Reedsburg over Wausau Newman 52-42
Really only caught the second half of this game so I don't have a whole lot to report about. Reedsburg was the far superior team in this one and were able to extend the lead to about 20 in the third quarter. Newman was able to make the game respectable when Reedsburg cleared the bench and Newman was still playing their regulars and were able to drop a few three pointers while Reedsburg was turning the ball over on every possession.
For Reedsburg two players really stood out. 6'4 junior Tyler Mazur could score at will in this game. Mazur is big enough to go inside and score and has the ability to get his shot off very quickly and knock down the three point shot. Evan VanCleave a lighting quick guard at 6'0 had the ability to drive past any of the Newman defenders. Newman did not have a player that could stay with VanCleave as he was able to penetrate for the layup or pull up for the mid range jumper. This kid looks like he never gets tired. Other players that looked very good for Reedsburg were Nick Baur who was very strong with the ball in the post and is also a very good defender and Lucas Farber who handles the ball very well and does a good job of running the offense and setting the tempo.
Not much to say for Newman as they never were really in the game when I was there. The only player that stood out was 5'9 junior Anthony Fisher who has a very nice shot from the outside and was key in making this game look somewhat close.
Eau Claire Regis over Wisconsin Dells 43-38
In a game that was really expected to be a good game, between a top 10 D2 team and top 10 D3 team and two teams that were at state last year, really wasn't as pretty as most people would of thought. This was a very physical ugly game that was full of turnovers and that was poorly officiated in my personal opinion. This was a very intense game that the refs let get out of hand at times and consisted of two technical fouls in the game and could of been a couple more called. The game was kept low scoring by a few factors. The first one was just the overall poor play by both teams as both teams shot a low percentage and turned the ball over often. Second factor was that it seemed at the end of every quarter it seem Regis had the ball and would hold it for about 1:30 minutes and then would usually turn it over with about 5 seconds left. The final factor was the Regis zone defense which the Dells struggled to figure out which led to the Chiefs being very patient on offense.
Wisconsin Dells really struggled offensively in this game. Dells couldn't figure out how to get inside the Regis zone which led to them shooting quite a few three points and the three point shot was not falling. Senior guard Ryan Wenkman the second half of the Dells two man team could not by a basket as he missed a couple layups early in the game and finished with only four points. Another factor that may of played into it was the absence of 6'9 sophomore Nate Gibson, who I later learned is currently in Germany, who may of helped with the inside scoring and rebounding. Couple highlights of the game were Jade Royston keeping up his scoring despite not hitting a three point shot. Royston was able to score a good bulk of his points from the free throw line and then late in the game was able to find the opening at the free throw line in the zone and get inside and score. One thing I really liked about this game was the play of 6'3 senior Nathan Miller, who has been battling injuries since he began playing varsity. I believe this was only his second game back and he really had a good game. I always thought Miller could be a good player if he could just be healthy, which has been a rarity for him. Miller looked very confidence in this game as he was able to penetrate inside and score and hit a couple of three point shots, as he finished second in scoring for the Dells with 12 points.
I'm assuming that Eau Claire Regis also had a bad game because from what I've heard of them they are a pretty good team and they just didn't look to great tonight. Despite their poor play they still were able to pull out the W, which is the sign of a top team, when the can win when their playing poorly. Nick Bowe looked like he may be a star in the making as he seemed to score with ease from inside and outside when he wasn't sidelined with foul trouble. Bowe is a very aggressive 6'4 junior forward who can knock down the three point shot and has the leaping ability to go inside and score. 6'6 senior Mike Nezworski was also another impressive player who did a good job of running the point at times and have the ability to score inside despite really getting roughed up in this game and finding himself on the ground a good portion of the time. Jack Eaton 5'10 sophomore guard also deserves a little loving in this game as he knocked down a big three pointer in the first half and hit two free throws that put the game away.
Box Score
Wisconsin Dells 38- Royston 15 Miller 12 Wenkman 4 Ethan Loofboro 3 Ryan Field 2 Alex Buesing 2 Laddie Lucke 0 Lucas Shwartzer 0
Regis 43- Nezworski 13 Bowe 12 Eaton 7 Kurt Roubal 6 Zac Berry 4 Vincent Phillips 0 Marc Stantolin 0
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Laconia over Portage
Tonight I was able to get over to Portage to watch one of the better division three teams in the state in Laconia. I had seen them once in preseason but, that really doesn't count and wanted to get a chance to see them in the real season. Laconia did not disappoint as all five of their starters are very good and made an impact in the game as Laconia was able to win 70-61. Portage consistently changed up their defense between zone and man to man which seemed to confuse Laconia at times. Portage ran a 3-2 defense for about 2/3 of the game and then went to a man to man defense at times and at one point I believe they were running a 1-3-1 defense. In the third quarter Laconia was finally able to figure out the Portage defense and break away a bit exposing the corners of the Portage defense and hitting some open threes. Portage was able to make a comeback by going strong to the rim and getting a couple of and one baskets.
Laconia was able to win this game by being able to knock down the threes from the corners against the Portage zone. Portage also seemed to lack a real ball handler outside of Kevin Hurd which led to them turning the ball over too much. The final reason was Laconia was able to just beat Portage down the floor for some easy buckets.
Portage is not the most skilled team but, they really give it all there effort and go to the rim very strong. Kevin Hurd a 6'0 sophomore guard does a very good job of running the point and has the ability to knock down the three point shot. One thing he does lack is the ability to go to his left. His left hand is something he really needs to work on, he always always goes right. A pair of 6'4 juniors John Loomans and Greg Koch are basically identical plays that are always looking to attack the rim and have the ability to pull up for the mid range shot and both players sometimes get a ittle out of control. Big man Dan Swanson really lacks in the athleticism department and doesn't ever get off the ground but, is a physical player that really gives it his all and at 6'4 actually does a lot inside. Off the bench Darrell Anderson is a high energy big man that adds some inside force. Anderson does a good job of getting the ball in the post and going strong to the hoop and always is a very good rebounded. One down fall is he goes to his left always which allows defensive players to be able to block his shots. Portage is a team that will struggle a lot this year because they just don't have the athleticism to compete with most of the teams in the Badger conference.
Laconia really is one of the best teams in division three. Their five starters are as good as any team in the division. They have three very solid guards, a athletic forward that can do a little of everything, and a big man that is a star. 6'0 senior guards Riley Dahlke and Aaron Rickert are two guards that handle the ball very well and both have the ability to knock down the three point shot. Brenden Wittchow is a very good three point shooter and knock down four three pointers in the game and also made a couple nice cuts to the hoop where he was able to get easy layups. At 6'3, junior Derek Semenas can do a little bit of everything. He's tall enough to score inside, shots the three ball very well, and handles the ball extremely well for a kid at that height. Kieran Weed is easily one of the top players in division three if not the entire state. Tonight he had 30 points which is scored in an array of ways. Weed scored with his back to the basket, from mid range, from outside, and a couple baskets where he beat the defense down the court. Weed highlighted the game with a trio of dunks. Weed had a very impressive ally-oop dunk in the half court set, a one step and dunk, and then where a guard penetrated and found him wide open for the dunk. Only downfall of Laconia is that they have no help from their bench. Not one bench scorer took a shoot, I don't believe one bench player took a shot. If Laconia is hit with injuries or foul trouble they could be in for some problems.
Box Score
Portage 61- Loomans 15 Hurd 15 Koch 8 Alex Thomas 7 Anderson 7 Swanson 7 Michael Bain 2 Kodi Schroeder 0 Eric Conner 0 Ben Hartman 0 Ben Hoffman 0
Laconia 70- Weed 30 Wittchow 16 Dahlke 9 Semenas 8 Rickert 7 Steve Kern 0 Jordan Marchant 0 Alex Arneson 0 Jacob Toll 0
WBBY Shootout Results
Racine Horlick over Whitefishbay Dominican 70-60
Horlick was able to jump out early and never look back in this one. I guess Horlick has a little more than just Wilson. 4-3 wbby predictions
Manitowoc Lincoln over Waukesha South 63-46
As expected Lincoln was able to take control of this one in the end. 5-3 wbby predictions
Madison East over Milwaukee Thomas Moore 48-30
Mason still doesn't go off but, doesn't matter in this one. 6-3 predictions
Manitowoc Roncalli over St Bernards Minn 47-45
Roncalli wins on last second chance. 7-3 predictions
Sussex Hamilton over Wausau East 71-66 OT
Guess experience didn't mean that much. 7-4 predictions
Germantown over Catholic Memorial 68-58
Guess Germantowns height was just to much for the Memorial athletes to overcome. 7-5 predictions
Milwaukee Madison over South Milwaukee 62-53
Madison's athleticism too much for South. 7-6 predictions
Milwaukee Vincent over Alabama LeFlore Mobile 69-66
Vincent bounces back very nicely and prove me wrong. 7-7 predictions
Whitefishbay Dominican over Milwaukee Pius 51-47
As expected Dominican just has too many athletes for Pius. 8-7 predictions
Well I at least made it over 50% for my WBBY Shootout predictions. This brings my prediction total on the year to 17-13. Struggling a bit right now but, that may be because the teams I was predicting I haven't seen play. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back with thoughts on a few of the games from the Wisconsin Dells Tournament.
Laconia was able to win this game by being able to knock down the threes from the corners against the Portage zone. Portage also seemed to lack a real ball handler outside of Kevin Hurd which led to them turning the ball over too much. The final reason was Laconia was able to just beat Portage down the floor for some easy buckets.
Portage is not the most skilled team but, they really give it all there effort and go to the rim very strong. Kevin Hurd a 6'0 sophomore guard does a very good job of running the point and has the ability to knock down the three point shot. One thing he does lack is the ability to go to his left. His left hand is something he really needs to work on, he always always goes right. A pair of 6'4 juniors John Loomans and Greg Koch are basically identical plays that are always looking to attack the rim and have the ability to pull up for the mid range shot and both players sometimes get a ittle out of control. Big man Dan Swanson really lacks in the athleticism department and doesn't ever get off the ground but, is a physical player that really gives it his all and at 6'4 actually does a lot inside. Off the bench Darrell Anderson is a high energy big man that adds some inside force. Anderson does a good job of getting the ball in the post and going strong to the hoop and always is a very good rebounded. One down fall is he goes to his left always which allows defensive players to be able to block his shots. Portage is a team that will struggle a lot this year because they just don't have the athleticism to compete with most of the teams in the Badger conference.
Laconia really is one of the best teams in division three. Their five starters are as good as any team in the division. They have three very solid guards, a athletic forward that can do a little of everything, and a big man that is a star. 6'0 senior guards Riley Dahlke and Aaron Rickert are two guards that handle the ball very well and both have the ability to knock down the three point shot. Brenden Wittchow is a very good three point shooter and knock down four three pointers in the game and also made a couple nice cuts to the hoop where he was able to get easy layups. At 6'3, junior Derek Semenas can do a little bit of everything. He's tall enough to score inside, shots the three ball very well, and handles the ball extremely well for a kid at that height. Kieran Weed is easily one of the top players in division three if not the entire state. Tonight he had 30 points which is scored in an array of ways. Weed scored with his back to the basket, from mid range, from outside, and a couple baskets where he beat the defense down the court. Weed highlighted the game with a trio of dunks. Weed had a very impressive ally-oop dunk in the half court set, a one step and dunk, and then where a guard penetrated and found him wide open for the dunk. Only downfall of Laconia is that they have no help from their bench. Not one bench scorer took a shoot, I don't believe one bench player took a shot. If Laconia is hit with injuries or foul trouble they could be in for some problems.
Box Score
Portage 61- Loomans 15 Hurd 15 Koch 8 Alex Thomas 7 Anderson 7 Swanson 7 Michael Bain 2 Kodi Schroeder 0 Eric Conner 0 Ben Hartman 0 Ben Hoffman 0
Laconia 70- Weed 30 Wittchow 16 Dahlke 9 Semenas 8 Rickert 7 Steve Kern 0 Jordan Marchant 0 Alex Arneson 0 Jacob Toll 0
WBBY Shootout Results
Racine Horlick over Whitefishbay Dominican 70-60
Horlick was able to jump out early and never look back in this one. I guess Horlick has a little more than just Wilson. 4-3 wbby predictions
Manitowoc Lincoln over Waukesha South 63-46
As expected Lincoln was able to take control of this one in the end. 5-3 wbby predictions
Madison East over Milwaukee Thomas Moore 48-30
Mason still doesn't go off but, doesn't matter in this one. 6-3 predictions
Manitowoc Roncalli over St Bernards Minn 47-45
Roncalli wins on last second chance. 7-3 predictions
Sussex Hamilton over Wausau East 71-66 OT
Guess experience didn't mean that much. 7-4 predictions
Germantown over Catholic Memorial 68-58
Guess Germantowns height was just to much for the Memorial athletes to overcome. 7-5 predictions
Milwaukee Madison over South Milwaukee 62-53
Madison's athleticism too much for South. 7-6 predictions
Milwaukee Vincent over Alabama LeFlore Mobile 69-66
Vincent bounces back very nicely and prove me wrong. 7-7 predictions
Whitefishbay Dominican over Milwaukee Pius 51-47
As expected Dominican just has too many athletes for Pius. 8-7 predictions
Well I at least made it over 50% for my WBBY Shootout predictions. This brings my prediction total on the year to 17-13. Struggling a bit right now but, that may be because the teams I was predicting I haven't seen play. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back with thoughts on a few of the games from the Wisconsin Dells Tournament.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
WBBY Shootout Day 1 Results
Well with not much to say today will see how I did on my predictions so far in the WBBY Shootout.
Manitowoc Roncalli over Milwaukee Thomas Moore 55-40.
Thomas Moore led this one early but Roncalli is just too good of a team and eventually handled Thomas Moore with ease. 1 for 1 on predictions.
St. Bernards Minn over Madison East 54-47
Kind of surprised with this one. I guess Bernards had someone to match up with Marquis Mason. 1 of 2 on predictions.
Germantown over Hamilton Sussex 66-53
This game was very close with Germantown being able to extend their lead late in the game. I thought it would be Germantown's height that would win the game but it appears that guard Rick Bowers was the key to this win. 2-1 on predictions.
Catholic Memorial over Wausau East 55-45
I said this game would depend on Tom Neary playing and he did and score 18 points in the game to lead Memorial. 3-1 predictions
Wauwatosa East over Wisconsin Lutheran 72-59
Game I missed in my predictions. Tosa just had too much depth for Lutheran.
Oshkosh West over Milwaukee Vincent 42-40
A schocker here as John Benkoske has a big game in leading West over Vincent. 3-2 predictions
Mobile Alabama LeFlore over Milwaukee Pius 79-51
LeFlore is as good as advertised as they dominate Pius. 4-2 predictions.
So far these are the games that have been reported which leaves me at a 13-8 record of predictions.
Day 2 Predictions (games that are now set now that they have winners and losers)
Madison East over Milwaukee Thomas Moore
I guarantee a big game from Mason this time.
Manitowoc Roncalli over St Bernards Minn
Roncalli is just to good and deep for the Minnesota team.
Wausau East over Hamilton Sussex
East has a huge experience advantage and that is why they will win.
Catholic Memorial over Germantown
Memorial has too many athletes for Germantown.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to catch the Laconia vs Portage game so I will have a little more to report back with.
Manitowoc Roncalli over Milwaukee Thomas Moore 55-40.
Thomas Moore led this one early but Roncalli is just too good of a team and eventually handled Thomas Moore with ease. 1 for 1 on predictions.
St. Bernards Minn over Madison East 54-47
Kind of surprised with this one. I guess Bernards had someone to match up with Marquis Mason. 1 of 2 on predictions.
Germantown over Hamilton Sussex 66-53
This game was very close with Germantown being able to extend their lead late in the game. I thought it would be Germantown's height that would win the game but it appears that guard Rick Bowers was the key to this win. 2-1 on predictions.
Catholic Memorial over Wausau East 55-45
I said this game would depend on Tom Neary playing and he did and score 18 points in the game to lead Memorial. 3-1 predictions
Wauwatosa East over Wisconsin Lutheran 72-59
Game I missed in my predictions. Tosa just had too much depth for Lutheran.
Oshkosh West over Milwaukee Vincent 42-40
A schocker here as John Benkoske has a big game in leading West over Vincent. 3-2 predictions
Mobile Alabama LeFlore over Milwaukee Pius 79-51
LeFlore is as good as advertised as they dominate Pius. 4-2 predictions.
So far these are the games that have been reported which leaves me at a 13-8 record of predictions.
Day 2 Predictions (games that are now set now that they have winners and losers)
Madison East over Milwaukee Thomas Moore
I guarantee a big game from Mason this time.
Manitowoc Roncalli over St Bernards Minn
Roncalli is just to good and deep for the Minnesota team.
Wausau East over Hamilton Sussex
East has a huge experience advantage and that is why they will win.
Catholic Memorial over Germantown
Memorial has too many athletes for Germantown.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to catch the Laconia vs Portage game so I will have a little more to report back with.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
WBBY Shootout Preview
Well it appears that I won't be making to any of the big holiday tournaments due to work and not having anyone to go with so I decided to make predictions for the biggest tournament of the year, the WBBY Shootout, that will be going on for the next two days at the Al McGuire Center on Marquette Campus. I attended the tournament last year and it really is the best opportunity to witness some of the best high school basketball in Wisconsin. My current prediction record is 9-6 so will see if I can continue my good luck of picks.
DAY 1
Manitowoc Roncalli over Milwaukee Thomas More
Thomas More is not very good this year and Roncalli continues their dynasty as they will remain undefeated and appear to be headed to state once again.
Madison East over St. Bernards, Minn
Don't know much about Berhards but, I do know they lost a lot from last year and I don't think they'll have anyone to guard Marquis Mason who will go wild in this one and lead East to victory.
Germantown over Sussex Hamilton
Germantown will use their experience and height to defeat the young upstart Chargers. Hamiltons tallest player is 6'1 while Germantown has four players at 6'5 or taller and are led by 6'7 junior Ben Averkamp.
Wausau East over Catholic Memorial (maybe)
Both teams are very experienced by the difference will be injuries as Memorial will be without leading scorer Tom Neary. If Neary is back though I'm taking Memorial over East.
Milwaukee Vincent over Oshkosh West
Vincent has reloaded like every other year and West is no where near as tough as their past two state champion teams. Vincent's guards should dominate the West guards.
Mobile Alabama LeFlore over Milwaukee Pius
If LeFlore is as good as advertised they should be able to handle a Pius team that has struggled a bit early in the season.
Whitefish Bay Dominican over Racine Horlick
Dominican has played extremely well so far this season and are undefeated despite missing Kwamain Mitchel for the first half of the year and should be able the one man team of Jamil Wilson.
Manitowoc Lincoln over Waukesha South
Struggling South team should be no match for a very good Lincoln team.
DAY 2 (only predicting games where I'm already sure of the matchups because some games are yet to be determined depending on winners and losers.
South Milwaukee over Milwaukee Madison
Big man Andy Smith will be the difference in this game in leading South over one win team Madison.
Mobile Alabama LeFlore over Milwaukee Vincent
Once again if LeFlore is as good as advertised they should be able to handle an undersized Vincent team that is full of guards.
Whitefish Bay Dominican over Milwaukee Pius
Dominican will have too many weapons for an undermanned Pius team.
Will be back tomorrow will results on how I did on my predictions and updated predictions for games that I was unsure of the matchups.
DAY 1
Manitowoc Roncalli over Milwaukee Thomas More
Thomas More is not very good this year and Roncalli continues their dynasty as they will remain undefeated and appear to be headed to state once again.
Madison East over St. Bernards, Minn
Don't know much about Berhards but, I do know they lost a lot from last year and I don't think they'll have anyone to guard Marquis Mason who will go wild in this one and lead East to victory.
Germantown over Sussex Hamilton
Germantown will use their experience and height to defeat the young upstart Chargers. Hamiltons tallest player is 6'1 while Germantown has four players at 6'5 or taller and are led by 6'7 junior Ben Averkamp.
Wausau East over Catholic Memorial (maybe)
Both teams are very experienced by the difference will be injuries as Memorial will be without leading scorer Tom Neary. If Neary is back though I'm taking Memorial over East.
Milwaukee Vincent over Oshkosh West
Vincent has reloaded like every other year and West is no where near as tough as their past two state champion teams. Vincent's guards should dominate the West guards.
Mobile Alabama LeFlore over Milwaukee Pius
If LeFlore is as good as advertised they should be able to handle a Pius team that has struggled a bit early in the season.
Whitefish Bay Dominican over Racine Horlick
Dominican has played extremely well so far this season and are undefeated despite missing Kwamain Mitchel for the first half of the year and should be able the one man team of Jamil Wilson.
Manitowoc Lincoln over Waukesha South
Struggling South team should be no match for a very good Lincoln team.
DAY 2 (only predicting games where I'm already sure of the matchups because some games are yet to be determined depending on winners and losers.
South Milwaukee over Milwaukee Madison
Big man Andy Smith will be the difference in this game in leading South over one win team Madison.
Mobile Alabama LeFlore over Milwaukee Vincent
Once again if LeFlore is as good as advertised they should be able to handle an undersized Vincent team that is full of guards.
Whitefish Bay Dominican over Milwaukee Pius
Dominican will have too many weapons for an undermanned Pius team.
Will be back tomorrow will results on how I did on my predictions and updated predictions for games that I was unsure of the matchups.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Weekend Thoughts
Well I made four predictions on the weekend and I ended up going 3-1 on my predictions. This brings my prediction standings to 9-6 on the season.
Monroe over Verona
As expected Verona dominated on the inside while Monroe dominated outside, with Monroe coming out of the game with a W. Verona big man Jason Ziemer had 27 points which was expected of him. For Monroe Brett Stangel really didn't show up only scoring two points but, that slack was picked up by fellow back court mate Mitch Tordoff who scored 24 points in the game. A balanced attack is what won the game for Monroe who had eight different players score, while on the other hand Verona had only five players score.
Madison Memorial over Madison West
Jeronne Maymon did play in this game and scored 20 points and Memorial won the game by 25. Maymon was helped out by super soph Vander Blue who had 19 points and senior Derek Nkemji had 17. As usual West was led by seniors Corvonn Gaines and Michael Horton, who scored 16 and 12 points a piece but, didn't get much help from the rest of the team.
Middleton over Milwaukee Bay View
Took a chance on a young Bay View team and some careless ball handling and some questionable coaching moves hurt by prediction. Basically covered everything else and more in yesterdays post.
Waupon over Randolph
As predicted the Waupon guards or guard I should say were too much for Randolph. Aris Wurtz scored 27 points while fellow star Ryan Rasmussen was only able to net eight points. Randolph big man was only able to score 11 points but, the surprise was that the Randolph guards came up big as Bryan Johnson had 19 points and Tyler Tillema had 17. From the sounds of it free throws were the big difference in the game.
Wisconsin Wins Close One
Well the Badgers did win this game but, it was much closer then they would of liked. I'll admit even though I DVRed this game I really didn't watch it very closely so I don't have a whole lot to say. Trevon Hughes had another good game leading the team in scoring with 14 and Jason Bohannon seems to be coming around as he had 10 points on 4-7 shooting. Butch, Flowers, and Leuer didn't play bad but, didn't play great either. Marcus Landry seemed to revert back to his old self as he seemed timid and didn't look to score much. He scored seven points but, five of those game from the free throw line. Joe Krabbenhoft was the player of the game as he recorded a near triple double as he scored 11 points, had 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Well a wins a win and the Badgers were able to beat Valparaiso no matter how close the game was.
Well I'll probably be taking the next couple days off since it is Christmas and I'll be doing the family thing. Hopefully will be back next week with some reports from a few of the Holiday Tournaments.
Monroe over Verona
As expected Verona dominated on the inside while Monroe dominated outside, with Monroe coming out of the game with a W. Verona big man Jason Ziemer had 27 points which was expected of him. For Monroe Brett Stangel really didn't show up only scoring two points but, that slack was picked up by fellow back court mate Mitch Tordoff who scored 24 points in the game. A balanced attack is what won the game for Monroe who had eight different players score, while on the other hand Verona had only five players score.
Madison Memorial over Madison West
Jeronne Maymon did play in this game and scored 20 points and Memorial won the game by 25. Maymon was helped out by super soph Vander Blue who had 19 points and senior Derek Nkemji had 17. As usual West was led by seniors Corvonn Gaines and Michael Horton, who scored 16 and 12 points a piece but, didn't get much help from the rest of the team.
Middleton over Milwaukee Bay View
Took a chance on a young Bay View team and some careless ball handling and some questionable coaching moves hurt by prediction. Basically covered everything else and more in yesterdays post.
Waupon over Randolph
As predicted the Waupon guards or guard I should say were too much for Randolph. Aris Wurtz scored 27 points while fellow star Ryan Rasmussen was only able to net eight points. Randolph big man was only able to score 11 points but, the surprise was that the Randolph guards came up big as Bryan Johnson had 19 points and Tyler Tillema had 17. From the sounds of it free throws were the big difference in the game.
Wisconsin Wins Close One
Well the Badgers did win this game but, it was much closer then they would of liked. I'll admit even though I DVRed this game I really didn't watch it very closely so I don't have a whole lot to say. Trevon Hughes had another good game leading the team in scoring with 14 and Jason Bohannon seems to be coming around as he had 10 points on 4-7 shooting. Butch, Flowers, and Leuer didn't play bad but, didn't play great either. Marcus Landry seemed to revert back to his old self as he seemed timid and didn't look to score much. He scored seven points but, five of those game from the free throw line. Joe Krabbenhoft was the player of the game as he recorded a near triple double as he scored 11 points, had 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Well a wins a win and the Badgers were able to beat Valparaiso no matter how close the game was.
Well I'll probably be taking the next couple days off since it is Christmas and I'll be doing the family thing. Hopefully will be back next week with some reports from a few of the Holiday Tournaments.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Middleton over Bay View in OT
This really should of been a good game to watch being that the game went into overtime with Middleton winning 89-81 and Bay View made a furious comeback to send it to overtime. This game left a bad taste in my mouth because of some strange coaching on Bay Views part. The Bay View coach Donald Chapman took out his starting back court of Charles Lee, a very good freshmen, and Johnnie Lacy, #2 junior in the state, with two minutes remaining in the third quarter and they never returned to the game throughout the fourth and overtime quarters. This bothered me not because these guys are starters and stars on the team but, because they are really fun to watch. Along with this fact starters Elgin Cook and Darnell Harris were benched with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter and never returned either. The lone starter to play the final eight minutes of the game was Demetrius Turner who played great. So Bay View benched all the players that I went to see when the game was on the line, teamed with the fact that Middleton doesn't have a true star or at least a well known player throughout the state, and that there was a very small crowd all added to the game not being as exciting as I had anticipated. Thinking back the last 30 seconds of regulation and overtime the fans got into it a bit and made the game a bit more exciting but, the benching of the Bay View Starters just really bothered me.
The benching of the starters could be looked at two ways. One if they would of played the starters throughout, Bay View would of for sure won because if their backups could send it to OT then the starters would of won. The second thought is that at the start of the fourth Bay View was down by 10, which I forgot to mention earlier, therefore the starters weren't getting it done so the bench players came in and played better. My thought process is with the first option that is Bay View would of won with the starters in but, then again I'm not a high school coach and have no idea what the reasoning was. This could of just been a case disciplining the starters for not doing what the coach wanted or being lazy or selfish I really have no idea. Now that I've gotten that out of my system I can talk about how each of the teams played in the game.
As I had mentioned the last time I saw Milwaukee Bay View play they are a very young but, talented team that is gonna look really good at times and is really gonna struggle at times. This game had both sides of that. Bay View looked good to start the game then towards the end of second quarter things went a little rough and continued to about the midway point of the fourth, when the starters were benched, then in OT went back to looking really rough again.
What cost Bay View the game was that the just turned the ball over too much and gave up to many three point shots. In the first half Middleton was pressing and it looked like that was playing into Bay View's as they were able to break the press and get open layups. As the game wore on though Bay View wore down and began turning the ball over. Speaking of wearing down Middleton never seemed to get tired as their primary rotation consists of 12 players, with all 12 players seeming to play and even amount of minutes. It seemed like every two minutes two new players were coming in and each player took a turn doing the scoring as all 12 players scored, seven of which scored at least five points. Bay View played a zone the majority of the game which seemed to allow Middleton to get wide open three point shots in the corners, which they seemed to drop with ease.
The most impressive player of the day was 6'4 160 pound sophomore forward Demetrius Turner for Bay View, who played much bigger then his weight suggests. Turner was able to control the boards on both ends and was able to score against the thicker Middleton defenders. 5'11 junior Johnnie Lacy once again had a big first half scoring 15 points in the half and then disappeared in the third quarter and then was benched for the fourth. Freshmen 6'3 Elgin Cook was limited by foul trouble but, was able to go to the hoop strong and finished, as he was able to score 15 points as well. Freshmen guards 5'7 Charles Lee and 5'6 Samar Powell both did a great job of distributing the ball and breaking the press by just dribbling around the Middleton defenders. 6'6 freshmen Darnell Harris played very good on the defensive end as he had probably handful of blocks as well as taking two or three charges. Harris really did a good job of knowing when to contest the shot or when to stay on the ground. Two players that came off the bench to play big where 6'2 junior D-Angelo Johnson who scored 10 points but, just out hustling his defenders and 6'0 freshmen Haki Stampely who had 12 points including a banked in three that cut the lead to two with 30 seconds remainng in the fourth. #52 who I wasn't on the roster and couldn't catch his name was able to come for the first time with two minutes remaining in the game and was able to get five points and a pair of steals to help Bay View send the game to OT.
Middleton benefited from always having well rested players on the court and getting open looks from three point range. Jon Stubbe a 6'4 senior benefited the most from the open three as he was able to net 22 points with the balk of them coming from behind the arc. As expected with the subbing Middleton's bench came up big. Two guys came off the bench and scored 13 points in 6'2 senior Brett Semenas and 6'3 senior Justin Mertes-Mistretta, Semenas scoring almost all his points on three point shots or outside jumpers while JMM (easier to type that) nailed two three point shots and was then able to penetrate inside once the Bay View defenders began over playing him. 6'1 senior guard Dan Lochner was also impressive even though he didn't reach double figures scoring. Lochner was able to come down the court three times in a row and use his strength to penetrate and score.
Box Score
Middleton 89- Bay View 81
Middleton- Stubbe 22 Semenas 13 Mertes-Mistretta 13 Lochner 8 Jay Nunnery 7 Kevin Kruckenberg 6 Dan Trautman 5 Brooks Braga 4 Andrew Hudson 4 Keegan Nesvacil 3 Taylor Diem 2 Joe Dean 2 Travis Martin 0 Lavert Mathews 0
Bay View- Lacy 15 Cook 15 Turner 13 Stampley 12 Johnson 10 #52 5 Powell 4 Lee 4 Harris 4 Larell Noble 0
Well this is one prediction that I got wrong for the weekend. Tomorrow I'll discuss how I did on the rest of my weekend predictions and talk a little bit about the Badger game which I'm watching on DVR right now.
The benching of the starters could be looked at two ways. One if they would of played the starters throughout, Bay View would of for sure won because if their backups could send it to OT then the starters would of won. The second thought is that at the start of the fourth Bay View was down by 10, which I forgot to mention earlier, therefore the starters weren't getting it done so the bench players came in and played better. My thought process is with the first option that is Bay View would of won with the starters in but, then again I'm not a high school coach and have no idea what the reasoning was. This could of just been a case disciplining the starters for not doing what the coach wanted or being lazy or selfish I really have no idea. Now that I've gotten that out of my system I can talk about how each of the teams played in the game.
As I had mentioned the last time I saw Milwaukee Bay View play they are a very young but, talented team that is gonna look really good at times and is really gonna struggle at times. This game had both sides of that. Bay View looked good to start the game then towards the end of second quarter things went a little rough and continued to about the midway point of the fourth, when the starters were benched, then in OT went back to looking really rough again.
What cost Bay View the game was that the just turned the ball over too much and gave up to many three point shots. In the first half Middleton was pressing and it looked like that was playing into Bay View's as they were able to break the press and get open layups. As the game wore on though Bay View wore down and began turning the ball over. Speaking of wearing down Middleton never seemed to get tired as their primary rotation consists of 12 players, with all 12 players seeming to play and even amount of minutes. It seemed like every two minutes two new players were coming in and each player took a turn doing the scoring as all 12 players scored, seven of which scored at least five points. Bay View played a zone the majority of the game which seemed to allow Middleton to get wide open three point shots in the corners, which they seemed to drop with ease.
The most impressive player of the day was 6'4 160 pound sophomore forward Demetrius Turner for Bay View, who played much bigger then his weight suggests. Turner was able to control the boards on both ends and was able to score against the thicker Middleton defenders. 5'11 junior Johnnie Lacy once again had a big first half scoring 15 points in the half and then disappeared in the third quarter and then was benched for the fourth. Freshmen 6'3 Elgin Cook was limited by foul trouble but, was able to go to the hoop strong and finished, as he was able to score 15 points as well. Freshmen guards 5'7 Charles Lee and 5'6 Samar Powell both did a great job of distributing the ball and breaking the press by just dribbling around the Middleton defenders. 6'6 freshmen Darnell Harris played very good on the defensive end as he had probably handful of blocks as well as taking two or three charges. Harris really did a good job of knowing when to contest the shot or when to stay on the ground. Two players that came off the bench to play big where 6'2 junior D-Angelo Johnson who scored 10 points but, just out hustling his defenders and 6'0 freshmen Haki Stampely who had 12 points including a banked in three that cut the lead to two with 30 seconds remainng in the fourth. #52 who I wasn't on the roster and couldn't catch his name was able to come for the first time with two minutes remaining in the game and was able to get five points and a pair of steals to help Bay View send the game to OT.
Middleton benefited from always having well rested players on the court and getting open looks from three point range. Jon Stubbe a 6'4 senior benefited the most from the open three as he was able to net 22 points with the balk of them coming from behind the arc. As expected with the subbing Middleton's bench came up big. Two guys came off the bench and scored 13 points in 6'2 senior Brett Semenas and 6'3 senior Justin Mertes-Mistretta, Semenas scoring almost all his points on three point shots or outside jumpers while JMM (easier to type that) nailed two three point shots and was then able to penetrate inside once the Bay View defenders began over playing him. 6'1 senior guard Dan Lochner was also impressive even though he didn't reach double figures scoring. Lochner was able to come down the court three times in a row and use his strength to penetrate and score.
Box Score
Middleton 89- Bay View 81
Middleton- Stubbe 22 Semenas 13 Mertes-Mistretta 13 Lochner 8 Jay Nunnery 7 Kevin Kruckenberg 6 Dan Trautman 5 Brooks Braga 4 Andrew Hudson 4 Keegan Nesvacil 3 Taylor Diem 2 Joe Dean 2 Travis Martin 0 Lavert Mathews 0
Bay View- Lacy 15 Cook 15 Turner 13 Stampley 12 Johnson 10 #52 5 Powell 4 Lee 4 Harris 4 Larell Noble 0
Well this is one prediction that I got wrong for the weekend. Tomorrow I'll discuss how I did on the rest of my weekend predictions and talk a little bit about the Badger game which I'm watching on DVR right now.
Friday, December 21, 2007
3rd Round Player Rankings
Well I've seen two more games so player rankings will be changed a bit. All the teams I saw play I had already seen play so there will just be slight shuffling of players. As I did for team rankings I will be putting in ( ) how many times I have seen each player play.
Player Rankings
1.Marquis Mason 6'5 forward sophomore Madison East (2)- Very strong post player that can do it all. Can knock down the outside shot, runs the court well, blocks shots, and is very very strong in the post. Had a bad game against Lafollette and probably would of moved down if Cashton Craig hadn't struggled too.
2. Lucas Burns 6'6 forward senior Janesville Craig (2)- Slight edge over Cashton Craig because he does so much more then just scores. Does a great job of rebounding and passing. Really lets the game come to him and doesn't force things. Very smooth player that can really knock down the outside shot and being 6'6 doesn't hurt either.
3. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard senior Madison Lafollette (2)- Very good shooter that can really get hot. Moves very well without the ball in his hands. Forces things at times and can go cold at times from the outside. Really just a scorer doesn't rebound very well.
4. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard junior Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Very good scorer that can go off at any time and has an engine that doesn't stop. Has really improve in becoming more of a point guard and not just a scorer.
5. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard junior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- Most improved player I have seen this year. Handles the ball very well and can get where he wants at anytime. Has a very good mid range jumper.
6. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward junior Madison Edgewood (1)- Very good shooter that can also drive to the hoop and find open teammates. Doesn't look like it but, is a fairly strong player.
7. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center junior Janesville Craig (2)- Very strong inside with the ball. Really crashes the boards and does a great job getting inside position and moving without the ball.
8. DJ Fuller 5'10 guard sophomore Madison Lafollette (1)- Didn't play the first time I saw Lafollette. Has a very good cross over that allows him to get into the lane. Has a very good floater shot and is a very strong player. Another guy that has an engine that never quits.
9. Ryan Wenkman 5'11 guard senior Wisconsin Dells (1)-Very hard nosed lead guard that can use his strength to get inside and can also hit the three point shot. Usually guards the other teams best perimeter player.
10. Charles Lee 5'7 guard freshmen Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Handles the ball very well and can get in the lane with ease and find an open teammate. Pass first point guard that really looks to set up teammates.
11. Jade Royston 6'0 guard junior Wisconsin Dells (1)- Very smooth player that can hit the outside shot or penetrate and pull up for the mid range jumper. Big time scorer.
12. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward senior Madison West (2)- Shoots the outside shot very well from a set position and does a great job of running the court.
13. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward senior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- Ultimate glue guy that does all the little things. Very good rebounder and passer and can score when need be from the outside or inside.
14. Michael Horton 6'2 guard senior Madison West (2)- Pass first point guard that's always looking to set up his teammates. Handles the ball very well and can knock down the three point shot.
15. Kyle Goike 6'3 forward junior Janesville Craig (2)- Very good mid range shot and goes to the hoop hard.
HM
Michael Hanson 6'6 forward junior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)
Keegan Meier 6'3 forward junior Eau Claire Memorial (1)
Casey Balczewski 6'4 forward senior Madison Edgewood (1)
Deon Johnson 6'4 guard senior Madison West (2)
Zach Rickaway 6'3 forward senior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)
Michael Collins 6'3 guard senior Madison West (1)
Collin Cooper 6'3 forward senior Eau Claire Memorial (1)
Senior Rankings
1.Lucas Burns 6'6 forward Janesville Craig
2. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard Madison Lafollette
3. Ryan Wenkman 5'11 guard Wisconsin Dells
4. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward Madison West
5. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas
6. Michael Horton 6'2 guard Madison West
7. Deon Johnson 6'4 guard Madison West- Very strong player that can jump outta the gym and goes to the hoop strong. Has the ability to knock down the outside shot as well.
8. Casey Balczewski 6'4 forward Madison Edgewood- Strong player that battles inside. Team leader that passes the ball very well from the high post.
9. Zach Rickaway 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Another glue guy that can do alittle bit of everything. Strong rebounder, good outside shooter, and handles the ball pretty well.
10. Michael Collins 6'3 guard Madison West- Very streaky player that can score alot of points quickly. Good outside shooter who can also get inside and finish or get fouled.
HM
Collin Cooper 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial
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. Jade Royston 6'0 guard Wisconsin Dells
6. Kyle Goike 6'3 forward Janesville Craig
7. Mike Hanson 6'6 forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Big guy with a soft touch inside and can shoot the three point shot.
8. Keegan Meier 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial- Streaky shooter that can put up alot of points in a hurry.
9. Stephan Thompson 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Guy that likes to go inside and bang. Does a great job on the boards.
10. Antoine Howard 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- High energy guy that rebounds well and plays some good defense.
Sophomore Rankings
1. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward Madison East
2. DJ Fuller 5'10 guard Madison Lafollette
3. Jon Dybevik 6'0 guard Madison Lafollette (2)- Handles the ball very well and goes to the hoop strong. Plays like an upper classman.
4. Jeff Hull 6'4 forward Madison East (2)- Good mid range game where he can pass or shoot the jumper. Likes to go inside and bang.
5. Robert Littleton 6'1 guard Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Athletic guy that likes to run the floor and rebounds well for a guard.
6. Demetrius Turner 6'4 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Athletic guy that likes to run and goes to the hoop strong.
7. Nate Gibson 6'9 center Wisconsin Dells (1)- Big guy thats alittle raw but, shows some promise and wants the ball in the post 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 (1)- Hard nosed guy that has a very nice outside shot.
3. Darnell Harris 6'6 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Big athletic guy that can jump outta the gym.
4. Elgin Cook 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Athletic guy that likes to get out and run and goes inside and battles with bigger players.
Not many changes this week. Hopefully within the next couple weeks I'll be seeing some new teams that will allow me to expand my rankings and allow me to experience a wider variety of teams.
Player Rankings
1.Marquis Mason 6'5 forward sophomore Madison East (2)- Very strong post player that can do it all. Can knock down the outside shot, runs the court well, blocks shots, and is very very strong in the post. Had a bad game against Lafollette and probably would of moved down if Cashton Craig hadn't struggled too.
2. Lucas Burns 6'6 forward senior Janesville Craig (2)- Slight edge over Cashton Craig because he does so much more then just scores. Does a great job of rebounding and passing. Really lets the game come to him and doesn't force things. Very smooth player that can really knock down the outside shot and being 6'6 doesn't hurt either.
3. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard senior Madison Lafollette (2)- Very good shooter that can really get hot. Moves very well without the ball in his hands. Forces things at times and can go cold at times from the outside. Really just a scorer doesn't rebound very well.
4. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard junior Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Very good scorer that can go off at any time and has an engine that doesn't stop. Has really improve in becoming more of a point guard and not just a scorer.
5. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard junior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- Most improved player I have seen this year. Handles the ball very well and can get where he wants at anytime. Has a very good mid range jumper.
6. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward junior Madison Edgewood (1)- Very good shooter that can also drive to the hoop and find open teammates. Doesn't look like it but, is a fairly strong player.
7. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center junior Janesville Craig (2)- Very strong inside with the ball. Really crashes the boards and does a great job getting inside position and moving without the ball.
8. DJ Fuller 5'10 guard sophomore Madison Lafollette (1)- Didn't play the first time I saw Lafollette. Has a very good cross over that allows him to get into the lane. Has a very good floater shot and is a very strong player. Another guy that has an engine that never quits.
9. Ryan Wenkman 5'11 guard senior Wisconsin Dells (1)-Very hard nosed lead guard that can use his strength to get inside and can also hit the three point shot. Usually guards the other teams best perimeter player.
10. Charles Lee 5'7 guard freshmen Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Handles the ball very well and can get in the lane with ease and find an open teammate. Pass first point guard that really looks to set up teammates.
11. Jade Royston 6'0 guard junior Wisconsin Dells (1)- Very smooth player that can hit the outside shot or penetrate and pull up for the mid range jumper. Big time scorer.
12. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward senior Madison West (2)- Shoots the outside shot very well from a set position and does a great job of running the court.
13. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward senior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- Ultimate glue guy that does all the little things. Very good rebounder and passer and can score when need be from the outside or inside.
14. Michael Horton 6'2 guard senior Madison West (2)- Pass first point guard that's always looking to set up his teammates. Handles the ball very well and can knock down the three point shot.
15. Kyle Goike 6'3 forward junior Janesville Craig (2)- Very good mid range shot and goes to the hoop hard.
HM
Michael Hanson 6'6 forward junior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)
Keegan Meier 6'3 forward junior Eau Claire Memorial (1)
Casey Balczewski 6'4 forward senior Madison Edgewood (1)
Deon Johnson 6'4 guard senior Madison West (2)
Zach Rickaway 6'3 forward senior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)
Michael Collins 6'3 guard senior Madison West (1)
Collin Cooper 6'3 forward senior Eau Claire Memorial (1)
Senior Rankings
1.Lucas Burns 6'6 forward Janesville Craig
2. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard Madison Lafollette
3. Ryan Wenkman 5'11 guard Wisconsin Dells
4. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward Madison West
5. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas
6. Michael Horton 6'2 guard Madison West
7. Deon Johnson 6'4 guard Madison West- Very strong player that can jump outta the gym and goes to the hoop strong. Has the ability to knock down the outside shot as well.
8. Casey Balczewski 6'4 forward Madison Edgewood- Strong player that battles inside. Team leader that passes the ball very well from the high post.
9. Zach Rickaway 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Another glue guy that can do alittle bit of everything. Strong rebounder, good outside shooter, and handles the ball pretty well.
10. Michael Collins 6'3 guard Madison West- Very streaky player that can score alot of points quickly. Good outside shooter who can also get inside and finish or get fouled.
HM
Collin Cooper 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial
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. Jade Royston 6'0 guard Wisconsin Dells
6. Kyle Goike 6'3 forward Janesville Craig
7. Mike Hanson 6'6 forward Lacrosse Aquinas- Big guy with a soft touch inside and can shoot the three point shot.
8. Keegan Meier 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial- Streaky shooter that can put up alot of points in a hurry.
9. Stephan Thompson 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Guy that likes to go inside and bang. Does a great job on the boards.
10. Antoine Howard 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- High energy guy that rebounds well and plays some good defense.
Sophomore Rankings
1. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward Madison East
2. DJ Fuller 5'10 guard Madison Lafollette
3. Jon Dybevik 6'0 guard Madison Lafollette (2)- Handles the ball very well and goes to the hoop strong. Plays like an upper classman.
4. Jeff Hull 6'4 forward Madison East (2)- Good mid range game where he can pass or shoot the jumper. Likes to go inside and bang.
5. Robert Littleton 6'1 guard Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Athletic guy that likes to run the floor and rebounds well for a guard.
6. Demetrius Turner 6'4 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Athletic guy that likes to run and goes to the hoop strong.
7. Nate Gibson 6'9 center Wisconsin Dells (1)- Big guy thats alittle raw but, shows some promise and wants the ball in the post 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 (1)- Hard nosed guy that has a very nice outside shot.
3. Darnell Harris 6'6 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Big athletic guy that can jump outta the gym.
4. Elgin Cook 6'3 forward Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Athletic guy that likes to get out and run and goes inside and battles with bigger players.
Not many changes this week. Hopefully within the next couple weeks I'll be seeing some new teams that will allow me to expand my rankings and allow me to experience a wider variety of teams.
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