The basketball talk is officially over now as the first softball tournament of the year has started. My blog gets some what weak over the summer months as I play a lot of slow pitch softball and don't have a lot of free time to be on here typing. When I talk slow pitch softball I'm talking unlimited arc softball where your seeing 30 foot pitches not the 6-12 arc that a lot of people are playing around the state of Wisconsin. I will try to be on here as much as I can and will be talking about how the season is going each of my teams records and ranking the teams that I have seen play.
I currently play for Swagger Inn for tournaments on the weekend, Mt. Olympus in the Wisconsin Dells league, Anjeros in Mauston league, and seems that I will be playing in Portage league as well, as long as our sponsorship goes through. Swagger Inn was formally known as Harmony but, with Harmony burning down sponsorship has switched. We typically take somewhere from third to sixth place in most tournaments with a few exceptions of top finish or a two and out finishes. Mt. Olympus is a very young team which we played our first season last year and had great success finish second in the league before bowing out in the tournament semi final. Anjeros is a team that were co-champs in the Mauston league during regular season and then were able to take down Harmony in the championship game with only eight players.
The tournament year started off so so with Swagger Inn going 2-1 before the tournament was finally rained out. Friday night we arrived early to see Royal Bank, a team that I have some buddies play on, 10 run rule a team that I didn't catch the name of, they had some guys with Best Buds shirts on but, don't believe they were playing under this name. In our first game of the tournament we took on O'Finle from the Cazanovia, Richland Center area. Team we probably should of run rules we ended up beating 17-6 after giving up a couple runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the final game of the night Tri State was taking on tournament host Burnstads Miller. Try State jumped out to an early 18-5 lead after two innings and we figured the game was over so we headed out. Apparantly we left to early as Burnstads was able to come back and win 19-18.
Saturday I had to work so I missed our first game of the day. We ended up beating a pretty good Carpet Plus team 25-8. When I arrived Royal Bank was once again playing,this time getting beat by a run rule or close to it to Burnstads Miller. Our next game proved to be the toughest of the tournament against Sprint Print who dominated us in a 20-8 win or something close to that. We were then suppose to take on O'Finley's again but, tournament was rained out by this time. I did get a chance to watch parts of three games during this time. O'Finleys took on Tri State. I went to the car half way through this game and somehow O'Finleys was able to hang on for a close fought win. We left and went to eat and when we came back O'Finleys was playing again in one of the longest games ever seen. They were playing a team called Those Guys and neither team was to great in this one as the final score was O'Finleys winning 33-23 in a game where I don't believe there was an earned run as there was error after error in the game. The finally game of the night ended short as Carpet Plus was up 8 to 4 over a team that I didn't catch their name,and the other team forfeited because the rain was coming down so hard.
Rankings- In the rankings I will include where the team is from, if I know, where we saw them, and their record in games I've seen them play.
1. Sprint Print (Fitchburg) Lone Rock, 2-0 Have very good pitcher and hit the ball really well.
2. Burnstads Miller (Plain/Richland Center) Lone Rock 2-0 Hit the long ball very very well. Defense seemed to be a question mark.
3. Swagger Inn (Lyndon State/Mauston) US 2-1 Very good overall team speed, with streaky hitting, and solid defense.
4. Carpet Plus (Madison) Lone Rock 1-1 Hit the ball very hard and play pretty solid defense
5. Royal Bank (Elroy/Kendall) Lone Rock 2-1 Streaky hitting team and play good defense.
6. O'Finley's (Richland Center/Cazanovia) Lone Rock 2-1 Good team speed but, struggle when they get down.
7. Tri State (Kendall/Elroy/Richland Center) Lone Rock 0-2 A lot better then what their record shows.
8. Those Guys (Lone Rock/Spring Green) Lone Rock 0-2 Only on here because there the only other team that I actually saw.
Swagger Inn 2-1
Well one tournament down and a lot more to go. Should be another great summer.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Top Forwards
My forward rankings will be done similar to my guard rankings. I've broken them into two categories, wing forwards and post forwards. Wing forwards are guys that play primarily on the outside and don't handle the ball so much until their in their half court set. Power forwards are guys that hang around the rim and do most of their scoring with their back to the basket or getting put back buckets. I will not be doing center rankings because there really aren't very many true centers in high school basketball and the few that their might be I can easily just put with the post forwards. Like the guards there are some question marks as to which category a player should be ranked in like the likes of Jeronne Maymon, Antwon Oliver, and Marquis Mason who have the ability to play on the inside or the outside. When it came down to it I ranked the players by where they do most of the scoring so Maymon and Mason both went with the post guys, while Oliver went with the wing players.
Wing Forwards
1. Jamil Wilson 6'7 sr Racine Horlick- Extremely versatile player with great size. Shoots the three very and can guard anyone on the court.
2. Antwon Oliver 6'5 sr Racine Horlick- Very similar to Wilson and may shoot the three a little better.
3. Flavian Davis 6'4 jr Wisconsin Lutheran- Very strong player that can go inside or outside. Scores most of his points in the mid range area.
4. Steve Tecker 6'5 jr Northwestern- Another big strong player that can shoot the three or take the ball strong to the hoop.
5. Eric Williams 6'3 sr Wauwatosa East- Does a little bit of everything from shooting the three, posting up, or scoring in transition.
6. Tyler Mazur 6'3 sr Reedsburg- Great three point shooter with great leaping ability.
7. Antoine Howard 6'4 sr Milwaukee Bay View- Superior athlete that can score points in bunches.
8. Derek Braucht 6'6 sr Madison Edgewood- Very good shooter that moves very well without the ball and can handle the ball some.
9. Javar Lawson 6'4 sr Racine St. Catherines- Defensive stopper that can guard all five positions, great rebounder, can spot up and shoot.
10. Larentaz Daniels 6'4 jr Milwaukee Custer- Big time scorer that is a streaky shooter from the outside. Can score from anywhere on the court.
HM
Kyle Goike 6'3 sr Janesville Craig
Junior Lomomba 6'4 fr Madison Memorial
JP Tokoto 6'4 fr Menomonee Falls
Post Forwards
1. Jeronne Maymon 6'7 sr Madison Memorial- Unstoppable from 15 feet and in. Has a wide array of moves on the inside that he uses to score. Best rebounder in the state.
2. Marquis Mason 6'4 jr Madison East- One of the strongest kids in the state and the best leapers.
3. Ben Averkamp 6'8 sr Germantown- Just very fundamentally strong and very tough with his back to the basket and is also great shot blocker.
4. Tank Johnson 6'5 sr Oshkosh North- Beast is the only word that comes to mind to discribe Johnson. Just dominates the paint on both ends of the court.
5. Jason Ziemer 6'4 sr Verona- One of the best rebounders in the state and works the hardest.
6. Tyler Brown 6'7 sr Eau Claire North- Big kid that iss a great rebounder and has a very nice midrange shot.
7. Kyle Kelm 6'10 jr Randolph- Could of nearly been a wing forward but, height makes him a post. Shoots the three and moves extremely well for a kid his size.
8. JoJo Pregont 6'6 sr Janesville Craig- Defensive stopper in the post that jumps well, blocks shots, and rebounds. Runs the court extremely well.
9. Luke Russell 6'8 sr Menomonee Falls- Big guy with a very nice touch around the rim and very smooth.
10. Evan Anderson 6'11 jr Eau Claire North- Size gives him the advantage over everyone. Nice shot blocker with a soft touch around the rim.
HM
Adam Ganske 6'3 jr Eau Claire Regis
Michael Hanson 6'7 sr Lacrosse Aquinas
Donnie Hissa 6'8 jr Northwestern
Well there is my list for top forwards in the state. I still have a few my rankings that I have to talk about before I make the move to the softball season on my blog. Gotta get as much posting in now as I can because once the Summer is in full swing I don't have a lot of time to be posting.
Wing Forwards
1. Jamil Wilson 6'7 sr Racine Horlick- Extremely versatile player with great size. Shoots the three very and can guard anyone on the court.
2. Antwon Oliver 6'5 sr Racine Horlick- Very similar to Wilson and may shoot the three a little better.
3. Flavian Davis 6'4 jr Wisconsin Lutheran- Very strong player that can go inside or outside. Scores most of his points in the mid range area.
4. Steve Tecker 6'5 jr Northwestern- Another big strong player that can shoot the three or take the ball strong to the hoop.
5. Eric Williams 6'3 sr Wauwatosa East- Does a little bit of everything from shooting the three, posting up, or scoring in transition.
6. Tyler Mazur 6'3 sr Reedsburg- Great three point shooter with great leaping ability.
7. Antoine Howard 6'4 sr Milwaukee Bay View- Superior athlete that can score points in bunches.
8. Derek Braucht 6'6 sr Madison Edgewood- Very good shooter that moves very well without the ball and can handle the ball some.
9. Javar Lawson 6'4 sr Racine St. Catherines- Defensive stopper that can guard all five positions, great rebounder, can spot up and shoot.
10. Larentaz Daniels 6'4 jr Milwaukee Custer- Big time scorer that is a streaky shooter from the outside. Can score from anywhere on the court.
HM
Kyle Goike 6'3 sr Janesville Craig
Junior Lomomba 6'4 fr Madison Memorial
JP Tokoto 6'4 fr Menomonee Falls
Post Forwards
1. Jeronne Maymon 6'7 sr Madison Memorial- Unstoppable from 15 feet and in. Has a wide array of moves on the inside that he uses to score. Best rebounder in the state.
2. Marquis Mason 6'4 jr Madison East- One of the strongest kids in the state and the best leapers.
3. Ben Averkamp 6'8 sr Germantown- Just very fundamentally strong and very tough with his back to the basket and is also great shot blocker.
4. Tank Johnson 6'5 sr Oshkosh North- Beast is the only word that comes to mind to discribe Johnson. Just dominates the paint on both ends of the court.
5. Jason Ziemer 6'4 sr Verona- One of the best rebounders in the state and works the hardest.
6. Tyler Brown 6'7 sr Eau Claire North- Big kid that iss a great rebounder and has a very nice midrange shot.
7. Kyle Kelm 6'10 jr Randolph- Could of nearly been a wing forward but, height makes him a post. Shoots the three and moves extremely well for a kid his size.
8. JoJo Pregont 6'6 sr Janesville Craig- Defensive stopper in the post that jumps well, blocks shots, and rebounds. Runs the court extremely well.
9. Luke Russell 6'8 sr Menomonee Falls- Big guy with a very nice touch around the rim and very smooth.
10. Evan Anderson 6'11 jr Eau Claire North- Size gives him the advantage over everyone. Nice shot blocker with a soft touch around the rim.
HM
Adam Ganske 6'3 jr Eau Claire Regis
Michael Hanson 6'7 sr Lacrosse Aquinas
Donnie Hissa 6'8 jr Northwestern
Well there is my list for top forwards in the state. I still have a few my rankings that I have to talk about before I make the move to the softball season on my blog. Gotta get as much posting in now as I can because once the Summer is in full swing I don't have a lot of time to be posting.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Top Guards
With the season over I've decided to come up with some other ways to rank the top players that I saw this year. Today will be focusing on the guards. The two separate rankings will be point guard and combo guard. In high school there really isn't a big difference between the two guard positions. When I say point guard I'm thinking of guys that look to get their teammates involved and are leaders that are looking to run the offensive and not necessarily looking to get their own points. A combo guard is basically a shooting guard in my mind but, in many cases these guys are the point guard because there aren't other options to handle the ball. The two biggest combo guards that run the point are Jade Royston of Wisconsin Dells and Mitch Tordoff of Monroe. Both guys score most of their points on pick and rolls taking the shot and coming off of screens. Many times they get the ball past half court pass the ball right away and then the offense is initiated. Well anyway here are my top point guards and combo guards in my mind. I'm also only including players from Wisconsin in my rankings.
Point Guards
1.Nicholas Ford 5'9 sr Fond du Lac- Easily the best pass first point guard I saw this year. Very hardnosed player that seems to enjoy setting his teammates but, can get his own points when needed and knocks down the free throws.
2. Jerrel Harris 5'10 sr Whitefish Bay Dominican- Maybe not the best thing you want to hear but, AND One is the first thing to come to mind. Great ball handling skills and can get by anyway and find open teammates or has a nice little floater. Has nice three point shot also.
3. Tyler Tillema 6'3 sr Randolph- No doubt one of the most clutch players on the list. Knocks down the outside shots but, the part I love the most is his decision making in transition. Grabs the rebound and push it instantly and always seems to set up teammates in great positions.
4. Nimrod Hilliard 5'11 so Madison East- Killer cross over and always looking for his slashing and cutting teammates. Has a nice three point shot and great vision seeing the entire court.
5. Mitch Roelke 6'1 sr Waunakee- Very unselfish player that feeds the post very well. If a player out hustles their defender down the court Roelke will find them for the open lay up. Plays great defense and is a great leader.
6. Taylor Cameron 6'4 jr Oshkosh North- Loves to push the ball and keep an uptempo pace. Loves to penetrate and dish or hit the little floater.
7. Kane Hoffman 5'11 sr Benton- Just a great leader. Plays good defense and rebounds. Does a great job of "probing" the inside and coming back out, similar to Steve Nash.
8. Steve McWhorter 6'1 jr Racine St. Catherines- Always gives his teammates the ball when their in a good position to score. Doesn't force many shots but, will take them if its there.
9. Sharod Stone 5'10 jr Beloit- Handles the ball and the press extremely well. Best asset is his ability to penetrate and drop the ball off to a big man for a lay in or kicking it to a three point shooter.
10. Davonte Mullin 5'10 jr Racine Holick- Another guy that handles the press defense really and gets right into the offensive. Has a nice floater.
Hm
Matt Turba 5'10 sr Wisconsin Rapids Assumption
Dane Ricci 5'11 jr Brookfield Academy
Combo Guards
1. Vander Blue 6'4 jr Madison Memorial- I've said it all before. Could be a great point guard but, doesn't need to run it. Shoots the three, penetrates and throws down.
2. Antoine Byrd 6'3 sr Milwaukee Washington- Very tough to keep out of the lane. Knocks down the three and plays in your face defense.
3. TJ Bray 6'4 jr Waukesha Catholic Memorial- Has a very quick first step that allows him to get to the rim or open jumpers. Seriously considered listing him as a point.
4. Mitch Tordoff 6'0 sr Monroe- Big time scorer with a very quick shot and comes off the screen looking to shoot immediately.
5. Evan Richard 6'3 jr Cuba City- Can pretty much hit his shot from anywhere on the court. Also can get up and throw down.
6. Garrett Schwarz 6'2 Sauk Prairie- Very very nice jumper off the dribble. Very tough to stay in front of. (just ask Madison Memorial)
7. Jade Royston 6'0 sr Wisconsin Dells- Handles the ball very well and can get his shot at any time.
8.Jake Thomas 6'3 sr Racine St. Catherines- Gets off the ground very very well, whether its on his jump shot, rebounding, or dunking. Can shoot the threes with anyone.
9. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 sr Lacrosse Aquinas- Not a great outside shooter but, can get to the rim at will and finish.
10. Chris Siebert 6'2 sr Baraboo- Can do it all on the offensive end and carry a team. Shoots the ball very well and when he gets hot look out.
Looking at my list you can basically say the distinguishing factor between the two list is that the combo guards score and the points look to pass more with the exception of a few guys. Also there may be some guys that are considered guards that should be on my list but, if they don't handle the ball very well I just have a hard time considering a player a guard if he doesn't handle the ball much or well. More will be released tomorrow with my rankings of wing players and post players. If someone isn't ranked as a combo guard that you think should be they will probably be on my list of top wing players.
Point Guards
1.Nicholas Ford 5'9 sr Fond du Lac- Easily the best pass first point guard I saw this year. Very hardnosed player that seems to enjoy setting his teammates but, can get his own points when needed and knocks down the free throws.
2. Jerrel Harris 5'10 sr Whitefish Bay Dominican- Maybe not the best thing you want to hear but, AND One is the first thing to come to mind. Great ball handling skills and can get by anyway and find open teammates or has a nice little floater. Has nice three point shot also.
3. Tyler Tillema 6'3 sr Randolph- No doubt one of the most clutch players on the list. Knocks down the outside shots but, the part I love the most is his decision making in transition. Grabs the rebound and push it instantly and always seems to set up teammates in great positions.
4. Nimrod Hilliard 5'11 so Madison East- Killer cross over and always looking for his slashing and cutting teammates. Has a nice three point shot and great vision seeing the entire court.
5. Mitch Roelke 6'1 sr Waunakee- Very unselfish player that feeds the post very well. If a player out hustles their defender down the court Roelke will find them for the open lay up. Plays great defense and is a great leader.
6. Taylor Cameron 6'4 jr Oshkosh North- Loves to push the ball and keep an uptempo pace. Loves to penetrate and dish or hit the little floater.
7. Kane Hoffman 5'11 sr Benton- Just a great leader. Plays good defense and rebounds. Does a great job of "probing" the inside and coming back out, similar to Steve Nash.
8. Steve McWhorter 6'1 jr Racine St. Catherines- Always gives his teammates the ball when their in a good position to score. Doesn't force many shots but, will take them if its there.
9. Sharod Stone 5'10 jr Beloit- Handles the ball and the press extremely well. Best asset is his ability to penetrate and drop the ball off to a big man for a lay in or kicking it to a three point shooter.
10. Davonte Mullin 5'10 jr Racine Holick- Another guy that handles the press defense really and gets right into the offensive. Has a nice floater.
Hm
Matt Turba 5'10 sr Wisconsin Rapids Assumption
Dane Ricci 5'11 jr Brookfield Academy
Combo Guards
1. Vander Blue 6'4 jr Madison Memorial- I've said it all before. Could be a great point guard but, doesn't need to run it. Shoots the three, penetrates and throws down.
2. Antoine Byrd 6'3 sr Milwaukee Washington- Very tough to keep out of the lane. Knocks down the three and plays in your face defense.
3. TJ Bray 6'4 jr Waukesha Catholic Memorial- Has a very quick first step that allows him to get to the rim or open jumpers. Seriously considered listing him as a point.
4. Mitch Tordoff 6'0 sr Monroe- Big time scorer with a very quick shot and comes off the screen looking to shoot immediately.
5. Evan Richard 6'3 jr Cuba City- Can pretty much hit his shot from anywhere on the court. Also can get up and throw down.
6. Garrett Schwarz 6'2 Sauk Prairie- Very very nice jumper off the dribble. Very tough to stay in front of. (just ask Madison Memorial)
7. Jade Royston 6'0 sr Wisconsin Dells- Handles the ball very well and can get his shot at any time.
8.Jake Thomas 6'3 sr Racine St. Catherines- Gets off the ground very very well, whether its on his jump shot, rebounding, or dunking. Can shoot the threes with anyone.
9. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 sr Lacrosse Aquinas- Not a great outside shooter but, can get to the rim at will and finish.
10. Chris Siebert 6'2 sr Baraboo- Can do it all on the offensive end and carry a team. Shoots the ball very well and when he gets hot look out.
Looking at my list you can basically say the distinguishing factor between the two list is that the combo guards score and the points look to pass more with the exception of a few guys. Also there may be some guys that are considered guards that should be on my list but, if they don't handle the ball very well I just have a hard time considering a player a guard if he doesn't handle the ball much or well. More will be released tomorrow with my rankings of wing players and post players. If someone isn't ranked as a combo guard that you think should be they will probably be on my list of top wing players.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Early Favorites for 09-10 season
Well with the 08-09 season coming to an end its time to begin looking towards next year and who might be the favorites. To follow is a list for each division of favorites that may challenge for a state title next year. Teams are listed in no particular order and are listed by who comes to mind first.
D1
Madison Memorial- State champs bring back three starters to form a very good three headed monster in Vander Blue, Tre Creamer, and Junior Lomomba, also have a few very good sophomores and freshmen coming up.
Madison East- Only team that beat Madison Memorial this year return their two top players in Nimrod Hilliard and Marquis Mason as long as their top four bench players.
Milwaukee Washington- Bring back their leading scorer Quevyn Winters and third leading scorer Terry Taylor. They also bring back their top big men Jon Cathey-Macklin and Dominique Williams and have a strong freshmen class.
Milwaukee Hamiliton- Return five sophomores that are all ranked in the top 50 in the state and all started at least once this past year.
Kimberly- This team was talked up all year long and was one of the top teams in the FVA and bring back four of their top players.
Hamiliton Sussex- Huge senior class with the majority of players will be in their third year on varsity and a few their fourth.
D2
Northwestern- Bring back lots of height and scoring in Steve Tecker and Donnie Hissa.
Wisconsin Lutheran- With Flavian Davis anything is possible.
Port Washington- Strong conference play will prepare them and their lead by Josh Gasser.
Milwaukee Lutheran- Same conference as Port Washington and have Chim Kadima.
Catholic Memorial- Always strong team and have star TJ Bray.
Seymour- Look to be returning to glory and have a very strong sophomore class.
St. Johns- Lose only one player from one loss team.
D3
Fall Creek- They bring back all five starters.
Eau Claire Regis- Have Eaton, Ganske, and Miller all come back should make for three more great battles with Fall Creek next year.
Roncalli- They lose all their height but, return most of their team and a strong sophomore class. Not too mention that can shoot the lights out.
Cuba City- With Evan Richard averaging close to 30 anythings possible.
Dominican- Only lose three players from a very good team.
D4
Randolph- Have the tradition and a 6'10 big man.
Benton- Return two very strong underclassman in David Neis and Matt Savatski and big man Michael Droessler.
Blair Taylor- Lose only one player from their final four finish, if they don't get moved up to D3.
Their are my early favorites for next year. If these team live up to their hype and how good they can be anyway but, who can ever truly tell with nearly eight months until the season starts. A lot could change between now and next November but, it's always fun to guess who will be good.
D1
Madison Memorial- State champs bring back three starters to form a very good three headed monster in Vander Blue, Tre Creamer, and Junior Lomomba, also have a few very good sophomores and freshmen coming up.
Madison East- Only team that beat Madison Memorial this year return their two top players in Nimrod Hilliard and Marquis Mason as long as their top four bench players.
Milwaukee Washington- Bring back their leading scorer Quevyn Winters and third leading scorer Terry Taylor. They also bring back their top big men Jon Cathey-Macklin and Dominique Williams and have a strong freshmen class.
Milwaukee Hamiliton- Return five sophomores that are all ranked in the top 50 in the state and all started at least once this past year.
Kimberly- This team was talked up all year long and was one of the top teams in the FVA and bring back four of their top players.
Hamiliton Sussex- Huge senior class with the majority of players will be in their third year on varsity and a few their fourth.
D2
Northwestern- Bring back lots of height and scoring in Steve Tecker and Donnie Hissa.
Wisconsin Lutheran- With Flavian Davis anything is possible.
Port Washington- Strong conference play will prepare them and their lead by Josh Gasser.
Milwaukee Lutheran- Same conference as Port Washington and have Chim Kadima.
Catholic Memorial- Always strong team and have star TJ Bray.
Seymour- Look to be returning to glory and have a very strong sophomore class.
St. Johns- Lose only one player from one loss team.
D3
Fall Creek- They bring back all five starters.
Eau Claire Regis- Have Eaton, Ganske, and Miller all come back should make for three more great battles with Fall Creek next year.
Roncalli- They lose all their height but, return most of their team and a strong sophomore class. Not too mention that can shoot the lights out.
Cuba City- With Evan Richard averaging close to 30 anythings possible.
Dominican- Only lose three players from a very good team.
D4
Randolph- Have the tradition and a 6'10 big man.
Benton- Return two very strong underclassman in David Neis and Matt Savatski and big man Michael Droessler.
Blair Taylor- Lose only one player from their final four finish, if they don't get moved up to D3.
Their are my early favorites for next year. If these team live up to their hype and how good they can be anyway but, who can ever truly tell with nearly eight months until the season starts. A lot could change between now and next November but, it's always fun to guess who will be good.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Final Round Player Rankings
Final team rankings were done so now it's time for the final player rankings. This was extremely difficult for me because the cause that I believe are towards the top I have seen more then once and it seems that they each had at least one bad game which hinders them in my rankings. In my thoughts though I try to let the good play out way the bad and just compare players when I've seen them at their best.
1. Latavious Williams 6'7 senior forward Christian Life Texas- College size forward that can move well and jump out of the gym. Loves to get out and run and throw it down.
2. Vander Blue 6'4 junior guard Madison Memorial- Fastest player I've seen with the ball in his hand. Finishes extremely well in transition with thundering dunks. Great on the ball defender and can really knock down the three.
3. Jeronne Maymon 6'7 senior forward Madison Memorial- Just a beast on the boards and easily best rebounder in the state. Finishes at the rim with a variety of moves, runs the court well, doesn't miss from 15 feet and in, and can completely take a game over with out even scoring when he puts his mind to it.
4. Jamil Wilson 6'7 senior forward Racine Horlick- Most versatile and athletic player I've seen. Has a big man's body but, plays like a guard. Handles the ball well, shoots the three, and dunks with the best of them. Only thing that reminds you of a big guy is he's a tremendous shot blocker.
5. Antoine Byrd 6'3 senior guard Milwaukee Washington- Very tough competitor that is nearly impossible to keep away from the hoop. Very tough defender and knocks down the three.
6. Jake Hottenstine 6'3 senior guard Bay Port- Another kid that can jump out of the gym and throw down and block shots. Shoots the three really well and is a very intense competitor.
7. Antwon Oliver 6'5 senior forward Racine Horlick- Very similar to Wilson. Super athletic, great dunker, blocks shots, and can step outside and hit the three.
8. Flavian Davis 6'4 junior guard Wisconsin Lutheran- Big time player that always seems to hit the big shots. Can play any of the five positions on the floor with his size and versatility.
9. Marquis Mason 6'4 junior forward Madison East- Player that dominates the inside with his strength and jumping ability. When he puts his mind to it he can block tons of shots and control the boards.
10. TJ Bray 6'4 junior guard Catholic Memorial- College size guard that can knock down the three at will and get to the rim. Very unselfish player that's a great team player.
11. Nicholas Ford 5'9 senior guard Fond du Lac- Great pass first point guard, that can take over and score when he wants to but, is just as happy setting his teammates up .
12. Junior Cadougan 6'1 senior guard Christian Life Texas- Another great pass first point guard with best cross over I've seen.
13. Ben Averkamp 6'8 senior forward Germantown- Honestly should probably be ranked higher but, just wasn't that impressive in the one game I saw him. Very solid with his back to the basket and a very good shot blocker but, game is limited right now.
14. Tank Johnson 6'5 senior forward Oshkosh North- A beast in the paint at 285 and very soft hands. Controls the paint both on the offensive and defensive side even though he doesn't really get off the ground much.
15. Mitch Tordoff 6'0 senior guard Monroe- Big time scorer that can shoot the three with the best of them. Pretty much single handly carried his team to that state championship game.
16. Evan Richard 6'3 junior guard Cuba City- Can hit any shot on the court with no problem. Jumps out of the gym as well and is the leader of his team.
17. Steve Tecker 6'5 junior forward Northwestern- Incredibly strong player that can play any position on the court and guard any position. Shoots well, rebounds well, and dunks well.
18. Jerrel Harris 5'10 senior guard Whitefish Bay Dominican- Supreme ball handler and it doesn't seem anyone can stay in front of him. Plays extremely hard.
19. Jason Ziemer 6'4 senior forward Verona- Right behind Maymon for best rebounder in the state. Works harder then any player in the state, with a nice touch around the rim. Knocks down the three point shot when he spots up.
20. Tyler Tillema 6'3 senior guard Randolph- Great point guard that makes get decisions in the transition. Can score at the rim, rebound and get out and run, hit the three pointers, and in the clutch he comes through with the big play.
21. Tyler Brown 6'7 senior forward Eau Claire North- Big body the rebounds very well and has a soft touch. Shoots the mid range jumper very well. Probably needs to work on his foot speed though.
22. Eric Williams 6'3 senior forward Wauwatosa East- Does a little bit of everything from shooting the three, running the point, or posting up. Also might be the teams best rebounder.
23. Garrett Schwarz 6'2 senior guard Sauk Prairie- Nearly single handily took down Madison Memorial. Great off the dribble whether its pulling up for a shot, which he usually hits, or getting to the rim.
24. Jade Royston 6'0 senior guard Wisconsin Dells- Another guy that can put a team on his back and carry them. Has very good ball handling skills and can knock down shots from anywhere on the court.
25. Tyler Mazur 6'3 senior guard Reedsburg- Sharpshooter that can go off at any minute. One of the best three point shooters around. Also a strong competitor that jumps well and rebounds.
HM
Antoine Howard 6'4 senior forward Milwaukee Bay View
Kyle Kelm 6'10 junior forward Randolph
Nimrod Hilliard 5'11 guard sophomore Madison East
Ranking of classes will only include players from the state of Wisconsin.
Seniors
1. Jeronne Maymon 6'7 forward Madison Memorial
2. Jamil Wilson 6'7 forward Racine Horlick
3. Antoine Byrd 6'3 guard Milwaukee Washington
4. Jake Hottenstine 6'3 guard Bay Port
5. Antwon Oliver 6'5 forward Racine Horlick
6. Nicholas Ford 5'9 guard Fond du Lac
7. Ben Averkamp 6'8 forward Germantown
8. Tank Johnson 6'5 forward Oshkosh North
9. Mitch Tordoff 6'0 guard Monroe
10. Jerrel Harris 5'10 guard Whitefish Bay Dominican
HM
Jasom Ziemer 6'4 forward Verona
Tyler Tillema 6'3 guard Randolph
Tyler Brown 6'7 forward Eau Claire North
Eric Williams 6'3 forward Wauwatosa East
Juniors
1. Vander Blue 6'4 guard Madison Memorial
2. Flavian Davis 6'4 guard Wisconsin Lutheran
3. Marquis Mason 6'4 forward Madison East
4. TJ Bray 6'4 guard Catholic Memorial
5. Evan Richard 6'3 guard Cuba City
6. Steve Tecker 6'5 forward Northwestern
7. Kyle Kelm 6'10 forward Randolph- Versatile big man that moves well and can knock down the three point shot.
8. Tre Creamer 6'4 guard Madison Memorial- Long lanky guard that can get to the rim using his length and has a very nice floater.
9. Donnie Hissa 6'8 forward Northwestern- Versatile big man that rebounds well and can shoot the three point shot.
10. Taylor Cameron 6'4 guard Oshkosh North- Uptempo lead guard that has a very nice floater in the lane and makes great decisions.
HM
Terry Taylor 5'9 guard Milwaukee Washington
Brett Meinecke 6'1 guard Hamiliton Sussex
Kamero Cerroni 6'2 guard Hamiliton Sussex
Sophomores
1. Nimrod Hilliard 5'11 guard Madison East- Great lead guard with a killer cross over, nice outside shot, and isn't afraid to go inside and score.
2. Queyvn Winters 6'4 forward Milwaukee Washington- Very solid in the post and can run the court.
3. Ben Stelzer 6'0 guard Manitowoc Roncalli- Sharp shooter that moves very well without the ball.
4. Noah Baryenbruch 6'0 guard River Valley- Solid point guard that goes to the hoop strong.
5. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 guard Monroe- Another sharpshooter, that moves well without the ball but, can also go in the post and score.
6. Alex Richard 6'4 forward River Valley- Banger on the inside that rebounds well and isn't afraid to get physical. Scores well with his back to the hoop.
7. Matt Savastki 6'2 guard Benton- Guy that can play inside or outside and can shoot the three well.
8. Brian Kampstra 6'3 forward Randolph- Solid defender and can knock down the three.
9. Michael Barrett 6'1 guard Monroe- Solid guard that can create his own shot and plays good defense.
10. Mark Kowalke 6'5 forward Baraboo- Very solid in the post and can shoot the three.
HM
Connor Miller 6'0 guard Eau Claire Regis
Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 forward Sun Prairie
Beau Murray 6'2 guard Waunakee
Freshmen
1. Junior Lomomba 6'4 forward Madison Memorial- Very good at running the base line and finding the holes in the defense and good rebounder.
2. Tony Mayfield 5'9 guard Milwaukee Washington- Very good defender and can knock down the three.
3. J.P. Tokoto 6'4 forward Menomonee Falls- Versatile player that can do it all.
4. Zak Showalter 6'1 guard Germantown- Three point sharpshooter that isn't afraid to stick his nose in their and go after the loose balls.
5. Dalton Sjong 6'3 forward Westosha Central- Very strong post player on both offense and defense.
6. Jamall Taylor 6'0 guard Whitefish Bay Dominican- Great three point shooter that can also handle the ball.
7. Davis Neis 5'10 guard Benton- Great three point shooter that moves very well without the ball.
8. Larry Fitzgerald 6'2 forward Milwaukee Pius- Does a little bit of everything for his team.
9. Josh Mongan 5'9 guard Germantown- Solid point guard that handles the ball very well.
10. Steve Teschner 6'2 forward Milwaukee Pius- Goes to the hoop very hard and can score.
Well those are my final rankings of the year. There may be some disagreement on where I rank players because my rankings are only on based on the games I've actually seen. If I was to rank the players based on what I've heard I might rank the players differently. Well I've got a couple more topics to talk about before I'm done with my basketball topic and then its on to softball talk and the summer where my blog really gets weak and the post are few and far between and aren't always the best of most interesting.
1. Latavious Williams 6'7 senior forward Christian Life Texas- College size forward that can move well and jump out of the gym. Loves to get out and run and throw it down.
2. Vander Blue 6'4 junior guard Madison Memorial- Fastest player I've seen with the ball in his hand. Finishes extremely well in transition with thundering dunks. Great on the ball defender and can really knock down the three.
3. Jeronne Maymon 6'7 senior forward Madison Memorial- Just a beast on the boards and easily best rebounder in the state. Finishes at the rim with a variety of moves, runs the court well, doesn't miss from 15 feet and in, and can completely take a game over with out even scoring when he puts his mind to it.
4. Jamil Wilson 6'7 senior forward Racine Horlick- Most versatile and athletic player I've seen. Has a big man's body but, plays like a guard. Handles the ball well, shoots the three, and dunks with the best of them. Only thing that reminds you of a big guy is he's a tremendous shot blocker.
5. Antoine Byrd 6'3 senior guard Milwaukee Washington- Very tough competitor that is nearly impossible to keep away from the hoop. Very tough defender and knocks down the three.
6. Jake Hottenstine 6'3 senior guard Bay Port- Another kid that can jump out of the gym and throw down and block shots. Shoots the three really well and is a very intense competitor.
7. Antwon Oliver 6'5 senior forward Racine Horlick- Very similar to Wilson. Super athletic, great dunker, blocks shots, and can step outside and hit the three.
8. Flavian Davis 6'4 junior guard Wisconsin Lutheran- Big time player that always seems to hit the big shots. Can play any of the five positions on the floor with his size and versatility.
9. Marquis Mason 6'4 junior forward Madison East- Player that dominates the inside with his strength and jumping ability. When he puts his mind to it he can block tons of shots and control the boards.
10. TJ Bray 6'4 junior guard Catholic Memorial- College size guard that can knock down the three at will and get to the rim. Very unselfish player that's a great team player.
11. Nicholas Ford 5'9 senior guard Fond du Lac- Great pass first point guard, that can take over and score when he wants to but, is just as happy setting his teammates up .
12. Junior Cadougan 6'1 senior guard Christian Life Texas- Another great pass first point guard with best cross over I've seen.
13. Ben Averkamp 6'8 senior forward Germantown- Honestly should probably be ranked higher but, just wasn't that impressive in the one game I saw him. Very solid with his back to the basket and a very good shot blocker but, game is limited right now.
14. Tank Johnson 6'5 senior forward Oshkosh North- A beast in the paint at 285 and very soft hands. Controls the paint both on the offensive and defensive side even though he doesn't really get off the ground much.
15. Mitch Tordoff 6'0 senior guard Monroe- Big time scorer that can shoot the three with the best of them. Pretty much single handly carried his team to that state championship game.
16. Evan Richard 6'3 junior guard Cuba City- Can hit any shot on the court with no problem. Jumps out of the gym as well and is the leader of his team.
17. Steve Tecker 6'5 junior forward Northwestern- Incredibly strong player that can play any position on the court and guard any position. Shoots well, rebounds well, and dunks well.
18. Jerrel Harris 5'10 senior guard Whitefish Bay Dominican- Supreme ball handler and it doesn't seem anyone can stay in front of him. Plays extremely hard.
19. Jason Ziemer 6'4 senior forward Verona- Right behind Maymon for best rebounder in the state. Works harder then any player in the state, with a nice touch around the rim. Knocks down the three point shot when he spots up.
20. Tyler Tillema 6'3 senior guard Randolph- Great point guard that makes get decisions in the transition. Can score at the rim, rebound and get out and run, hit the three pointers, and in the clutch he comes through with the big play.
21. Tyler Brown 6'7 senior forward Eau Claire North- Big body the rebounds very well and has a soft touch. Shoots the mid range jumper very well. Probably needs to work on his foot speed though.
22. Eric Williams 6'3 senior forward Wauwatosa East- Does a little bit of everything from shooting the three, running the point, or posting up. Also might be the teams best rebounder.
23. Garrett Schwarz 6'2 senior guard Sauk Prairie- Nearly single handily took down Madison Memorial. Great off the dribble whether its pulling up for a shot, which he usually hits, or getting to the rim.
24. Jade Royston 6'0 senior guard Wisconsin Dells- Another guy that can put a team on his back and carry them. Has very good ball handling skills and can knock down shots from anywhere on the court.
25. Tyler Mazur 6'3 senior guard Reedsburg- Sharpshooter that can go off at any minute. One of the best three point shooters around. Also a strong competitor that jumps well and rebounds.
HM
Antoine Howard 6'4 senior forward Milwaukee Bay View
Kyle Kelm 6'10 junior forward Randolph
Nimrod Hilliard 5'11 guard sophomore Madison East
Ranking of classes will only include players from the state of Wisconsin.
Seniors
1. Jeronne Maymon 6'7 forward Madison Memorial
2. Jamil Wilson 6'7 forward Racine Horlick
3. Antoine Byrd 6'3 guard Milwaukee Washington
4. Jake Hottenstine 6'3 guard Bay Port
5. Antwon Oliver 6'5 forward Racine Horlick
6. Nicholas Ford 5'9 guard Fond du Lac
7. Ben Averkamp 6'8 forward Germantown
8. Tank Johnson 6'5 forward Oshkosh North
9. Mitch Tordoff 6'0 guard Monroe
10. Jerrel Harris 5'10 guard Whitefish Bay Dominican
HM
Jasom Ziemer 6'4 forward Verona
Tyler Tillema 6'3 guard Randolph
Tyler Brown 6'7 forward Eau Claire North
Eric Williams 6'3 forward Wauwatosa East
Juniors
1. Vander Blue 6'4 guard Madison Memorial
2. Flavian Davis 6'4 guard Wisconsin Lutheran
3. Marquis Mason 6'4 forward Madison East
4. TJ Bray 6'4 guard Catholic Memorial
5. Evan Richard 6'3 guard Cuba City
6. Steve Tecker 6'5 forward Northwestern
7. Kyle Kelm 6'10 forward Randolph- Versatile big man that moves well and can knock down the three point shot.
8. Tre Creamer 6'4 guard Madison Memorial- Long lanky guard that can get to the rim using his length and has a very nice floater.
9. Donnie Hissa 6'8 forward Northwestern- Versatile big man that rebounds well and can shoot the three point shot.
10. Taylor Cameron 6'4 guard Oshkosh North- Uptempo lead guard that has a very nice floater in the lane and makes great decisions.
HM
Terry Taylor 5'9 guard Milwaukee Washington
Brett Meinecke 6'1 guard Hamiliton Sussex
Kamero Cerroni 6'2 guard Hamiliton Sussex
Sophomores
1. Nimrod Hilliard 5'11 guard Madison East- Great lead guard with a killer cross over, nice outside shot, and isn't afraid to go inside and score.
2. Queyvn Winters 6'4 forward Milwaukee Washington- Very solid in the post and can run the court.
3. Ben Stelzer 6'0 guard Manitowoc Roncalli- Sharp shooter that moves very well without the ball.
4. Noah Baryenbruch 6'0 guard River Valley- Solid point guard that goes to the hoop strong.
5. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 guard Monroe- Another sharpshooter, that moves well without the ball but, can also go in the post and score.
6. Alex Richard 6'4 forward River Valley- Banger on the inside that rebounds well and isn't afraid to get physical. Scores well with his back to the hoop.
7. Matt Savastki 6'2 guard Benton- Guy that can play inside or outside and can shoot the three well.
8. Brian Kampstra 6'3 forward Randolph- Solid defender and can knock down the three.
9. Michael Barrett 6'1 guard Monroe- Solid guard that can create his own shot and plays good defense.
10. Mark Kowalke 6'5 forward Baraboo- Very solid in the post and can shoot the three.
HM
Connor Miller 6'0 guard Eau Claire Regis
Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 forward Sun Prairie
Beau Murray 6'2 guard Waunakee
Freshmen
1. Junior Lomomba 6'4 forward Madison Memorial- Very good at running the base line and finding the holes in the defense and good rebounder.
2. Tony Mayfield 5'9 guard Milwaukee Washington- Very good defender and can knock down the three.
3. J.P. Tokoto 6'4 forward Menomonee Falls- Versatile player that can do it all.
4. Zak Showalter 6'1 guard Germantown- Three point sharpshooter that isn't afraid to stick his nose in their and go after the loose balls.
5. Dalton Sjong 6'3 forward Westosha Central- Very strong post player on both offense and defense.
6. Jamall Taylor 6'0 guard Whitefish Bay Dominican- Great three point shooter that can also handle the ball.
7. Davis Neis 5'10 guard Benton- Great three point shooter that moves very well without the ball.
8. Larry Fitzgerald 6'2 forward Milwaukee Pius- Does a little bit of everything for his team.
9. Josh Mongan 5'9 guard Germantown- Solid point guard that handles the ball very well.
10. Steve Teschner 6'2 forward Milwaukee Pius- Goes to the hoop very hard and can score.
Well those are my final rankings of the year. There may be some disagreement on where I rank players because my rankings are only on based on the games I've actually seen. If I was to rank the players based on what I've heard I might rank the players differently. Well I've got a couple more topics to talk about before I'm done with my basketball topic and then its on to softball talk and the summer where my blog really gets weak and the post are few and far between and aren't always the best of most interesting.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Final Team Rankings
I have neglected my rankings of teams and players for almost a month now so, I figured I might as well do a final round of rankings since the season is now over. As always I will only be taking in to account games that I've actually seen played. This may mean that a team may of beaten another team but, I won't be taking those games into consideration and the team that lost the head to head match up may actually be ranked higher then the other team. As always I will have in ( ) how many times I've seen each team play. Well here are my rankings...
1. Humble Christian Life Texas (1)- A team that could probably compete will smaller college teams. They have two guys that are ranked nationally and four guys that are for sure going to D1 colleges. They play a national schedule and are head and shoulders above any team in Wisconsin.
2. Madison Memorial (12)- They won state and were impressive doing it. They are another team that has a possible four D1 college athletes and have the number one senior, junior, and freshmen in the state. Easy the most athletic team in the state and best rebounding.
3. Bay Port (2)- Pushed Memorial to the limit in the state semi final game and play great as a team. Every player on their team can shoot and can played a slow paced game, as well as the fast paced game.
4. Racine Horlick (4)- Have a big front line that are extremely athletic and can get up and block shots, and are extremely versatile. Point guard Davontae Mullen gives them a solid lead guard.
5. Oshkosh North (3)- One player puts this team here. Tank Johnson. Tank is just a beast in the post and controls the paint on both ends of the court. Taylor Cameron runs the offense very well and is surround by a bunch of very good role players.
6. Milwakuee Washington (2)- Very athletic team that plays very tough in your face defense and loves to push the tempo. When they aren't getting out and running they can knock down the three. Lost to Oshkosh North because they had a bad game and had no answer for Tank Johnson on the inside.
7. Germantown (1)- Team with a lot of size on the inside and shoot the three very well from the outside. Led by D1 recruit Ben Averkamp.
8. Waunakee (6)- Very similar to Bay Port in that they are very team oriented and have great depth. In the six games I've seen them play they've had five different leading scorers. They can go nine or ten deep and not lose a thing.
9. Madison East (4)- Were the only team to beat Madison Memorial this year. Another team with a lot of depth and actually go to their bench late in games. Marquis Mason and Nimord Hilliard form one of the best inside, outside punches in the state.
10 Beloit (4)- Very athletic team that loves to get up and down the court and play aggressive defense and have two very solid big man on the inside. Another team that is very balanced.
11. Wisconsin Lutheran (2)- Flavian Davis is an absolute star and will be a D1 athlete. The rest of the team are very solid roll players and play great defense.
12. Waukesha Catholic Memorial (1)- Very fundamentally sound team, that is solid in all areas and have a very good guard in TJ Bray.
13. Verona (4)- Another very balanced team that is very fundamentally sound and rebound exceptionally well, which is led by Jason Ziemer who is just a tireless work on the boards and scoring on the inside.
14. Racine St. Catherines (3)- Play some of the best defense of any team in the state and have a very solid starting five guys who can all score from anywhere on the court.
15. Northwestern(1)- Very tall team that has a very nice inside out where they use their height on the inside or to shoot over smaller defenders. Steve Tecker is a great player that can do a little bit of everything.
HM
Fond du lac
Whitefish Bay Dominican
Monroe
Wauwatosa East
Division rankings are only based on Wisconsin teams.
D1
1. Madison Memorial
2. Bay Port
3. Racine Horlick
4. Oshkosh North
5. Milwaukee Washington
6. Germantown
7. Waunakee
8. Madison East
9. Beloit
10. Verona
HM
Fond du Lac
Wauwatosa East
Eau Claire North
D2
1. Wisconsin Lutheran
2. Waukesha Catholic Memoria
3. Northwestern
4. Monroe (5)- May not be the tallest team but, they play the hardest. Mitch Tordoff can go off for 30 points in any game.
5. Appleton Xavier (2)- Team with a lot of depth, that likes to get out and run, and typically has four guys that play like guards on the court at one time.
6. Madison Edgewood (2)- Another undersized team that plays extremely hard and shoot the three very well.
7. Wisconsin Dells (8)- Very physically team that plays very tough defense. Jade Royston is the type of player that can put a team on his back.
8. River Valley(2)- Very balanced team that has some guards that aren't afraid to take the big shots in crunch time. Along with their great guards have some big guys that battle on the inside and rebound well.
9. Reedsburg (3)- Have a great big three in the sharpshooting Mazur brothers and the super athletic Jordan VanCleave.
10. Portage (1)- Hardnosed team, that have good shoots in John Loomans and Kevin Hurd and have a solid inside game with big man Darrell Anderson.
HM
Mauston (1)
D3
1. Racine St. Catherines
2. Whitefish Bay Dominican (1)- Jerrell Harris is impossible to stay in front of and he has an entire team that he can dish the ball to and knock down the three. Athletic team that is also fundamentally sound and box out very well.
3. Lacrosse Aquinas (2)- Jimmy Whitehead is another guy that can get to the rim at well and the rest of the team is just very solid on defense and rebounding.
4. Marshall (1)- Big athletic team that loves to push the ball and take a lot of shots and they get a ton of offensive rebounds and second chance points.
5. Eau Claire Regis (1)- Yes I know Fall Creek beat them twice but, Regis just looked like the better team when I saw each team. Very sound in the offensive they run and are very patient and take good shots.
6. Cuba City (1)- Evan Richard can light it up and could probably average 30 a game if he wanted and didn't sit during blow out games. Joe Scweigert is a good second option that can score on the inside.
7. Manitowoc Roncalli (1)- Shoot lots of threes and every guy on the team can shoot them with the exception of their big man who rebounds well.
8. Fall Creek (1)- Didn't look great in their game against St. Cats. Have two big man with good size that are very versatile.
9. Brookfield Academy (1)- Have two solid guards and have a fairly tall team.
D4
1. Randolph (2)- Yes they didn't win state or even make it there but, I still think their the best team in D4 and if they hadn't had a bad game would of won state. Kelm and Tillema are just too good when their on.
2. Benton (3)- Team that likes to get up and down the court and love to shoot the threes, which they shoot very well.
3. Wisconsin Rapids Assumption (2)- 1-3-1 defense is one of the best zone defenses I've seen and Alex Erdman is a big time scorer.
4. Burlington Catholic Central (1)- Solid defensive team and shoot the three well enough.
5. Blair Taylor (1)- Have a good inside out game. Ball handling is a question but, once they get in their offense their pretty solid and shoot the ball well.
6. St. Mary Central (1)- Very good spot up shooters and have a solid inside game.
7. Williams Bay (1)- Honestly the only other D4 team I've seen so they get the call here.
Well there are my final rankings and as I had mentioned early I do have some teams ranked higher then teams that have beaten them but, I'm only going by games that I've seen because I have no idea what happened in the games I didn't see. Was a player hurt, foul trouble, or just a plain bad game played. Tomorrow will hopefully be player rankings if I get a chance.
1. Humble Christian Life Texas (1)- A team that could probably compete will smaller college teams. They have two guys that are ranked nationally and four guys that are for sure going to D1 colleges. They play a national schedule and are head and shoulders above any team in Wisconsin.
2. Madison Memorial (12)- They won state and were impressive doing it. They are another team that has a possible four D1 college athletes and have the number one senior, junior, and freshmen in the state. Easy the most athletic team in the state and best rebounding.
3. Bay Port (2)- Pushed Memorial to the limit in the state semi final game and play great as a team. Every player on their team can shoot and can played a slow paced game, as well as the fast paced game.
4. Racine Horlick (4)- Have a big front line that are extremely athletic and can get up and block shots, and are extremely versatile. Point guard Davontae Mullen gives them a solid lead guard.
5. Oshkosh North (3)- One player puts this team here. Tank Johnson. Tank is just a beast in the post and controls the paint on both ends of the court. Taylor Cameron runs the offense very well and is surround by a bunch of very good role players.
6. Milwakuee Washington (2)- Very athletic team that plays very tough in your face defense and loves to push the tempo. When they aren't getting out and running they can knock down the three. Lost to Oshkosh North because they had a bad game and had no answer for Tank Johnson on the inside.
7. Germantown (1)- Team with a lot of size on the inside and shoot the three very well from the outside. Led by D1 recruit Ben Averkamp.
8. Waunakee (6)- Very similar to Bay Port in that they are very team oriented and have great depth. In the six games I've seen them play they've had five different leading scorers. They can go nine or ten deep and not lose a thing.
9. Madison East (4)- Were the only team to beat Madison Memorial this year. Another team with a lot of depth and actually go to their bench late in games. Marquis Mason and Nimord Hilliard form one of the best inside, outside punches in the state.
10 Beloit (4)- Very athletic team that loves to get up and down the court and play aggressive defense and have two very solid big man on the inside. Another team that is very balanced.
11. Wisconsin Lutheran (2)- Flavian Davis is an absolute star and will be a D1 athlete. The rest of the team are very solid roll players and play great defense.
12. Waukesha Catholic Memorial (1)- Very fundamentally sound team, that is solid in all areas and have a very good guard in TJ Bray.
13. Verona (4)- Another very balanced team that is very fundamentally sound and rebound exceptionally well, which is led by Jason Ziemer who is just a tireless work on the boards and scoring on the inside.
14. Racine St. Catherines (3)- Play some of the best defense of any team in the state and have a very solid starting five guys who can all score from anywhere on the court.
15. Northwestern(1)- Very tall team that has a very nice inside out where they use their height on the inside or to shoot over smaller defenders. Steve Tecker is a great player that can do a little bit of everything.
HM
Fond du lac
Whitefish Bay Dominican
Monroe
Wauwatosa East
Division rankings are only based on Wisconsin teams.
D1
1. Madison Memorial
2. Bay Port
3. Racine Horlick
4. Oshkosh North
5. Milwaukee Washington
6. Germantown
7. Waunakee
8. Madison East
9. Beloit
10. Verona
HM
Fond du Lac
Wauwatosa East
Eau Claire North
D2
1. Wisconsin Lutheran
2. Waukesha Catholic Memoria
3. Northwestern
4. Monroe (5)- May not be the tallest team but, they play the hardest. Mitch Tordoff can go off for 30 points in any game.
5. Appleton Xavier (2)- Team with a lot of depth, that likes to get out and run, and typically has four guys that play like guards on the court at one time.
6. Madison Edgewood (2)- Another undersized team that plays extremely hard and shoot the three very well.
7. Wisconsin Dells (8)- Very physically team that plays very tough defense. Jade Royston is the type of player that can put a team on his back.
8. River Valley(2)- Very balanced team that has some guards that aren't afraid to take the big shots in crunch time. Along with their great guards have some big guys that battle on the inside and rebound well.
9. Reedsburg (3)- Have a great big three in the sharpshooting Mazur brothers and the super athletic Jordan VanCleave.
10. Portage (1)- Hardnosed team, that have good shoots in John Loomans and Kevin Hurd and have a solid inside game with big man Darrell Anderson.
HM
Mauston (1)
D3
1. Racine St. Catherines
2. Whitefish Bay Dominican (1)- Jerrell Harris is impossible to stay in front of and he has an entire team that he can dish the ball to and knock down the three. Athletic team that is also fundamentally sound and box out very well.
3. Lacrosse Aquinas (2)- Jimmy Whitehead is another guy that can get to the rim at well and the rest of the team is just very solid on defense and rebounding.
4. Marshall (1)- Big athletic team that loves to push the ball and take a lot of shots and they get a ton of offensive rebounds and second chance points.
5. Eau Claire Regis (1)- Yes I know Fall Creek beat them twice but, Regis just looked like the better team when I saw each team. Very sound in the offensive they run and are very patient and take good shots.
6. Cuba City (1)- Evan Richard can light it up and could probably average 30 a game if he wanted and didn't sit during blow out games. Joe Scweigert is a good second option that can score on the inside.
7. Manitowoc Roncalli (1)- Shoot lots of threes and every guy on the team can shoot them with the exception of their big man who rebounds well.
8. Fall Creek (1)- Didn't look great in their game against St. Cats. Have two big man with good size that are very versatile.
9. Brookfield Academy (1)- Have two solid guards and have a fairly tall team.
D4
1. Randolph (2)- Yes they didn't win state or even make it there but, I still think their the best team in D4 and if they hadn't had a bad game would of won state. Kelm and Tillema are just too good when their on.
2. Benton (3)- Team that likes to get up and down the court and love to shoot the threes, which they shoot very well.
3. Wisconsin Rapids Assumption (2)- 1-3-1 defense is one of the best zone defenses I've seen and Alex Erdman is a big time scorer.
4. Burlington Catholic Central (1)- Solid defensive team and shoot the three well enough.
5. Blair Taylor (1)- Have a good inside out game. Ball handling is a question but, once they get in their offense their pretty solid and shoot the ball well.
6. St. Mary Central (1)- Very good spot up shooters and have a solid inside game.
7. Williams Bay (1)- Honestly the only other D4 team I've seen so they get the call here.
Well there are my final rankings and as I had mentioned early I do have some teams ranked higher then teams that have beaten them but, I'm only going by games that I've seen because I have no idea what happened in the games I didn't see. Was a player hurt, foul trouble, or just a plain bad game played. Tomorrow will hopefully be player rankings if I get a chance.
Monday, March 23, 2009
State Championship All Tournamet Team
Well I figure everyone probably watched the state championship games this weekend. In the lower three divisions the teams expected to win won without much problems with the exception of Wisconsin Lutheran out lasting Northwestern by one point. After watching a full weekend of games here are my all tournament team from the state championship games.
1st Team
Vander Blue 6'4 junior Madison Memorial- Was a dunking machine this weekend, knocking down three pointers, and simply took over their quarter final game against Germantown.
Mitch Tordoff 6'0 senior Monroe- Set the scoring record for division two state tournament and was money all day from long range.
Flavian Davis 6'4 junior Wisconsin Lutheran- Was the go to player all weekend for Wisconsin Lutheran. Basically carried them offensively at times in the championship game.
Jeronne Maymon 6'7 senior Madison Memorial- Dominated the boards all tournament long and really turned on the offensive game in the championship game.
Jamil Wilson 6'7 senior Racine Horlick- A shot blocking machine all tournament long and looked like a pro player handling the ball and knocking down jumpers.
2nd Team
Jake Hottenstine 6'3 senior Bay Port- Really opened some eyes this weekend as he was extremely impressive shooting the ball and jumping out of the gym dunking, rebounding, or blocking shots.
Tank Johnson 6'5 senior Oshkosh North- Just a absolute beast on the inside. Without him there is no way North would of beaten Washington or been in the game against Horlick.
Jake Thomas 6'3 senior Racine St. Catherines- Just couldn't miss in the first game and was just slightly less impressive against in the championship game.
Antwon Oliver 6'5 senior Racine Horlick- Was right there with Wilson in blocking a ton of shots. At times when Wilson was in foul trouble really carried the team.
Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 senior Lacrosse Aquinas- Nearly impossible to keep him from getting to the hoop when he really wanted to. Had the best cross over of the weekend.
3rd Team
Alex Erdmann 6'2 senior Wisconsin Rapids Assumption- Was the key to the Assumption 1-3-1 defense with his long arms and could score at will in their first game.
Jordan Hendricks 6'1 senior Benton- Was the one guy hitting the shots, when no one else was hitting.
Davonte Mullen 5'10 junior Racine Horlick- Was the difference in their game against Eau Claire North getting in the lane and scoring and was able to knock down the three all weekend long.
PJ Marion 5'10 senior Wisconsin Lutheran- Was money from long range all weekend long and forced Northwestern to put a box and one on him which really opened things up for teammate Davis.
Steve Tecker 6'5 junior Northwestern- Was by far the most impressive player that only played in one game. Was able to get to the rim at will and was pretty solid battling against Flavian Davis.
Well there are my picks for all tournament team for this weekend. This was a great weekend of basketball and the season has sadly come to an end.
1st Team
Vander Blue 6'4 junior Madison Memorial- Was a dunking machine this weekend, knocking down three pointers, and simply took over their quarter final game against Germantown.
Mitch Tordoff 6'0 senior Monroe- Set the scoring record for division two state tournament and was money all day from long range.
Flavian Davis 6'4 junior Wisconsin Lutheran- Was the go to player all weekend for Wisconsin Lutheran. Basically carried them offensively at times in the championship game.
Jeronne Maymon 6'7 senior Madison Memorial- Dominated the boards all tournament long and really turned on the offensive game in the championship game.
Jamil Wilson 6'7 senior Racine Horlick- A shot blocking machine all tournament long and looked like a pro player handling the ball and knocking down jumpers.
2nd Team
Jake Hottenstine 6'3 senior Bay Port- Really opened some eyes this weekend as he was extremely impressive shooting the ball and jumping out of the gym dunking, rebounding, or blocking shots.
Tank Johnson 6'5 senior Oshkosh North- Just a absolute beast on the inside. Without him there is no way North would of beaten Washington or been in the game against Horlick.
Jake Thomas 6'3 senior Racine St. Catherines- Just couldn't miss in the first game and was just slightly less impressive against in the championship game.
Antwon Oliver 6'5 senior Racine Horlick- Was right there with Wilson in blocking a ton of shots. At times when Wilson was in foul trouble really carried the team.
Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 senior Lacrosse Aquinas- Nearly impossible to keep him from getting to the hoop when he really wanted to. Had the best cross over of the weekend.
3rd Team
Alex Erdmann 6'2 senior Wisconsin Rapids Assumption- Was the key to the Assumption 1-3-1 defense with his long arms and could score at will in their first game.
Jordan Hendricks 6'1 senior Benton- Was the one guy hitting the shots, when no one else was hitting.
Davonte Mullen 5'10 junior Racine Horlick- Was the difference in their game against Eau Claire North getting in the lane and scoring and was able to knock down the three all weekend long.
PJ Marion 5'10 senior Wisconsin Lutheran- Was money from long range all weekend long and forced Northwestern to put a box and one on him which really opened things up for teammate Davis.
Steve Tecker 6'5 junior Northwestern- Was by far the most impressive player that only played in one game. Was able to get to the rim at will and was pretty solid battling against Flavian Davis.
Well there are my picks for all tournament team for this weekend. This was a great weekend of basketball and the season has sadly come to an end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)