I haven't been posting much lately but, there really hasn't been much to talk about. I haven't been able to get to any games the past week and the Badgers haven't been playing. I was planning on heading down to Milwaukee to catch the Terry Porter Classic but, with the bad weather my plans were cancelled. Since I haven't posted lately, I have decided to just do a post of some of the early season highlights of the high school basketball season and some of my early season thoughts.
Some dynasties continue to dominate, while others are beginning to decline.
It appears that this might finally be the year that Seymour will not be at state for division two as they begin the year off dropping there first two games. In past years Seymour is typically a shoe in to be at state and is usually the favorite in division two. With the lose of their starting five from last year it appears that things will be different this year. Seymour started off with loses to Depere and Denmark. Being only two games into the year you can't write off Seymour but, it isn't a good sign for the perennial D2 powers.
Oshkosh West may also be a team that may not be as good as previous thought or previous seasons. West lost their first game to a very young Milwaukee Bay View team who went on to lose to Madison Lafollette the following game. This either means that West will not be as good as thought or Madison Lafollette is a much better team then thought. I'm am going with that as of right now Oshkosh West is not as good as expected due to their lack of experience in their back court, which was exposed against the pressure of Bay View. Don't be surprised though to see the Wildcats back at state because while their back court grows in experience they should be carried by their very good front court.
Milwaukee Vincent and Lacrosse Aquinas appear to have not lost a step from last years state runner up teams in each of their divisions, despite losing four starters from a year ago. Aquinas had a very impressive victory over Madison West in their opener and Vincent starts the season out ranked #1 in division one and opened the season with a win.
Many people around the state thought that Madison Memorial would struggle early on this season with a very young back court but, that appears to be the exact opposite. Memorial has started the season out with two very impressive victories. In their opener the Spartans dominates the up and coming Marquis Mason led Madison East team 71-38. In their second game of the year Memorial was able to beat the Big Eight favorite Janesville Craig by about 10 points. This was Craigs second loss of the season and leaves Memorial as the favorite to win the Big Eight. I expect to once again since the Spartans making a run to state.
Just because you have the #1 player in the state doesn't mean your the best team in the state.
This is very evident in the case of Milwaukee Pius who has the number one player in the state in Korie Lucious but, still managed to lose their opening game of the year. In many peoples eyes Pius is the favorite to win state but, if Lucious cannot get the front court help he needs Pius will once again have an early exit in the playoffs.
Losing a star player can turn your team from a title contender into just another average team.
This is the case for Racine St Catherines who lost star point guard Patrick Souter in the preseason. Prior to the season St. Cats was the odds on favorite to defend their title in division three. Now St. Cats will be happy to win conference and just make it out of their regional. St. Catherines has started the season out 1-2 losing to the young Bay View team and losing to a so so Milwaukee South team.
Well those are some of my thoughts on the week and a half old season. Hopefully the following week I will have more to discuss and be able to catch some games.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Badgers get wake up call
Well all the Badger hype has been calmed, after Wisconsin's embarrassing lost by Duke. Duke was far more athletic and used their pressure defense to force Wisconsin to turn the ball over and settle for the three point shot which wasn't falling for the Badgers.
Trevon Hughes has come down to earth as he struggled to find his shot and turned the ball over. Marcus Landry and Jason Bahannon were basically non existent. Stiemsma was unable to effectively rebound or block shots.
The couple players that really looked good were Brian Butch and Michael Flowers. Both players were very pumped for this game and really gave it their all. Butch was the only Badger scoring the first half as he had ten points all from the inside and had a nice dunk. In the second half Butch was saddled with foul trouble and didn't play much. Flowers didn't score a ton but, did a pretty good job of handling the pressure of Duke and was one of the few Badgers crashing the glass. Flowers is also gonna be that high energy guy that does alittle of everything. Another high energy guy is Joe Krabbenhoft who was his usually self, pounding the glass and scoring when the opportunity arose and that wasn't much. Jon Leuer had a pretty good game hitting a three, finishing with a dunk, and hitting some mid range jumpers, most of which came in the second half.
Overall the Badgers really played bad this game, most of the positives that i mentioned occurred in the second half when Duke had pretty much let up the intensity. This game just gave the Badger fans and players the realization that they are not a top tier yet in the country and have a long way to go. Hopefully they can make some improvements by the time the Marquette game comes around.
Trevon Hughes has come down to earth as he struggled to find his shot and turned the ball over. Marcus Landry and Jason Bahannon were basically non existent. Stiemsma was unable to effectively rebound or block shots.
The couple players that really looked good were Brian Butch and Michael Flowers. Both players were very pumped for this game and really gave it their all. Butch was the only Badger scoring the first half as he had ten points all from the inside and had a nice dunk. In the second half Butch was saddled with foul trouble and didn't play much. Flowers didn't score a ton but, did a pretty good job of handling the pressure of Duke and was one of the few Badgers crashing the glass. Flowers is also gonna be that high energy guy that does alittle of everything. Another high energy guy is Joe Krabbenhoft who was his usually self, pounding the glass and scoring when the opportunity arose and that wasn't much. Jon Leuer had a pretty good game hitting a three, finishing with a dunk, and hitting some mid range jumpers, most of which came in the second half.
Overall the Badgers really played bad this game, most of the positives that i mentioned occurred in the second half when Duke had pretty much let up the intensity. This game just gave the Badger fans and players the realization that they are not a top tier yet in the country and have a long way to go. Hopefully they can make some improvements by the time the Marquette game comes around.
Monday, November 26, 2007
First Round of Player Rankings
Today I bring you the first round of my player rankings. Once again I will only be ranking the players that I have seen play. I will rank players as a whole and then break them down into classes. Since I have only seen one weekend of play there will be a lot of guys ranked initially that probably shouldn't be ranked but, since I haven't seen many guys they will be there. I have to start somewhere. If I've already talked about the player in over all rankings I will not be making any comments about the player in the class rankings.
Player Rankings
1. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward sophomore Madison East-As I said yesterday this kid can do it all and was the most impressive player of the weekend. He can jump out of the gym, can post up, shoot the jumper out to the three point line and is typically stronger then the guy defending him.
2. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard senior Madison Lafollette- When Craig is hot from the outside he's unstoppable. Handles the ball very well and can get his shot off at any time. Moves very well without the ball whether that be coming off of a screen or cutting to the hoop.
3. Lucas Burns 6'6 forward senior Janesville Craig- I've said it many times one of the smoothest players I've seen. Can shoot the three or go inside and score using a variety of moves.
4. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard junior Milwaukee Bay View- Has a very very good shot from the outside that he can take off the dribble or spotting up. Has the ability to get inside at any time and finish with a layup or a pass to an open teammate.
5. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard junior Lacrosse Aquinas- Handles the ball very well and does a great job of handling pressure. Best part of his game is the ability to stop on a dime and pull up for the midrange jumper, can also get to the hoop and finish strong.
6. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward junior Madison Edgewood- Very good shooter. At 6'6 and a high release can get his shot off at anytime. A very unselfish player that can penetrate and find an open teammate or just as easily score himself.
7. Charles Lee 5'7 guard freshmen Milwaukee Bay View- The ultimate point guard. Can get by anyone and get into the lane and is always looking to set his teammates up for the layup. If anyone besides Lacy scores on the team it is because of Lee.
8. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center junior Janesville Craig- Very strong player on the inside. Really takes the ball strong to the hoop and does a great job of rebounding on the defensive and offensive ends.
9. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward senior Lacrosse Aquinas- Really is a guard but, does a good job of rebounding and playing like a big man. Has the ability to step out and hit the three and help bring the ball up the court if needed.
10. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward senior Madison West- Runs the floor very well and can knock down the open three pointer if given the shot.
11. Mike Hanson 6'6 forward junior Lacrosse Aquinas- Very soft touch for a big man. Has the ability to shoot the three and go inside and score also.
12. Keegan Meier 6'3 forward junior Eau Claire Memorial- Kid that is a very good shooter that when hot can hit from anywhere on the court and be able to drive to the hoop and finish.
13. Casey Balczewski 6'4 forward senior Madion Edgewood- Floor general on the court that always gives 110% and is not afraid to go inside and bang with bigger players.
14. Michael Collins 6'3 guard senior Madison West- Real good shooter from three point range and is strong enough to get inside and finish or get fouled.
15. Deon Johnson 6'4 guard senior Madison West- Another kid that can jump outta the gym and really pounds the glass.
HM
Zach Rickaway 6'3 forward senior Lacrosse Aquinas
Collin Cooper 6'3 forward senior Eau Claire Memorial
Michael Horton 6'2 guard senior Madison West
Kyle Goike 6'3 forward junior Janesville Craig
Senior Rankings
1. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard Madison Lafollette
2. Lucas Burns 6'6 forward Janesville Craig
3. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas
4. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward Madison West
5. Casey Balczewski 6'4 forward Madison Lafollette
6. Michael Collins 6'3 guard Madison West
7. Deon Johnson 6'4 guard Madison West
8. Zach Rickaway 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Helps bring the ball up, can shoot the three, gets assists, and pounds the the glass on both ends.
9. Collin Cooper 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial- High energy player that always gives his all has a very good running floater.
10. Michael Horton 6'2 guard Madison West- Handles the ball very well and can hit the three point shot when left open.
Junior Rankings
1. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard Milwaukee Bay View
2. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard Lacrosse Aquinas
3. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward Madison Edgewood
4. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center Janesville Craig
5. Mike Hanson 6'6 forward Lacrosse Aquinas
6. Keegan Meier 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial
7. Kyle Goike 6'3 forward Janesville Craig- Big kid who can play inside or step outside and shoot the three, and plays some pretty good defense.
8. Joey Kennedy 5'11 guard Janesville Craig- Does a pretty good job of running the point and can shoot the three pointers when open.
9. Stephan Thompson 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View- Kid that really likes to go inside and bang with the bigger guys.
10. Antoine Howard 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View- High energy player, that can play D, and crashes the boards.
Sophomore Rankings
1. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward Madison East
2. Jon Dybevik 6'0 guard Madison Lafollette- Handles the ball really well against the pressure and has the ability to go inside and finish strong.
3. Robery Littleton 6'1 guard Milwaukee Bay View- Athletic player that really likes to run the court, also is willing to crash the boards.
4. Demetrius Turner 6'4 forward Milwaukee Bay View- Another athletic player that likes to run the court and does a good job of battling in the post.
5. Jeff Hull 6'3 forward Madison East- Big strong post player that scores well with his back to the basket.
Freshmen Rankings
1. Charles Lee 5'7 guard Milwaukee Bay View
2. Samar Powell 5'6 guard Milwaukee Bay View- Little guy with a nice outside shot and not afraid to go inside and mix it up.
3. Darnell Harris 6'6 forward Milwaukee Bay View- Big athletic guy that can jump outta the gym.
4. Elgin Cook 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View- Another athletic kid that likes to get out and run and will go inside and battle for rebounds.
Player Rankings
1. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward sophomore Madison East-As I said yesterday this kid can do it all and was the most impressive player of the weekend. He can jump out of the gym, can post up, shoot the jumper out to the three point line and is typically stronger then the guy defending him.
2. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard senior Madison Lafollette- When Craig is hot from the outside he's unstoppable. Handles the ball very well and can get his shot off at any time. Moves very well without the ball whether that be coming off of a screen or cutting to the hoop.
3. Lucas Burns 6'6 forward senior Janesville Craig- I've said it many times one of the smoothest players I've seen. Can shoot the three or go inside and score using a variety of moves.
4. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard junior Milwaukee Bay View- Has a very very good shot from the outside that he can take off the dribble or spotting up. Has the ability to get inside at any time and finish with a layup or a pass to an open teammate.
5. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard junior Lacrosse Aquinas- Handles the ball very well and does a great job of handling pressure. Best part of his game is the ability to stop on a dime and pull up for the midrange jumper, can also get to the hoop and finish strong.
6. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward junior Madison Edgewood- Very good shooter. At 6'6 and a high release can get his shot off at anytime. A very unselfish player that can penetrate and find an open teammate or just as easily score himself.
7. Charles Lee 5'7 guard freshmen Milwaukee Bay View- The ultimate point guard. Can get by anyone and get into the lane and is always looking to set his teammates up for the layup. If anyone besides Lacy scores on the team it is because of Lee.
8. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center junior Janesville Craig- Very strong player on the inside. Really takes the ball strong to the hoop and does a great job of rebounding on the defensive and offensive ends.
9. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward senior Lacrosse Aquinas- Really is a guard but, does a good job of rebounding and playing like a big man. Has the ability to step out and hit the three and help bring the ball up the court if needed.
10. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward senior Madison West- Runs the floor very well and can knock down the open three pointer if given the shot.
11. Mike Hanson 6'6 forward junior Lacrosse Aquinas- Very soft touch for a big man. Has the ability to shoot the three and go inside and score also.
12. Keegan Meier 6'3 forward junior Eau Claire Memorial- Kid that is a very good shooter that when hot can hit from anywhere on the court and be able to drive to the hoop and finish.
13. Casey Balczewski 6'4 forward senior Madion Edgewood- Floor general on the court that always gives 110% and is not afraid to go inside and bang with bigger players.
14. Michael Collins 6'3 guard senior Madison West- Real good shooter from three point range and is strong enough to get inside and finish or get fouled.
15. Deon Johnson 6'4 guard senior Madison West- Another kid that can jump outta the gym and really pounds the glass.
HM
Zach Rickaway 6'3 forward senior Lacrosse Aquinas
Collin Cooper 6'3 forward senior Eau Claire Memorial
Michael Horton 6'2 guard senior Madison West
Kyle Goike 6'3 forward junior Janesville Craig
Senior Rankings
1. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard Madison Lafollette
2. Lucas Burns 6'6 forward Janesville Craig
3. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas
4. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward Madison West
5. Casey Balczewski 6'4 forward Madison Lafollette
6. Michael Collins 6'3 guard Madison West
7. Deon Johnson 6'4 guard Madison West
8. Zach Rickaway 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Helps bring the ball up, can shoot the three, gets assists, and pounds the the glass on both ends.
9. Collin Cooper 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial- High energy player that always gives his all has a very good running floater.
10. Michael Horton 6'2 guard Madison West- Handles the ball very well and can hit the three point shot when left open.
Junior Rankings
1. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard Milwaukee Bay View
2. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard Lacrosse Aquinas
3. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward Madison Edgewood
4. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center Janesville Craig
5. Mike Hanson 6'6 forward Lacrosse Aquinas
6. Keegan Meier 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial
7. Kyle Goike 6'3 forward Janesville Craig- Big kid who can play inside or step outside and shoot the three, and plays some pretty good defense.
8. Joey Kennedy 5'11 guard Janesville Craig- Does a pretty good job of running the point and can shoot the three pointers when open.
9. Stephan Thompson 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View- Kid that really likes to go inside and bang with the bigger guys.
10. Antoine Howard 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View- High energy player, that can play D, and crashes the boards.
Sophomore Rankings
1. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward Madison East
2. Jon Dybevik 6'0 guard Madison Lafollette- Handles the ball really well against the pressure and has the ability to go inside and finish strong.
3. Robery Littleton 6'1 guard Milwaukee Bay View- Athletic player that really likes to run the court, also is willing to crash the boards.
4. Demetrius Turner 6'4 forward Milwaukee Bay View- Another athletic player that likes to run the court and does a good job of battling in the post.
5. Jeff Hull 6'3 forward Madison East- Big strong post player that scores well with his back to the basket.
Freshmen Rankings
1. Charles Lee 5'7 guard Milwaukee Bay View
2. Samar Powell 5'6 guard Milwaukee Bay View- Little guy with a nice outside shot and not afraid to go inside and mix it up.
3. Darnell Harris 6'6 forward Milwaukee Bay View- Big athletic guy that can jump outta the gym.
4. Elgin Cook 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View- Another athletic kid that likes to get out and run and will go inside and battle for rebounds.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
First week of Rankings
My personal rankings will only consists of teams that I have actually seen play in person. This is because I just feel that it is unfair to rank teams that I have never seen play. So far the Big Eight shootout is the only play I have seen so I will only be ranking the eight teams that I saw play this weekend. Throughout the year I will have a ranking of all teams and then having a break down into each division.
Rankings
1. Janesville Craig- Will have the height advantage over most teams they play, combined with their 2-3 zone they will be tough for anyone to beat. Offensively Lucas Burns is one of the smoothest shooters around and Jojo Pregont is a force inside.
2. Madison Lafollette- Team that really likes to push the ball for an easy layup or spot up for the open three point shot. If they have an off shooting night they may struggle and against bigger teams they will struggle for sure. They do have one of the best shooters in the state in Cashton Craig, who can get his shot off at anytime.
3. Milwaukee Bay View- A very young team that likes to run. They will pressure many teams into turning the ball over, which will relate into easy buckets on the offensive end. Will rely heavily on star Johnnie Lacy in the half court set and the penetration of freshmen Charles Lee.
4. Lacrosse Aquinas- One of the most disciplined and well coached teams out there. Have the ability to run'n'gun or slow the tempo in a half court set. Lucas Morrissey holds the team together by doing all the little things and junior Jimmy Whitehead is a star in the making.
5. Madison Edgewood- Very similar to Aquinas in that they are very disciplined and very well coached. They have a true star in Derek Braucht and everyone else knows their roll on the team and don't try to do too much. Height may be a concern but, as always Edgewood will put forth a 110% effort into rebounding.
6. Madison East- Marquis Mason may be the most athletic player in the state but, as of right now he's a one man team. Unless Mason can score 50 a game East will probably remain around a 500 team.
7. Madison West- A very athletic team that lacks discipline and will struggle against teams that are patient, particularly on the defensive end. They will win games based on their athleticism alone but, in the long run they will find themselves towards the bottom of the Big Eight conference.
8. Eau Claire Memorial- Lack the athletic ability to compete with teams from bigger conferences but, should be alright in the Big Rivers conference. As of right now they really lack a go to player that is willing to put the scoring load on their shoulders and have the ability to do so.
My player rankings will be coming within the next few days. As always anyone out there that would like to comment on my thoughts or anything else feel free to comment or send me an email.
Rankings
1. Janesville Craig- Will have the height advantage over most teams they play, combined with their 2-3 zone they will be tough for anyone to beat. Offensively Lucas Burns is one of the smoothest shooters around and Jojo Pregont is a force inside.
2. Madison Lafollette- Team that really likes to push the ball for an easy layup or spot up for the open three point shot. If they have an off shooting night they may struggle and against bigger teams they will struggle for sure. They do have one of the best shooters in the state in Cashton Craig, who can get his shot off at anytime.
3. Milwaukee Bay View- A very young team that likes to run. They will pressure many teams into turning the ball over, which will relate into easy buckets on the offensive end. Will rely heavily on star Johnnie Lacy in the half court set and the penetration of freshmen Charles Lee.
4. Lacrosse Aquinas- One of the most disciplined and well coached teams out there. Have the ability to run'n'gun or slow the tempo in a half court set. Lucas Morrissey holds the team together by doing all the little things and junior Jimmy Whitehead is a star in the making.
5. Madison Edgewood- Very similar to Aquinas in that they are very disciplined and very well coached. They have a true star in Derek Braucht and everyone else knows their roll on the team and don't try to do too much. Height may be a concern but, as always Edgewood will put forth a 110% effort into rebounding.
6. Madison East- Marquis Mason may be the most athletic player in the state but, as of right now he's a one man team. Unless Mason can score 50 a game East will probably remain around a 500 team.
7. Madison West- A very athletic team that lacks discipline and will struggle against teams that are patient, particularly on the defensive end. They will win games based on their athleticism alone but, in the long run they will find themselves towards the bottom of the Big Eight conference.
8. Eau Claire Memorial- Lack the athletic ability to compete with teams from bigger conferences but, should be alright in the Big Rivers conference. As of right now they really lack a go to player that is willing to put the scoring load on their shoulders and have the ability to do so.
My player rankings will be coming within the next few days. As always anyone out there that would like to comment on my thoughts or anything else feel free to comment or send me an email.
Big Eight Shootout Day 2
Well the second day of the Big Eight Shootout was even better then the first day, at least for me. I was able to watch three of the four boys games that were played and two of the three games were very exciting close games and the third game I witnessed one of the best performances I have ever seen by a single player.
Madison East 60 Eau Claire Memorial 43
East jumped to an early lead and never looked back as this game was never really in question. There was one single reason for the outcome of this game, Marquis Mason. As I had predicted Memorial had no one that could guard Mason but, I never expected him to do what he did. Mason went off to score 37 of his teams 60 points and did it in many different ways, scoring on dunks, with his back to the basket, from the free throw line, pulling up for 15 footers, and even went 3 for 4 from the three point line. The game was highlighted by a trio of dunks from Mason, a power two handed dunk on the break, a drop step dunk in traffic, and finalized with a reverse dunk on the break.
Madison East will probably not have as easy a time as they did today the majority of the Big Eight season. Mason is the only really true scoring threat and if a team can focus on him and slow him down (I don't think he can be completely stopped) East will probably get blown out. I still see East as a 500 team being able to beat the lower teams in the conference but, not being able to hang with the top guys.
EC Memorial will also probably be a middle of the pack team in the Big Rivers conference. The won't see a lot of guys like Mason in conference but, will probably struggle against Eau Claire North and Rice Lake who have some pretty good big men.
Top Scorers
Madison East- Marquis Mason 37 Devin Murray 6 Al Mayne 5
Eau Claire Memorial- Keegan Meier 18 Collin Cooper 15 Andrew Kasmarek 4
Lacrosse Aquinas 86 Madison West 77
West caught Aquinas off guard with the uptempo style play and took the early lead. In the second quarter was able to match the Regents fast break style and take the lead and by the time the game ended it was the Blugolds who ran the athletic West team out of the gym. Not a big surprised that Aquinas was able to run because that is all they did last year but, this years team only returns two of those players from that team. This was a coming out party for Aquinas point guard Jimmy Whitehead who coming into this game was pretty much unheard of and had not played a varsity game. Whitehead finished with 26 points and did a great job of breaking West's press and running the Aquinas offense.
Aquinas will once again be a state champion threat in Division three. They have a very solid top six players that are as good as anyone in division three and should be in the top three in the Mississippi Valley Conference.
West is one of the most undisciplined team I've seen in awhile. They have a lot of athletes but, just take a lot of bad shots and do way too much one on one play. Will once again probably find themselves in the bottom third of the Big Eight.
Top Scorers
Lacrosse Aquinas- Jimmy Whitehead 26 Zach Rickaway 15 Mike Hanson 14 Lucas Morrissey 13
Madison West- Michael Collins 29 Corvonn Gaine 17 Deon Johnson 14 Michael Horton 11
Janesville Craig 63 Madison Edgewood 52
This game was won by Craig simply because they were the bigger team. Craig was bigger at every position and sat back in a zone the entire game. Craig's height and zone kept Edgewood from being able to get inside, forcing Edgewood to really have to earn every bucket that they scored. On the offensive end Craig was able to get second and third chances which allowed for a lot of easy layups. As every Edgewood team though they played their hearts out the entire game and kept the game close until half way through the fourth quarter when Edgewood just ran out of energy.
With Craig's height and zone they should be able to beat anyone in the conference and the state but, they will probably run into a team that will be hot from the outside and loose a game or two in conference. Craig is easily the pick of the Big Eight and should be looking at a trip to state.
Edgewood is a very good team that plays very very hard. As usual they do lack height which will give them trouble at times but, they should be able to combat that with high energy play and good teamwork. Edgewood will once again battle with Verona and Monroe for the Badger South title.
Top Scorers
Janesville Craig- Lucas Burns 24 Jojo Pregont 17 Joey Kennedy 10
Madison Edgewood- Derek Braucht 17 Garrie Fox 9 Casey Balczewski 8
Top Players from Day 2
Marquis Mason 6'5 sophomore forward Madison East- Said it all earlier, really is an amazing player and has really improved his outside game. Improves his right hand he may be impossible to stop.
Keegan Meier 6'3 junior forward Eau Claire Memorial- Very good shooter from 15 foot to three point range. Did his best to keep this game respectable.
Collin Cooper 6'3 senior forward Eau Claire Memorial- Hustle player that scores most of his points that way. Has a very good running floater.
Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 junior guard Lacrosse Aquinas- Handles the ball very very well. Has a very good pull up jumper that he uses in transition and is able to finish in the lane with acrobatic shots.
Lucas Morrissey 6'3 senior guard Lacrosse Aquinas- Does all the little things to help his team out. Rebounds well. always sets his teammates up for open shots, and will also score when it is necessary. Really helped Aquinas bring the ball up against the pressure defense.
Zach Rickaway 6'3 senior forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Another guy that really helped bring the ball up against the press and can score with his back to the basket or from the three point line.
Mike Hanson 6'6 junior forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Has a very nice touch for a big man out to the three point line, also runs the floor really well.
Michael Collins 6'3 senior guard Madison West- Has an awkward looking shot but, shoots the three really well and does a good job of getting inside and drawing fouls.
Corvonn Gaines 6'5 senior forward Madison West- Can hit the three when open and runs the court really well.
Deon Johnson 6'4 senior guard Madison West- Can jump out of the gym and does a nice jump crashing the boards. Had a nice put back dunk.
Michael Horton 6'2 senior guard Madison West- Handles the ball very well and can hit the three if left open.
Lucas Burns 6'6 senior forward Janesville Craig- Very smooth player that can hit anything from anywhere on the court. Went 12 for 12 from the free throw line.
Jojo Pregont 6'6 junior center Janesville Craig- Really strong with the ball inside and is able to score in a variety of ways from the inside.
Derek Braucht 6'6 junior forward Madison Edgewood- Very good shooter from the outside and was able to penetrate to score or find the open teammate.
Casey Balcewski 6'4 senior forward Madison Edgewood- Edgewood's leader on the floor, did a good job of battling the taller Craig players and really got the offense going from the high post finding open teammates or scoring.
In the other game I missed Janesville Parker beat Clinton and yesterday Sun Praire beat Stoughton which ran the Big Eights record to a respectable record of 5-3 in the shootout which is opposite of the 3-5 I predicted. So for the season I am 3-5 on my predictions, not so good but, hope to do better in the following weeks. Rankings of these teams to follow in the next few days and rankings of top players from the shootout.
Madison East 60 Eau Claire Memorial 43
East jumped to an early lead and never looked back as this game was never really in question. There was one single reason for the outcome of this game, Marquis Mason. As I had predicted Memorial had no one that could guard Mason but, I never expected him to do what he did. Mason went off to score 37 of his teams 60 points and did it in many different ways, scoring on dunks, with his back to the basket, from the free throw line, pulling up for 15 footers, and even went 3 for 4 from the three point line. The game was highlighted by a trio of dunks from Mason, a power two handed dunk on the break, a drop step dunk in traffic, and finalized with a reverse dunk on the break.
Madison East will probably not have as easy a time as they did today the majority of the Big Eight season. Mason is the only really true scoring threat and if a team can focus on him and slow him down (I don't think he can be completely stopped) East will probably get blown out. I still see East as a 500 team being able to beat the lower teams in the conference but, not being able to hang with the top guys.
EC Memorial will also probably be a middle of the pack team in the Big Rivers conference. The won't see a lot of guys like Mason in conference but, will probably struggle against Eau Claire North and Rice Lake who have some pretty good big men.
Top Scorers
Madison East- Marquis Mason 37 Devin Murray 6 Al Mayne 5
Eau Claire Memorial- Keegan Meier 18 Collin Cooper 15 Andrew Kasmarek 4
Lacrosse Aquinas 86 Madison West 77
West caught Aquinas off guard with the uptempo style play and took the early lead. In the second quarter was able to match the Regents fast break style and take the lead and by the time the game ended it was the Blugolds who ran the athletic West team out of the gym. Not a big surprised that Aquinas was able to run because that is all they did last year but, this years team only returns two of those players from that team. This was a coming out party for Aquinas point guard Jimmy Whitehead who coming into this game was pretty much unheard of and had not played a varsity game. Whitehead finished with 26 points and did a great job of breaking West's press and running the Aquinas offense.
Aquinas will once again be a state champion threat in Division three. They have a very solid top six players that are as good as anyone in division three and should be in the top three in the Mississippi Valley Conference.
West is one of the most undisciplined team I've seen in awhile. They have a lot of athletes but, just take a lot of bad shots and do way too much one on one play. Will once again probably find themselves in the bottom third of the Big Eight.
Top Scorers
Lacrosse Aquinas- Jimmy Whitehead 26 Zach Rickaway 15 Mike Hanson 14 Lucas Morrissey 13
Madison West- Michael Collins 29 Corvonn Gaine 17 Deon Johnson 14 Michael Horton 11
Janesville Craig 63 Madison Edgewood 52
This game was won by Craig simply because they were the bigger team. Craig was bigger at every position and sat back in a zone the entire game. Craig's height and zone kept Edgewood from being able to get inside, forcing Edgewood to really have to earn every bucket that they scored. On the offensive end Craig was able to get second and third chances which allowed for a lot of easy layups. As every Edgewood team though they played their hearts out the entire game and kept the game close until half way through the fourth quarter when Edgewood just ran out of energy.
With Craig's height and zone they should be able to beat anyone in the conference and the state but, they will probably run into a team that will be hot from the outside and loose a game or two in conference. Craig is easily the pick of the Big Eight and should be looking at a trip to state.
Edgewood is a very good team that plays very very hard. As usual they do lack height which will give them trouble at times but, they should be able to combat that with high energy play and good teamwork. Edgewood will once again battle with Verona and Monroe for the Badger South title.
Top Scorers
Janesville Craig- Lucas Burns 24 Jojo Pregont 17 Joey Kennedy 10
Madison Edgewood- Derek Braucht 17 Garrie Fox 9 Casey Balczewski 8
Top Players from Day 2
Marquis Mason 6'5 sophomore forward Madison East- Said it all earlier, really is an amazing player and has really improved his outside game. Improves his right hand he may be impossible to stop.
Keegan Meier 6'3 junior forward Eau Claire Memorial- Very good shooter from 15 foot to three point range. Did his best to keep this game respectable.
Collin Cooper 6'3 senior forward Eau Claire Memorial- Hustle player that scores most of his points that way. Has a very good running floater.
Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 junior guard Lacrosse Aquinas- Handles the ball very very well. Has a very good pull up jumper that he uses in transition and is able to finish in the lane with acrobatic shots.
Lucas Morrissey 6'3 senior guard Lacrosse Aquinas- Does all the little things to help his team out. Rebounds well. always sets his teammates up for open shots, and will also score when it is necessary. Really helped Aquinas bring the ball up against the pressure defense.
Zach Rickaway 6'3 senior forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Another guy that really helped bring the ball up against the press and can score with his back to the basket or from the three point line.
Mike Hanson 6'6 junior forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Has a very nice touch for a big man out to the three point line, also runs the floor really well.
Michael Collins 6'3 senior guard Madison West- Has an awkward looking shot but, shoots the three really well and does a good job of getting inside and drawing fouls.
Corvonn Gaines 6'5 senior forward Madison West- Can hit the three when open and runs the court really well.
Deon Johnson 6'4 senior guard Madison West- Can jump out of the gym and does a nice jump crashing the boards. Had a nice put back dunk.
Michael Horton 6'2 senior guard Madison West- Handles the ball very well and can hit the three if left open.
Lucas Burns 6'6 senior forward Janesville Craig- Very smooth player that can hit anything from anywhere on the court. Went 12 for 12 from the free throw line.
Jojo Pregont 6'6 junior center Janesville Craig- Really strong with the ball inside and is able to score in a variety of ways from the inside.
Derek Braucht 6'6 junior forward Madison Edgewood- Very good shooter from the outside and was able to penetrate to score or find the open teammate.
Casey Balcewski 6'4 senior forward Madison Edgewood- Edgewood's leader on the floor, did a good job of battling the taller Craig players and really got the offense going from the high post finding open teammates or scoring.
In the other game I missed Janesville Parker beat Clinton and yesterday Sun Praire beat Stoughton which ran the Big Eights record to a respectable record of 5-3 in the shootout which is opposite of the 3-5 I predicted. So for the season I am 3-5 on my predictions, not so good but, hope to do better in the following weeks. Rankings of these teams to follow in the next few days and rankings of top players from the shootout.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Lafollette upends Bay View
If I were to just look at just the score of this game I would really be surprised, being that Bay View just beat a very good Oshkosh West team, I thought they would handle a Madison Lafollette team. Being at the game though it was clear Lafollette was the better team as they held the lead from beginning to finish except for a couple minutes in the third quarter. My only explaination in the two different Bay View teams showing up in the same week is that Bay View is a very young team and this season will be a roller coaster ride for them. The Redcats go nine deep and in those nine players they play four freshmen, two sophomores, and three juniors. The thing that hurt Bay View the most was too much one on one basketball and not getting it to their star player Johnnie Lacy late in the game.
The game started as I expected a fast pace up and down the court game with the two stars, Lacy and Lafollette star Cashton Craig going back and forth. At half time Lacy had 19 points, while Craig had 16. In the third quarter they defense of both teams really stepped up as both players went scoreless through the period. While Craig was able to manage eight points in the final period, Lacy did not score the rest of the game and finished with 19. Despite the struggles of their star, Bay View was able to grab the lead for a short time in the third by crashing the offensive boards and getting second and third opportunities down the court. In the end Bay View just seemed to run out of energy and Lafollette was able to get those second and third offensive opportunities to secure the game.
Final Score 61-53
Top Scorers
Lafollette- Cashton Craig 24 Steve Chapiewsky 10 Caleb Kreuger 7
Bay View- Johnnie Lacy 19 Stephan Thompson 8 Robert Littleton 6
Standout Players
Cashton Craig 6'1 senior guard Lafollette- Was hitting everything in the first half. When Craig gets hot he's tough to stop. Besides hitting from outside was able to take the smaller defender inside and was able to score in the post.
Javonte Walters 6'1 senior guard Lafollette- Was able to get into the lane and score on some acrobatic layups but, really made his presence felt on defense holding Lacy scoreless in the second half.
Jon Dybevik 6'0 sophomore guard Lafollette- Came off the bench and really did a nice job bring the ball up the court against the pressure and had a couple big baskets towards the end of the game.
Steve Chapiewsky 6'2 senior forward Lafollette- Does all the little things and when the opportunity arises to score he takes it.
Darnell Small 6'4 senior forward Lafollette- Is really a football player playing basketball but, as long as he doesn't shoot or dribble he should be good. Really is a beast on the defensive boards and had a nice block.
Johnnie Lacy 5'11 junior guard Bay View- Has a very nice outside shot and when he's hot his range is unlimited. Can also get by defenders at will and pull up for 10-15 footers.
Charles Lee 5'7 freshmen guard Bay View- Didn't score a lot but, he was the reason anyone other then Lacy scored. Lee was able to get into the lane every time down the court and find an open teammate for the layup, that is if they could catch the lighting quick passes.
Saw the end of the Lake Geneva Badger vs Beloit game which was a very fast paced game that Bager won 82-72. Also heard that Verona beat Middleton not sure of the score. Therefore I am 2-1 on my predictions so far. I'll be keeping a running tally just to see how I come out on the predictions I've made.
The game started as I expected a fast pace up and down the court game with the two stars, Lacy and Lafollette star Cashton Craig going back and forth. At half time Lacy had 19 points, while Craig had 16. In the third quarter they defense of both teams really stepped up as both players went scoreless through the period. While Craig was able to manage eight points in the final period, Lacy did not score the rest of the game and finished with 19. Despite the struggles of their star, Bay View was able to grab the lead for a short time in the third by crashing the offensive boards and getting second and third opportunities down the court. In the end Bay View just seemed to run out of energy and Lafollette was able to get those second and third offensive opportunities to secure the game.
Final Score 61-53
Top Scorers
Lafollette- Cashton Craig 24 Steve Chapiewsky 10 Caleb Kreuger 7
Bay View- Johnnie Lacy 19 Stephan Thompson 8 Robert Littleton 6
Standout Players
Cashton Craig 6'1 senior guard Lafollette- Was hitting everything in the first half. When Craig gets hot he's tough to stop. Besides hitting from outside was able to take the smaller defender inside and was able to score in the post.
Javonte Walters 6'1 senior guard Lafollette- Was able to get into the lane and score on some acrobatic layups but, really made his presence felt on defense holding Lacy scoreless in the second half.
Jon Dybevik 6'0 sophomore guard Lafollette- Came off the bench and really did a nice job bring the ball up the court against the pressure and had a couple big baskets towards the end of the game.
Steve Chapiewsky 6'2 senior forward Lafollette- Does all the little things and when the opportunity arises to score he takes it.
Darnell Small 6'4 senior forward Lafollette- Is really a football player playing basketball but, as long as he doesn't shoot or dribble he should be good. Really is a beast on the defensive boards and had a nice block.
Johnnie Lacy 5'11 junior guard Bay View- Has a very nice outside shot and when he's hot his range is unlimited. Can also get by defenders at will and pull up for 10-15 footers.
Charles Lee 5'7 freshmen guard Bay View- Didn't score a lot but, he was the reason anyone other then Lacy scored. Lee was able to get into the lane every time down the court and find an open teammate for the layup, that is if they could catch the lighting quick passes.
Saw the end of the Lake Geneva Badger vs Beloit game which was a very fast paced game that Bager won 82-72. Also heard that Verona beat Middleton not sure of the score. Therefore I am 2-1 on my predictions so far. I'll be keeping a running tally just to see how I come out on the predictions I've made.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Big Eight Shootout Preview
I really like the idea of the Big Eight shootout. Having all the teams in a conference playing at one location is really a great idea. Only thing that may be better is having a conference vs conference battle where teams from one conference are playing teams all from another conference. Since a conference battle isn't happening having everyone in the conference play at one location against an evenly matched opponent is the next best thing. So here are my predictions from the shootout.....
Day 1
Sun Praire over Stoughton
Two lower level teams from each of their conferences. I'll take Sun Praire as they come from the tougher conference and Stoughton lost their top two players from last years team.
Verona over Middleton
Verona returns four players from a state team from a year ago and Middleton lost all five starters. Verona should cruise to a win pounding it inside to big man Jason Ziemer.
Badger over Beloit
Beloit lost a lot from last years team and is in a rebuilding year so I'll go with Badger who only lost one player from last years team.
Milwaukee Bay View over Madison Lafollette
This should be the best game of the two day shootout and the most entertaining. Both teams are very much guard oriented, which should lead to a very fast paced high scoring game. Both teams are fairly young but, Bay View showed they are a very good team after beating two time defending state champs Oshkosh West, so I will go with Bay View.
Day 2
Clinton over Janesville Parker
Don't know much about either of these teams but, I'm gonna go with Clinton for the simple fact that Parker never wins.
Madison East over Eau Claire Memorial
East comes from a much better conference then EC Memorial and Marquis Mason should have a huge game in leading East to victory.
Lacrosse Aquinas over Madison West
West probably has more talent but, Aquinas is the more disciplined team and will win this game in the end.
Janesville Craig over Madison Edgewood
Edgewood is a pretty good team but, Craig is taller, more talented, and have the senior experience. Would not be surprised to see Edgewood push them to the limit, as these two teams always seem to play each other tough no matter which team is better.
Well I have the Big Eight going 3-5 but, would not be surprised to see them go 0-8 or 6-2. All the games are really evenly matched and should be pretty good games outside of the Verona vs Middleton and Beloit vs Badger. I just think both Middleton and Beloit are just to inexperienced at this time. Tomorrow I will only be able to attend the late game of Lafollette and Bay View and Saturday I will be attending the final three boys games of the day. I will probably being watching the girls but, really don't have any interest to report back on them.
Day 1
Sun Praire over Stoughton
Two lower level teams from each of their conferences. I'll take Sun Praire as they come from the tougher conference and Stoughton lost their top two players from last years team.
Verona over Middleton
Verona returns four players from a state team from a year ago and Middleton lost all five starters. Verona should cruise to a win pounding it inside to big man Jason Ziemer.
Badger over Beloit
Beloit lost a lot from last years team and is in a rebuilding year so I'll go with Badger who only lost one player from last years team.
Milwaukee Bay View over Madison Lafollette
This should be the best game of the two day shootout and the most entertaining. Both teams are very much guard oriented, which should lead to a very fast paced high scoring game. Both teams are fairly young but, Bay View showed they are a very good team after beating two time defending state champs Oshkosh West, so I will go with Bay View.
Day 2
Clinton over Janesville Parker
Don't know much about either of these teams but, I'm gonna go with Clinton for the simple fact that Parker never wins.
Madison East over Eau Claire Memorial
East comes from a much better conference then EC Memorial and Marquis Mason should have a huge game in leading East to victory.
Lacrosse Aquinas over Madison West
West probably has more talent but, Aquinas is the more disciplined team and will win this game in the end.
Janesville Craig over Madison Edgewood
Edgewood is a pretty good team but, Craig is taller, more talented, and have the senior experience. Would not be surprised to see Edgewood push them to the limit, as these two teams always seem to play each other tough no matter which team is better.
Well I have the Big Eight going 3-5 but, would not be surprised to see them go 0-8 or 6-2. All the games are really evenly matched and should be pretty good games outside of the Verona vs Middleton and Beloit vs Badger. I just think both Middleton and Beloit are just to inexperienced at this time. Tomorrow I will only be able to attend the late game of Lafollette and Bay View and Saturday I will be attending the final three boys games of the day. I will probably being watching the girls but, really don't have any interest to report back on them.
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