Division three is another division that doesn't have a clear cut favorite and there is nearly 10 different teams that could be legitimate state champions. Prescott and Kettle Moraine Lutheran are the top teams record wise but, doesn't seem that there is many people picking either of these two to win state. Here are my thoughts...
Sectional One Eau Claire North
Favorite
GET
This is a tough one because both Prescott and Arcadia have beaten GET this year but, I think GET has the better overall talent and has played stiffer competition all year long.
Contenders
Arcadia, Prescott
As I stated both these teams have beaten GET this year so obviously would be no shocker if either one of these teams won in the playoffs.
Long Shots
Northwestern, Hayward, West Salem
Northwestern and Hayward both have very good records but, their competition is always in question. West Salem was predicted to do be things prior to the start of the year and they have Bailey Williams who could go off for a big night at anytime.
Section Four Whitefish Bay
Favorite
Brown Deer
I really wavered on this one as this is by far the best sectional of the four. Do you go with the defending champs or do you got with the best record Kettle Moraine Lutheran? Haven't seen Brown Deer this year but, people that have seen them have been very impressed and they are people that know there stuff.
Contenders
Poynette, Waupun, Watertown Luther Prep, Ripon, Laconia, Kettle Moraine Lutheran, Brookfield Academy
Poynette has only lost two games and seem to be playing their best basketball of the year right now. Waupun has played some very tough competition all year long and Mason Domask can get 40 points on any given night. Luther Prep started the year off 11-0 before falling a part a bit late in the season. Ripon has been near the top all year but, have to worry that their missing one of their top scorers in Bennett Vander Plas. Laconia has a strong tradition and have only lost three games this year. KML is the top team ranking wise and have only lost one game and they have Ethan Bublitz. Brookfield Academy is another team with a great record but, have to question their competition this year.
Long Shots
Milwaukee North, Columbus
North may be a one seed but, in the weakest region in the state. They can put up big offensive numbers but, can they stop anyone? I still think Columbus has some real talent but, just haven't been able to put it together all year.
Sectional Two Menasha
Favorite
Xavier
So many of the teams in sectional four just missed out playing in this sectional which is unfortunate because I think all the contenders in four could win two. Xavier is really the only team that sticks out to me.
Contenders
Freedom, Southern Door, Roncalli, Valders
Freedom has had a great record but, dropped a few big games late in the year. I know nothing about Southern Door but, they have a great record. Roncalli is Roncalli winning their conference and having a great coach. Valders split the conference title with Roncalli so that tells you all you need to know.
Long Shots
Peshtigo
Really isn't much year but, Peshtigo is a team that plays smaller schools all year long have good records and come playoff time can't get it done.
Sectional Three Middleton
Favorite
Marshall
Think they have the best player in the sectional in Adam Link and probably are the most battle tested team as well.
Contenders
Dodgeville, River Valley, Lake Mills, Beloit Turner, East Troy
Don't know a thing about Dodgeville but, Mark Miller picked them to win the sectional so they have that. River Valley did have a very good record but, things kind of feel apart late in the year. Lake Mills same issue with great start and then dropped off. Beloit Turner hasn't been real impressive but, they've beaten some very good teams late in the year. East Troy has a pretty strong tradition and a good coach which should help them.
Long Shots
Lodi
State runner ups a year ago aren't even .500 but, have been playing some good basketball as of late and being that their in a weak division really only need to beat one or two good teams to get to state.
State
Brown Deer over GET
Brown Deer will be way too quick for GET and their 1-3-1 defense.
Marshall over Xavier
Flip of the coin here and no nothing about Xavier.
Brown Deer over Marshall
Lorenzo Byers will repeat as title game MVP.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Madison Memorial clinches 12th Conference Title
Yes Memorial had clinched the title already but, they win last night allowed them to clinch the out right title which makes 12 straight years with at least a share of a conference title. Think they may of shared it one year? Anyway this game was a chance for me to see how Memorial is playing heading into the playoffs and see Verona play for the first time this year.
Honestly didn't know much about Verona other then their leading scorer was 6'5 junior Cole Schmitz and remembered 6'4 senior Will Kellerman as one of their better players as well. This was senior night so I'm not really sure if this was their true rotation or getting their seniors in but, of their eight seniors six were in their 10 man rotation and one of the seniors was suited up. Schmitz really didn't get a ton of minutes and he just wasn't that aggressive when he was in, like you would expect a leading scorer to be. Kellerman was pretty impressive shooting the ball and was the only player that played big minutes because Verona subs very frequently.
For Memorial they really seem to be peaking early as 5'10 senior Shareef Smith is playing out of his mind and is being very aggressive on the offensive end. 6'0 senior Koko Songolo seems to be playing a little more under control and not forcing stuff as much and 6'3 senior Henry Houden is continuing to do all the little things to hold this team together. The team as a whole just seems very comfortable with each other and then younger guys and bench players are really seeming to understand their rolls and how to play with the returners.
Early on for Memorial it was the Smith and Songolo show as they were both scoring big early on and carrying Memorial and they were both able to drive the ball to the rim. Verona though was able to hang around with a team effort as they seemed to continually get team mates open under the hoop for easy layups. Throughout the entire game Smith was hitting threes and jumper with defenders in his face all night and his quick first step was able to allow him to get those quick openings. In the second quarter Memorial was able to turn Verona over and took a 3 point lead heading into half time. Memorial extended their lead to 16 at the end of the third and this game seemed all but, over when Kellerman started going off for Verona in leading them to 34 points in the fourth quarter. Kellerman doesn't have a quick release but, he does have unlimited range so he hit a couple threes before the defender realized that they had to guard him and he just always seemed to end up wide open. A couple threes from team mates really made this game interesting. In the end Verona had to foul and Memorial just wasn't missing the free throws. Verona ended up clearing the bench a little early to get all their seniors in, in the end and Memorial won by eight.
Top Players
Shareef Smith 5'10 senior Madison Memorial- I said it all earlier. He's playing his best basketball of the year and he just wasn't missing his shots even when he had a defender in his face. Smith was just too quick for anyone on Verona.
Koko Songolo 6'0 senior Madison Memorial- Did a nice job of picking his spots to score and made the most of a few shots he took. Just a very solid player.
Henry Houden 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Houden really can jump and is one of the best rebounders I've seen this year. He just plays so hard and didn't have the greatest offensive game but, moves very well without the ball and doesn't need to score to impact a game.
Will Kellerman 6'4 senior Verona- Mr. Three Point in this game, as he was bombing away from the three point range and was dropping them most of the night. Early on was looking for his team mates but, when that wasn't working decided to put the team on his back.
Box Score
MM- Smith 28 Songolo 19 Houden 9 Brett Tauber 8 Jake Ferguson 8 Billy Wilson 7 Travis Lindquist 2 Logan Knecht 0 Jason Weah 0 Austin Wilson 0 Ed Laird 0 Jackson Murphy 0
V- Kellerman 30 Nathaniel Buss 9 Jake Toman 9 Schmitz 7 Tyler Hallmark 6 Avery Fossum 5 Keaton Knueppel 4 Casey McClure 2 Kwam Clements 1 Maurice Richmond 0
After watching this game Memorial really seems poised to get back to state after a two year absence and Verona is a team that could upset some very good teams because they do have so much depth and can shoot the three.
Honestly didn't know much about Verona other then their leading scorer was 6'5 junior Cole Schmitz and remembered 6'4 senior Will Kellerman as one of their better players as well. This was senior night so I'm not really sure if this was their true rotation or getting their seniors in but, of their eight seniors six were in their 10 man rotation and one of the seniors was suited up. Schmitz really didn't get a ton of minutes and he just wasn't that aggressive when he was in, like you would expect a leading scorer to be. Kellerman was pretty impressive shooting the ball and was the only player that played big minutes because Verona subs very frequently.
For Memorial they really seem to be peaking early as 5'10 senior Shareef Smith is playing out of his mind and is being very aggressive on the offensive end. 6'0 senior Koko Songolo seems to be playing a little more under control and not forcing stuff as much and 6'3 senior Henry Houden is continuing to do all the little things to hold this team together. The team as a whole just seems very comfortable with each other and then younger guys and bench players are really seeming to understand their rolls and how to play with the returners.
Early on for Memorial it was the Smith and Songolo show as they were both scoring big early on and carrying Memorial and they were both able to drive the ball to the rim. Verona though was able to hang around with a team effort as they seemed to continually get team mates open under the hoop for easy layups. Throughout the entire game Smith was hitting threes and jumper with defenders in his face all night and his quick first step was able to allow him to get those quick openings. In the second quarter Memorial was able to turn Verona over and took a 3 point lead heading into half time. Memorial extended their lead to 16 at the end of the third and this game seemed all but, over when Kellerman started going off for Verona in leading them to 34 points in the fourth quarter. Kellerman doesn't have a quick release but, he does have unlimited range so he hit a couple threes before the defender realized that they had to guard him and he just always seemed to end up wide open. A couple threes from team mates really made this game interesting. In the end Verona had to foul and Memorial just wasn't missing the free throws. Verona ended up clearing the bench a little early to get all their seniors in, in the end and Memorial won by eight.
Top Players
Shareef Smith 5'10 senior Madison Memorial- I said it all earlier. He's playing his best basketball of the year and he just wasn't missing his shots even when he had a defender in his face. Smith was just too quick for anyone on Verona.
Koko Songolo 6'0 senior Madison Memorial- Did a nice job of picking his spots to score and made the most of a few shots he took. Just a very solid player.
Henry Houden 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Houden really can jump and is one of the best rebounders I've seen this year. He just plays so hard and didn't have the greatest offensive game but, moves very well without the ball and doesn't need to score to impact a game.
Will Kellerman 6'4 senior Verona- Mr. Three Point in this game, as he was bombing away from the three point range and was dropping them most of the night. Early on was looking for his team mates but, when that wasn't working decided to put the team on his back.
Box Score
MM- Smith 28 Songolo 19 Houden 9 Brett Tauber 8 Jake Ferguson 8 Billy Wilson 7 Travis Lindquist 2 Logan Knecht 0 Jason Weah 0 Austin Wilson 0 Ed Laird 0 Jackson Murphy 0
V- Kellerman 30 Nathaniel Buss 9 Jake Toman 9 Schmitz 7 Tyler Hallmark 6 Avery Fossum 5 Keaton Knueppel 4 Casey McClure 2 Kwam Clements 1 Maurice Richmond 0
After watching this game Memorial really seems poised to get back to state after a two year absence and Verona is a team that could upset some very good teams because they do have so much depth and can shoot the three.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Division Two State Predictions
Division two is probably the most up in the air division. This can be seen in the rankings where every team in my top 15 have at least two losses and a good portion of them have at least five losses. Some of the notable top teams of the past of struggled a bit example Wisconsin Lutheran. All year Kaukauna seems to be the team to beat but, in the past couple weeks they've lost two games. For my third column I'm going to go with Long Shots rather then Sleepers because these teams really aren't sleepers because sleepers are team seeded lower then four, at least in my mind.
Sectional One Marshfield
Favorite
Rice Lake
Henry Ellenson is in the top two players in the state and theres no one in D2 that can match up to Ellsenson. This also might be the weakest sectional so Rice Lake should be the easy favorite.
Contenders
Menomonie, Shawano
Menomonie has had a great year and has a great record and have battled Rice Lake twice already. Shawano comes from a very tough conference full of some of the elite D2 teams and should be prepared to play anyone.
Long Shots
La Crosse Central, Holmen, Onalaska
I really really liked Central when I saw them and I thought they could challenge Rice Lake and throw in Holmen and Onalaska who beat Central out in conference.
Sectional Four Brown Deer
Favorite
Milwaukee Washington
This was a tough one for me. I thought Pius all year to go to state with Levi Bradley leading the way for them but, Washington has really been playing great as of recent. Seems like every year I have Washington picked to go to state and they drop the ball in the regional somewhere. Washington plays in one of the toughest conferences in state and took second amongst mostly D1 schools.
Contenders
Milwaukee Pius, Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin Lutheran, Pewaukee
This sectional is loaded with teams that could make it to state. 6'7 Levi Bradley is probably the best player in the sectional but, just don't know that Pius has the side kick to get it done. Whitefish Bay plays in a very tough D1 conference in the North Shore conference and have a pair of big time players in Miles Sighn and Isaiah Johnson. Lutheran is the defending state champion and they have 6'4 Anthony Carver back leading the way. Pewaukee just also seems to be a solid team that can play with anyone.
Long Shots
Messmer, Wauwatosa East
Messmer looked pretty good when I saw them but, seemed to have dropped the ball judging by their record. With their talent wouldn't be surprised to see them make a deep run. East has a pretty good record but, they were a team I wasn't that impressed with seeing them in person.
Sectional Two Ashwaubenon
Favorite
Kaukauna
As said earlier they would of been the odds on favorite to win state easily but, pair of losses recently put some doubt in a lot of people's minds. At this point they are at least co champs in the Fox Valley conference which has a solid argument for best conference in the state. They've beaten numerous D1 powers and Rice Lake and Wisconsin Lutheran already this year.
Contenders
Seymour, West De Pere, Luxemburg Casco, Ashwaubenon, Port Washington
Seymour has been right on Kaukauna's heels all year long and have already beaten most of the top teams in this sectional already as they play in the same conference including West De Pere and Luxemburg Casco. Both WDP and LC are battle tested playing against the likes of Seymour all year. Ash and Port both come from D1 conferences where they are facing tough competition night in and night out.
Long Shots
Beaver Dam, Pulaski, Slinger
Beaver Dam has a very good record and did beat one of the top teams in D2 Mount Horeb and have played Wisconsin Lutheran twice this year. Pulaski has become a traditional power coming out of a very good conference as well and for some reason I just feel that Slinger could cause some problems for the favorites.
Sectional Three Sun Prairie
Favorite
Stoughton
Prior to the start of the year this would of been Mount Horeb but, they've struggled at times this year and Stoughton has been consistent. 6'8 Nick McGlynn should be the difference if these two play.
Contender
Mount Horeb, Sauk Prairie, Monona Grove
A lot of people thought this would be Mount Horeb's year but, it just hasn't play out that way and like I said they've struggled at times. Sauk Prairie has had a very good season and their record shows it but, they've lost twice to Mount Horeb. MG battled Stoughton tough all year and wouldn't be surprised to see them beat them.
Long Shots
Fort Atkinson, Mcfarland, Deforest
Fort has a team with good size and can shoot the ball so wouldn't be surprised to see them make a little run. Mcfarland has a great record but, haven't heard much about them all year so they've been under the radar. Deforest just beat Mount Horeb so that puts them here in my mind.
State
Rice Lake over Milwaukee Washington
Ellenson will just be too much and may set a state record in scoring if they play.
Kaukauna over Stoughton
Kaukauna just has too many guards and is too quick for Stoughton.
Kaukauna over Rice Lake
They've played once this year already with Kaukauna coming out of top and this will be just the same.
Sectional One Marshfield
Favorite
Rice Lake
Henry Ellenson is in the top two players in the state and theres no one in D2 that can match up to Ellsenson. This also might be the weakest sectional so Rice Lake should be the easy favorite.
Contenders
Menomonie, Shawano
Menomonie has had a great year and has a great record and have battled Rice Lake twice already. Shawano comes from a very tough conference full of some of the elite D2 teams and should be prepared to play anyone.
Long Shots
La Crosse Central, Holmen, Onalaska
I really really liked Central when I saw them and I thought they could challenge Rice Lake and throw in Holmen and Onalaska who beat Central out in conference.
Sectional Four Brown Deer
Favorite
Milwaukee Washington
This was a tough one for me. I thought Pius all year to go to state with Levi Bradley leading the way for them but, Washington has really been playing great as of recent. Seems like every year I have Washington picked to go to state and they drop the ball in the regional somewhere. Washington plays in one of the toughest conferences in state and took second amongst mostly D1 schools.
Contenders
Milwaukee Pius, Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin Lutheran, Pewaukee
This sectional is loaded with teams that could make it to state. 6'7 Levi Bradley is probably the best player in the sectional but, just don't know that Pius has the side kick to get it done. Whitefish Bay plays in a very tough D1 conference in the North Shore conference and have a pair of big time players in Miles Sighn and Isaiah Johnson. Lutheran is the defending state champion and they have 6'4 Anthony Carver back leading the way. Pewaukee just also seems to be a solid team that can play with anyone.
Long Shots
Messmer, Wauwatosa East
Messmer looked pretty good when I saw them but, seemed to have dropped the ball judging by their record. With their talent wouldn't be surprised to see them make a deep run. East has a pretty good record but, they were a team I wasn't that impressed with seeing them in person.
Sectional Two Ashwaubenon
Favorite
Kaukauna
As said earlier they would of been the odds on favorite to win state easily but, pair of losses recently put some doubt in a lot of people's minds. At this point they are at least co champs in the Fox Valley conference which has a solid argument for best conference in the state. They've beaten numerous D1 powers and Rice Lake and Wisconsin Lutheran already this year.
Contenders
Seymour, West De Pere, Luxemburg Casco, Ashwaubenon, Port Washington
Seymour has been right on Kaukauna's heels all year long and have already beaten most of the top teams in this sectional already as they play in the same conference including West De Pere and Luxemburg Casco. Both WDP and LC are battle tested playing against the likes of Seymour all year. Ash and Port both come from D1 conferences where they are facing tough competition night in and night out.
Long Shots
Beaver Dam, Pulaski, Slinger
Beaver Dam has a very good record and did beat one of the top teams in D2 Mount Horeb and have played Wisconsin Lutheran twice this year. Pulaski has become a traditional power coming out of a very good conference as well and for some reason I just feel that Slinger could cause some problems for the favorites.
Sectional Three Sun Prairie
Favorite
Stoughton
Prior to the start of the year this would of been Mount Horeb but, they've struggled at times this year and Stoughton has been consistent. 6'8 Nick McGlynn should be the difference if these two play.
Contender
Mount Horeb, Sauk Prairie, Monona Grove
A lot of people thought this would be Mount Horeb's year but, it just hasn't play out that way and like I said they've struggled at times. Sauk Prairie has had a very good season and their record shows it but, they've lost twice to Mount Horeb. MG battled Stoughton tough all year and wouldn't be surprised to see them beat them.
Long Shots
Fort Atkinson, Mcfarland, Deforest
Fort has a team with good size and can shoot the ball so wouldn't be surprised to see them make a little run. Mcfarland has a great record but, haven't heard much about them all year so they've been under the radar. Deforest just beat Mount Horeb so that puts them here in my mind.
State
Rice Lake over Milwaukee Washington
Ellenson will just be too much and may set a state record in scoring if they play.
Kaukauna over Stoughton
Kaukauna just has too many guards and is too quick for Stoughton.
Kaukauna over Rice Lake
They've played once this year already with Kaukauna coming out of top and this will be just the same.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Division One State Predictions
State tournament playoffs start a week from today so thought I would give my picks for state. I will give my favorites, contenders, and sleepers. I'll also give a little run down of each sectional.
Sectional One Wausau West
Favorite: Stevens Point
Stevens Point is the odds on favorite to take this one but, they will have to get past the state runner up from a year ago Neenah who is the only team from Wisconsin that has beat them in the last two years. Point has the top two juniors in the state in 6'6 Sam Hauser and 6'2 Trevor Anderson.
Contenders
Neenah, Oshkosh North, and Superior.
Neenah was in the title game a year ago and might have the top player in the sectional in 6'10 senior Matt Heldt. Oshkosh North is a perennial power and their 1-3-1 defense will keep them in every game. Superior is the outlier, they always have a great record but, they play in a Minnesota conference so their tough to judge.
Sleepers
Eau Claire Memorial, Chippewa Falls
These two teams have beaten some very good teams and played right with the likes of Superior and Rice Lake.
Sectional Four West Allis Central
Favorite
Milwaukee King
The traditional power is a given to be at state every year and they are undefeated against teams in the state. The top contender Riverside, they beat by 20.
Contenders
Milwaukee Riverside, Marquette, Racine Case
Riverside was extremely impressive when I saw them in person and their very deep and force teams to play their tempo. Marquette is a surprise team that has only lost four games this year. Racine Case has Darion King in the middle and lead guard Tyrese Pinson.
Sleepers
Racine Horlick, West Allis Central
Horlick has a great record but, no one thought much of them preseason so that's why they fall into the sleeper category. WAC has struggled this year but, their another team I liked when I saw them and Brandon Key is one of the top point guards in the state.
Sectional Two Manitowoc Lincoln
Favorite
Germantown
Defending state champs are undefeated and seemed poised to make another state run. Have a very tall team with a bunch of solid guys that are tough in the post and have a great lead guard in Jalen McCloud.
Contenders
Kimberly, Homestead, De Pere
Kimberly comes out of the always tough Fox Valley Association and they've beaten everyone in the conference at least once. Germantown would have to beat Homestead for a third time and Homestead has big man 6'7 Jaylen Key. De Pere is led by Brevin Pritzl a Badger recruit and if he gets hot De Pere could beat anyone and De Pere has played possibly the toughest schedule in the conference.
Sleepers
Sheboygan North, Arrowhead, Kettle Moraine, Mukwonago
North is always a tough out come playoff time and could easily upset a team or two. Arrowhead is led by 6'6 junior Bryce Nze who I could see leading a team deep in the playoffs. Kettle Moraine has a ton of talent and if they could put it all together could beat some very good teams. Mukwonago has been at state the past two years so their tough to ever count out.
Sectional Three Beloit
Favorite
Madison Memorial
This is the sectional I know the most about but, also they one that has as many as nine different teams that could come out of the sectional. Memorial is the favorite but, any of those teams could beat Memorial and I wouldn't be surprised.
Contenders
Muskego, Kenosha Indian Trail
Muskego is the #1 seed and have the best record so many people could have them as favorites but, I just think Memorial has played better competition. Kenosha Indian Trail has only lost three games and are the surprising team of the sectional.
Sleepers
Middleton, Madison La Follette, Madison East, Sun Prairie, Burlington
Middleton has been on top of the Big Eight all year long and when their hitting their threes they can beat anyone. Lafollette has some very good talent and if things get put together could make a run. East is another team that has been on top of the Big Eight this year and can play with any one. Sun Prairie all hinges on if they have Nick Noskowiak, which at this point I have no idea. With Noskowiak they were a state team and without him their just another decent team. Burlington is a team that has had a very good two years and have been ranked at times.
State
Stevens Point over Milwaukee King
Germantown over Madison Memorial
Finals
Stevens Point over Germantown
Point overall has the most talent in the starting five and don't see anyone matching up with Hauser and Anderson. Germantown has the size and coaching to go far. King also has the coaching and the depth like the other team. Memorial isn't as talented as the past but, their really hitting their prime right now.
Sectional One Wausau West
Favorite: Stevens Point
Stevens Point is the odds on favorite to take this one but, they will have to get past the state runner up from a year ago Neenah who is the only team from Wisconsin that has beat them in the last two years. Point has the top two juniors in the state in 6'6 Sam Hauser and 6'2 Trevor Anderson.
Contenders
Neenah, Oshkosh North, and Superior.
Neenah was in the title game a year ago and might have the top player in the sectional in 6'10 senior Matt Heldt. Oshkosh North is a perennial power and their 1-3-1 defense will keep them in every game. Superior is the outlier, they always have a great record but, they play in a Minnesota conference so their tough to judge.
Sleepers
Eau Claire Memorial, Chippewa Falls
These two teams have beaten some very good teams and played right with the likes of Superior and Rice Lake.
Sectional Four West Allis Central
Favorite
Milwaukee King
The traditional power is a given to be at state every year and they are undefeated against teams in the state. The top contender Riverside, they beat by 20.
Contenders
Milwaukee Riverside, Marquette, Racine Case
Riverside was extremely impressive when I saw them in person and their very deep and force teams to play their tempo. Marquette is a surprise team that has only lost four games this year. Racine Case has Darion King in the middle and lead guard Tyrese Pinson.
Sleepers
Racine Horlick, West Allis Central
Horlick has a great record but, no one thought much of them preseason so that's why they fall into the sleeper category. WAC has struggled this year but, their another team I liked when I saw them and Brandon Key is one of the top point guards in the state.
Sectional Two Manitowoc Lincoln
Favorite
Germantown
Defending state champs are undefeated and seemed poised to make another state run. Have a very tall team with a bunch of solid guys that are tough in the post and have a great lead guard in Jalen McCloud.
Contenders
Kimberly, Homestead, De Pere
Kimberly comes out of the always tough Fox Valley Association and they've beaten everyone in the conference at least once. Germantown would have to beat Homestead for a third time and Homestead has big man 6'7 Jaylen Key. De Pere is led by Brevin Pritzl a Badger recruit and if he gets hot De Pere could beat anyone and De Pere has played possibly the toughest schedule in the conference.
Sleepers
Sheboygan North, Arrowhead, Kettle Moraine, Mukwonago
North is always a tough out come playoff time and could easily upset a team or two. Arrowhead is led by 6'6 junior Bryce Nze who I could see leading a team deep in the playoffs. Kettle Moraine has a ton of talent and if they could put it all together could beat some very good teams. Mukwonago has been at state the past two years so their tough to ever count out.
Sectional Three Beloit
Favorite
Madison Memorial
This is the sectional I know the most about but, also they one that has as many as nine different teams that could come out of the sectional. Memorial is the favorite but, any of those teams could beat Memorial and I wouldn't be surprised.
Contenders
Muskego, Kenosha Indian Trail
Muskego is the #1 seed and have the best record so many people could have them as favorites but, I just think Memorial has played better competition. Kenosha Indian Trail has only lost three games and are the surprising team of the sectional.
Sleepers
Middleton, Madison La Follette, Madison East, Sun Prairie, Burlington
Middleton has been on top of the Big Eight all year long and when their hitting their threes they can beat anyone. Lafollette has some very good talent and if things get put together could make a run. East is another team that has been on top of the Big Eight this year and can play with any one. Sun Prairie all hinges on if they have Nick Noskowiak, which at this point I have no idea. With Noskowiak they were a state team and without him their just another decent team. Burlington is a team that has had a very good two years and have been ranked at times.
State
Stevens Point over Milwaukee King
Germantown over Madison Memorial
Finals
Stevens Point over Germantown
Point overall has the most talent in the starting five and don't see anyone matching up with Hauser and Anderson. Germantown has the size and coaching to go far. King also has the coaching and the depth like the other team. Memorial isn't as talented as the past but, their really hitting their prime right now.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Week 12 Rankings
Sunday and it's another week of rankings. There's only one week to go in the regular season so these rankings are just about final. Most teams only have one game this week or two at the most so things shouldn't change.
Division One
Kimberly lost to top ranked D2 Kaukauna and dropped one spot to five. Superior lost to Rice Lake and fell two spots to 10. Kenosha Indian Trail lost to Racine Horlick, falling to 13. Sheboygan North lost to De Pere and stayed at 15 because there just isn't anyone to replace them.
1. Stevens Point
2. Milwaukee King
3. Germantown
4. Muskego
5. Kimberly
6. De Pere
7. Racine Case
8. Milwaukee Riverside
9. Neenah
10. Superior
11. Racine Horlick
12. Madison Memorial
13. Kenosha Indian Trail
14. Milwaukee Marquette
15. Sheboygan North
Division Two
Some upheaval in D2 which allowed two teams that had been neglected in Mcfarland and Beaver Dam to finally jump into the rankings. Kaukauna dropped a game to Oshkosh North but, they had such a lead in the rankings they didn't fall. Mount Horeb dropped a game to DeForest and fall down to nine. La Crosse Central lost to La Crosse Aquinas and Onalaska and probably would of fallen from the rankings had not most to 10 through 15 lost and check in at 14. Wisconsin Lutheran lost to Hartford and come in at 12. Menomonie lost to Rice Lake and Eau Claire Memorial and fall out of the rankings with Shawano who lost to Menasha.. West De Pere lost to Seymour and drop one spot to 15.
1. Kaukauna
2. Seymour
3. Milwaukee Pius
4. Rice Lake
5. Stoughton
6. Luxemburg Casco
7. Port Washington
8. Milwaukee Washington
9. Mount Horeb
10. Sauk Prairie
11. Mcfarland
12. Wisconsin Lutheran
13. Beaver Dam
14. La Crosse Central
15. West De Pere
Division Three
D3 really was a hard one with some of the top teams losing and with Xavier winning and then there was Poynette sitting at 12 which I really wanted to move up but, couldn't find anyone for them to jump. Ripon lost to Appleton Xavier which allowed Xavier to jump to seven and Ripon fell to eight. Marshall lost to Beloit Turner which dropped them all the way to 11. Freedom lost to Ripon falling just behind them at nine. Waupun lost to Two Rivers and hang on to the rankings at 15. Northwestern lost to Barron and Ashland dropping from the rankings and are replaced by Southern Door.
1. Prescott
2. Kettle Moraine utheran
3. GET
4. Arcadia
5. Laconia
6. Brookfield Academy
7. Appleton Xavier
8. Ripon
9. Freedom
10. Brown Deer
11. Marshall
12. Poynette
13. Roncalli
14. Southern Door
15. Waupun
Divison Four
Big news was Dominican lost to St Cats so the question was where to drop them. Four seemed right behind the three undefeated teams but, just ahead of St Cats who they ended up splitting with on the season. That being said Dominican is still odds on favorite to win the whole thing. Brillion lost to Valders falling to nine. Darlington lost to Mineral Point for the second time this season and drop one spot to seven. Phillips lost to Hayward and Spencer lost to Athens checking in at 13 and 14. Howards Grove lost to Kiel, dropping from my rankings and are replaced by Iola Scandenavia.
1. Eau Claire Regis
2. Mineral Point
3. Marathon
4. Whitefish Bay Dominican
5. Racine St Catherines
6. Oshkosh Lourdes
7. Darlington
8. Unity
9. Brillion
10. Fall Creek
11. Amherst
12. Markesan
13. Phillips
14. Spencer
15. Iola Scandenavia
Division Five
Randolph lost to Oshkosh Lourdes falling to six. Fredric lost to Unity and drop just a spot to eight. Gresham lost to Port Edwards and fall to 11. Necedah gets bumped from the rankings because finally realized they are D4 and are replaced by Eleva Strum at 15.
1. Wabeno/Laona
2. Wausauke
3. Bangor
4. Port Edwards
5. Cameron
6. Randolph
7. Shullsburg
8. Fredric
9. Seneca
10. Washburn
11. Gresham
12. New Auburn
13. Gilmanton
14. Central Wisconsin Christian
15. Eleva Strum
There are my week 12 rankings which more then likely be my final rankings. The state playoff seedings have come out so this next week I will be making some of my picks for state and top contenders. Only attending one game this coming week on Thursday so that will be my only write up. One interesting note is that there were only five teams that remained undefeated throughout the year, well figuring they'll all win their last game. Two of those teams are in D1 and three in D4.
Division One
Kimberly lost to top ranked D2 Kaukauna and dropped one spot to five. Superior lost to Rice Lake and fell two spots to 10. Kenosha Indian Trail lost to Racine Horlick, falling to 13. Sheboygan North lost to De Pere and stayed at 15 because there just isn't anyone to replace them.
1. Stevens Point
2. Milwaukee King
3. Germantown
4. Muskego
5. Kimberly
6. De Pere
7. Racine Case
8. Milwaukee Riverside
9. Neenah
10. Superior
11. Racine Horlick
12. Madison Memorial
13. Kenosha Indian Trail
14. Milwaukee Marquette
15. Sheboygan North
Division Two
Some upheaval in D2 which allowed two teams that had been neglected in Mcfarland and Beaver Dam to finally jump into the rankings. Kaukauna dropped a game to Oshkosh North but, they had such a lead in the rankings they didn't fall. Mount Horeb dropped a game to DeForest and fall down to nine. La Crosse Central lost to La Crosse Aquinas and Onalaska and probably would of fallen from the rankings had not most to 10 through 15 lost and check in at 14. Wisconsin Lutheran lost to Hartford and come in at 12. Menomonie lost to Rice Lake and Eau Claire Memorial and fall out of the rankings with Shawano who lost to Menasha.. West De Pere lost to Seymour and drop one spot to 15.
1. Kaukauna
2. Seymour
3. Milwaukee Pius
4. Rice Lake
5. Stoughton
6. Luxemburg Casco
7. Port Washington
8. Milwaukee Washington
9. Mount Horeb
10. Sauk Prairie
11. Mcfarland
12. Wisconsin Lutheran
13. Beaver Dam
14. La Crosse Central
15. West De Pere
Division Three
D3 really was a hard one with some of the top teams losing and with Xavier winning and then there was Poynette sitting at 12 which I really wanted to move up but, couldn't find anyone for them to jump. Ripon lost to Appleton Xavier which allowed Xavier to jump to seven and Ripon fell to eight. Marshall lost to Beloit Turner which dropped them all the way to 11. Freedom lost to Ripon falling just behind them at nine. Waupun lost to Two Rivers and hang on to the rankings at 15. Northwestern lost to Barron and Ashland dropping from the rankings and are replaced by Southern Door.
1. Prescott
2. Kettle Moraine utheran
3. GET
4. Arcadia
5. Laconia
6. Brookfield Academy
7. Appleton Xavier
8. Ripon
9. Freedom
10. Brown Deer
11. Marshall
12. Poynette
13. Roncalli
14. Southern Door
15. Waupun
Divison Four
Big news was Dominican lost to St Cats so the question was where to drop them. Four seemed right behind the three undefeated teams but, just ahead of St Cats who they ended up splitting with on the season. That being said Dominican is still odds on favorite to win the whole thing. Brillion lost to Valders falling to nine. Darlington lost to Mineral Point for the second time this season and drop one spot to seven. Phillips lost to Hayward and Spencer lost to Athens checking in at 13 and 14. Howards Grove lost to Kiel, dropping from my rankings and are replaced by Iola Scandenavia.
1. Eau Claire Regis
2. Mineral Point
3. Marathon
4. Whitefish Bay Dominican
5. Racine St Catherines
6. Oshkosh Lourdes
7. Darlington
8. Unity
9. Brillion
10. Fall Creek
11. Amherst
12. Markesan
13. Phillips
14. Spencer
15. Iola Scandenavia
Division Five
Randolph lost to Oshkosh Lourdes falling to six. Fredric lost to Unity and drop just a spot to eight. Gresham lost to Port Edwards and fall to 11. Necedah gets bumped from the rankings because finally realized they are D4 and are replaced by Eleva Strum at 15.
1. Wabeno/Laona
2. Wausauke
3. Bangor
4. Port Edwards
5. Cameron
6. Randolph
7. Shullsburg
8. Fredric
9. Seneca
10. Washburn
11. Gresham
12. New Auburn
13. Gilmanton
14. Central Wisconsin Christian
15. Eleva Strum
There are my week 12 rankings which more then likely be my final rankings. The state playoff seedings have come out so this next week I will be making some of my picks for state and top contenders. Only attending one game this coming week on Thursday so that will be my only write up. One interesting note is that there were only five teams that remained undefeated throughout the year, well figuring they'll all win their last game. Two of those teams are in D1 and three in D4.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Week Review
Well I saw three games this week and haven't had much of a chance to post anything about any of the games so figured that I would do a recap of the last week. Saw two of Poynette's games and then saw Mount Horeb's game on Friday.
Poynette 68 Watertown Luther Prep 48
This game on Tuesday was my first chance to see WLP play. They had started the year 11-0 and then dropped three straight and had won out the rest of their games until meeting up with Poynette. Too be completely honest I wasn't too impressed by WLP. They had a solid team that was pretty disciplined and had good shot selection but, this probably isn't a state contender that I thought they might be. This game was extremely fast game and Luther Prep subbed quite often going five in five out at times. For Luther Prep senior 6'1 Phil Kieselhorst kept them in the game early hitting some threes from the corner and they really looked to pound the ball inside to their senior big men 6'5 Dan Leverence and 6'3 Anothony Minnema. For Poynette it was the two man show like always of their 6'3 seniors Tanner Bruchs and Riley Lytle. Bruchs doing the work from the outside and Lytle on the inside. In the second half WLP went to a triangle and two which slowed Poynette and Lytle and Bruchs down a bit but, fellow senior 5'10 Bradley Smith stepped up hitting a pair of threes and 6'5 junior Jacob Krumberger had seven points during this time. Watertown Luther Prep just didn't have the offensive firepower in this game.
Top Players
Tanner Bruchs 6'3 senior Poynette- Was his normal solid self scoring in transition and hitting threes.
Bradley Smith 5'10 senior Poynette- Didn't have a huge scoring night but, came up big when the stars were struggling.
Jacob Krumberger 6'5 junior Poynette- A star in the making and really showed his stuff on the offensive end hitting threes and mid range jumpers.
Anthony Minnema 6'3 senior WLP- Only real consistent scoring option for WLP and took the ball to the rim hard.
Top Scorers
Poy- Bruchs 22 Krumberger 13 Lytle 11 Smith 11
WLP- Minnema 17 Kieselhorst 9 Leverence 7
Poynette 67 Columbus 50
This game gave me another chance to watch Columbus play and maybe they over achieved the first two times I saw them play but, they didn't even look like the team I had seen play earlier in the game. This might also have to do with the fact that Poynette is really peaking at the right time right before playoffs. For Poynette Lytle starting pretty slow mostly because he was really looking for his shot early on but, that didn't matter because Bruchs was hitting everything he wanted all game long. Bruchs hit six three pointers in the game including one at the end of the third where he was nearly at half court. Columbus could do nothing on offense most of the game as their top two players 6'2 senior Kyle Geiger and 5'11 sophomore Noah Coughlin were no shows for different reasons. Geiger was hounded by Poynette senior 5'11 Scott Lenius who was all over Geiger all night, who didn't score until late in the second half when he hit a pair of threes. Coughlin got in early foul trouble and never really got into the flow of the game until late when the game was out of hand. Early on 6'2 junior Kevin Hussey kept them some what close hitting from the outside but, there never really was any doubt in this one. Once Poynette went into cruise control Columbus sophomore 6'1 Tanner Perry took over to make this game somewhat respectable.
Top Players
Tanner Bruchs 6'3 senior Poynette- Had a huge scoring night and just couldn't miss.
Jacob Krumberger 6'5 junior Poynette- Had another huge night shooting the ball from all over the court.
Scott Lenius 5'11 senior Poynette- Only had two points but, made his presence felt guarding Geiger all night.
Tanner Perry 6'1 sophomore Columbus- Undersized for a post player but, he can really score on the inside and just plays so hard.
Top Scorer
P- Bruchs 30 Lytle 14 Krumberger 12
C- Perry 19 Hussey 12 Coughlin 9
DeForest 50 Mount Horeb 49
This was the big shocker of the week as Mount Horeb was undefeated in conference play and Deforest is third in the conference. This game felt like Mount Horeb had it in hand the entire night and I think they thought they had it in hand but, never could put DeForest away and some bad luck and poor free throw shooting late allowed DeForest to steal a game. Mount Horeb didn't play very good but, I really have to give it to DeForest who hung around all night and played extremely hard throughout. In the first half it was the hot shooting of 5'10 senior Chase Ramos was huge keeping DeForest close as he hit four three point shots in the first quarter . Mount Horeb weathered the hot shooting of Ramos and led by nine at the half relying on great ball movement and sharing the ball. They didn't have a huge scorer but, everyone chipped in and did their part. Things got interesting late as in the final minute and a half Mount Horeb star 6'2 senior Drew Fredrickson went 3-6 from the foul line and then with under 20 seconds left in the game Mount Horeb was called for a five second call while inbounding the ball. DeForest got the chance to win and with five seconds left 6'4 junior Jake Captran tipped in what ended up being the game winning basket. A last second heave came up just short for Mount Horeb.
Top Players
Max Meylor 6'3 junior Mount Horeb- Did a lot of the little things for his team in this one and showed the ability to move without the ball and score.
Drew Fredrickson 6'2 senior Mount Horeb- Didn't have a great game but, still was his usual solid self leading his team and hit a pair of threes.
Chase Ramos 5'10 senior DeForest- Sharpshooter from the outside that was money from the outside in the game.
Corian Davis 6'1 junior DeForest- Was the key to the late come back in this game and his pull up shot is pretty as he was able to stop on a dime and knock down the jumper.
Top Scorers
MH- Fredrickson 13 Meylor 11 Quinn Lesar 9
DF- Ramos 17 Davis 12 Capstran 7
Just a few final thoughts. Of the five teams I watched Poynette is probably the only state contender in my mind. The toughest thing for Poynette is they got moved to the East for the playoffs this year which is always the tougher half of the bracket. Mount Horeb may make sectionals for D2 but, I just don't see the "it" factor in pushing them to state. DeForest, Watertown Luther Prep, and Columbus are teams that could win a regional but, not very likely.
Poynette 68 Watertown Luther Prep 48
This game on Tuesday was my first chance to see WLP play. They had started the year 11-0 and then dropped three straight and had won out the rest of their games until meeting up with Poynette. Too be completely honest I wasn't too impressed by WLP. They had a solid team that was pretty disciplined and had good shot selection but, this probably isn't a state contender that I thought they might be. This game was extremely fast game and Luther Prep subbed quite often going five in five out at times. For Luther Prep senior 6'1 Phil Kieselhorst kept them in the game early hitting some threes from the corner and they really looked to pound the ball inside to their senior big men 6'5 Dan Leverence and 6'3 Anothony Minnema. For Poynette it was the two man show like always of their 6'3 seniors Tanner Bruchs and Riley Lytle. Bruchs doing the work from the outside and Lytle on the inside. In the second half WLP went to a triangle and two which slowed Poynette and Lytle and Bruchs down a bit but, fellow senior 5'10 Bradley Smith stepped up hitting a pair of threes and 6'5 junior Jacob Krumberger had seven points during this time. Watertown Luther Prep just didn't have the offensive firepower in this game.
Top Players
Tanner Bruchs 6'3 senior Poynette- Was his normal solid self scoring in transition and hitting threes.
Bradley Smith 5'10 senior Poynette- Didn't have a huge scoring night but, came up big when the stars were struggling.
Jacob Krumberger 6'5 junior Poynette- A star in the making and really showed his stuff on the offensive end hitting threes and mid range jumpers.
Anthony Minnema 6'3 senior WLP- Only real consistent scoring option for WLP and took the ball to the rim hard.
Top Scorers
Poy- Bruchs 22 Krumberger 13 Lytle 11 Smith 11
WLP- Minnema 17 Kieselhorst 9 Leverence 7
Poynette 67 Columbus 50
This game gave me another chance to watch Columbus play and maybe they over achieved the first two times I saw them play but, they didn't even look like the team I had seen play earlier in the game. This might also have to do with the fact that Poynette is really peaking at the right time right before playoffs. For Poynette Lytle starting pretty slow mostly because he was really looking for his shot early on but, that didn't matter because Bruchs was hitting everything he wanted all game long. Bruchs hit six three pointers in the game including one at the end of the third where he was nearly at half court. Columbus could do nothing on offense most of the game as their top two players 6'2 senior Kyle Geiger and 5'11 sophomore Noah Coughlin were no shows for different reasons. Geiger was hounded by Poynette senior 5'11 Scott Lenius who was all over Geiger all night, who didn't score until late in the second half when he hit a pair of threes. Coughlin got in early foul trouble and never really got into the flow of the game until late when the game was out of hand. Early on 6'2 junior Kevin Hussey kept them some what close hitting from the outside but, there never really was any doubt in this one. Once Poynette went into cruise control Columbus sophomore 6'1 Tanner Perry took over to make this game somewhat respectable.
Top Players
Tanner Bruchs 6'3 senior Poynette- Had a huge scoring night and just couldn't miss.
Jacob Krumberger 6'5 junior Poynette- Had another huge night shooting the ball from all over the court.
Scott Lenius 5'11 senior Poynette- Only had two points but, made his presence felt guarding Geiger all night.
Tanner Perry 6'1 sophomore Columbus- Undersized for a post player but, he can really score on the inside and just plays so hard.
Top Scorer
P- Bruchs 30 Lytle 14 Krumberger 12
C- Perry 19 Hussey 12 Coughlin 9
DeForest 50 Mount Horeb 49
This was the big shocker of the week as Mount Horeb was undefeated in conference play and Deforest is third in the conference. This game felt like Mount Horeb had it in hand the entire night and I think they thought they had it in hand but, never could put DeForest away and some bad luck and poor free throw shooting late allowed DeForest to steal a game. Mount Horeb didn't play very good but, I really have to give it to DeForest who hung around all night and played extremely hard throughout. In the first half it was the hot shooting of 5'10 senior Chase Ramos was huge keeping DeForest close as he hit four three point shots in the first quarter . Mount Horeb weathered the hot shooting of Ramos and led by nine at the half relying on great ball movement and sharing the ball. They didn't have a huge scorer but, everyone chipped in and did their part. Things got interesting late as in the final minute and a half Mount Horeb star 6'2 senior Drew Fredrickson went 3-6 from the foul line and then with under 20 seconds left in the game Mount Horeb was called for a five second call while inbounding the ball. DeForest got the chance to win and with five seconds left 6'4 junior Jake Captran tipped in what ended up being the game winning basket. A last second heave came up just short for Mount Horeb.
Top Players
Max Meylor 6'3 junior Mount Horeb- Did a lot of the little things for his team in this one and showed the ability to move without the ball and score.
Drew Fredrickson 6'2 senior Mount Horeb- Didn't have a great game but, still was his usual solid self leading his team and hit a pair of threes.
Chase Ramos 5'10 senior DeForest- Sharpshooter from the outside that was money from the outside in the game.
Corian Davis 6'1 junior DeForest- Was the key to the late come back in this game and his pull up shot is pretty as he was able to stop on a dime and knock down the jumper.
Top Scorers
MH- Fredrickson 13 Meylor 11 Quinn Lesar 9
DF- Ramos 17 Davis 12 Capstran 7
Just a few final thoughts. Of the five teams I watched Poynette is probably the only state contender in my mind. The toughest thing for Poynette is they got moved to the East for the playoffs this year which is always the tougher half of the bracket. Mount Horeb may make sectionals for D2 but, I just don't see the "it" factor in pushing them to state. DeForest, Watertown Luther Prep, and Columbus are teams that could win a regional but, not very likely.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Week 11 Rankings
It's another Sunday and another day for rankings.
Division One
Superior lost to Grand Rapids Minnesota and they are the one team who I hold out of state loses against and they drop to eight. Milwaukee Riverside lost to Milwaukee Washington a top D2 team and drop a little bit to nine. In the extremely tough South Eastern Conference Kenosha Indian Trail lost to Racine Case, who also beat Racine Horlick, Case shoots up to seven with Indian Trail and Horlick coming in at 11 and 12. Milwaukee Marquette lost to Wauwatosa East and drop one spot. Sheboygan North lost to Sheboygan South and their just wasn't another D1 team that stuck out to me.
1. Stevens Point
2. Milwaukee King
3. Germantown
4. Kimberly
5. Muskego
6. De Pere
7. Racine Case
8. Superior
9. Milwaukee Riverside
10. Neenah
11. Kenosha Indian Trail
12. Racine Horlick
13. Madison Memorial
14. Milwaukee Marquette
15. Sheboygan North
Division Two
Wisconsin Lutheran lost to Oconomowoc and Germantown dropping them all the way to 11. Menomonie lost to Superior giving them a big drop to 12. Shawano lost to Menasha and just hang on barely in the rankings at 15.
1. Kaukauna
2. Seymour
3. Milwaukee Pius
4. Rice Lake
5. Mount Horeb
6. Stoughton
7. Luxemburg Casco
8. Port Washington
9. Milwaukee Washington
10. La Crosse Central
11. Wisconsin Lutheran
12. Menomonie
13. Sauk Prairie
14. West De Pere
15. Shawano
Division Three
Freedom lost to Appleton Xavier and Arcadia lost to West Salem, dropping them to six and seven. Lake Mills lost to Watertown Luther Prep and Poynette and drop out of the rankings and are replaced by red hot Xavier.
1. Prescott
2. Kettle Moraine Lutheran
3. GET
4. Ripon
5. Marshall
6. Freedom
7. Arcadia
8. Laconia
9. Brookfield Academy
10. Brown Deer
11. Waupun
12. Poynette
13. Northwestern
14. Roncalli
15. Appleton Xavier
Division Four
Dominican lost to one of the elite teams in the country in Callaway Alabama so we won't hold that against them. Amherst lost to Iola Scandinavia dropping to 11. Cuba City lost to Fall Creek and Dodgeville and Cochrane Foutaine City lost to Melrose Mindoro, both dropping from the rankings. Markesan and Howards Grove are the two new teams to the rankings.
1. Whitefish Bay Dominican
2. Eau Claire Regis
3. Mineral Point
4. Marathon
5. Racine St Catherines
6. Darlington
7. Brillion
8. Lourdes
9. Unity
10. Fall Creek
11. Phillips
12. Spencer
13. Amherst
14. Markesan
15. Howards Grove
Division Five
Port Edwards lost to Wild Rose dropping a bit to five. Necedah lost to Wonewoc Center dropping to 13 followed by New Auburn who lost to Bruce.
1. Wabeno/Laona
2. Randolph
3. Wausaukee
4. Bangor
5. Port Edwards
6. Cameron
7. Fredric
8. Gresham
9. Shullsburg
10. Seneca
11. Washburn
12. Necedah
13. New Auburn
14. Gilmanton
15. Central Wisconsin Christian
Division One
Superior lost to Grand Rapids Minnesota and they are the one team who I hold out of state loses against and they drop to eight. Milwaukee Riverside lost to Milwaukee Washington a top D2 team and drop a little bit to nine. In the extremely tough South Eastern Conference Kenosha Indian Trail lost to Racine Case, who also beat Racine Horlick, Case shoots up to seven with Indian Trail and Horlick coming in at 11 and 12. Milwaukee Marquette lost to Wauwatosa East and drop one spot. Sheboygan North lost to Sheboygan South and their just wasn't another D1 team that stuck out to me.
1. Stevens Point
2. Milwaukee King
3. Germantown
4. Kimberly
5. Muskego
6. De Pere
7. Racine Case
8. Superior
9. Milwaukee Riverside
10. Neenah
11. Kenosha Indian Trail
12. Racine Horlick
13. Madison Memorial
14. Milwaukee Marquette
15. Sheboygan North
Division Two
Wisconsin Lutheran lost to Oconomowoc and Germantown dropping them all the way to 11. Menomonie lost to Superior giving them a big drop to 12. Shawano lost to Menasha and just hang on barely in the rankings at 15.
1. Kaukauna
2. Seymour
3. Milwaukee Pius
4. Rice Lake
5. Mount Horeb
6. Stoughton
7. Luxemburg Casco
8. Port Washington
9. Milwaukee Washington
10. La Crosse Central
11. Wisconsin Lutheran
12. Menomonie
13. Sauk Prairie
14. West De Pere
15. Shawano
Division Three
Freedom lost to Appleton Xavier and Arcadia lost to West Salem, dropping them to six and seven. Lake Mills lost to Watertown Luther Prep and Poynette and drop out of the rankings and are replaced by red hot Xavier.
1. Prescott
2. Kettle Moraine Lutheran
3. GET
4. Ripon
5. Marshall
6. Freedom
7. Arcadia
8. Laconia
9. Brookfield Academy
10. Brown Deer
11. Waupun
12. Poynette
13. Northwestern
14. Roncalli
15. Appleton Xavier
Division Four
Dominican lost to one of the elite teams in the country in Callaway Alabama so we won't hold that against them. Amherst lost to Iola Scandinavia dropping to 11. Cuba City lost to Fall Creek and Dodgeville and Cochrane Foutaine City lost to Melrose Mindoro, both dropping from the rankings. Markesan and Howards Grove are the two new teams to the rankings.
1. Whitefish Bay Dominican
2. Eau Claire Regis
3. Mineral Point
4. Marathon
5. Racine St Catherines
6. Darlington
7. Brillion
8. Lourdes
9. Unity
10. Fall Creek
11. Phillips
12. Spencer
13. Amherst
14. Markesan
15. Howards Grove
Division Five
Port Edwards lost to Wild Rose dropping a bit to five. Necedah lost to Wonewoc Center dropping to 13 followed by New Auburn who lost to Bruce.
1. Wabeno/Laona
2. Randolph
3. Wausaukee
4. Bangor
5. Port Edwards
6. Cameron
7. Fredric
8. Gresham
9. Shullsburg
10. Seneca
11. Washburn
12. Necedah
13. New Auburn
14. Gilmanton
15. Central Wisconsin Christian
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Madison Memorial #1 alone
Madison Memorial is now alone in first place of the Big Eight conference. I stated in a post a couple weeks ago that the chips just seem to fall Memorial's way. They defeated Middleton on Thursday night to go up a game on them and with Madison East losing Memorial is alone on top. Things also goes Memorial's way as I heard in the stands the East's star Deang Deang is out for the remainder of the year with a broken foot. Memorial has also played the top teams in the conference already and only have teams in the bottom half of the conference remaining.
Memorial started off extremely rough early on and Middleton wasn't great but, they were able to make a three here and there and were getting some offensive rebounds for second chance buckets. Middleton was up 11 to 5 after one quarter and Memorial was lucky to be that close as Middleton couldn't convert on some wide open shots. Throughout the first three quarters Memorial missed a ton of free throws, didn't hit any outside shots, and struggled at the line but, in the second quarter Memorial got their transition game going and turned the D up a bit forcing some turnovers and tied the game up at 19 a piece at half time.
In the second half Memorial went extremely cold as they were missing bunnies and three's and scored only three points in the third quarter and were down 31-22 at the end of three. Middleton just could never put Memorial away and in the fourth quarter it came back to bite them. Memorial star 5'10 Shareef Smith got his game going driving to the rim and finishing or creating contact and getting to the line in leading Memorial to 27 fourth quarter points after only mustering the 22 prior to the fourth. When Smith wasn't scoring Memorial was able to get second and third chances at the bucket and when you give any team that many chances they are going to eventually score. Middleton's defense just wasn't their tonight and when you shoot as many threes as Middleton does your going to live at times and die other times Memorial actually ended up winning with Middleton having to foul late in this one, 49-40. Memorial outscored Middleton 27-9 in the fourth.
Top players
Shareef Smith 5'10 senior Madison Memorial- Finally had the game I thought he would have all year long. He was able to drive to the lane at will and finish at the rim and was the only real outside threat for Memorial. Smith is just so quick pushing the tempo and getting easy buckets for himself and team mates. Handles the ball very well.
Henry Houden 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Think I say it every time I see Memorial play but, he is their glue guy holding things together and being the team leader. Just dominated on the glass tonight tip shots in on the offensive end and also showed the ability to drive to the lane and score.
Storm Murphy 5'9 sophomore Middleton- Very good point guard that just does his job distributing the ball and can knock down the three or get to the rim and score when needed.
Ian Hokanson 6'4 senior Middleton- Love how he competes with so much energy rebounding and defending in the lane. At time's he keeps them in the game with his energy. Has the ability to hit the outside shot when he can set his feet.
Box Score
MM- Smith 24 Houden 14 Koko Songolo 6 Brett Tauber 4 Jason Weah 1 Jake Ferguson 0 Billy Wilson 0
Midd- Hokanson 10 Murphy 9 CJ Fermanich 7 Tyree Eady 7 Cam Maly 3 Cody Markel 2 Andrew Gardner 2 Kellanb Schulz 0 Tyler Ballweg 0 Brett Joers 0 Jordan Smith 0 Brady Thomas 0 Mitch Bacon 0
Things are really looking up for Madison Memorial as I've been saying but, they really need to pick their game up if they want to make another state run and beat some of the better teams. I just don't know how I feel about this Middleton team.They shoot a ton of threes which allows them to beat some teams but, that also allows them to lose to some teams they shouldn't. Also they sub so much and not sure how I feel about that. It allows them to play extremely hard for two to three minutes but, just feel like it would be hard to find a rhythm.
Memorial started off extremely rough early on and Middleton wasn't great but, they were able to make a three here and there and were getting some offensive rebounds for second chance buckets. Middleton was up 11 to 5 after one quarter and Memorial was lucky to be that close as Middleton couldn't convert on some wide open shots. Throughout the first three quarters Memorial missed a ton of free throws, didn't hit any outside shots, and struggled at the line but, in the second quarter Memorial got their transition game going and turned the D up a bit forcing some turnovers and tied the game up at 19 a piece at half time.
In the second half Memorial went extremely cold as they were missing bunnies and three's and scored only three points in the third quarter and were down 31-22 at the end of three. Middleton just could never put Memorial away and in the fourth quarter it came back to bite them. Memorial star 5'10 Shareef Smith got his game going driving to the rim and finishing or creating contact and getting to the line in leading Memorial to 27 fourth quarter points after only mustering the 22 prior to the fourth. When Smith wasn't scoring Memorial was able to get second and third chances at the bucket and when you give any team that many chances they are going to eventually score. Middleton's defense just wasn't their tonight and when you shoot as many threes as Middleton does your going to live at times and die other times Memorial actually ended up winning with Middleton having to foul late in this one, 49-40. Memorial outscored Middleton 27-9 in the fourth.
Top players
Shareef Smith 5'10 senior Madison Memorial- Finally had the game I thought he would have all year long. He was able to drive to the lane at will and finish at the rim and was the only real outside threat for Memorial. Smith is just so quick pushing the tempo and getting easy buckets for himself and team mates. Handles the ball very well.
Henry Houden 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Think I say it every time I see Memorial play but, he is their glue guy holding things together and being the team leader. Just dominated on the glass tonight tip shots in on the offensive end and also showed the ability to drive to the lane and score.
Storm Murphy 5'9 sophomore Middleton- Very good point guard that just does his job distributing the ball and can knock down the three or get to the rim and score when needed.
Ian Hokanson 6'4 senior Middleton- Love how he competes with so much energy rebounding and defending in the lane. At time's he keeps them in the game with his energy. Has the ability to hit the outside shot when he can set his feet.
Box Score
MM- Smith 24 Houden 14 Koko Songolo 6 Brett Tauber 4 Jason Weah 1 Jake Ferguson 0 Billy Wilson 0
Midd- Hokanson 10 Murphy 9 CJ Fermanich 7 Tyree Eady 7 Cam Maly 3 Cody Markel 2 Andrew Gardner 2 Kellanb Schulz 0 Tyler Ballweg 0 Brett Joers 0 Jordan Smith 0 Brady Thomas 0 Mitch Bacon 0
Things are really looking up for Madison Memorial as I've been saying but, they really need to pick their game up if they want to make another state run and beat some of the better teams. I just don't know how I feel about this Middleton team.They shoot a ton of threes which allows them to beat some teams but, that also allows them to lose to some teams they shouldn't. Also they sub so much and not sure how I feel about that. It allows them to play extremely hard for two to three minutes but, just feel like it would be hard to find a rhythm.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Week 10 Rankings
Its Sunday again so that means that its time for my weekly team rankings. Just a quick reminder with the Border Battle taking place this last week and Wisconsin going 0-6 that I don't hold losses against out of state teams against teams in the rankings with the one exception being Superior who plays in a Minnesota conference and the majority of their games are played against Minnesota teams. Only have a couple of weeks until the end of the season so this means that the rankings are getting very close to finalized and typically I don't do the rankings during the playoffs because the teams that make state speak for themselves.
Division One
Stevens Point and Kimberly were both teams that dropped a game to Minnesota teams so they won't be moving in the rankings. Kenosha Indian Trail dropped a game to Waukesha North but, that was only their second loss so they only dropped a spot to eight. Racine Case lost a tough game to Dominican and fall one spot to 11. Sheboygan North also fell one spot having lost to Green Bay East.
1. Stevens Point
2. Milwaukee King
3. Germantown
4. Kimberly
5. Muskego
6. Superior
7. Milwaukee Riverside
8. Kenosha Indian Trail
9. Racine Horlick
10. De Pere
11. Racine Case
12. Neenah
13. Milwaukee Marquette
14. Madison Memorial
15. Sheboygan North
Division Two
Kaukauna was upset by Oshkosh West but, they were so far ahead in the rankings they don't drop. Milwaukee Pius dropped a game to Pewaukee and dropped a couple spots to four. Luxemburg Casco lost to Shawano, who in turn lost to West De Pere they dropped to nine and ten. La Crosse Central lost to Holmen and fell to 13. Monona Grove lost to Monroe and fall out of the rankings all together and are replaced by West De Pere.
1. Kaukauna
2. Seymour
3. Wisconsin Lutheran
4. Milwaukee Pius
5. Rice Lake
6. Menomonie
7. Mount Horeb
8. Stoughton
9. Shawano
10. Luxemburg Casco
11. Port Washington
12. Milwaukee Washington
13. La Crosse Central
14. Sauk Prairie
15. West De Pere
Division Three
Pretty minimal changes this week. GET lost in the Border Battle but they stay the same. Watertown Luther Prep lost to Winnebago Lutheran and Lodi, falling from the rankings and are replaced by Northwestern at 14 followed by Roncalli who lost to Valders.
1. Prescott
2. Kettle Moraine Lutheran
3. Freedom
4. Arcadia
5. GET
6. Ripon
7. Marshall
8. Laconia
9. Brookfield Academy
10. Brown Deer
11. Waupun
12. Poynette
13. Lake Mills
14. Northwestern
15. Roncalli
Division Four
Another division with not a lot of changes. Unity lost to Osceola and Cuba City lost to Mineral Point dropping them to 10 and 11. St Marys Springs lost to New Holstein which gave me the opportunity to get Spencer into the rankings at 15.
1. Whitefish Bay Dominican
2. Eau Claire Regis
3. Mineral Point
4. Marathon
5. Racine St Catherines
6. Darlington
7. Brillion
8. Lourdes
9. Amherst
10. Unity
11. Cuba City
12. Fall Creek
13. Phillips
14. Cochrane Fountain City
15. Spencer
Division Five
Gilmanton lost to Eleva Strum by one and fall to 14. Central Wisconsin Christian lost to Markesan and St Marys Springs both tough losses so they hang on to the rankings at 15. Hillsboro lost to Westby and Bangor which allowed Washburn into the rankings at 13.
1. Port Edwards
2. Wabeno/Laona
3. Randolph
4. Wausaukee
5. Bangor
6. Cameron
7. Fredric
8. Necedah
9. New Auburn
10. Gresham
11. Shullsburg
12. Seneca
13. Washburn
14. Gilmanton
15. Central Wisconsin Christian
As you can see now the rankings really aren't changing a whole lot and things really seem to be falling into place.
Division One
Stevens Point and Kimberly were both teams that dropped a game to Minnesota teams so they won't be moving in the rankings. Kenosha Indian Trail dropped a game to Waukesha North but, that was only their second loss so they only dropped a spot to eight. Racine Case lost a tough game to Dominican and fall one spot to 11. Sheboygan North also fell one spot having lost to Green Bay East.
1. Stevens Point
2. Milwaukee King
3. Germantown
4. Kimberly
5. Muskego
6. Superior
7. Milwaukee Riverside
8. Kenosha Indian Trail
9. Racine Horlick
10. De Pere
11. Racine Case
12. Neenah
13. Milwaukee Marquette
14. Madison Memorial
15. Sheboygan North
Division Two
Kaukauna was upset by Oshkosh West but, they were so far ahead in the rankings they don't drop. Milwaukee Pius dropped a game to Pewaukee and dropped a couple spots to four. Luxemburg Casco lost to Shawano, who in turn lost to West De Pere they dropped to nine and ten. La Crosse Central lost to Holmen and fell to 13. Monona Grove lost to Monroe and fall out of the rankings all together and are replaced by West De Pere.
1. Kaukauna
2. Seymour
3. Wisconsin Lutheran
4. Milwaukee Pius
5. Rice Lake
6. Menomonie
7. Mount Horeb
8. Stoughton
9. Shawano
10. Luxemburg Casco
11. Port Washington
12. Milwaukee Washington
13. La Crosse Central
14. Sauk Prairie
15. West De Pere
Division Three
Pretty minimal changes this week. GET lost in the Border Battle but they stay the same. Watertown Luther Prep lost to Winnebago Lutheran and Lodi, falling from the rankings and are replaced by Northwestern at 14 followed by Roncalli who lost to Valders.
1. Prescott
2. Kettle Moraine Lutheran
3. Freedom
4. Arcadia
5. GET
6. Ripon
7. Marshall
8. Laconia
9. Brookfield Academy
10. Brown Deer
11. Waupun
12. Poynette
13. Lake Mills
14. Northwestern
15. Roncalli
Division Four
Another division with not a lot of changes. Unity lost to Osceola and Cuba City lost to Mineral Point dropping them to 10 and 11. St Marys Springs lost to New Holstein which gave me the opportunity to get Spencer into the rankings at 15.
1. Whitefish Bay Dominican
2. Eau Claire Regis
3. Mineral Point
4. Marathon
5. Racine St Catherines
6. Darlington
7. Brillion
8. Lourdes
9. Amherst
10. Unity
11. Cuba City
12. Fall Creek
13. Phillips
14. Cochrane Fountain City
15. Spencer
Division Five
Gilmanton lost to Eleva Strum by one and fall to 14. Central Wisconsin Christian lost to Markesan and St Marys Springs both tough losses so they hang on to the rankings at 15. Hillsboro lost to Westby and Bangor which allowed Washburn into the rankings at 13.
1. Port Edwards
2. Wabeno/Laona
3. Randolph
4. Wausaukee
5. Bangor
6. Cameron
7. Fredric
8. Necedah
9. New Auburn
10. Gresham
11. Shullsburg
12. Seneca
13. Washburn
14. Gilmanton
15. Central Wisconsin Christian
As you can see now the rankings really aren't changing a whole lot and things really seem to be falling into place.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Middleton over Sun Prairie
Sun Prairie is a team that continues to frustrate me. Yes I know that they lost their best player in Nick Noskowiak but, this team has some pretty good players that look really good at times but, they just come out flat most games and just look terrible at times. To be honest I think Sun Prairie is the more talented team but, Sun Prairie played bad in this game and Middleton beat them. Sun Prairie's biggest issue is their ball handling which is to be expected since Noskowiak did the majority of the ball handling. 6'0 junior Sam Kerr has done a very good job but, he's probably playing twice as many minutes as he did earlier in the year and he just looked very tired in last nights game and seemed to expand so much energy against the Middleton press he wasn't much good on the offensive end or playing defense. I really cringe when 6'5 senior JT Ruffin or 6'4 junior Rod Johnson bring the ball up because they don't seem to have great ball handling skills against the press, dribble the ball to high, and don't keep their heads up. 6'1 senior Malik Robinson is the next best option but, he's hand his moments turning the ball over and last night never seemed to get into the game and seemed that coach Boos had lost a little faith in him as Robinson spent much of the fourth quarter on the bench and only game in late to play defense.
Middleton was Middleton shooting a ton of threes, playing very hard, and scrappy, and subbing a ton. Middleton played 12 guys and all 12 played an even amount of minutes and nine of those guys scored. I honestly don't think that Middleton is the greatest team but, when they hit their threes they can beat anyone and they currently are tied in first with Madison Memorial in the conference so who am I to judge.
The first quarter was embarrassing, after the first eight minutes the game was tied 4-4. Not sure when the first bucket was made but, I do know Sun Prairie was up 2-0 with 3:30 left in the first. Both teams were settling for three point shots and those three point shots weren't falling. Both teams got things going a little bit led by Johnson who hit three threes in the second quarter I believe. Middleton hit a couple threes I believe but, it was some poor Sun Prairie defense that gave Middleton buckets as well as turnovers by Sun Prairie leading to easy buckets. Prairie led 23-20 at half.
In the second half Middleton got their outside shooting hitting threes and 5'11 sophomore CJ Fermanich got things going alittle drive to the rim. For Sun Prairie their best offense ended up being Ruffin just going one on one to the left and scoring. Ruffin is usually more athletic then the guy guarding him and when he goes to the left not many big guys can stop him. Johnson continued to hit the outside shots but, the turnovers continued to haunt them as they could never get within four points. Kerr hit an end one three point shot and hit the free throw and it seemed to be the turning point but, Middleton hit their free throws and Sun Prairie couldn't cut the lead.
Top Players
Rod Johnson 6'4 junior Sun Prairie- He really is a huge spark off the bench offensively. When things are struggling Johnson comes in to hit some threes. Best outside shooter on the game.
JT Ruffin 6'5 senior Sun Prairie- At times may be a little selfish but, he's tough for the opposing big man to stop. Shows the ability to step out and hit the three at times as well and need him to control the glass.
CJ Fermanich 5'11 sophomore Middleton- One of the few Middleton players that was able to drive the ball and score around the rim. Had a huge put back late in the game and believe he was the espn player of the game.
Storm Murphy 5'9 sophomore Middleton- Another guy that did look to drive to the rim as well which led to trips to the free throw line as well. Hit a huge three late in this game as well.
Box Score
SP- Ruffin 16 Johnson 16 Kerr 9 Darian Black 6 Ben Hauser 5 Malik Robinson 0 Nate Oehrlein 0 DJ Jones 0 Nate Verstegen 0
Midd- Fermanich 13 Murphy 10 Ian Hokanson 9 Cody Markel 9 Tyree Eady 6 Andrew Gardner 4 Tyler Ballweg 3 Brett Joers 2 Cam Maly 2 Jordan Smith 0 Brady Thomas 0 Mitch Bacon 0
Middleton may be in first place of the conference right now but, I just don't see them beating Memorial or going any further then Memorial in the playoffs. Unfortunately this Sun Prairie team will be just another so so Sun Prairie team after have state hopes before the start of the season.
Middleton was Middleton shooting a ton of threes, playing very hard, and scrappy, and subbing a ton. Middleton played 12 guys and all 12 played an even amount of minutes and nine of those guys scored. I honestly don't think that Middleton is the greatest team but, when they hit their threes they can beat anyone and they currently are tied in first with Madison Memorial in the conference so who am I to judge.
The first quarter was embarrassing, after the first eight minutes the game was tied 4-4. Not sure when the first bucket was made but, I do know Sun Prairie was up 2-0 with 3:30 left in the first. Both teams were settling for three point shots and those three point shots weren't falling. Both teams got things going a little bit led by Johnson who hit three threes in the second quarter I believe. Middleton hit a couple threes I believe but, it was some poor Sun Prairie defense that gave Middleton buckets as well as turnovers by Sun Prairie leading to easy buckets. Prairie led 23-20 at half.
In the second half Middleton got their outside shooting hitting threes and 5'11 sophomore CJ Fermanich got things going alittle drive to the rim. For Sun Prairie their best offense ended up being Ruffin just going one on one to the left and scoring. Ruffin is usually more athletic then the guy guarding him and when he goes to the left not many big guys can stop him. Johnson continued to hit the outside shots but, the turnovers continued to haunt them as they could never get within four points. Kerr hit an end one three point shot and hit the free throw and it seemed to be the turning point but, Middleton hit their free throws and Sun Prairie couldn't cut the lead.
Top Players
Rod Johnson 6'4 junior Sun Prairie- He really is a huge spark off the bench offensively. When things are struggling Johnson comes in to hit some threes. Best outside shooter on the game.
JT Ruffin 6'5 senior Sun Prairie- At times may be a little selfish but, he's tough for the opposing big man to stop. Shows the ability to step out and hit the three at times as well and need him to control the glass.
CJ Fermanich 5'11 sophomore Middleton- One of the few Middleton players that was able to drive the ball and score around the rim. Had a huge put back late in the game and believe he was the espn player of the game.
Storm Murphy 5'9 sophomore Middleton- Another guy that did look to drive to the rim as well which led to trips to the free throw line as well. Hit a huge three late in this game as well.
Box Score
SP- Ruffin 16 Johnson 16 Kerr 9 Darian Black 6 Ben Hauser 5 Malik Robinson 0 Nate Oehrlein 0 DJ Jones 0 Nate Verstegen 0
Midd- Fermanich 13 Murphy 10 Ian Hokanson 9 Cody Markel 9 Tyree Eady 6 Andrew Gardner 4 Tyler Ballweg 3 Brett Joers 2 Cam Maly 2 Jordan Smith 0 Brady Thomas 0 Mitch Bacon 0
Middleton may be in first place of the conference right now but, I just don't see them beating Memorial or going any further then Memorial in the playoffs. Unfortunately this Sun Prairie team will be just another so so Sun Prairie team after have state hopes before the start of the season.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Fourth Round Player Rankings
It has been a while since I've updated my player rankings but, there just hasn't been that much to change and I haven't had the time. Once you've seen enough teams it gets to be tough for anyone to break into the top players that I've seen. Going to the WBBY Shootout really allowed me to see the top players in one setting so that makes it even tougher for guys to get into the rankings after that. Well here are my updates.
Rankings
1. Diamond Stone 6'10 senior Dominican- Anyone that follows high school basketball just a little bit knows about Diamond Stone. Stone is the most dominate player I've ever seen in the paint Yes he's the biggest player on the court but, he rebounds extremely well, blocks shot, and his offensive game inside is supreme. Even has the ability to step out and hit the jumper out to the three point line.
2. Henry Ellenson 6'10 senior Rice Lake- Everything that was just said for Stone can be said for Ellenson. The difference between Ellenson and Stone is that Ellenson game outside of the paint is far superior to Stones. Ellenson does the following better run the court, handle the ball, shoots threes very well, and shoots mid range jumpers. The reason for have Stone higher is because he dominates on the inside while Ellenson hangs around the three point line and perimeter. Some of this may be because of necessity but, Stone just seemed to control the scoring of the game much better.
3. Matt Heldt 6'10 senior Neenah- There may be two 6'10 kids ahead of him but, no one seals their defender like Heldt when he's being fronted. He also has a very nice back to the basket game and can finish with either hand. Can step out and hit the jumper, blocks shots, and of course rebounds. Not as explosive as the other two and doesn't make they play that will make you stand up and cheer.
4. Nick Noskowiak 6'3 senior Sun Prairie- One of the best shooters off the dribble I've ever seen and really does a nice job of controlling his teams offense. Can stop on a dime and get his shot. Finish well at the rim and when he gets to the free throw line he doesn't miss.
5. Trev Anderson 6'2 junior Stevens Point- Very strong point guard that doesn't turn the ball over. When given the open three can knock it down. Has a very good cross over and can get to the rim anytime he wants.
6. Brevin Pritzl 6'4 senior De Pere- Just a very smooth player that always seems to be under control. Has a very very pretty shot. If he gets a small opening he can hit the shot.
7. Levi Bradley 6'7 senior Milwaukee Pius- Very very smooth player. Doesn't blow by guys but, doesn't need to because he shoots over them. He gets the ball inside 15 foot he's going to score. All lefty but, that's ok.
8. Mason Domask 6'3 senior Waupun- Flat out big time scorer. Moves extremely well without the ball to free himself and is a very good shooter. Very athletic as well and can jump out of the gym.
9. Sam Hauser 6'6 junior Stevens Point- Another smooth player that uses his size to shoot over small defenders. Is also a great defender in his own right. Is a very good passer and does a great job of letting the game come to him and not forcing things.
10. Brandon Key 6'0 senior West Allis Central- Completely controls the game without even having to shoot the ball. Nearly every basket in the game was because of him. Can get to the rim at any time and is always looking to set up his team mates for easy buckets. When he shoots the three your surprised when he misses. The ball seems to be on a string when it's in his hands.
11. Te'Jon Lucas 5'11 junior Milwaukee Washington- Super super quick with the ball in his hands from one end of the court to the other. Can really finish at the rim or knock down the shot off the dribble. Very good rebounder for a skinny 5'11 kid.
12. Drew Fredrickson 6'2 senior Mount Horeb- Ultimate leader on the court always talking to his team mates and direct things on the offensive end. Perfect point guard in passing to team mates and taking the shots when needed. Doesn't shoot a lot but, when he does its going in.
13. Diamantae Freeman 6'5 senior Milwaukee King- Tremendous leaper that can jump out of the gym and runs the court very well. Has a very nice post game with his back to the basket.
14. Chris Howard 5'10 junior Milwaukee Messmer- May get some disagreement on this but, I really liked Howard. Very fiery competitor that plays in your face defense. Handles the ball very well running the point and can real shoot from three point range.
15. Juwan Mccloud 6'0 junior Germantown- Another superior point guard running his teams offense. Off the dribble he's very tough to stop and has a very nice shot. Does a good job of balancing his shooting and passing.
16. Garrison Goode 6'8 senior Dominican- Vastly improved since last year. Really showed a very nice mid range jump shot playing off Stone. Can run the court very well and can jump out of the gym, which enables him to finish with powerful dunks or rebound.
17. Ethan Bublitz 6'1 senior Kettle Moraine Lutheran- Another very good athlete that can really jump but, didn't get much of an oportunity. A very good shooter from 15 foot out to the three point line. Handles the ball pretty well too.
18. Trevor Entwisle 5'11 senior Neenah- Surprised how good of a point guard he is now. Does a great job of feeding Heldt for easy buckets on the inside. Oh and still has the ability to really shoot the three.
19. James Batemon 6'0 senior Milwaukee Riverside- Great glue guy and a leader. Doesn't need to score to make an impact. Solid defender, rebounds well, shoots the ball well, and can jump out of the gym. Doesn't do anything spectacular but, does everything good.
20. Billy Wampler 6'6 senior Eau Claire Regis- Can really elevate and shoot it over the defender at any time. Very strong player that can finish with contact at the rim and can hit the three.
21. Kobe King 6'3 sophomore La Crosse Central- Tremendous athlete that can jump out of the gym. Very quick player on the court with a great first step, and can knock down the jumper all the way out to three point range.
22. Alou Dillon 6'7 sophomore Wauwatosa West- Had a coming out party playing against the top two big men in the state. Really slashed to the hoop well and used his quickness to finish at the rim. Rebounds very well and can step out hit the three or take the ball to the rim.
23. Terrance Lewis 6'4 sophomore Milwaukee Riverside- Another very smooth guy, that's really long. Runs the court very very well, battles on the inside, and can knock down the outside shot.
24. Darold Thomas 6'1 senior Madison La Follette- Just a bulldog of a lead guard and is built like a running back. Very strong with the ball and when his shot is falling can make any shot he takes from the outside or driving to the rim.
25. Sam Kerr 5'11 junior Sun Prairie- Probably get a lot of disagreement on this since he doesn't start but, I really like Kerr. Very smooth player that can really handle the ball and doesn't miss from three point range.
New to the rankings is Billy Wampler, Kobe King, and Brandon Key. Figured Key would be here once I saw him play, not a huge scorer but one of the top point guards in the state. Wampler didn't impress me that much the first time I saw him but, the second time he shot the lights out and just impressed me. King may be a reach here judging by most peoples rankings but, he really impressed me and he may of played the game of his life when I saw him.
Seniors
1. Diamond Stone 6'10 Dominican
2. Henry Ellenson 6'10 Rice Lake
3. Matt Heldt 6'10 Neenah
4. Nick Noskowiak 6'3 Sun Prairie
5. Brevin Pritzl 6'4 De Pere
6. Levi Bradley 6'7 Milwaukee Pius
7. Mason Domask 6'3 Waupun
8. Brandon Key 6'0 West Allis Central
9. Drew Fredrickson 6'2 Mount Horeb
10. Diamantae Freeman 6'5 Milwaukee King
Juniors
1. Trev Anderson 6'2 Stevens Point
2. Sam Hauser 6'6 Stevens Point
3. Te'Jon Lucas 5'11 Milwaukee Washington
4. Chris Howard 5'10 Milwaukee Messmer
5. Juwan Mccloud 6'0 Germantown
6. Sam Kerr 5'11 Sun Prairie
7. Deang Deang 6'3 Madison East- Everything you want in a point guard. Handles the ball well, can get to the rim and elevate and finish, and can shoot the three. More of a pass first point guard but, has the ability to score when he wants to.
8. Bryce Nze 6'6 Arrowhead- Big man that moves very well and can really finish at the line. Has nice fadaway shot and can hit the three.
9. Adam Link 6'3 Marshall- Just a very smooth player with a great step back jumper from mid range and can also knock down the three. A very long athlete.
1. Kobe King 6'3 La Crosse Central
2. Alou Dillon 6'7 Wauwatosa West
3. Terrance Lewis 6'4 Milwaukee Riverside
4. Adam Smith 6'1 Kaukauna- Flat out scorer. Can hit the three point shot and can get to the rim and finish in a variety of ways. Takes it hard to the rim.
5. Jordan Poole 6'2 Milwaukee King- Another very smooth player that always seems to be under control. Shot wasn't falling in the game I saw but, it is a pretty shot, handles the ball very well and can get to the rim and finish.
6. Phillip Flory 6'4 Oshkosh North- Struggled a bit in the game I saw but, showed the ability to knock down the three point shot and showed a real ability to get to the rim and score.
7. Tyree Eady 6'3 Middleton- Another great athlete that battles on the glass and can really shoot the corner three.
8. Jake Ferguson 6'4 Madison Memorial- Very athletic big guy that runs the court well and seems to be a pretty smart player. Has a nice mid range jump shot as well.
9. George Dixon 6'4 Milwaukee Riverside- Very tough to stop in the paint with his back to the basket. Really strong kid on the inside.
10. Alex Ranney 5'10 Lake Mills- Sharp shooter from the outside and when he gets going he's tough to stopl. Has a very nice step back three to get open.
Freshmen
1. Joey Hauser 6'6 Stevens Point- A real glue player at this point that can do a little bit of everything. Rebounds very well, can hit the set shot, and plays some pretty good defense. Also a good passer.
2.Jordan McCabe 5'11 Kaukauna- Probably should be #1 but, didn't have a great game when I saw him play. Does have some of the best ball handling skills you'll ever see.
3. Tyrese Haliburton 6'1 Oshkosh North- Very quick point guard and can knock down the three point shot.
4. Brunard Williams 6'3 Wisconsin Lutheran- A big body that can score around the rim and likes to catch the ball outside and take it to the rim.
5. Keshawn Justice 6'4 Madison East- Moves very well for a big kid, playing like a guard. Had good elevation rebounding and blocking some shots.
6. Mitch Listau 6'3 Waunakee- Solid scorer that does a real nice job of getting to 15 foot and knocking down the shot.
Rankings
1. Diamond Stone 6'10 senior Dominican- Anyone that follows high school basketball just a little bit knows about Diamond Stone. Stone is the most dominate player I've ever seen in the paint Yes he's the biggest player on the court but, he rebounds extremely well, blocks shot, and his offensive game inside is supreme. Even has the ability to step out and hit the jumper out to the three point line.
2. Henry Ellenson 6'10 senior Rice Lake- Everything that was just said for Stone can be said for Ellenson. The difference between Ellenson and Stone is that Ellenson game outside of the paint is far superior to Stones. Ellenson does the following better run the court, handle the ball, shoots threes very well, and shoots mid range jumpers. The reason for have Stone higher is because he dominates on the inside while Ellenson hangs around the three point line and perimeter. Some of this may be because of necessity but, Stone just seemed to control the scoring of the game much better.
3. Matt Heldt 6'10 senior Neenah- There may be two 6'10 kids ahead of him but, no one seals their defender like Heldt when he's being fronted. He also has a very nice back to the basket game and can finish with either hand. Can step out and hit the jumper, blocks shots, and of course rebounds. Not as explosive as the other two and doesn't make they play that will make you stand up and cheer.
4. Nick Noskowiak 6'3 senior Sun Prairie- One of the best shooters off the dribble I've ever seen and really does a nice job of controlling his teams offense. Can stop on a dime and get his shot. Finish well at the rim and when he gets to the free throw line he doesn't miss.
5. Trev Anderson 6'2 junior Stevens Point- Very strong point guard that doesn't turn the ball over. When given the open three can knock it down. Has a very good cross over and can get to the rim anytime he wants.
6. Brevin Pritzl 6'4 senior De Pere- Just a very smooth player that always seems to be under control. Has a very very pretty shot. If he gets a small opening he can hit the shot.
7. Levi Bradley 6'7 senior Milwaukee Pius- Very very smooth player. Doesn't blow by guys but, doesn't need to because he shoots over them. He gets the ball inside 15 foot he's going to score. All lefty but, that's ok.
8. Mason Domask 6'3 senior Waupun- Flat out big time scorer. Moves extremely well without the ball to free himself and is a very good shooter. Very athletic as well and can jump out of the gym.
9. Sam Hauser 6'6 junior Stevens Point- Another smooth player that uses his size to shoot over small defenders. Is also a great defender in his own right. Is a very good passer and does a great job of letting the game come to him and not forcing things.
10. Brandon Key 6'0 senior West Allis Central- Completely controls the game without even having to shoot the ball. Nearly every basket in the game was because of him. Can get to the rim at any time and is always looking to set up his team mates for easy buckets. When he shoots the three your surprised when he misses. The ball seems to be on a string when it's in his hands.
11. Te'Jon Lucas 5'11 junior Milwaukee Washington- Super super quick with the ball in his hands from one end of the court to the other. Can really finish at the rim or knock down the shot off the dribble. Very good rebounder for a skinny 5'11 kid.
12. Drew Fredrickson 6'2 senior Mount Horeb- Ultimate leader on the court always talking to his team mates and direct things on the offensive end. Perfect point guard in passing to team mates and taking the shots when needed. Doesn't shoot a lot but, when he does its going in.
13. Diamantae Freeman 6'5 senior Milwaukee King- Tremendous leaper that can jump out of the gym and runs the court very well. Has a very nice post game with his back to the basket.
14. Chris Howard 5'10 junior Milwaukee Messmer- May get some disagreement on this but, I really liked Howard. Very fiery competitor that plays in your face defense. Handles the ball very well running the point and can real shoot from three point range.
15. Juwan Mccloud 6'0 junior Germantown- Another superior point guard running his teams offense. Off the dribble he's very tough to stop and has a very nice shot. Does a good job of balancing his shooting and passing.
16. Garrison Goode 6'8 senior Dominican- Vastly improved since last year. Really showed a very nice mid range jump shot playing off Stone. Can run the court very well and can jump out of the gym, which enables him to finish with powerful dunks or rebound.
17. Ethan Bublitz 6'1 senior Kettle Moraine Lutheran- Another very good athlete that can really jump but, didn't get much of an oportunity. A very good shooter from 15 foot out to the three point line. Handles the ball pretty well too.
18. Trevor Entwisle 5'11 senior Neenah- Surprised how good of a point guard he is now. Does a great job of feeding Heldt for easy buckets on the inside. Oh and still has the ability to really shoot the three.
19. James Batemon 6'0 senior Milwaukee Riverside- Great glue guy and a leader. Doesn't need to score to make an impact. Solid defender, rebounds well, shoots the ball well, and can jump out of the gym. Doesn't do anything spectacular but, does everything good.
20. Billy Wampler 6'6 senior Eau Claire Regis- Can really elevate and shoot it over the defender at any time. Very strong player that can finish with contact at the rim and can hit the three.
21. Kobe King 6'3 sophomore La Crosse Central- Tremendous athlete that can jump out of the gym. Very quick player on the court with a great first step, and can knock down the jumper all the way out to three point range.
22. Alou Dillon 6'7 sophomore Wauwatosa West- Had a coming out party playing against the top two big men in the state. Really slashed to the hoop well and used his quickness to finish at the rim. Rebounds very well and can step out hit the three or take the ball to the rim.
23. Terrance Lewis 6'4 sophomore Milwaukee Riverside- Another very smooth guy, that's really long. Runs the court very very well, battles on the inside, and can knock down the outside shot.
24. Darold Thomas 6'1 senior Madison La Follette- Just a bulldog of a lead guard and is built like a running back. Very strong with the ball and when his shot is falling can make any shot he takes from the outside or driving to the rim.
25. Sam Kerr 5'11 junior Sun Prairie- Probably get a lot of disagreement on this since he doesn't start but, I really like Kerr. Very smooth player that can really handle the ball and doesn't miss from three point range.
New to the rankings is Billy Wampler, Kobe King, and Brandon Key. Figured Key would be here once I saw him play, not a huge scorer but one of the top point guards in the state. Wampler didn't impress me that much the first time I saw him but, the second time he shot the lights out and just impressed me. King may be a reach here judging by most peoples rankings but, he really impressed me and he may of played the game of his life when I saw him.
Seniors
1. Diamond Stone 6'10 Dominican
2. Henry Ellenson 6'10 Rice Lake
3. Matt Heldt 6'10 Neenah
4. Nick Noskowiak 6'3 Sun Prairie
5. Brevin Pritzl 6'4 De Pere
6. Levi Bradley 6'7 Milwaukee Pius
7. Mason Domask 6'3 Waupun
8. Brandon Key 6'0 West Allis Central
9. Drew Fredrickson 6'2 Mount Horeb
10. Diamantae Freeman 6'5 Milwaukee King
Juniors
1. Trev Anderson 6'2 Stevens Point
2. Sam Hauser 6'6 Stevens Point
3. Te'Jon Lucas 5'11 Milwaukee Washington
4. Chris Howard 5'10 Milwaukee Messmer
5. Juwan Mccloud 6'0 Germantown
6. Sam Kerr 5'11 Sun Prairie
7. Deang Deang 6'3 Madison East- Everything you want in a point guard. Handles the ball well, can get to the rim and elevate and finish, and can shoot the three. More of a pass first point guard but, has the ability to score when he wants to.
8. Bryce Nze 6'6 Arrowhead- Big man that moves very well and can really finish at the line. Has nice fadaway shot and can hit the three.
9. Adam Link 6'3 Marshall- Just a very smooth player with a great step back jumper from mid range and can also knock down the three. A very long athlete.
10. Bobby Hambright 5'10 Milwaukee Riverside- Sharpshooter from the outside and can get his shot off at any time. Can also finish at the rim.
Sophomores1. Kobe King 6'3 La Crosse Central
2. Alou Dillon 6'7 Wauwatosa West
3. Terrance Lewis 6'4 Milwaukee Riverside
4. Adam Smith 6'1 Kaukauna- Flat out scorer. Can hit the three point shot and can get to the rim and finish in a variety of ways. Takes it hard to the rim.
5. Jordan Poole 6'2 Milwaukee King- Another very smooth player that always seems to be under control. Shot wasn't falling in the game I saw but, it is a pretty shot, handles the ball very well and can get to the rim and finish.
6. Phillip Flory 6'4 Oshkosh North- Struggled a bit in the game I saw but, showed the ability to knock down the three point shot and showed a real ability to get to the rim and score.
7. Tyree Eady 6'3 Middleton- Another great athlete that battles on the glass and can really shoot the corner three.
8. Jake Ferguson 6'4 Madison Memorial- Very athletic big guy that runs the court well and seems to be a pretty smart player. Has a nice mid range jump shot as well.
9. George Dixon 6'4 Milwaukee Riverside- Very tough to stop in the paint with his back to the basket. Really strong kid on the inside.
10. Alex Ranney 5'10 Lake Mills- Sharp shooter from the outside and when he gets going he's tough to stopl. Has a very nice step back three to get open.
Freshmen
1. Joey Hauser 6'6 Stevens Point- A real glue player at this point that can do a little bit of everything. Rebounds very well, can hit the set shot, and plays some pretty good defense. Also a good passer.
2.Jordan McCabe 5'11 Kaukauna- Probably should be #1 but, didn't have a great game when I saw him play. Does have some of the best ball handling skills you'll ever see.
3. Tyrese Haliburton 6'1 Oshkosh North- Very quick point guard and can knock down the three point shot.
4. Brunard Williams 6'3 Wisconsin Lutheran- A big body that can score around the rim and likes to catch the ball outside and take it to the rim.
5. Keshawn Justice 6'4 Madison East- Moves very well for a big kid, playing like a guard. Had good elevation rebounding and blocking some shots.
6. Mitch Listau 6'3 Waunakee- Solid scorer that does a real nice job of getting to 15 foot and knocking down the shot.
7. Chris Thompson 6'2 GET- Really battles on the inside and can hit the spot up shot.
8. Mason Steffen 6'2 Waunakee- Does a real nice job of running the point and not turning the ball over.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Week Nine Rankings
I am watching the Superbowl at the moment but, figured I'd do the rankings at the same time since I'm not at a party or anything and I'm just sitting at home.
Division One
Milwaukee Riverside lost to Milwaukee King by 20 and dropped to#8. Neenah lost to Kimberly for the second time this year and drop to 12. Burlington lost to Monona Grove and drop out of the rankings allowing Madison Memorial to climb back into the rankings.
1. Stevens Point
2. Milwaukee King
3. Germantown
4. Kimberly
5. Muskego
6. Superior
7. Kenosha Indian Trail
8. Milwaukee Riverside
9. Racine Horlick
10. Racine Case
11. De Pere
12. Neenah
13. Milwaukee Marquette
14. Sheboygan North
15. Madison Memorial
Division Two
Luxemburg Casco lost to West De Pere and Shawano lost to Seymour and drop to six and seven. Milwaukee Washington lost to De Pere and drop a few spots to 13. Messmer lost to Living Word Lutheran, falling from the rankings and are replaced by Monona Grove, while Sauk Prairie lost to Deforest by hangs on to the 15 spot.
1. Kaukauna
2. Milwaukee Pius
3. Seymour
4. Wisconsin Lutheran
5. Rice Lake
6. Luxemburg Casco
7. Shawano
8. Menomonie
9. Mount Horeb
10. Stoughton
11. La Crosse Central
12. Port Washington
13. Milwaukee Washington
14. Monona Grove
15. Sauk Prairie
Division Three
GET lost to Arcadia and this really gave me a dilemma what to do with Arcadia since they weren't ranked and have only lost one game. Decided to move Arcadia up to #4 ahead of GET at five and with Southern Door losing to Kewaunee gave me a chance to add a team anyway. Watertown Luther Prep lost to Poynette and fall to seven, I just couldn't bring myself to drop them behind Poynette who actually dropped a spot. Laconia lost to Kettle Moraine Lutheran and fall to 10.
1. Prescott
2. Kettle Moraine Lutheran
3. Freedom
4. Arcadia
5. GET
6. Ripon
7. Watertown Luther Prep
8. Marshall
9. Roncalli
10. Laconia
11. Brookfield Academy
12. Brown Deer
13. Waupun
14. Poynette
15. Lake Mills
Division Four
The only ranked team to lose was Iola Scandenavia who lost to Stevens Point Pacelli and allowed Cochrane Foutaine City to get in the rankings.
1. Whitefish Bay Dominican
2. Eau Claire Regis
3. Mineral Point
4. Marathon
5. Unity
6. Racine St Catherines
7. Darlington
8. Cuba City
9. Brillion
10. Lourdes
11. Amherst
12. Fall Creek
13. Phillips
14. St Marys Springs
15. Cochrane Fountain City
Division Five
Randolph lost to Oshkosh Lourdes and dropped to three. Fredric lost to Plum City/Elmwood dropping to seven. Gresham lost to Rosholt and fell to 10 while Gilmanton lost to Augusta dropping to 11. Wausau Newman lost to Wisconsin Rapids Assumption and fall out of the rankings being replaced by Seneca.
1. Port Edwards
2. Wabeno/Laona
3. Randolph
4. Wausaukee
5. Bangor
6. Cameron
7. Fredric
8. Necedah
9. New Auburn
10. Gresham
11. Gilmanton
12. Central Wisconsin Christian
13. Hillsboro
14. Shullsburg
15. Seneca
Division One
Milwaukee Riverside lost to Milwaukee King by 20 and dropped to#8. Neenah lost to Kimberly for the second time this year and drop to 12. Burlington lost to Monona Grove and drop out of the rankings allowing Madison Memorial to climb back into the rankings.
1. Stevens Point
2. Milwaukee King
3. Germantown
4. Kimberly
5. Muskego
6. Superior
7. Kenosha Indian Trail
8. Milwaukee Riverside
9. Racine Horlick
10. Racine Case
11. De Pere
12. Neenah
13. Milwaukee Marquette
14. Sheboygan North
15. Madison Memorial
Division Two
Luxemburg Casco lost to West De Pere and Shawano lost to Seymour and drop to six and seven. Milwaukee Washington lost to De Pere and drop a few spots to 13. Messmer lost to Living Word Lutheran, falling from the rankings and are replaced by Monona Grove, while Sauk Prairie lost to Deforest by hangs on to the 15 spot.
1. Kaukauna
2. Milwaukee Pius
3. Seymour
4. Wisconsin Lutheran
5. Rice Lake
6. Luxemburg Casco
7. Shawano
8. Menomonie
9. Mount Horeb
10. Stoughton
11. La Crosse Central
12. Port Washington
13. Milwaukee Washington
14. Monona Grove
15. Sauk Prairie
Division Three
GET lost to Arcadia and this really gave me a dilemma what to do with Arcadia since they weren't ranked and have only lost one game. Decided to move Arcadia up to #4 ahead of GET at five and with Southern Door losing to Kewaunee gave me a chance to add a team anyway. Watertown Luther Prep lost to Poynette and fall to seven, I just couldn't bring myself to drop them behind Poynette who actually dropped a spot. Laconia lost to Kettle Moraine Lutheran and fall to 10.
1. Prescott
2. Kettle Moraine Lutheran
3. Freedom
4. Arcadia
5. GET
6. Ripon
7. Watertown Luther Prep
8. Marshall
9. Roncalli
10. Laconia
11. Brookfield Academy
12. Brown Deer
13. Waupun
14. Poynette
15. Lake Mills
Division Four
The only ranked team to lose was Iola Scandenavia who lost to Stevens Point Pacelli and allowed Cochrane Foutaine City to get in the rankings.
1. Whitefish Bay Dominican
2. Eau Claire Regis
3. Mineral Point
4. Marathon
5. Unity
6. Racine St Catherines
7. Darlington
8. Cuba City
9. Brillion
10. Lourdes
11. Amherst
12. Fall Creek
13. Phillips
14. St Marys Springs
15. Cochrane Fountain City
Division Five
Randolph lost to Oshkosh Lourdes and dropped to three. Fredric lost to Plum City/Elmwood dropping to seven. Gresham lost to Rosholt and fell to 10 while Gilmanton lost to Augusta dropping to 11. Wausau Newman lost to Wisconsin Rapids Assumption and fall out of the rankings being replaced by Seneca.
1. Port Edwards
2. Wabeno/Laona
3. Randolph
4. Wausaukee
5. Bangor
6. Cameron
7. Fredric
8. Necedah
9. New Auburn
10. Gresham
11. Gilmanton
12. Central Wisconsin Christian
13. Hillsboro
14. Shullsburg
15. Seneca
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