On Saturday night I was able to get the rare chance to catch a Milwaukee school play north of Madison as Milwaukee Washington took down Waunakee. This game was a fairly sloppy game throughout. Milwaukee Washington wanted to push the tempo both offensively and defensively and Waunakee seemed to have no problem with playing the same way, which led to a lot of turnovers and led to scrums on the court at times, as it appeared no one could hang on to the ball.
Honestly there wasn't a ton to say about the game as it wasn't real intense game due to the lack of crowd and the game was never that close late in the game. It seemed Washington would get out to a 10 point lead and then Waunakee would cut it to six but, would never get any closer. Early in the game Washington really looked to there star 6'5 junior Quevyn Winters. Winters knocked down a three and then showed some nice moves in the post. Winter also was very solid on the glass getting some second chance buckets. For Waunakee their best offense was the offensive rebound and were led by 6'4 junior Austin Maly who had the first seven points for Waunakee most of which coming from second chance points.
In the second half Waunakee continued to struggle but, they did manage to hit four three pointers which kept them in the game. Washington continued to push the tempo which resulted it lots of lay ups. Senior point guard 5'11 Terry Taylor was able to use his superior ball handling skills to get to the rim and score. The player that benefited the most from the uptempo game was 6'1 junior Melvin Cook who used his athleticism to score in one on one settings going to the hoop. Waunakee's two junior stars 6'2 Jared Staege and 6'3 Beau Murray were kept in check most of the game. I don't know if it was Washington's defense or just bad games by each of the players. Staege had more turnovers then normal and couldn't buy a basket and Murray just didn't seem to have the ability to get by his defender. In the end Washington won by a seven point margin 63-56 which was basically the spread the entire game.
Top Players
Melvin Cook 6'1 junior Milwaukee Washington- Used his superior athletic ability to score at the rim.
Quevyn Winters 6'5 junior Milwaukee Washington- Easily the best player on the court. Used his size to score on the inside and showed a nice floater. Very heady player that doesn't make a lot of mistakes.
Terry Taylor 5'11 senior Milwaukee Washington- Superior ball handling skills that allowed him to beat his defender off the dribble. Has very quick hands that allow him to knock balls away.
Austin Maly 6'4 junior Waunakee- Very tough on the inside and was able to get second and third chance buckets.
Box Score starters in italics
Washington- Winters 19 Cook 13 Taylor 11 DeAndre Harris 10 Gederick Williams 4 Antonio Mayfield 3 Derrick Williams 2 John Cathy-Macklin 2 Ray Vonn Posey 0
Waunakee- Maly 14 Jacob Soper 11 Nick Soper 10 Murray 9 Staege 6 Cole Cefalu 5 Kyle Newhouse 2 Austin Prusha 0
Was very interesting to see a Milwaukee school coming up to the "North" and playing. Prior to this game I thought Washington would once again wind up at state but, after watching this game I'm not so sure and it will be a very tough sectional as always as Washington will have to battle, King, Riverside, and South just to get out of their sectional.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Madison East gains sole possession of conference lead
I didn't see Madison East's two losses but, when I have seen East play they really seem to be on a mission to get to state and make a push for the title. Combine that with a Madison Memorial loss on Friday and their roller coaster play all year long, East seems more and more likely to win conference and to represent the Middleton Sectional at state, which has been dominated by Memorial as of late. Despite all this I'm still somewhat unsure of picking East to get to state. I feel that if Marquis Mason or Nimrod Hillard get in foul trouble or injured East will have a hard time beating some of the top teams in their conference and sectional.
Yes I did imply that East is a two man team but, in the game against Sun Prairie Friday night the rest of the team came up huge and really showed that they can make the plays when called upon. Mason and Hillard where their normal impressive selves but, they just didn't need to score as much as a pair of seniors 6'2 Drew McAdams and 6'4 Jeff Hull came up very big in this game. Early on Hillard started out very strong using his killer cross over to get to the rim and was able to finish with a couple of very nice floaters. Hull was a nice sidekick to Hillard early on as Hull knocked down a pair of 15 footers and then showed some nice post moves on the inside to score. On the other side Sun Prairie's senior leader 6'2 Michael Boos was absolutely lighting it up early in the game. Boos was able to hit shots coming off the screen and off the dribble. End of first quarter was 15-15. In the second quarter McAdams made his appearance for East and was probably the player of the game. In the past McAdams always struggled with his outside shooting but, tonight he just couldn't miss as he was hitting threes and deep twos all night long. Boos got some help from his teammates from long range as 5'11 junior Jaron Schaffner and 6'4 freshmen Nick Fuller each hit at least one three point shot. This game was really back and forth as the halftime score was East up 32-30.
In the second half East went cold from the field and started turning the ball over and only scored nine points. Sun Prairie was able to take advantage of this as Schaffner was able to get to the hoop and score, while Fuller was able to keep up the hot outside shooting. This was good for Sun Praire because Boos basically disappeared in the second half. SP also got a nice push from their bench as 6'4 junior Daniel Mifflin scored six points all in the third quarter I believe. This all led to a 44-41 Sun Prairie lead after three quarters. In the fourth quarter East was able to take the lead back for good behind their strong rebounding from Mason, McAdams, and Hull. McAdams really showed up big as he continued his torrid shooting from the outside and made all the little plays. McAdams was on a two on one break away and when it appeared his was going in for the layup he found teammate Nimrod Hillard with a beautiful behind the back pass. Then on a missed Mason free throw, McAdams was able to secure a rebound from four Sun Prairie defenders and get fouled and go back to the line. The final play was where Mc Adams dove for a loose ball with about 15 seconds left and he couldn't find an open teammate for he just threw the ball over his head to the other end of the court running about eight seconds off the clock. Game was sealed when Jaron Schaffner drove the lane and Mason blocked the shot off the backboard and then the ball hit Schaffner in the back of the foot and the ball went out of bounds.
Top Players
Nimrod Hillard 6'0 junior Madison East- Best cross over in the state and showcased a very floater in the lane.
Drew Mc Adams 6'2 senior Madison East- Basically said it all. Shot the lights out and did all the little things to key the victory.
Jeff Hull 6'4 senior Madison East- Was able to hit the 15 foot jumper and showed some very nice moves in the post with his back to the basket.
Marquis Mason 6'4 senior Madison East- Did it all tonight. Dominated the paint on the offensive and defensive end. Had 13 points, double digit rebounds, and probably a handful of blocks.
Jaron Schaffner 5'11 junior Sun Prairie- Came off the bench with 14 points. Hit the outside shoot and wasn't afraid to penetrate to the inside and score.
Michael Boos 6'2 senior Sun Prairie- Couldn't miss in the first half, hitting everything he put up. Did kind of disappear in the second half though.
Nick Fuller 6'4 freshmen Sun Prairie- Had a very nice night shooting from the outside lead the team with 15 points.
Box Score starters in Italics
Madison East- Hillard 16 Mc Adams 16 Mason 13 Hull 12 Rudly Bentley 4 Durley 2
Sun Prairie- Fuller 15 Schaffner 14 Boos 13 Jordan Noskowiak 7 Mifflin 6 Chris Hawkins 2 William Thiel 0 Chris Kujawski 0
It appears that Madison East is looking to get their playoff rotation set as they only went six deep in the game. East looks very impressive and like I said earlier appears to be ready to make a run at a state title and they could very well do just that. Sun Prairie is a very confusing team. Against teams like East and Memorial they play extremely close but, then they will lose to teams that are middle of the road teams. They will probably make a decent run in the playoffs and beat some decent teams specially considering they are in the toughest sectional in the state.
Yes I did imply that East is a two man team but, in the game against Sun Prairie Friday night the rest of the team came up huge and really showed that they can make the plays when called upon. Mason and Hillard where their normal impressive selves but, they just didn't need to score as much as a pair of seniors 6'2 Drew McAdams and 6'4 Jeff Hull came up very big in this game. Early on Hillard started out very strong using his killer cross over to get to the rim and was able to finish with a couple of very nice floaters. Hull was a nice sidekick to Hillard early on as Hull knocked down a pair of 15 footers and then showed some nice post moves on the inside to score. On the other side Sun Prairie's senior leader 6'2 Michael Boos was absolutely lighting it up early in the game. Boos was able to hit shots coming off the screen and off the dribble. End of first quarter was 15-15. In the second quarter McAdams made his appearance for East and was probably the player of the game. In the past McAdams always struggled with his outside shooting but, tonight he just couldn't miss as he was hitting threes and deep twos all night long. Boos got some help from his teammates from long range as 5'11 junior Jaron Schaffner and 6'4 freshmen Nick Fuller each hit at least one three point shot. This game was really back and forth as the halftime score was East up 32-30.
In the second half East went cold from the field and started turning the ball over and only scored nine points. Sun Prairie was able to take advantage of this as Schaffner was able to get to the hoop and score, while Fuller was able to keep up the hot outside shooting. This was good for Sun Praire because Boos basically disappeared in the second half. SP also got a nice push from their bench as 6'4 junior Daniel Mifflin scored six points all in the third quarter I believe. This all led to a 44-41 Sun Prairie lead after three quarters. In the fourth quarter East was able to take the lead back for good behind their strong rebounding from Mason, McAdams, and Hull. McAdams really showed up big as he continued his torrid shooting from the outside and made all the little plays. McAdams was on a two on one break away and when it appeared his was going in for the layup he found teammate Nimrod Hillard with a beautiful behind the back pass. Then on a missed Mason free throw, McAdams was able to secure a rebound from four Sun Prairie defenders and get fouled and go back to the line. The final play was where Mc Adams dove for a loose ball with about 15 seconds left and he couldn't find an open teammate for he just threw the ball over his head to the other end of the court running about eight seconds off the clock. Game was sealed when Jaron Schaffner drove the lane and Mason blocked the shot off the backboard and then the ball hit Schaffner in the back of the foot and the ball went out of bounds.
Top Players
Nimrod Hillard 6'0 junior Madison East- Best cross over in the state and showcased a very floater in the lane.
Drew Mc Adams 6'2 senior Madison East- Basically said it all. Shot the lights out and did all the little things to key the victory.
Jeff Hull 6'4 senior Madison East- Was able to hit the 15 foot jumper and showed some very nice moves in the post with his back to the basket.
Marquis Mason 6'4 senior Madison East- Did it all tonight. Dominated the paint on the offensive and defensive end. Had 13 points, double digit rebounds, and probably a handful of blocks.
Jaron Schaffner 5'11 junior Sun Prairie- Came off the bench with 14 points. Hit the outside shoot and wasn't afraid to penetrate to the inside and score.
Michael Boos 6'2 senior Sun Prairie- Couldn't miss in the first half, hitting everything he put up. Did kind of disappear in the second half though.
Nick Fuller 6'4 freshmen Sun Prairie- Had a very nice night shooting from the outside lead the team with 15 points.
Box Score starters in Italics
Madison East- Hillard 16 Mc Adams 16 Mason 13 Hull 12 Rudly Bentley 4 Durley 2
Sun Prairie- Fuller 15 Schaffner 14 Boos 13 Jordan Noskowiak 7 Mifflin 6 Chris Hawkins 2 William Thiel 0 Chris Kujawski 0
It appears that Madison East is looking to get their playoff rotation set as they only went six deep in the game. East looks very impressive and like I said earlier appears to be ready to make a run at a state title and they could very well do just that. Sun Prairie is a very confusing team. Against teams like East and Memorial they play extremely close but, then they will lose to teams that are middle of the road teams. They will probably make a decent run in the playoffs and beat some decent teams specially considering they are in the toughest sectional in the state.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Round Two Rankings
Still haven't seen another game so figured I might as well focus on my new player rankings. I haven't seen a ton of new players but, have see some players numerous times which allows me to get a better read on that players. As always only in state players are considered for class rank. My rankings of 1-3 could just about go any way 1 through 3 but, it came down to one was the player that has been huge at the end of every game. That player is Nimrod Hillard, who has probably been more valuable to his team than any player in the state.
Overall Rankings
1. Nimrod Hillard 6'0 junior Madison East- Possibly the best ball handler I've seen this year with a killer cross over. Can finish at the rim with a variety of moves and always comes up huge at the end of games. He also hits his free throws and can knock down the three.
2. Vander Blue 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Hasn't had a great year but, has really shown that he can do alittle bit of everything. Has shown that at the end of games he can absolutely take games over. Three point shooting is greatly improved and has some very nice handles with the ball. When he really goes for rebounds he is head and shoulders above everyone else and on any given night he is probably the best athlete on the court.
3. Marquis Mason 6'4 senior Madison East- Another guy that is probably the best athlete on the court night in and night out. Can control a game without even scoring and can jump out of the gym. Best shot blocker, rebounder, and dunker I've seen this year. When he gets the ball in the post nearly impossible to stop without fouling. Can occasionally step out and hit the outside shot.
4. Austin Armga 6'3 senior Waupun- Most impressive scorer I've seen this year. Nearly impossible to stay in front of and when he gets inside the free throw line he's going to score.
5. Tre Edwards 6'1 senior Racine Park- Another guard that finishes at the rim extremely well and in a variety of ways. Also has very very quick hands and uses them effectively to pick off passes.
6. Keith Sconiers 6'3 senior Oak Lawn Richards IL- Is very good with the ball in his hands. Loves to get out and run and can stop on a dime and hit the jumper or the three point shot.
7. Josh Gasser 6'4 senior Port Washington- Another kid that can do a little bit of everything and can take over a game without scoring. Runs the point, is one of the top rebounders on the team, and does average 20 plus points a game when he does score.
8. Tre Creamer 6'2 senior Madison Memorial- Has really formed a great 1 2 punch with Vander Blue. Can slash to the rim and score anytime he wants and this year he is finally starting to knock down the three point shot. Is the vocal leader for this team.
9. Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 junior Sun Prairie- When he can get his feet set he's going to knock down the outside shot. Comes off the screen very well and players very good tough defense.
10. Trevor Jorgenson 6'7 junior Lacrosse Logan- Big man with an extremely soft touch around the rim. Very solid get that uses his size to dominate the boards.
11. Brett Meinecke 6'2 senior Sussex Hamiliton- Very heading point guard that really looks for his teammates and keeps the offense balanced. Knocks down the three and can get to the rim and score.
12. Chad Mazur 6'3 junior Reedsburg- Absolute gunner shooting the ball, specially when he is coming off a screen. Can get his shot off at any time.
13. Sam Karls 6'4 senior Verona- Great defender that guards some of the best players in the state night in and night out. Loves to get physical on the inside and battle for rebounds. Good jumper and can knock down the three if given the open look.
14. Zach Zweifel 6'0 junior Monona Grove- Another big time scorer with a very nice mid range jump shot and can penetrate to the inside and score. Has an engine that doesn't quit.
15. Jared Staege 6'2 junior Waunakee- Most improved player I've seen this year. Is a true point guard and does a great job of running the team. Can finish at the rim very well and when given the hope three can hit it.
16. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 junior Monroe- Does a great job of coming off the screen setting his feet and hitting the shot. Great outside shooter but, also does a good job of posting up fellow guards and scoring on the inside.
17. Beau Murray 6'3 junior Waunakee- Very good penetrater that can get to the rim and score or get fouled and then go to the line where he always hits the free throws.
18. Ryan Solberg 6'6 senior Waukesha West- Tall long player with a very nice outside shot and runs the court very well.
19. Justin Ward 6'4 senior Wisconsin Dells- Long lanky player that shoots the three very well but, also handles the ball pretty well and can driver to the hoop and score.
20. Jackson Retzlaff 5'11 senior Monona Grove- Very good three point shooter and is a big time scorer.
21. Johnny Coenen 5'8 junior Appleton East- Ultimate pass first point guard and I love these type of players. Despite his size is able to get his shot at anytime and does a great job of setting up his teammates.
22. Andrew Schwoerer 6'4 senior Valders- Big man that controls the offensive and defensive boards. He runs the court very well and has soft hands and very nice footwork for a big man.
23. Derrick Cook 6'0 senior Milwaukee South- Big time scorer that doesn't dominate the ball and picks his time to score. Despite being only six foot does a great job of battling on the inside with far bigger players.
24. Nate Gibson 6'9 senior Wisconsin Dells- Another big man with a soft touch around the rim and can finish with his left or right hand and shoots free throws very well.
25. Isaih Bridges 5'8 senior Racine Park- Another undersized guard that can get his shot off at any time and is a big time scorer.
HM
Adonis Bailey 6'3 senior Oak Lawn Richards
Ian Joyce 6'6 junior Middleton
Brian Krohn 6'2 senior Sussex Hamiliton
Senior Rankings
1. Vander Blue 6'3 Madison Memorial
2. Marquis Mason 6'4 Madison East
3. Austin Armga 6'3 Waupun
4. Tre Edwards 6'1 Racine Park
5. Josh Gasser 6'4 Port Washington
6. Tre Creamer 6'2 Madison Memorial
7. Brett Meinecke 6'2 Sussex Hamiliton
8. Sam Karls 6'4 Verona
9. Ryan Solberg 6'6 Waukesha West
10. Justin Ward 6'4 Wisconsin Dells
HM
Jackson Retzlaff 5'11 Monona Grove
Andrew Schwoerer 6'4 Valders
Derrick Cook 6'0 Milwaukee South
Junior Rankings
1. Nimrod Hillard 6'0 Madison East
2. Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 Sun Prairie
3. Trevor Jorgenson 6'7 Lacrosse Logan
4. Chad Mazur 6'3 Reedsburg
5. Zach Zweifel 6'0 Monona Grove
6. Jared Staege 6'2 Waunakee
7. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 Monroe
8. Beau Murray 6'3 Waunakee
9. Johnny Coenen 5'8 Appleton East
10. Ian Joyce 6'6 Middleton- Gets position on the inside at will and is able to get the easy buckets and score. Also runs the court very well.
HM
Chris Hawkins 6'4 Sun Prairie
Mark Kowalke 6'6 Baraboo
Sophomore Rankings
1. Junior Lomomba 6'4 Madison Memorial- Back from his injury and isn't quite the same player as last year but, still the top of his class that I've seen. Has improved his ball handling and has looked very good in the post.
2.Sean McGann 6'3 Baraboo- Great athlete that can get to the rim and score. Also handles the ball very nicely.
3.Sam Mader 6'7 Appleton East- Big man that prefers to play like a guard handling the ball and shooting three but, can go to the inside and rebound.
4. Jamar Morris 6'4 Madison Memorial- Jumps out of the gym and absolutely dominates the inside at times.
5.Taron Edwards 5'10 Racine Park- Very ugly shot but, never seems to miss.
6. Vince Kube 6'2 Lacrosse Logan- Another athletic player that can shoot the mid range jump shot or get to the rim.
7. Sawyer Mosely 5'10 Port Washington- Handles the ball very well and is always looking for his teammates.
8. Rudy Bentley JR 5'7 Madison East- Another guy with great handles that can get anywhere he wants and isn't afraid to go up against bigger defenders.
9. Deion Jackson Body 5'8 Shorewood- Is a pretty solid outside shooter and handles the ball fairly well.
10.Brandon Hagenow 5'10 Sussex Hamiliton- Just a solid all around player that doesn't do much wrong and is a pretty good shooters
HM
Ryan Gerritson 6'3 Waupun
Freshmen Rankings
1. Brendan Ortiz 5'11 Madison Memorial- Heady point guard that runs the Spartans offensive really well and has a very nice shooting touch from the outside.
2. Nick Fuller 6'4 Sun Prairie- Guy that rebounds really well for a freshmen and shoots the spot up three pointer very well.
3. Austin Malone-Mitchell 5'8 Shorewood- Plays with lots of confidence and has a nice midrange game and can really put the ball in the hoop.
4. Shane Wimann 6'2 Wisconsin Dells- Looks like an upper classmen and plays like one too. Great rebounder and shoots the three well.
5. Joel Heesch 6'1 Mauston- Very smooth on the court, handles the ball, and shoots the three fairly well.
6. MJ Delmore 5'8 Wisconsin Dells- Very good point guard that does a nice job running the show, really looks to set teammates up, and shoots the three real well.
7. Alex Najeib 5'9 Shorewood- Really athletic kid that can do what he wants on the court. Does take some bad shots at times.
8. Brad Kenote 6'0 Rhinelander- Right now a hustler that doesn't look to shoot much but, has a nice shot and some pretty good ball handling.
9. Alex Barenklau 6'0 Monroe- Honestly don't remember much about this kid but, he was the only other freshmen that I saw that actually played.
Well there is my updated list of player rankings. I know there weren't a lot of changes but, like I said I haven't seen a lot of new players. Should have another updated list within the next week or two.
Overall Rankings
1. Nimrod Hillard 6'0 junior Madison East- Possibly the best ball handler I've seen this year with a killer cross over. Can finish at the rim with a variety of moves and always comes up huge at the end of games. He also hits his free throws and can knock down the three.
2. Vander Blue 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Hasn't had a great year but, has really shown that he can do alittle bit of everything. Has shown that at the end of games he can absolutely take games over. Three point shooting is greatly improved and has some very nice handles with the ball. When he really goes for rebounds he is head and shoulders above everyone else and on any given night he is probably the best athlete on the court.
3. Marquis Mason 6'4 senior Madison East- Another guy that is probably the best athlete on the court night in and night out. Can control a game without even scoring and can jump out of the gym. Best shot blocker, rebounder, and dunker I've seen this year. When he gets the ball in the post nearly impossible to stop without fouling. Can occasionally step out and hit the outside shot.
4. Austin Armga 6'3 senior Waupun- Most impressive scorer I've seen this year. Nearly impossible to stay in front of and when he gets inside the free throw line he's going to score.
5. Tre Edwards 6'1 senior Racine Park- Another guard that finishes at the rim extremely well and in a variety of ways. Also has very very quick hands and uses them effectively to pick off passes.
6. Keith Sconiers 6'3 senior Oak Lawn Richards IL- Is very good with the ball in his hands. Loves to get out and run and can stop on a dime and hit the jumper or the three point shot.
7. Josh Gasser 6'4 senior Port Washington- Another kid that can do a little bit of everything and can take over a game without scoring. Runs the point, is one of the top rebounders on the team, and does average 20 plus points a game when he does score.
8. Tre Creamer 6'2 senior Madison Memorial- Has really formed a great 1 2 punch with Vander Blue. Can slash to the rim and score anytime he wants and this year he is finally starting to knock down the three point shot. Is the vocal leader for this team.
9. Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 junior Sun Prairie- When he can get his feet set he's going to knock down the outside shot. Comes off the screen very well and players very good tough defense.
10. Trevor Jorgenson 6'7 junior Lacrosse Logan- Big man with an extremely soft touch around the rim. Very solid get that uses his size to dominate the boards.
11. Brett Meinecke 6'2 senior Sussex Hamiliton- Very heading point guard that really looks for his teammates and keeps the offense balanced. Knocks down the three and can get to the rim and score.
12. Chad Mazur 6'3 junior Reedsburg- Absolute gunner shooting the ball, specially when he is coming off a screen. Can get his shot off at any time.
13. Sam Karls 6'4 senior Verona- Great defender that guards some of the best players in the state night in and night out. Loves to get physical on the inside and battle for rebounds. Good jumper and can knock down the three if given the open look.
14. Zach Zweifel 6'0 junior Monona Grove- Another big time scorer with a very nice mid range jump shot and can penetrate to the inside and score. Has an engine that doesn't quit.
15. Jared Staege 6'2 junior Waunakee- Most improved player I've seen this year. Is a true point guard and does a great job of running the team. Can finish at the rim very well and when given the hope three can hit it.
16. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 junior Monroe- Does a great job of coming off the screen setting his feet and hitting the shot. Great outside shooter but, also does a good job of posting up fellow guards and scoring on the inside.
17. Beau Murray 6'3 junior Waunakee- Very good penetrater that can get to the rim and score or get fouled and then go to the line where he always hits the free throws.
18. Ryan Solberg 6'6 senior Waukesha West- Tall long player with a very nice outside shot and runs the court very well.
19. Justin Ward 6'4 senior Wisconsin Dells- Long lanky player that shoots the three very well but, also handles the ball pretty well and can driver to the hoop and score.
20. Jackson Retzlaff 5'11 senior Monona Grove- Very good three point shooter and is a big time scorer.
21. Johnny Coenen 5'8 junior Appleton East- Ultimate pass first point guard and I love these type of players. Despite his size is able to get his shot at anytime and does a great job of setting up his teammates.
22. Andrew Schwoerer 6'4 senior Valders- Big man that controls the offensive and defensive boards. He runs the court very well and has soft hands and very nice footwork for a big man.
23. Derrick Cook 6'0 senior Milwaukee South- Big time scorer that doesn't dominate the ball and picks his time to score. Despite being only six foot does a great job of battling on the inside with far bigger players.
24. Nate Gibson 6'9 senior Wisconsin Dells- Another big man with a soft touch around the rim and can finish with his left or right hand and shoots free throws very well.
25. Isaih Bridges 5'8 senior Racine Park- Another undersized guard that can get his shot off at any time and is a big time scorer.
HM
Adonis Bailey 6'3 senior Oak Lawn Richards
Ian Joyce 6'6 junior Middleton
Brian Krohn 6'2 senior Sussex Hamiliton
Senior Rankings
1. Vander Blue 6'3 Madison Memorial
2. Marquis Mason 6'4 Madison East
3. Austin Armga 6'3 Waupun
4. Tre Edwards 6'1 Racine Park
5. Josh Gasser 6'4 Port Washington
6. Tre Creamer 6'2 Madison Memorial
7. Brett Meinecke 6'2 Sussex Hamiliton
8. Sam Karls 6'4 Verona
9. Ryan Solberg 6'6 Waukesha West
10. Justin Ward 6'4 Wisconsin Dells
HM
Jackson Retzlaff 5'11 Monona Grove
Andrew Schwoerer 6'4 Valders
Derrick Cook 6'0 Milwaukee South
Junior Rankings
1. Nimrod Hillard 6'0 Madison East
2. Jordan Noskowiak 6'3 Sun Prairie
3. Trevor Jorgenson 6'7 Lacrosse Logan
4. Chad Mazur 6'3 Reedsburg
5. Zach Zweifel 6'0 Monona Grove
6. Jared Staege 6'2 Waunakee
7. Bryan Tordoff 6'0 Monroe
8. Beau Murray 6'3 Waunakee
9. Johnny Coenen 5'8 Appleton East
10. Ian Joyce 6'6 Middleton- Gets position on the inside at will and is able to get the easy buckets and score. Also runs the court very well.
HM
Chris Hawkins 6'4 Sun Prairie
Mark Kowalke 6'6 Baraboo
Sophomore Rankings
1. Junior Lomomba 6'4 Madison Memorial- Back from his injury and isn't quite the same player as last year but, still the top of his class that I've seen. Has improved his ball handling and has looked very good in the post.
2.Sean McGann 6'3 Baraboo- Great athlete that can get to the rim and score. Also handles the ball very nicely.
3.Sam Mader 6'7 Appleton East- Big man that prefers to play like a guard handling the ball and shooting three but, can go to the inside and rebound.
4. Jamar Morris 6'4 Madison Memorial- Jumps out of the gym and absolutely dominates the inside at times.
5.Taron Edwards 5'10 Racine Park- Very ugly shot but, never seems to miss.
6. Vince Kube 6'2 Lacrosse Logan- Another athletic player that can shoot the mid range jump shot or get to the rim.
7. Sawyer Mosely 5'10 Port Washington- Handles the ball very well and is always looking for his teammates.
8. Rudy Bentley JR 5'7 Madison East- Another guy with great handles that can get anywhere he wants and isn't afraid to go up against bigger defenders.
9. Deion Jackson Body 5'8 Shorewood- Is a pretty solid outside shooter and handles the ball fairly well.
10.Brandon Hagenow 5'10 Sussex Hamiliton- Just a solid all around player that doesn't do much wrong and is a pretty good shooters
HM
Ryan Gerritson 6'3 Waupun
Freshmen Rankings
1. Brendan Ortiz 5'11 Madison Memorial- Heady point guard that runs the Spartans offensive really well and has a very nice shooting touch from the outside.
2. Nick Fuller 6'4 Sun Prairie- Guy that rebounds really well for a freshmen and shoots the spot up three pointer very well.
3. Austin Malone-Mitchell 5'8 Shorewood- Plays with lots of confidence and has a nice midrange game and can really put the ball in the hoop.
4. Shane Wimann 6'2 Wisconsin Dells- Looks like an upper classmen and plays like one too. Great rebounder and shoots the three well.
5. Joel Heesch 6'1 Mauston- Very smooth on the court, handles the ball, and shoots the three fairly well.
6. MJ Delmore 5'8 Wisconsin Dells- Very good point guard that does a nice job running the show, really looks to set teammates up, and shoots the three real well.
7. Alex Najeib 5'9 Shorewood- Really athletic kid that can do what he wants on the court. Does take some bad shots at times.
8. Brad Kenote 6'0 Rhinelander- Right now a hustler that doesn't look to shoot much but, has a nice shot and some pretty good ball handling.
9. Alex Barenklau 6'0 Monroe- Honestly don't remember much about this kid but, he was the only other freshmen that I saw that actually played.
Well there is my updated list of player rankings. I know there weren't a lot of changes but, like I said I haven't seen a lot of new players. Should have another updated list within the next week or two.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
2nd Round Team Rankings
I know it has been a long time since my last post but, I just haven't been to many games as of recent and haven't seen a lot of new teams that can change my rankings much. I have seen more lower level teams which will help me be able to expand my lower division rankings. There is about a month to go until playoffs start and I'm already really excited for the playoffs and going through my picks for the brackets and trying to figure out what the seedings may be for the brackets. Well here are my updated rankings which really aren't that updated as many of the teams have remained the same. Division rankings will only include teams from Wisconsin.
Overall Rankings
1. Madison East- Run the court extremely well and have a solid starting five that is as good as anyones in the state. Big man Marquis Mason is a difference maker on the inside whether he's scoring or not. Mason and Nimrod Hillard are one of the top combos in the state.
2. Racine Park- Another team that runs the court very well. There top five guards really carry this team have seven guys that could probably average double figures.
3. Sun Prairie- Have a lot of guys that can knock down the three point shot and handle themselves very well and have a lot of experience.
4. Madison Memorial- Probably have more talent then any team in the state. The question mark is whether then can "click" by the end of the year. Appearing to be beginning to click at times but, can they get it going come playoff time?
5. Waunakee- This team lost nearly everyone from a year ago and still seem almost as good. I really love watching Waunakee play. They play a ton of guys and don't seem to lose a thing when they go to their bench. Jared Staege is the most improved player that I've seen and they play great defense and nice overall team size.
6. Milwaukee King- Another team with loads of talent that can go 12 deep and not lose a thing. Probably a year away from doing real damage.
7. Oak Lawn Richards Ill- Run the court very very well and can score in a hurry. Knock down the three very well in transition.
8. Port Washington- Very disciplined team that has a star in Josh Gasser but, they don't need to rely on him every game to get the win.
9. Verona- Really seem to be peaking at the right time. Rebound very well and play great defense. Sam Karls appears to be that go to guy for them.
10. Waupun- Solid team overall that has the most impressive scorer that I've seen in Austin Armga.
11. Monroe- Just like every other Monroe team. They move extremely well without the ball, play very hard, and shoot the three very well. Unlike Monroe's of the past this team has some height.
12. Hamiliton Sussex- Another team that is extremely deep. Can go 12 deep with out losing much and every guy on the deep can hit the three point shot.
13. Appleton East- Live and die by the three and they shoot the three very well. Have some nice size with the 6'7 Mader brothers down low.
14. Valders- Great rebounding team that looks like a bunch of football players playing basketball, which is a good thing in this case. Pound the glass and run their offense very well.
15. Monona Grove- Their two guards Zach Zweifel and Jackson Retzlaff can keep them in the game against anyone. They shoot the three and the mid range shot great and can get to the rim and score.
16. Lacrosse Logan- Big man Trevor Jorgenson is the thing that makes this team good. Very soft touch on the inside.
17. Middleton- Great height and when they don't turn the ball over they do a good job of getting the ball to the inside.
18. Wisconsin Dells- Shoot the three very well and big man Nate Gibson is a difference maker.
19. Baraboo- Have a couple stars but, just don't have the ball handlers to compete with the tough teams.
20. Waukesha West- Big man Ryan Solberg is a good player but, the rest of the team is a year away from really doing something.
21. Milwauke South- Very athletic team but, doesn't shoot real great and don't run much of an offense.
22. Reedsburg- Chad Mazur is a great great player but, they lack overall team talent. Jordan Van Cleave and Jon Stolte are solid role players.
23. West DePere- Very nice high low game but, lack overall athletic ability.
24. Shorewood- Lots of problems with this team. Take bad shots and don't rebound very well.
25. Oregon- Have a very nice point guard and rebounding very well.
HM
Mauston
Division 1
1. Madison East
2. Racine Park
3. Sun Prairie
4. Madison Memorial
5. Waunakee
6. Milwaukee King
7. Verona
8. Hamiliton Sussex
9. Appleton East
10. Monona Grover
HM
Lacrosse Logan
Middleton
Division 2
1. Port Washington
2. Waupun
3. Monroe
4. Valders
5. Wisconsin Dells
6. Reedsburg
7. West DePere
8. Shorewood
9. Mauston- Scrappy team that always hustles and plays hard.
Division Three
1. New Lisbon- Not a good team but, are the only D3 team that I have seen play.
Well it appears I still need to expand my horizons a little bit as I haven't seen a ton of lower division schools but, there just isn't a real high level of lower division ball player in my area so the D1 schools are a lot more appealing to watch. Well only a month left of the regular season and should be a great finish.
Overall Rankings
1. Madison East- Run the court extremely well and have a solid starting five that is as good as anyones in the state. Big man Marquis Mason is a difference maker on the inside whether he's scoring or not. Mason and Nimrod Hillard are one of the top combos in the state.
2. Racine Park- Another team that runs the court very well. There top five guards really carry this team have seven guys that could probably average double figures.
3. Sun Prairie- Have a lot of guys that can knock down the three point shot and handle themselves very well and have a lot of experience.
4. Madison Memorial- Probably have more talent then any team in the state. The question mark is whether then can "click" by the end of the year. Appearing to be beginning to click at times but, can they get it going come playoff time?
5. Waunakee- This team lost nearly everyone from a year ago and still seem almost as good. I really love watching Waunakee play. They play a ton of guys and don't seem to lose a thing when they go to their bench. Jared Staege is the most improved player that I've seen and they play great defense and nice overall team size.
6. Milwaukee King- Another team with loads of talent that can go 12 deep and not lose a thing. Probably a year away from doing real damage.
7. Oak Lawn Richards Ill- Run the court very very well and can score in a hurry. Knock down the three very well in transition.
8. Port Washington- Very disciplined team that has a star in Josh Gasser but, they don't need to rely on him every game to get the win.
9. Verona- Really seem to be peaking at the right time. Rebound very well and play great defense. Sam Karls appears to be that go to guy for them.
10. Waupun- Solid team overall that has the most impressive scorer that I've seen in Austin Armga.
11. Monroe- Just like every other Monroe team. They move extremely well without the ball, play very hard, and shoot the three very well. Unlike Monroe's of the past this team has some height.
12. Hamiliton Sussex- Another team that is extremely deep. Can go 12 deep with out losing much and every guy on the deep can hit the three point shot.
13. Appleton East- Live and die by the three and they shoot the three very well. Have some nice size with the 6'7 Mader brothers down low.
14. Valders- Great rebounding team that looks like a bunch of football players playing basketball, which is a good thing in this case. Pound the glass and run their offense very well.
15. Monona Grove- Their two guards Zach Zweifel and Jackson Retzlaff can keep them in the game against anyone. They shoot the three and the mid range shot great and can get to the rim and score.
16. Lacrosse Logan- Big man Trevor Jorgenson is the thing that makes this team good. Very soft touch on the inside.
17. Middleton- Great height and when they don't turn the ball over they do a good job of getting the ball to the inside.
18. Wisconsin Dells- Shoot the three very well and big man Nate Gibson is a difference maker.
19. Baraboo- Have a couple stars but, just don't have the ball handlers to compete with the tough teams.
20. Waukesha West- Big man Ryan Solberg is a good player but, the rest of the team is a year away from really doing something.
21. Milwauke South- Very athletic team but, doesn't shoot real great and don't run much of an offense.
22. Reedsburg- Chad Mazur is a great great player but, they lack overall team talent. Jordan Van Cleave and Jon Stolte are solid role players.
23. West DePere- Very nice high low game but, lack overall athletic ability.
24. Shorewood- Lots of problems with this team. Take bad shots and don't rebound very well.
25. Oregon- Have a very nice point guard and rebounding very well.
HM
Mauston
Division 1
1. Madison East
2. Racine Park
3. Sun Prairie
4. Madison Memorial
5. Waunakee
6. Milwaukee King
7. Verona
8. Hamiliton Sussex
9. Appleton East
10. Monona Grover
HM
Lacrosse Logan
Middleton
Division 2
1. Port Washington
2. Waupun
3. Monroe
4. Valders
5. Wisconsin Dells
6. Reedsburg
7. West DePere
8. Shorewood
9. Mauston- Scrappy team that always hustles and plays hard.
Division Three
1. New Lisbon- Not a good team but, are the only D3 team that I have seen play.
Well it appears I still need to expand my horizons a little bit as I haven't seen a ton of lower division schools but, there just isn't a real high level of lower division ball player in my area so the D1 schools are a lot more appealing to watch. Well only a month left of the regular season and should be a great finish.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Madison Memorial outlast Verona in OT
I'm still waiting for Madison Memorial to have that break out game where they just dominate their opponent and it just isn't happening. Memorial probably has more talent and more "good" players then any other team in the state yet they continue to let teams hang around with them that they should be defeating by double digits. I'm not saying Verona is a bad team, they are actually a pretty good team that may have a shot at state but, Memorial is just that talented that they should be able to beat Verona by at least 10. Even against the bottom dwellers of the conference like Madison West are keeping the games some what close against Memorial. I can't really put my finger on the reason for this. I had blamed it on lack of inside presence but, as of recent 6'3 sophomore Jamar Morris has been huge and the return of fellow sophomore 6'4 Junior Lomomba has really secured the inside and 6'3 senior Vander Blue really controls the rebounds when he wants to.
Now Verona is finally looking like the team that I expected. In recent years Verona hasn't had the greatest athletes or the best talent but, they always come to play and are going to make every game close. This is a credit to the Verona coaching staff who always seem to get the most out of what they have. They always play as a team, play very tough man to man defense, and rebound the ball very well. Come tournament time Verona is in one of the weaker sectionals so, they should have a great chance to make a run at Madison.
Verona came out extremely pumped to start the game and were led by 5'11 senior Kaden Nauman who hit two big threes right away to give Verona the short lived lead early on. On the other side Memorial looked to the inside to Junior Lomomba who had nine points in the first quarter mostly coming on the block. From the jump Verona was playing extremely tough defense which cause Memorial some real problems. Memorial played their typical zone defense which force Verona into some long passes which Memorial was able to steal and led to some easy baskets for their senior duo 6'2 Tre Creamer and Vander Blue. Memorial was able to get the 34-25 halftime lead and appeared to break this game open but, then in the second half things fell apart for Memorial. In the second half Verona senior 6'4 Sam Karls finally stepped up against the Memorial zone and looked to penetrate into the middle of the zone and score. It seemed throughout much of the second half Verona just passed the ball around the perimeter until Karls decided to take the ball to the hoop. After three quarters Memorial had a slim 46-41 lead and Memorial went into the stall ball in the fourth quarter which didn't work and allowed Verona to get back into the game and tie the game at 50 at the end of regulation. Vander Blue showed some true flashes of brilliance late in the game as he took the it upon himself to will his team into over time. Blue felt he could score every time he had the ball and he showed that by knock down a pair of jump shots in the fourth and overtime and then connecting on free throws after he was fouled. In overtime Jamar Morris finally made his presence known as he had a three point play that fouled out Karls and had the game sealing rebound and free throw that put the game away. Verona only made one basket in OT and Memorial got the 58-52 win.
Top Players
Vander Blue 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Really took it upon himself to get Memorial the win. He showed he's an elite player by scoring at will late in the game and knocked down some big jumpers off the dribble.
Junior Lomomba 6'4 sophomore Madison Memorial- Was a beast when he got the ball in the post and basically scored at will.
Jordan Fredrick 6'2 junior Madison Memorial- The unsung starter for Memorial. Moved very well without the ball and came up with some huge baskets when Memorial was struggling to score in the half court.
Sam Karls 6'4 senior Verona- One of the few Verona players that handled Memorial's pressure defense very well and one of the few that was able to get into the middle of the zone and score.
Kaden Naumann 5'11 senior Verona- Hit three big threes including the first two Verona baskets of the game.
Box Score starters in Italics
Madison Memorial- Blue 20 Lomomba 13 Creamer 10 Fredrick 8 Morris 5 Miles Chamberlain 2 Tre Burnette 0 Ed Kluender 0
Verona- Karls 20 Naumann 11 Matt Ropel 7 Adam Wadzinski 6 Taylor Peterson 4 Klayton Brandt 2 Scott Christensen 2 Danny Burns 0 Nate Ray 0
Well it appears that the Big Eight is nearly settled as I don't see Memorial losing more then one game and I'd be shocked if East lost to anyone but, Memorial so East will win conference and Memorial will be #2.
Now Verona is finally looking like the team that I expected. In recent years Verona hasn't had the greatest athletes or the best talent but, they always come to play and are going to make every game close. This is a credit to the Verona coaching staff who always seem to get the most out of what they have. They always play as a team, play very tough man to man defense, and rebound the ball very well. Come tournament time Verona is in one of the weaker sectionals so, they should have a great chance to make a run at Madison.
Verona came out extremely pumped to start the game and were led by 5'11 senior Kaden Nauman who hit two big threes right away to give Verona the short lived lead early on. On the other side Memorial looked to the inside to Junior Lomomba who had nine points in the first quarter mostly coming on the block. From the jump Verona was playing extremely tough defense which cause Memorial some real problems. Memorial played their typical zone defense which force Verona into some long passes which Memorial was able to steal and led to some easy baskets for their senior duo 6'2 Tre Creamer and Vander Blue. Memorial was able to get the 34-25 halftime lead and appeared to break this game open but, then in the second half things fell apart for Memorial. In the second half Verona senior 6'4 Sam Karls finally stepped up against the Memorial zone and looked to penetrate into the middle of the zone and score. It seemed throughout much of the second half Verona just passed the ball around the perimeter until Karls decided to take the ball to the hoop. After three quarters Memorial had a slim 46-41 lead and Memorial went into the stall ball in the fourth quarter which didn't work and allowed Verona to get back into the game and tie the game at 50 at the end of regulation. Vander Blue showed some true flashes of brilliance late in the game as he took the it upon himself to will his team into over time. Blue felt he could score every time he had the ball and he showed that by knock down a pair of jump shots in the fourth and overtime and then connecting on free throws after he was fouled. In overtime Jamar Morris finally made his presence known as he had a three point play that fouled out Karls and had the game sealing rebound and free throw that put the game away. Verona only made one basket in OT and Memorial got the 58-52 win.
Top Players
Vander Blue 6'3 senior Madison Memorial- Really took it upon himself to get Memorial the win. He showed he's an elite player by scoring at will late in the game and knocked down some big jumpers off the dribble.
Junior Lomomba 6'4 sophomore Madison Memorial- Was a beast when he got the ball in the post and basically scored at will.
Jordan Fredrick 6'2 junior Madison Memorial- The unsung starter for Memorial. Moved very well without the ball and came up with some huge baskets when Memorial was struggling to score in the half court.
Sam Karls 6'4 senior Verona- One of the few Verona players that handled Memorial's pressure defense very well and one of the few that was able to get into the middle of the zone and score.
Kaden Naumann 5'11 senior Verona- Hit three big threes including the first two Verona baskets of the game.
Box Score starters in Italics
Madison Memorial- Blue 20 Lomomba 13 Creamer 10 Fredrick 8 Morris 5 Miles Chamberlain 2 Tre Burnette 0 Ed Kluender 0
Verona- Karls 20 Naumann 11 Matt Ropel 7 Adam Wadzinski 6 Taylor Peterson 4 Klayton Brandt 2 Scott Christensen 2 Danny Burns 0 Nate Ray 0
Well it appears that the Big Eight is nearly settled as I don't see Memorial losing more then one game and I'd be shocked if East lost to anyone but, Memorial so East will win conference and Memorial will be #2.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Badger Challenge
The Badger Challenge is a great match up between two evenly matched up conferences. The match up of two conferences is a great idea and more conferences should do it. The Badger conferences are split up great for this as there is a North and South conference and they are close enough that the two conferences can meet together in one location. Most conferences don't have a conference that have schools that are close to the same size. I only caught the final three games of the challenge and I believe that the North won the match up six games to one.
Baraboo 50 Oregon 39
First half of this game was fairly rough to watch but, then in the second half Baraboo was able to take control of the game behind the inside presence of their big man 6'6 junior Mark Kowalke. Kowalke struggled on the offensive end and missed a lot of bunnies but, he was able to control the inside by controlling the rebounds on both ends of the court. One big boast for Baraboo in this game was the play of 6'2 senior Jake Banks who added a nice scoring punch from the outside that Baraboo was missing sorely when I saw them earlier in the year. Banks was able to hit some outside shots that really spread the Oregon defense. There wasn't a lot of bright spots for Oregon but, the one I noticed was the play of 6'4 junior Adam Gorman who did a nice job of battling on the inside and getting some inside buckets particularily in the first half. In warmups I saw Gorman as a guy that really didn't look like much of an athlete and probably only played because he was tall but, he actually brought a lot to the game and was Oregon's leader.
Top Scorers
Baraboo- Kowalke 12 Banks 11 Sean McGann 10
Oregon- Gorman 12 Brad Maerz 6 two with 5
Monona Grove 53 Reedsburg 35
This game was basically a two on two battle. Both teams have two very good players and not much for supporting players in the scoring department. Monona Grove was able to get the big lead when one of Reedsburgs stars didn't have a great game and the other one just couldn't get things going in the second half. In the first half Reedsburg star 6'3 junior Chad Mazur couldn't miss whether the shot was contested or not but, then in the second half Mazur just couldn't get an open look at the hoop and Reedsburgs offense fell apart. Reedsburg's other star 6'2 senior Jordan VanCleave seemed very hesistant to take the ball to the rim and the outside shoot wasn't falling for him, which really hurt Burg offensively because in the past VanCleave would take the ball to the rim hard and score or get fouled. On the other hand Monona Grove's stars 5'11 senior Jackson Retzlaff and 6'0 junior Zach Zweifel were basically unstoppable. Retzlaff was money from the outside, while Zweifel was scoring from the inside at will. Each player finished with 19 and MG cruised to the victory forcing Reedsburg into numerous turnovers.
Top Scorers
Reedsburg- Mazur 15 VanCleave 8 Jared Park 4
Monona Grove- Zweifel 19 Retzlaff 19 two with 4
Waunakee 66 Monroe 53
In the best game of the day Waunakee took down Monroe by 13 in a game that was very intense throughout. The thing that won the game for Waunakee was the overall team size, every guy on their team is 6'2 to 6'4 on the other side most of Monroes guys are right around an even 6'0. a pair of juniors in 6'2 Jared Staege and 6'3 Beau Murray are a tremendous back court and really carried the team in the scoring department. Staege might be the most improved player I've seen this year and Murray is a star. Monroe tried to keep the game close behind the strong outside shooting of their star 6'0 junior Bryan Tordoff but, Tordoff just couldn't get enough help from the rest of the team and ran outta gas.
Top Scorers
Waunakee- Murray 25 Staege 15 Austin Prusha 6
Monroe- Tordoff 20 Michael Barrett 11 Kevin Flint 11
Overall was a great day of basketball with a few very good teams playing. I could see Monona Grove knocking off a team or two in the playoffs and Waunakee will be like the past two years they have a very good team that can make it too sectionals but, just don't have the ability to knock off both Madison Memorial and Madison East. Just like every other year Monroe has a great chance to make it to Madison and state in division two. They shoot the three very well and if your hitting the three you can beat anyone and coming out of the southwest they should have a chance.
Baraboo 50 Oregon 39
First half of this game was fairly rough to watch but, then in the second half Baraboo was able to take control of the game behind the inside presence of their big man 6'6 junior Mark Kowalke. Kowalke struggled on the offensive end and missed a lot of bunnies but, he was able to control the inside by controlling the rebounds on both ends of the court. One big boast for Baraboo in this game was the play of 6'2 senior Jake Banks who added a nice scoring punch from the outside that Baraboo was missing sorely when I saw them earlier in the year. Banks was able to hit some outside shots that really spread the Oregon defense. There wasn't a lot of bright spots for Oregon but, the one I noticed was the play of 6'4 junior Adam Gorman who did a nice job of battling on the inside and getting some inside buckets particularily in the first half. In warmups I saw Gorman as a guy that really didn't look like much of an athlete and probably only played because he was tall but, he actually brought a lot to the game and was Oregon's leader.
Top Scorers
Baraboo- Kowalke 12 Banks 11 Sean McGann 10
Oregon- Gorman 12 Brad Maerz 6 two with 5
Monona Grove 53 Reedsburg 35
This game was basically a two on two battle. Both teams have two very good players and not much for supporting players in the scoring department. Monona Grove was able to get the big lead when one of Reedsburgs stars didn't have a great game and the other one just couldn't get things going in the second half. In the first half Reedsburg star 6'3 junior Chad Mazur couldn't miss whether the shot was contested or not but, then in the second half Mazur just couldn't get an open look at the hoop and Reedsburgs offense fell apart. Reedsburg's other star 6'2 senior Jordan VanCleave seemed very hesistant to take the ball to the rim and the outside shoot wasn't falling for him, which really hurt Burg offensively because in the past VanCleave would take the ball to the rim hard and score or get fouled. On the other hand Monona Grove's stars 5'11 senior Jackson Retzlaff and 6'0 junior Zach Zweifel were basically unstoppable. Retzlaff was money from the outside, while Zweifel was scoring from the inside at will. Each player finished with 19 and MG cruised to the victory forcing Reedsburg into numerous turnovers.
Top Scorers
Reedsburg- Mazur 15 VanCleave 8 Jared Park 4
Monona Grove- Zweifel 19 Retzlaff 19 two with 4
Waunakee 66 Monroe 53
In the best game of the day Waunakee took down Monroe by 13 in a game that was very intense throughout. The thing that won the game for Waunakee was the overall team size, every guy on their team is 6'2 to 6'4 on the other side most of Monroes guys are right around an even 6'0. a pair of juniors in 6'2 Jared Staege and 6'3 Beau Murray are a tremendous back court and really carried the team in the scoring department. Staege might be the most improved player I've seen this year and Murray is a star. Monroe tried to keep the game close behind the strong outside shooting of their star 6'0 junior Bryan Tordoff but, Tordoff just couldn't get enough help from the rest of the team and ran outta gas.
Top Scorers
Waunakee- Murray 25 Staege 15 Austin Prusha 6
Monroe- Tordoff 20 Michael Barrett 11 Kevin Flint 11
Overall was a great day of basketball with a few very good teams playing. I could see Monona Grove knocking off a team or two in the playoffs and Waunakee will be like the past two years they have a very good team that can make it too sectionals but, just don't have the ability to knock off both Madison Memorial and Madison East. Just like every other year Monroe has a great chance to make it to Madison and state in division two. They shoot the three very well and if your hitting the three you can beat anyone and coming out of the southwest they should have a chance.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Wisconsin Dells jumps out early and coasts to victory
In a game that was a battle of two first place teams, in the south central conference, Wisconsin Dells was able to control this one from beginning to end and a appear to be back in control of the conference. From the beginning it was evident that Mauston was going to have trouble with the size and length of the Dells defenders. Mauston is an undersized team but, they play very hard and are a very scrappy team. Mauston never seems to have much for size or talent but, they always play extremely hard which can be an attribute to their coach. Wisconsin Dells didn't play the greatest game either but, nine three point shots allowed them to get the win without playing great.
In the first quarter both teams seemed a little shaky making lots of unforced turnovers and just simply throwing the ball away. Every time a team would make a stop they would come down and give the ball right back to the other team. Dells was playing a 2-3 zone defense which caused Mauston some trouble but, they were able to penetrate the zone and get some easy layups. On the other end Dells had one thing clicking for them and that was the three point shooting of 6'4 senior Justin Ward who hit three straight threes at one point and had five three pointers for the first half which led to 17 first half points for Ward. Wisconsin Dells took the 34-21 half time lead.
In the second half Ward cooled off and only scored three points in the second half but, the rest of the team picked up the slack. 6'2 freshmen Shane Wimann had a big game running the court well and finishing around the rim and hit a three. Mauston was nearly shut out in the third quarter as they were only able to score three points the entire third quarter before they finally got things going in the fourth. In the first three quarters Mauston was only able to score 24 points and then in the final quarter they were able to net 25 points doubling their total in one period. Leading the charge was 5'10 senior Jeff Erickson who scored 15 points in the game 11 from the free throw line and the majority coming in the fourth quarter. Mauston was able to score so much do to some poor fouling and passing by the Dells. Dells was able to seal the game though with some hot shooting from another freshmen in 5'8 MJ Delmore with scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter with two three pointers and was 4-4 from the line in the fourth. Dells was able to cap off a 62-49 win and knock Mauston out of the three way tie for first in the conference and there is now a two way tie between Wisconsin Dells and Wautoma.
Top Players
Justin Ward 6'4 senior Wisconsin Dells- Absolute gunner from the outside uses his size and length to shoot over small defenders.
Shane Wimann 6'2 freshmen Wisconsin Dells- Does not look like a freshmen at all on the court and can knock down the three, is very smooth from the free throw line, and runs the court very well and is always looking to score.
MJ Delmore 5'8 freshmen Wisconsin Dells- Very good shooter that can knock down the three as well as the free throw shot.
Jeff Erickson 5'10 senior Mauston- Always moving without the ball, always seems to find the opening in the defense.
Box Score (starters in italics)
Wisconsin Dells- Ward 20 Wimann 16 Delmore 10 Bobby Blaschke 6 Nate Gibson 6 Kyle Stowers 4 Michael Dickman 0 Josh Elftman 0
Mauston- Erickson 15 Brady Nelson 9 Joel Heesch 9 Trevor Reichhoff 6 Dustin Manthe 6 Josh Wrezinski 2 Chris Wilkinson 2 David Linsmeyer 0
After watching this game it appears that Wisconsin Dells is nearly a given to win the South Central Conference and with their impressive freshmen class Dells will be very very good in two or three years. Also Mauston has a very good freshmen in 6'1 Joel Heesch who has a ton of talent and athleticism but, right now is only a freshmen and shoots a little too much.
In the first quarter both teams seemed a little shaky making lots of unforced turnovers and just simply throwing the ball away. Every time a team would make a stop they would come down and give the ball right back to the other team. Dells was playing a 2-3 zone defense which caused Mauston some trouble but, they were able to penetrate the zone and get some easy layups. On the other end Dells had one thing clicking for them and that was the three point shooting of 6'4 senior Justin Ward who hit three straight threes at one point and had five three pointers for the first half which led to 17 first half points for Ward. Wisconsin Dells took the 34-21 half time lead.
In the second half Ward cooled off and only scored three points in the second half but, the rest of the team picked up the slack. 6'2 freshmen Shane Wimann had a big game running the court well and finishing around the rim and hit a three. Mauston was nearly shut out in the third quarter as they were only able to score three points the entire third quarter before they finally got things going in the fourth. In the first three quarters Mauston was only able to score 24 points and then in the final quarter they were able to net 25 points doubling their total in one period. Leading the charge was 5'10 senior Jeff Erickson who scored 15 points in the game 11 from the free throw line and the majority coming in the fourth quarter. Mauston was able to score so much do to some poor fouling and passing by the Dells. Dells was able to seal the game though with some hot shooting from another freshmen in 5'8 MJ Delmore with scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter with two three pointers and was 4-4 from the line in the fourth. Dells was able to cap off a 62-49 win and knock Mauston out of the three way tie for first in the conference and there is now a two way tie between Wisconsin Dells and Wautoma.
Top Players
Justin Ward 6'4 senior Wisconsin Dells- Absolute gunner from the outside uses his size and length to shoot over small defenders.
Shane Wimann 6'2 freshmen Wisconsin Dells- Does not look like a freshmen at all on the court and can knock down the three, is very smooth from the free throw line, and runs the court very well and is always looking to score.
MJ Delmore 5'8 freshmen Wisconsin Dells- Very good shooter that can knock down the three as well as the free throw shot.
Jeff Erickson 5'10 senior Mauston- Always moving without the ball, always seems to find the opening in the defense.
Box Score (starters in italics)
Wisconsin Dells- Ward 20 Wimann 16 Delmore 10 Bobby Blaschke 6 Nate Gibson 6 Kyle Stowers 4 Michael Dickman 0 Josh Elftman 0
Mauston- Erickson 15 Brady Nelson 9 Joel Heesch 9 Trevor Reichhoff 6 Dustin Manthe 6 Josh Wrezinski 2 Chris Wilkinson 2 David Linsmeyer 0
After watching this game it appears that Wisconsin Dells is nearly a given to win the South Central Conference and with their impressive freshmen class Dells will be very very good in two or three years. Also Mauston has a very good freshmen in 6'1 Joel Heesch who has a ton of talent and athleticism but, right now is only a freshmen and shoots a little too much.
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