madison East- Run the court extremely well and have a solid starting five that is as good as anyones in the state. Big man Marquis Mason is a difference maker on the inside whether he's scoring or not. Mason and Nimrod Hillard are one of the top combos in the state.
2. Racine Park- Another team that runs the court very well. There top five guards really carry this team have seven guys that could probably average double figures.
3. Sun Prairie- Have a lot of guys that can knock down the three point shot and handle themselves very well and have a lot of experience.
4. Madison Memorial- Probably have more talent then any team in the state. The question mark is whether then can "click" by the end of the year. Appearing to be beginning to click at times but, can they get it going come playoff time?
5. Waunakee- This team lost nearly everyone from a year ago and still seem almost as good. I really love watching Waunakee play. They play a ton of guys and don't seem to lose a thing when they go to their bench. Jared Staege is the most improved player that I've seen and they play great defense and nice overall team size.
6. Milwaukee King- Another team with loads of talent that can go 12 deep and not lose a thing. Probably a year away from doing real damage.
7. Oak Lawn Richards Ill- Run the court very very well and can score in a hurry. Knock down the three very well in transition.
8. Port Washington- Very disciplined team that has a star in Josh Gasser but, they don't need to rely on him every game to get the win.
9. Verona- Really seem to be peaking at the right time. Rebound very well and play great defense. Sam Karls appears to be that go to guy for them.
10. Waupun- Solid team overall that has the most impressive scorer that I've seen in Austin Armga.
11. Monroe- Just like every other Monroe team. They move extremely well without the ball, play very hard, and shoot the three very well. Unlike Monroe's of the past this team has some height.
12. Hamiliton Sussex- Another team that is extremely deep. Can go 12 deep with out losing much and every guy on the deep can hit the three point shot.
13. Appleton East- Live and die by the three and they shoot the three very well. Have some nice size with the 6'7 Mader brothers down low.
14. Valders- Great rebounding team that looks like a bunch of football players playing basketball, which is a good thing in this case. Pound the glass and run their offense very well.
15. Monona Grove- Their two guards Zach Zweifel and Jackson Retzlaff can keep them in the game against anyone. They shoot the three and the mid range shot great and can get to the rim and score.
16. Lacrosse Logan- Big man Trevor Jorgenson is the thing that makes this team good. Very soft touch on the inside.
17. Middleton- Great height and when they don't turn the ball over they do a good job of getting the ball to the inside.
18. Wisconsin Dells- Shoot the three very well and big man Nate Gibson is a difference maker.
19. Baraboo- Have a couple stars but, just don't have the ball handlers to compete with the tough teams.
20. Waukesha West- Big man Ryan Solberg is a good player but, the rest of the team is a year away from really doing something.
21. Milwauke South- Very athletic team but, doesn't shoot real great and don't run much of an offense.
22. Reedsburg- Chad Mazur is a great great player but, they lack overall team talent. Jordan Van Cleave and Jon Stolte are solid role players.
23. West DePere- Very nice high low game but, lack overall athletic ability.
24. Shorewood- Lots of problems with this team. Take bad shots and don't rebound very well.
25. Oregon- Have a very nice point guard and rebounding very well.
HM
Mauston
Division 1
1. Madison East
2. Racine Park
3. Sun Prairie
4. Madison Memorial
5. Waunakee
6. Milwaukee King
7. Verona
8. Hamiliton Sussex
9. Appleton East
10. Monona Grover
HM
Lacrosse Logan
Middleton
Division 2
1. Port Washington
2. Waupun
3. Monroe
4. Valders
5. Wisconsin Dells
6. Reedsburg
7. West DePere
8. Shorewood
9. Mauston- Scrappy team that always hustles and plays hard.
Division Three
1. New Lisbon- Not a good team but, are the only D3 team that I have seen play.
Well it appears I still need to expand my horizons a little bit as I haven't seen a ton of lower division schools but, there just isn't a real high level of lower division ball player in my area so the D1 schools are a lot more appealing to watch. Well only a month left of the regular season and should be a great finish.
Overall Rankings
1. Madison East- Run the court extremely well and have a solid starting five that is as good as anyones in the state. Big man Marquis Mason is a difference maker on the inside whether he's scoring or not. Mason and Nimrod Hillard are one of the top combos in the state.
2. Racine Park- Another team that runs the court very well. There top five guards really carry this team have seven guys that could probably average double figures.
3. Sun Prairie- Have a lot of guys that can knock down the three point shot and handle themselves very well and have a lot of experience.
4. Madison Memorial- Probably have more talent then any team in the state. The question mark is whether then can "click" by the end of the year. Appearing to be beginning to click at times but, can they get it going come playoff time?
5. Waunakee- This team lost nearly everyone from a year ago and still seem almost as good. I really love watching Waunakee play. They play a ton of guys and don't seem to lose a thing when they go to their bench. Jared Staege is the most improved player that I've seen and they play great defense and nice overall team size.
6. Milwaukee King- Another team with loads of talent that can go 12 deep and not lose a thing. Probably a year away from doing real damage.
7. Oak Lawn Richards Ill- Run the court very very well and can score in a hurry. Knock down the three very well in transition.
8. Port Washington- Very disciplined team that has a star in Josh Gasser but, they don't need to rely on him every game to get the win.
9. Verona- Really seem to be peaking at the right time. Rebound very well and play great defense. Sam Karls appears to be that go to guy for them.
10. Waupun- Solid team overall that has the most impressive scorer that I've seen in Austin Armga.
11. Monroe- Just like every other Monroe team. They move extremely well without the ball, play very hard, and shoot the three very well. Unlike Monroe's of the past this team has some height.
12. Hamiliton Sussex- Another team that is extremely deep. Can go 12 deep with out losing much and every guy on the deep can hit the three point shot.
13. Appleton East- Live and die by the three and they shoot the three very well. Have some nice size with the 6'7 Mader brothers down low.
14. Valders- Great rebounding team that looks like a bunch of football players playing basketball, which is a good thing in this case. Pound the glass and run their offense very well.
15. Monona Grove- Their two guards Zach Zweifel and Jackson Retzlaff can keep them in the game against anyone. They shoot the three and the mid range shot great and can get to the rim and score.
16. Lacrosse Logan- Big man Trevor Jorgenson is the thing that makes this team good. Very soft touch on the inside.
17. Middleton- Great height and when they don't turn the ball over they do a good job of getting the ball to the inside.
18. Wisconsin Dells- Shoot the three very well and big man Nate Gibson is a difference maker.
19. Baraboo- Have a couple stars but, just don't have the ball handlers to compete with the tough teams.
20. Waukesha West- Big man Ryan Solberg is a good player but, the rest of the team is a year away from really doing something.
21. Milwauke South- Very athletic team but, doesn't shoot real great and don't run much of an offense.
22. Reedsburg- Chad Mazur is a great great player but, they lack overall team talent. Jordan Van Cleave and Jon Stolte are solid role players.
23. West DePere- Very nice high low game but, lack overall athletic ability.
24. Shorewood- Lots of problems with this team. Take bad shots and don't rebound very well.
25. Oregon- Have a very nice point guard and rebounding very well.
HM
Mauston
Division 1
1. Madison East
2. Racine Park
3. Sun Prairie
4. Madison Memorial
5. Waunakee
6. Milwaukee King
7. Verona
8. Hamiliton Sussex
9. Appleton East
10. Monona Grover
HM
Lacrosse Logan
Middleton
Division 2
1. Port Washington
2. Waupun
3. Monroe
4. Valders
5. Wisconsin Dells
6. Reedsburg
7. West DePere
8. Shorewood
9. Mauston- Scrappy team that always hustles and plays hard.
Division Three
1. New Lisbon- Not a good team but, are the only D3 team that I have seen play.
Well it appears I still need to expand my horizons a little bit as I haven't seen a ton of lower division schools but, there just isn't a real high level of lower division ball player in my area so the D1 schools are a lot more appealing to watch. Well only a month left of the regular season and should be a great finish.
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