Madison Memorial comes into this game having already clinched the Big Eight Conference but, this is still a big rivalry game between two extremely athletic teams. Memorial is looking to finish off the season strong and if Lafollette could get a win here, they would get a huge boost for a deep playoff run. As I stated Memorial has clinched the conference and are sitting at 11-1 in conference and 14-2 overall, while Lafollette is in second place in conference and is 8-3 in conference and 11-4 overall.
This game comes down to three key factors. Can Lafollette handle the Memorial pressure and limit their turnovers? Can Darnell Small limit Jeronne Maymon on the offensive end? Finally, can Lafollette limit Memorial's second chance baskets and control the boards?
Memorial will do what they always do, trap the ball and try to force turnovers to ignite their fast break where they are at their best. They will pound the offensive glass and get second and third opportunities to score. In the half court set they will look to find Jeronne Maymon in the high post where he does a great job of creating a scoring opportunity for himself or teammates.
Lafollette will look to penetrate with their guards and score or dish out to open teammates for three. Lafollette doesn't play the trapping defense that Memorial does but, they are very comfortable getting out and running. They need to get Cashton Craig going early from the outside and continue to go to him throughout the game. In the past games I've seen Lafollette play they seem to stop going to Craig in the second half. DJ Fuller needs to look to get into the lane, where he is at his best. Fuller has a very nice little floater and can create things for teammates.
Rotation Players
Memorial
Jeronne Maymon 6'6 Jr forward 19.7 ppg - I've said it a hundred times. Maymon is the best rebounder in the state and may be the best player in my opinion. Can finish extremely well with either hand.
Vander Blue 6'3 So guard 12.4 ppg - Extremely quick guard that goes to the rim very hard with the ball in his hands and has a very nice mid range jumper. Also rebounds very well.
Devonte Maymon 6'2 Sr guard 11.2 ppg - Very athletic guard that helps out handling the ball and can penetrate inside as well as knock down the three.
Tre Creamer 6'3 So guard 6.9 ppg- Teams point guard that is a very smart player and can score when the opportunity arises.
Derek Nkemji 6'2 Sr forward 6.8 ppg- Defensive stopper that will probably guard Craig. Sacrifices his scoring to play D and help out on the inside rebounding.
Fred Ringhand 6'0 Jr guard 4.2 ppg - Very strong guard that can really shoot the ball.
Ace Davis 6'0 Jr guard 4.5 ppg - Very strong guard that plays great defense and can post up smaller defenders.
Xavier Jones 5'10 Jr guard 3.9 ppg - Does a good job of coming off the bench and running the point and can drop the open three pointer.
Lafollette
Cashton Craig 6'1 Sr guard 15.7 ppg - Sharpshooter that can get his shot off at any time, whether coming off the screen or off the dribble.
DJ Fuller 5'10 So guard 13 ppg - Can get inside at will and has a very nice floater. High energy point guard.
Javonte Walters 6'2 Sr forward 9.7 ppg - Streaky scorer that can get inside and score or hit the three. Plays some pretty good defense also.
Darnell Small 6'4 Sr forward 5.6 ppg- Football player playing basketball. Is very strong on the inside and is a very good rebounder.
Deonte Thompson 6'6 Jr forward 5.5 ppg- Brings some height off the bench. Runs the pick'n'roll great.
Michael Knop 6'0 Sr guard 4.9 ppg - Three point specialist that comes off the bench hot.
Jon Dybevik 6'0 So guard 4.8 ppg - Lead guard that handles the ball very well and has been clutch in tight games.
Caleb Krueger 6'3 Sr forward 4.4 ppg- Inside bruiser that does most of his scoring on offensive rebounds.
My final prediction for the game is that Jeronne Maymon and the Memorial defense will just be too much for Lafollette to handle. Memorial won the previous game by about 20 points, I predict this one will be slightly closer as Memorial wins by 10-15 points.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
State Favorites
With the seeding meetings taking place Saturday and Wishoops doing their state favorites and contenders I figured this would be a good time to say who my favorites are and other teams that may have a chance.
D1 Favorite
Milwaukee Washington
Undefeated team and leading the toughest conference year in and year out. Have two big time scorers in Demarcus Phillips and Antone Byrd. 6'8 Patrick Davis is a big time defensive stopper in the middle.
Contenders
Madison Memorial, Wauwatosa East, Appleton East
Memorial is one of the most athletic teams in the state and has a pressure defensive that every team they have faced, have struggled with. Jeronne Maymon is the most versatile big man in the state. Tosa East has the most talent of everyone in the state, the question is do they have the inside pressence and the ability to get everything together to make that state push. Appleton East has been the number one team for much of the year and have been tested playing in one of the top conferences in the state.
Darkhorses
Milwaukee Custer, Milwaukee King, Milwaukee Vincent, Germantown, Waunakee, Milwaukee Pius, Kaukauna
You can never count out the Milwaukee schools. Custer is currently second in the city conference and has been very impressive as of late. King and Vincent have the experience to make the run and are always seem to be in the final eight teams at state. Germantown has only one lose and would of been at state last year had Vincent not made a late run in the sectional final. Waunakee is undefeated, that has to say something. Pius has the best player in the state in Korie Lucious so anything is possible. Kaukauna has already beaten Appleton East and has experience and has been battle tested.
D2 Favorite
Monroe, Waupun
This one was just too close to determine the true favorite. Monroe is the defending champs and are currently undefeated. They are lead by two very good guards in Brett Stangel and Mitch Tordoff and have the big man in the middle in 6'7 Tony Cates. Waupun may be the best shooting team in the state and are extremely disciplined and well rounded. Not to mention they have two 20 plus point scorers in Ryan Rasmussen and Aris Wurtz.
Contenders
Catholic Memorial, Wisconsin Lutheran
Catholic Memorial is a very disciplined team that can go inside or knock down the threes. Wisconsin Lutheran has great athleticism and overall team height. Flavian Davis is a star and if Brandon Whiteside can return to his last year form Wisco could be a serious threat.
Darkhorses
Seymour, Plymouth, Marinette
You can never count out Seymour. They've been to state eight years in a row for a reason. Plymouth is another very well rounded team and are the only team to have beaten Waupun. Marinette has beaten Seymour twice this year so that says enough about them.
D3 Favorite
Whitefish Bay Dominican
Extremely athletic team that has the best back court in D3 if not the state and the best player in D3 and second best in the state, in Kwamain Mitchell. JD Wise is a lock down defender who can also score and Jerel Harris is a very good ball handler that can get inside and score or knock down the three.
Contenders
Laconia, Roncalli, Milwaukee Northwest, Lacrosse Aquinas
Laconia has one of the best starting lineups in the state and have a very good big man in Kieran Weed. Roncalli is a very disciplined team that can really shoot the three. Milwaukee Northwest is an extremely athletic team thats played an extremely difficult schedule. Aquinas has the experience factor and works great together in a half court setting or on the fast break.
Darkhorses
Racine St. Catherines, Eau Claire Regis
St. Cats has the experience and has been playing great as of late. Regis has the height and the discipline to go far in the tournament.
D4 Favorite
Eleva Strum
Were state runners up last year and return two of their top players and are currently undefeated and are dominating everyone they play.
Contenders
Randolph, Benton, Suring
Randolph has been their many times before and are led by sharpshooter Bryan Johnson, Tyler Tillema, the third brother, and 6'9 Kyle Kelm. Benton is led by extremely quick twin guards Jordan and Connor Hendricks. Suring is dominating everyone they play and are led by star point guard Josh Regal.
Darkhorses
Hillsboro, Seneca
Both teams are undefeated and look to be on a collision course in the sectional final to go to state.
As you can see by my favorites division one and four and completely wide open while division two and three are basically narrowed down to four or five teams. Just talking about this is really getting me excited for tournament time and can't wait to get my state tickets in the mail.
Side not my spell check isn't working, so forgive me for any spelling or grammar erros.
D1 Favorite
Milwaukee Washington
Undefeated team and leading the toughest conference year in and year out. Have two big time scorers in Demarcus Phillips and Antone Byrd. 6'8 Patrick Davis is a big time defensive stopper in the middle.
Contenders
Madison Memorial, Wauwatosa East, Appleton East
Memorial is one of the most athletic teams in the state and has a pressure defensive that every team they have faced, have struggled with. Jeronne Maymon is the most versatile big man in the state. Tosa East has the most talent of everyone in the state, the question is do they have the inside pressence and the ability to get everything together to make that state push. Appleton East has been the number one team for much of the year and have been tested playing in one of the top conferences in the state.
Darkhorses
Milwaukee Custer, Milwaukee King, Milwaukee Vincent, Germantown, Waunakee, Milwaukee Pius, Kaukauna
You can never count out the Milwaukee schools. Custer is currently second in the city conference and has been very impressive as of late. King and Vincent have the experience to make the run and are always seem to be in the final eight teams at state. Germantown has only one lose and would of been at state last year had Vincent not made a late run in the sectional final. Waunakee is undefeated, that has to say something. Pius has the best player in the state in Korie Lucious so anything is possible. Kaukauna has already beaten Appleton East and has experience and has been battle tested.
D2 Favorite
Monroe, Waupun
This one was just too close to determine the true favorite. Monroe is the defending champs and are currently undefeated. They are lead by two very good guards in Brett Stangel and Mitch Tordoff and have the big man in the middle in 6'7 Tony Cates. Waupun may be the best shooting team in the state and are extremely disciplined and well rounded. Not to mention they have two 20 plus point scorers in Ryan Rasmussen and Aris Wurtz.
Contenders
Catholic Memorial, Wisconsin Lutheran
Catholic Memorial is a very disciplined team that can go inside or knock down the threes. Wisconsin Lutheran has great athleticism and overall team height. Flavian Davis is a star and if Brandon Whiteside can return to his last year form Wisco could be a serious threat.
Darkhorses
Seymour, Plymouth, Marinette
You can never count out Seymour. They've been to state eight years in a row for a reason. Plymouth is another very well rounded team and are the only team to have beaten Waupun. Marinette has beaten Seymour twice this year so that says enough about them.
D3 Favorite
Whitefish Bay Dominican
Extremely athletic team that has the best back court in D3 if not the state and the best player in D3 and second best in the state, in Kwamain Mitchell. JD Wise is a lock down defender who can also score and Jerel Harris is a very good ball handler that can get inside and score or knock down the three.
Contenders
Laconia, Roncalli, Milwaukee Northwest, Lacrosse Aquinas
Laconia has one of the best starting lineups in the state and have a very good big man in Kieran Weed. Roncalli is a very disciplined team that can really shoot the three. Milwaukee Northwest is an extremely athletic team thats played an extremely difficult schedule. Aquinas has the experience factor and works great together in a half court setting or on the fast break.
Darkhorses
Racine St. Catherines, Eau Claire Regis
St. Cats has the experience and has been playing great as of late. Regis has the height and the discipline to go far in the tournament.
D4 Favorite
Eleva Strum
Were state runners up last year and return two of their top players and are currently undefeated and are dominating everyone they play.
Contenders
Randolph, Benton, Suring
Randolph has been their many times before and are led by sharpshooter Bryan Johnson, Tyler Tillema, the third brother, and 6'9 Kyle Kelm. Benton is led by extremely quick twin guards Jordan and Connor Hendricks. Suring is dominating everyone they play and are led by star point guard Josh Regal.
Darkhorses
Hillsboro, Seneca
Both teams are undefeated and look to be on a collision course in the sectional final to go to state.
As you can see by my favorites division one and four and completely wide open while division two and three are basically narrowed down to four or five teams. Just talking about this is really getting me excited for tournament time and can't wait to get my state tickets in the mail.
Side not my spell check isn't working, so forgive me for any spelling or grammar erros.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A Look Back In On The Undefeated Teams
Wow its been almost a week since I last posted and I apologize to anyone thats been looking for a new post. There just hasn't been anything to talk about. Between the weather and lack of big games there just hasn't been much going on. Hopefully this coming weekend I will make a trip down to Madison to watch Lafollette and Memorial play. Then in the next couple weeks I will be focusing on state predictions and thoughts on how the tournament will play out.
Well since I haven't seen any other games I thought this would be a good time to look back at those teams that were undefeated the last time I had looked in on the undefeateds. A portion of these teams have since and lost or beaten teams that I believed could be a problem in their quest for going undefeated.
Division 1
Milwaukee Washington - Regular Season 70% would probably be higher but, I have no idea who Washington is playing in the Chicago Hoopfest tournament this weekend. Washington has already played all the top teams in the City in Custer, Vincent, King, and Bradley Tech. Only team left that could maybe, and that's a big maybe, is Bay View if they got very very hot from the outside. Winning State 15% Yes they are undefeated and are the #1 team in the state but, Washington is in the toughest regional in the state. Custer, King, Bradley Tech will be seen again along with Wauwatosa East and Milwaukee Pius.
Regular season 90% Washington was able to win in the Chicago Hoopfest tournament and barring a huge upset should go undefeated. Winning State 15%
Waunakee- Regular Season 50% They have a rematch with a real good Deforest team and then will probably match up the defending D2 champs in the Badger Challenge, who in my opinion will beat them but, it will be close. Winning State 3% Madison schools have dominated their regional and I just don't think that Waunakee has the athletes to match up with Madison Memorial and Madison Lafollette.
Regular Season 50% They were able to beat Deforest for a second time but, still have the Badger Challenge looming and have to play Badger North second place team Baraboo for a secnd time. Winning State 3%
Division 2
Monroe- Regular Season 50% Tonight are playing a very hot Stoughton team in Stoughton. They will then go to Deforest next week and then have a very very good Verona team coming to town before the possibly match up with Waunakee in the Badger Challenge. I think they will drop a game sometime before the Waunakee game. Winning State 30% I think they will win state but, they will not be undefeated.
Regular season 60% Beat Stoughton and Deforest fairly easily and will be the favored team against Verona and probably Waunakee. Winning State 30%
Fox Valley Lutheran- Regular Season 20% Have to play Little Chute, Freedom, and Xavier again who all gave them very good games. Winning State 5% They would see those same teams again in the playoffs and then would more then likely have to play Waupon sometime.
Ended up losing to Little Chute and then Clintonville in an upset. Still have to play Freedom, Xavier, and a very good Berlin team.
New Richmond- Regular Season 50% Only real challenge left is Rice Lake in which case I'm 50/50 on who will win. Winning State 10% Just too tough for the teams from the north to compete with the southern teams in D2.
Ended up losing to Rice Lake who I was 50/50 on and then lost to D1 River Falls.
Edgerton- Regular Season 40% Has rematches against Parkview and Evansville who played Edgerton close and then have top 10 team Wisconsin Dells coming to town. Winning State 5% Monroe in the same regional.
Another team that fell from the undefeated ranks when theylost to Evansville.
Divison 3
Laconia- Regular Season 90% There is no one that can stop this team in their conference. Winning State 25% Would have to play Iola Scandenavia and Roncalli to get to state where they would then play Aquinas or Dominican eventually.
Regular Season 95% still no one standing in their way. Winning State 25%
Roncalli- Regular Season 70% These guys go undefeated every year but, have played a couple tight games with some teams that they have a rematch with. Winning State 25% Will run into the same problems that I mentioned for Laconia.
In a bit of a shocker lost to Valders that is without their best player.
Arcadia- Regular Season 10% Very tough games against Eleva Strum and Lacresent not to mention D2 Onalaska. Winning State 2% Won't be undefeated and then have Aquinas in their regional and then would have a very good opponent at state.
Dropped a tough one to Eleva Strum on a buzzer shot and still have Lacresent and Onalaska on the way.
Hurley- Regular Season 20% Have to play conference rivals Mellen and Mercer and then have a match up with a team from Minnesota. Winning State 1% Just can't compete with the above teams mentioned.
Dropped a tough one to Washburn and still need to play Mercer and then the Minnesota team.
Division 4
Eleva Strum- Regular Season 75% Only real tough game left against Arcadia which I think they'll win. Winning State 50% D4 favorite for a lot of people.
Regular season 90% were able to beat Arcadia on a buzzer shot. Winning State 50%
Suring- Regular Season 90% Absolutely crushing everyone in the conference. Closests conference game was 22 points beating most teams by 30-50 points. Winning State 25% Will make state undefeated but, then have Eleva Strum and Randolph in their way.
Regular Season 90% Upset is possible but, not probable. Winning State 25%
Benton- Regular Season 75% Dominating as much as Suring is. Only stumbling block may be Six Rivers Challenge. Winning State 20% Still in same sectional as Randolph.
Regular Season 80% Still has Six Rivers Challenge comings. Winning State 20%
Seneca- Regular Season 80% Very good defense should lead them to undefeated season. Winning State 5% Not enough fire power to compete with the big boys.
Regular Season 80% great defense and not much of a challenge. Winning Sate 5%
Hillsboro- Regular Season 50% Still have conference foe Brookwood and then D2 Richland Center. Winning state 5% Once again not enough fire power.
Regular Season 70% beat Richland Center but, still have Brookwood in the season final. Winning State 5%
Luck- Regular Season 10% Hasn't reached the half way point of their season yet and has to play Webster twice yet who is undefeated in conference. Winning State 2% Same reason as Hillsboro and Seneca.
Lost two tough games to conference rival Webster and D3 power Eau Claire Regis.
As can be seen by the number of undefeated teams, dropping from 16 to nine, that its extremely hard to finish the season undefeated. A few of these teams might finish the regular season undefeated but, it will be extremely hard to win the state tournament undefeated.
Well since I haven't seen any other games I thought this would be a good time to look back at those teams that were undefeated the last time I had looked in on the undefeateds. A portion of these teams have since and lost or beaten teams that I believed could be a problem in their quest for going undefeated.
Division 1
Milwaukee Washington - Regular Season 70% would probably be higher but, I have no idea who Washington is playing in the Chicago Hoopfest tournament this weekend. Washington has already played all the top teams in the City in Custer, Vincent, King, and Bradley Tech. Only team left that could maybe, and that's a big maybe, is Bay View if they got very very hot from the outside. Winning State 15% Yes they are undefeated and are the #1 team in the state but, Washington is in the toughest regional in the state. Custer, King, Bradley Tech will be seen again along with Wauwatosa East and Milwaukee Pius.
Regular season 90% Washington was able to win in the Chicago Hoopfest tournament and barring a huge upset should go undefeated. Winning State 15%
Waunakee- Regular Season 50% They have a rematch with a real good Deforest team and then will probably match up the defending D2 champs in the Badger Challenge, who in my opinion will beat them but, it will be close. Winning State 3% Madison schools have dominated their regional and I just don't think that Waunakee has the athletes to match up with Madison Memorial and Madison Lafollette.
Regular Season 50% They were able to beat Deforest for a second time but, still have the Badger Challenge looming and have to play Badger North second place team Baraboo for a secnd time. Winning State 3%
Division 2
Monroe- Regular Season 50% Tonight are playing a very hot Stoughton team in Stoughton. They will then go to Deforest next week and then have a very very good Verona team coming to town before the possibly match up with Waunakee in the Badger Challenge. I think they will drop a game sometime before the Waunakee game. Winning State 30% I think they will win state but, they will not be undefeated.
Regular season 60% Beat Stoughton and Deforest fairly easily and will be the favored team against Verona and probably Waunakee. Winning State 30%
Fox Valley Lutheran- Regular Season 20% Have to play Little Chute, Freedom, and Xavier again who all gave them very good games. Winning State 5% They would see those same teams again in the playoffs and then would more then likely have to play Waupon sometime.
Ended up losing to Little Chute and then Clintonville in an upset. Still have to play Freedom, Xavier, and a very good Berlin team.
New Richmond- Regular Season 50% Only real challenge left is Rice Lake in which case I'm 50/50 on who will win. Winning State 10% Just too tough for the teams from the north to compete with the southern teams in D2.
Ended up losing to Rice Lake who I was 50/50 on and then lost to D1 River Falls.
Edgerton- Regular Season 40% Has rematches against Parkview and Evansville who played Edgerton close and then have top 10 team Wisconsin Dells coming to town. Winning State 5% Monroe in the same regional.
Another team that fell from the undefeated ranks when theylost to Evansville.
Divison 3
Laconia- Regular Season 90% There is no one that can stop this team in their conference. Winning State 25% Would have to play Iola Scandenavia and Roncalli to get to state where they would then play Aquinas or Dominican eventually.
Regular Season 95% still no one standing in their way. Winning State 25%
Roncalli- Regular Season 70% These guys go undefeated every year but, have played a couple tight games with some teams that they have a rematch with. Winning State 25% Will run into the same problems that I mentioned for Laconia.
In a bit of a shocker lost to Valders that is without their best player.
Arcadia- Regular Season 10% Very tough games against Eleva Strum and Lacresent not to mention D2 Onalaska. Winning State 2% Won't be undefeated and then have Aquinas in their regional and then would have a very good opponent at state.
Dropped a tough one to Eleva Strum on a buzzer shot and still have Lacresent and Onalaska on the way.
Hurley- Regular Season 20% Have to play conference rivals Mellen and Mercer and then have a match up with a team from Minnesota. Winning State 1% Just can't compete with the above teams mentioned.
Dropped a tough one to Washburn and still need to play Mercer and then the Minnesota team.
Division 4
Eleva Strum- Regular Season 75% Only real tough game left against Arcadia which I think they'll win. Winning State 50% D4 favorite for a lot of people.
Regular season 90% were able to beat Arcadia on a buzzer shot. Winning State 50%
Suring- Regular Season 90% Absolutely crushing everyone in the conference. Closests conference game was 22 points beating most teams by 30-50 points. Winning State 25% Will make state undefeated but, then have Eleva Strum and Randolph in their way.
Regular Season 90% Upset is possible but, not probable. Winning State 25%
Benton- Regular Season 75% Dominating as much as Suring is. Only stumbling block may be Six Rivers Challenge. Winning State 20% Still in same sectional as Randolph.
Regular Season 80% Still has Six Rivers Challenge comings. Winning State 20%
Seneca- Regular Season 80% Very good defense should lead them to undefeated season. Winning State 5% Not enough fire power to compete with the big boys.
Regular Season 80% great defense and not much of a challenge. Winning Sate 5%
Hillsboro- Regular Season 50% Still have conference foe Brookwood and then D2 Richland Center. Winning state 5% Once again not enough fire power.
Regular Season 70% beat Richland Center but, still have Brookwood in the season final. Winning State 5%
Luck- Regular Season 10% Hasn't reached the half way point of their season yet and has to play Webster twice yet who is undefeated in conference. Winning State 2% Same reason as Hillsboro and Seneca.
Lost two tough games to conference rival Webster and D3 power Eau Claire Regis.
As can be seen by the number of undefeated teams, dropping from 16 to nine, that its extremely hard to finish the season undefeated. A few of these teams might finish the regular season undefeated but, it will be extremely hard to win the state tournament undefeated.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Sixth Round of Player Rankings
Yesterday I did my new team rankings and today I'll be doing my new player rankings. Like the team rankings I will being ranking the Minnesota players in the overall player rankings but, for the rankings of classes I will only be doing players form Wisconsin.
Rankings
1. Jeronne Maymon 6'6 forward junior Madison Memorial (2)- The best rebounder I have seen this year by a long shot. Runs the court extremely well for a big man and can handle the ball. Has the edge over Mason because he can handle the ball better and Mason appears to take a play off here and there.
2. Ryan Rasmussen 6'2 guard senior Waupun (1)- Score first point guard with unlimited range, that can also get inside and score over bigger defenders. If his shots aren't falling does a great job of finding his teammates.
3. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward sophomore Madison East (3)- Very tough to stop on the inside and has been able to knock down the three point shot. Runs the court pretty well and is a very very good shot blocker. Can jump out of the gym and can throw down a dunk at any time.
4. Anthony Tucker 6'5 guard senior Minnetonka MN (1)- Guard with very good size that can knock down the deep three pointers with his smooth shot. Unselfish player that does a great job of letting the game come to him.
5. Jared Berggren 6'10 center senior Princeton MN (1)- A true center that has very soft hands and an even softer touch around the rim. Is a solid shot blocker, who is also a very good rebounder.
6. Lucas Burns 6'6 forward senior Janesville Craig (2)- Slight edge over Cashton Craig because he does so much more then just scores. Does a great job of rebounding and passing. Really lets the game come to him and doesn't force things. Very smooth player that can really knock down the outside shot and being 6'6 doesn't hurt either.
7. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard senior Madison Lafollette (2)- Very good shooter that can really get hot. Moves very well without the ball in his hands. Forces things at times and can go cold at times from the outside. Really just a scorer doesn't rebound very well.
8. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard junior Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Very good scorer that can go off at any time and has an engine that doesn't stop. Has really improve in becoming more of a point guard and not just a scorer.
9. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard junior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- Most improved player I have seen this year. Handles the ball very well and can get where he wants at anytime. Has a very good mid range jumper.
10. Kieran Weed 6'5 forward senior Laconia (1)- Kid that can jump out of the gym, that can one step and dunk. Weed is a beast on the inside that is very tough to stop and has the ability to go outside and hit the mid range jumper or three pointer. Also runs the court very well.
11. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center junior Janesville Craig (2)- Very strong inside with the ball. Really crashes the boards and does a great job getting inside position and moving without the ball.
12. Vander Blue 6'3 guard sophomore Madison Memorial (2)- Faster player I've seen from one end of the court to the other. Very good defender that forces turnovers. Crashes the boards well and is very strong with the ball around the hoop.
13. DJ Fuller 5'10 guard sophomore Madison Lafollette (1)- Didn't play the first time I saw Lafollette. Has a very godo cross over that allows him to get into the lane. Has a very good floater shot and is a very strong player. Another guy that has an engine that never quits.
14. David Hanson 6'6 forward senior Maranatha Christian MN (1)- Big man that can take bigger players outside and take smaller defenders inside. Can shoot the outside shot, post up, and handles the ball very well for a guy his size.
15. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward junior Madison Edgewood (1)- Very good shooter that can also drive to the hoop and find open teammates. Doesn't look like it but, is a fairly strong player.
HM
Marc Sonnet 6'3 guard junior Tartan MN (1)
Aris Wurtz 6'4 forward senior Waupun (1)
Tyler Mazur 6'4 guard junior Reedsburg (1/2)
Jade Royston 6'0 guard junior Wisconsin Dells (3)
Jason Ziemer 6'4 forward junior Verona (1)
Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward senior Madison West (2)
Senior Rankings
1. Ryan Rasmussen 6'2 guard Waupun
2.Lucas Burns 6'6 forward Janesville Craig
3. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard Madison Lafollette
4. Kieran Weed 6'5 forward Laconia
5. Aris Wurtz 6'4 forward Waupun- Guy that can do a little bit of everything. He passes well, rebounds well, plays good defense, can guard small or big men, and is a very very good three point shooter when he's able to spot up.
6. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward Madison West- Shoots the outside shot very well from a set position and does a great job of running the court.
7. Evan VanCleave 6'0 guard Reedsburg (1/2)- Ultra quick guard with very good handles and goes to the hoop very strong. Also has the ability to knock down the 15 footer.
8. Michael Horton 6'2 guard Madison West (2)- Pass first point guard that's always looking to set up his teammates. Handles the ball very well and can knock down the three point shot.
9. Ryan Wenkman 5'11 guard Wisconsin Dells (3)- Very hard nosed lead guard that uses his strength to get inside and score. Handles the ball very well and can knock down the three point shot.
10. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- A glue player that does all the little things. Rebounds very well, passes the ball well, and can knock down the three.
HM
Jon Stubbe 6'4 forward Middleton (3)
Deon Johnson 6'4 guard Madison West (2)
Junior Rankings
1. Jeronne Maymon 6'6 forward Madison Memorial
2. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard Milwaukee Bay View
3. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard Lacrosse Aquinas
4. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center Janesville Craig
5. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward Madison Edgewood
6. Tyler Mazur 6'4 guard Reedsburg
7. Jade Royston 6'0 guard Wisconsin Dells
8. Jason Ziemer 6'4 forward Verona- Rugged big man who pounds the glass extremely well and has a very soft touch around the tim.
9 Kyle Goike 6'3 forward Janesville Craig (2)- Very solid roll play, that can score big when necessary.
10. Brooks Braga 6'1 guard Middleton (3)- Very good lead guard that handles the ball very well and can penetrate and finish.
HM
Mike Boebel 6'6 forward Marshall (1)
Michael Hanson 6'6 forward Lacrosse Aquinas (1)
Lance Fritz 6'0 guard Adams Friendship (1)
Keegan Meier 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial (1)
Sophomore Rankings
1. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward Madison East
2. Vander Blue 6'3 guard Madison Memorial
3. DJ Fuller 5'10 guard Madison Lafollette
4. Austin Armgan 6'3 guard Waupun (1)- Has a very good runner and is a big time scorer.
5. Kevin Hurd 6'0 guard Portage (1)- Does a very good job of running the offense and doesn't need much room to get his shot off.
6. Demetrius Turner 6'4 forward Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Athletic guy that likes to run and goes to the hoop strong. Is a very strong rebounder and shot blocker.
7. Jon Dybevik 6'0 guard Madison Lafollette (2)- Handles the ball very well and goes to the hoop strong. Plays like an upper classman.
8. Adam Wadzinski 6'3 forward Verona (1)- Strong rebounder, thats also can knock down the 15 footer.
9. Bryce Wormet 6'2 forward Adams Friendship (1)- Guy that can knock down the three point shot, handle the ball, or get to the hoop and finish.
10. Nate Gibson 6'9 center Wisconsin Dells (3)- Big guy with very good size. Rebounds very well and scores well with his back to the basket.
HM
Jeff Hull 6'4 forward Madison East (2)
Jack Eaton 5'10 guard Eau Claire Regis (1)
Robert Littleton 6'1 guard Milwaukee Bay View (1)
Logan Johnson 6'2 guard Barneveld (1)
Freshmen Rankings
1. Charles Lee 5'7 guard Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Very quick lead guard that does a great job of getting in the lane and finding open teammates for layups.
2. Elgin Cook 6'3 guard Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Guy that goes to the hoop and can finish strong and is also a very good rebounder.
3. Darnell Harris 6'6 forward Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Extremely good defender that can block shots and knows when to take the charge. Also has a soft touch around the rim.
4. Samar Powell 5'6 guard Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Hard nosed player that is not afraid to go inside and can knock down the outside shot.
5. Haki Stampely 6'0 guard Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Guard that can really put his head down and score.
Theres my updated rankings. Probably won't be attending any games until maybe this weekend. Thought about going to the Verona vs Edgewood game tomorrow night but, its really gonna be a packed house and the season premier of Lost is going to be on. Looks like my next game will be Milwaukee Bradley Tech vs Madison West down in Madison on Saturday.
Rankings
1. Jeronne Maymon 6'6 forward junior Madison Memorial (2)- The best rebounder I have seen this year by a long shot. Runs the court extremely well for a big man and can handle the ball. Has the edge over Mason because he can handle the ball better and Mason appears to take a play off here and there.
2. Ryan Rasmussen 6'2 guard senior Waupun (1)- Score first point guard with unlimited range, that can also get inside and score over bigger defenders. If his shots aren't falling does a great job of finding his teammates.
3. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward sophomore Madison East (3)- Very tough to stop on the inside and has been able to knock down the three point shot. Runs the court pretty well and is a very very good shot blocker. Can jump out of the gym and can throw down a dunk at any time.
4. Anthony Tucker 6'5 guard senior Minnetonka MN (1)- Guard with very good size that can knock down the deep three pointers with his smooth shot. Unselfish player that does a great job of letting the game come to him.
5. Jared Berggren 6'10 center senior Princeton MN (1)- A true center that has very soft hands and an even softer touch around the rim. Is a solid shot blocker, who is also a very good rebounder.
6. Lucas Burns 6'6 forward senior Janesville Craig (2)- Slight edge over Cashton Craig because he does so much more then just scores. Does a great job of rebounding and passing. Really lets the game come to him and doesn't force things. Very smooth player that can really knock down the outside shot and being 6'6 doesn't hurt either.
7. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard senior Madison Lafollette (2)- Very good shooter that can really get hot. Moves very well without the ball in his hands. Forces things at times and can go cold at times from the outside. Really just a scorer doesn't rebound very well.
8. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard junior Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Very good scorer that can go off at any time and has an engine that doesn't stop. Has really improve in becoming more of a point guard and not just a scorer.
9. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard junior Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- Most improved player I have seen this year. Handles the ball very well and can get where he wants at anytime. Has a very good mid range jumper.
10. Kieran Weed 6'5 forward senior Laconia (1)- Kid that can jump out of the gym, that can one step and dunk. Weed is a beast on the inside that is very tough to stop and has the ability to go outside and hit the mid range jumper or three pointer. Also runs the court very well.
11. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center junior Janesville Craig (2)- Very strong inside with the ball. Really crashes the boards and does a great job getting inside position and moving without the ball.
12. Vander Blue 6'3 guard sophomore Madison Memorial (2)- Faster player I've seen from one end of the court to the other. Very good defender that forces turnovers. Crashes the boards well and is very strong with the ball around the hoop.
13. DJ Fuller 5'10 guard sophomore Madison Lafollette (1)- Didn't play the first time I saw Lafollette. Has a very godo cross over that allows him to get into the lane. Has a very good floater shot and is a very strong player. Another guy that has an engine that never quits.
14. David Hanson 6'6 forward senior Maranatha Christian MN (1)- Big man that can take bigger players outside and take smaller defenders inside. Can shoot the outside shot, post up, and handles the ball very well for a guy his size.
15. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward junior Madison Edgewood (1)- Very good shooter that can also drive to the hoop and find open teammates. Doesn't look like it but, is a fairly strong player.
HM
Marc Sonnet 6'3 guard junior Tartan MN (1)
Aris Wurtz 6'4 forward senior Waupun (1)
Tyler Mazur 6'4 guard junior Reedsburg (1/2)
Jade Royston 6'0 guard junior Wisconsin Dells (3)
Jason Ziemer 6'4 forward junior Verona (1)
Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward senior Madison West (2)
Senior Rankings
1. Ryan Rasmussen 6'2 guard Waupun
2.Lucas Burns 6'6 forward Janesville Craig
3. Cashton Craig 6'1 guard Madison Lafollette
4. Kieran Weed 6'5 forward Laconia
5. Aris Wurtz 6'4 forward Waupun- Guy that can do a little bit of everything. He passes well, rebounds well, plays good defense, can guard small or big men, and is a very very good three point shooter when he's able to spot up.
6. Corvonn Gaines 6'5 forward Madison West- Shoots the outside shot very well from a set position and does a great job of running the court.
7. Evan VanCleave 6'0 guard Reedsburg (1/2)- Ultra quick guard with very good handles and goes to the hoop very strong. Also has the ability to knock down the 15 footer.
8. Michael Horton 6'2 guard Madison West (2)- Pass first point guard that's always looking to set up his teammates. Handles the ball very well and can knock down the three point shot.
9. Ryan Wenkman 5'11 guard Wisconsin Dells (3)- Very hard nosed lead guard that uses his strength to get inside and score. Handles the ball very well and can knock down the three point shot.
10. Lucas Morrissey 6'3 forward Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- A glue player that does all the little things. Rebounds very well, passes the ball well, and can knock down the three.
HM
Jon Stubbe 6'4 forward Middleton (3)
Deon Johnson 6'4 guard Madison West (2)
Junior Rankings
1. Jeronne Maymon 6'6 forward Madison Memorial
2. Johnnie Lacy 5'11 guard Milwaukee Bay View
3. Jimmy Whitehead 6'1 guard Lacrosse Aquinas
4. Jojo Pregont 6'6 center Janesville Craig
5. Derek Braucht 6'6 forward Madison Edgewood
6. Tyler Mazur 6'4 guard Reedsburg
7. Jade Royston 6'0 guard Wisconsin Dells
8. Jason Ziemer 6'4 forward Verona- Rugged big man who pounds the glass extremely well and has a very soft touch around the tim.
9 Kyle Goike 6'3 forward Janesville Craig (2)- Very solid roll play, that can score big when necessary.
10. Brooks Braga 6'1 guard Middleton (3)- Very good lead guard that handles the ball very well and can penetrate and finish.
HM
Mike Boebel 6'6 forward Marshall (1)
Michael Hanson 6'6 forward Lacrosse Aquinas (1)
Lance Fritz 6'0 guard Adams Friendship (1)
Keegan Meier 6'3 forward Eau Claire Memorial (1)
Sophomore Rankings
1. Marquis Mason 6'5 forward Madison East
2. Vander Blue 6'3 guard Madison Memorial
3. DJ Fuller 5'10 guard Madison Lafollette
4. Austin Armgan 6'3 guard Waupun (1)- Has a very good runner and is a big time scorer.
5. Kevin Hurd 6'0 guard Portage (1)- Does a very good job of running the offense and doesn't need much room to get his shot off.
6. Demetrius Turner 6'4 forward Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Athletic guy that likes to run and goes to the hoop strong. Is a very strong rebounder and shot blocker.
7. Jon Dybevik 6'0 guard Madison Lafollette (2)- Handles the ball very well and goes to the hoop strong. Plays like an upper classman.
8. Adam Wadzinski 6'3 forward Verona (1)- Strong rebounder, thats also can knock down the 15 footer.
9. Bryce Wormet 6'2 forward Adams Friendship (1)- Guy that can knock down the three point shot, handle the ball, or get to the hoop and finish.
10. Nate Gibson 6'9 center Wisconsin Dells (3)- Big guy with very good size. Rebounds very well and scores well with his back to the basket.
HM
Jeff Hull 6'4 forward Madison East (2)
Jack Eaton 5'10 guard Eau Claire Regis (1)
Robert Littleton 6'1 guard Milwaukee Bay View (1)
Logan Johnson 6'2 guard Barneveld (1)
Freshmen Rankings
1. Charles Lee 5'7 guard Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Very quick lead guard that does a great job of getting in the lane and finding open teammates for layups.
2. Elgin Cook 6'3 guard Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Guy that goes to the hoop and can finish strong and is also a very good rebounder.
3. Darnell Harris 6'6 forward Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Extremely good defender that can block shots and knows when to take the charge. Also has a soft touch around the rim.
4. Samar Powell 5'6 guard Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Hard nosed player that is not afraid to go inside and can knock down the outside shot.
5. Haki Stampely 6'0 guard Milwaukee Bay View (1)- Guard that can really put his head down and score.
Theres my updated rankings. Probably won't be attending any games until maybe this weekend. Thought about going to the Verona vs Edgewood game tomorrow night but, its really gonna be a packed house and the season premier of Lost is going to be on. Looks like my next game will be Milwaukee Bradley Tech vs Madison West down in Madison on Saturday.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sixth Round of Team Rankings
With the Border Battle under my belt I now have seen nine more teams that I hadn't seen before to rank. I saw five teams that were from outside of Wisconsin and those teams will be included in my overall rankings but, not in my division rankings, which will only include teams from within the state of Wisconsin.
Rankings
1. Madison Memorial (2)- Unless you have two or three very good guards you are not going to beat this team. Their full court pressure defense is just so tough and their an extremely athletic team, that really pounds the glass. Jeronne Maymon and Vander Blue are both legit stars that are going to be D1 college players.
2. Minnetonka MN (1)- Team full of guys that are 6'5 to 6'7 that can play outside and inside. Tonka has three guys that can take over the game at any time in CJ Erickson, Anthony Tucker, and Tyler Schilling.
3. Waupun (1)- These guys can light it up from the outside every game. Ryan Rasmussen and Aris Wurtz can go for 20 points a piece every game. Austin Armga provides a third scorer that can go out and get double digits every game.
4. Janesville Craig (2)- Their height and defense give Craig an advantage over every team that they play. The have four legit stars in Lucas Burns, Cooper Cullen, Jojo Pregont, and Kyle Goike. This team prefers to play a slow tempo and take their time on offense but, can just as easily play an uptempo game.
5. Madison Lafollette (2)- Really showed me something the way they handled Madison East even with their star Cashton Craig being a non-factor. Lafollette gets the edge over Bay View because they did beat them and have the experience edge. DJ Fuller appears ready to become the #2 scoring option for Lafollette and Darnell Small and Deonte Thompson have provided a low post presence that I believed they lacked.
5. Middleton (3)- Middleton is probably one of the deepest teams in the state. They play 10-12 players in their regular rotation and don't lose a thing when they go to the bench. They are a very disciplined team where everyone knows there role and does their fair share. They don't have that go to guy but, that may be an advantage so that if one player is struggling the entire team isn't struggling.
6. Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Very athletic team, that is also very young. Johnnie Lacy is one of the top players in the country and this team will only get better as the year goes on. They will be able to provide pressure, forcing teams to turn the ball over and allowing for easy baskets.
7. Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- Team that works very very well together. Can really push the tempo but, are just as affective in the half court set. The have a couple glue guys in Lucas Morrissey and Zach Rickaway along with Jimmy Whitehead who is really becoming the star of this team.
8. Laconia (1)- Have a very good starting five that is probably as good as anyone in the state. Kieran Weed is a real stud that can score from anywhere on the court. Their only down fall is their lack of bench depth.
9. Verona (1)- Very disciplined team that plays great defense. Very patient on the offensive end and look to pound it into their rugged big man Jason Ziemer who was a very soft tough around the hoop.
10. Madison East (3)- Marquis Mason is easily one of the best players in the state and it finally appears that he will be getting some help. Look for Al Mayne to have a very good second half of the year. East success may hinge on the ability of Mayne and the other Purgolders to help Mason out in the scoring column.
11. Adams Friendship (1)- Everyone knows about Tommie Gaston but, Lance Fritz is also a very good player who can score in a hurry. Their 1-3-1 zone defense, which is a 2-3 at times is very very good which will keep them in every game.
12. Princeton MN (1)- Got killed against a hot shooting Waupun team but, 6'10 Jared Berggren gives them an edge against any team they play.
13. Madison Edgewood (1)- Very disciplined team that's very patient on the offensive end and really plays good defense. All five players on the court really attack the glass on offense and defense. Every player on the team seems to know their roll and excepts it.
14. Madison West (2)- This team is much better then I previously thought. They are an extremely athletic team that can score in a hurry. If they keep the ball in point guard Michael Horton's hands they can beat anyone, along with remaining patience and not becoming selfish or flustered when they get down.
15. Eau Claire Regis (1)- Tall team that is another very balanced team. Like Middleton don't have a real go to player which works to their favor. In division three this team is easily a top 10 team.
HM
Tartan MN (1)
Maranatha Christian MN (1)
Rockford MN (1)
Wisconsin Dells (3)
Division 1
1. Madison Memorial- Very tough full court pressure defense. Have five extremely athletic starters.
2. Janseville Craig- Tallest team I've seen this year and have the best defense.
3. Madison Lafollette- Very athletic team, that relies on strong guard play.
4. Middleton- Very balanced, disciplined team.
5. Milwaukee Bay View- Athletic team that's very young and likes to get out and run.
6. Verona- Disciplined team, thats patient on offense, and plays great defense.
7. Madison East- Great player Marquis Mason is finally getting some help.
8. Madison West- Very athletic team that lacks discipline.
9. Eau Claire Memorial (1)- Ranked simply because I've only seen nine teams in D1.
Division 2
1. Waupun- Best three point shooting team I've seen this year and they shoot a lot of threes.
2. Adams Friendship- 1-3-1 defense is the best around and have two big time scorers.
3.Madison Edgewood- Very disciplined team where everyone knows their role.
4. Wisconsin Dells- One of the best back courts in D2, lack interior help.
5. Reedsburg (1/2)- Have two very good players in Mazur and VanCleave.
6. Portage (1)- Very disciplined team, that lacks athleticism but, gives 100%.
7. Sauk Praire (1)- Another team ranked only because I've only seen a few D2 teams.
Division 3
1. Lacrosse Aquinas- Very well coached team that takes care of the ball and can run the court or play a half court game.
2. Laconia- Kieran Weed is a stud and they have one of the best starting fives around.
3. Eau Claire Regis- Very tall team that lack the go to star like Laconia and Aquinas.
4. Marshall (1)- Tall athletic team but, doesn't play the greatest defense.
Division 4
1. Barneveld (1)- Discipline team that always gives 110% but, are lacking height.
2. Wausau Newman (1/2)- Have only seen two D4 teams.
Theres the new team rankings. Tomorrow will probably be the updated player rankings which is gonna take me some time because I saw so many players play this past weekend. Hopefully the weather will let up some this weekend so I'm able to attend a game or two later this week.
Rankings
1. Madison Memorial (2)- Unless you have two or three very good guards you are not going to beat this team. Their full court pressure defense is just so tough and their an extremely athletic team, that really pounds the glass. Jeronne Maymon and Vander Blue are both legit stars that are going to be D1 college players.
2. Minnetonka MN (1)- Team full of guys that are 6'5 to 6'7 that can play outside and inside. Tonka has three guys that can take over the game at any time in CJ Erickson, Anthony Tucker, and Tyler Schilling.
3. Waupun (1)- These guys can light it up from the outside every game. Ryan Rasmussen and Aris Wurtz can go for 20 points a piece every game. Austin Armga provides a third scorer that can go out and get double digits every game.
4. Janesville Craig (2)- Their height and defense give Craig an advantage over every team that they play. The have four legit stars in Lucas Burns, Cooper Cullen, Jojo Pregont, and Kyle Goike. This team prefers to play a slow tempo and take their time on offense but, can just as easily play an uptempo game.
5. Madison Lafollette (2)- Really showed me something the way they handled Madison East even with their star Cashton Craig being a non-factor. Lafollette gets the edge over Bay View because they did beat them and have the experience edge. DJ Fuller appears ready to become the #2 scoring option for Lafollette and Darnell Small and Deonte Thompson have provided a low post presence that I believed they lacked.
5. Middleton (3)- Middleton is probably one of the deepest teams in the state. They play 10-12 players in their regular rotation and don't lose a thing when they go to the bench. They are a very disciplined team where everyone knows there role and does their fair share. They don't have that go to guy but, that may be an advantage so that if one player is struggling the entire team isn't struggling.
6. Milwaukee Bay View (2)- Very athletic team, that is also very young. Johnnie Lacy is one of the top players in the country and this team will only get better as the year goes on. They will be able to provide pressure, forcing teams to turn the ball over and allowing for easy baskets.
7. Lacrosse Aquinas (1)- Team that works very very well together. Can really push the tempo but, are just as affective in the half court set. The have a couple glue guys in Lucas Morrissey and Zach Rickaway along with Jimmy Whitehead who is really becoming the star of this team.
8. Laconia (1)- Have a very good starting five that is probably as good as anyone in the state. Kieran Weed is a real stud that can score from anywhere on the court. Their only down fall is their lack of bench depth.
9. Verona (1)- Very disciplined team that plays great defense. Very patient on the offensive end and look to pound it into their rugged big man Jason Ziemer who was a very soft tough around the hoop.
10. Madison East (3)- Marquis Mason is easily one of the best players in the state and it finally appears that he will be getting some help. Look for Al Mayne to have a very good second half of the year. East success may hinge on the ability of Mayne and the other Purgolders to help Mason out in the scoring column.
11. Adams Friendship (1)- Everyone knows about Tommie Gaston but, Lance Fritz is also a very good player who can score in a hurry. Their 1-3-1 zone defense, which is a 2-3 at times is very very good which will keep them in every game.
12. Princeton MN (1)- Got killed against a hot shooting Waupun team but, 6'10 Jared Berggren gives them an edge against any team they play.
13. Madison Edgewood (1)- Very disciplined team that's very patient on the offensive end and really plays good defense. All five players on the court really attack the glass on offense and defense. Every player on the team seems to know their roll and excepts it.
14. Madison West (2)- This team is much better then I previously thought. They are an extremely athletic team that can score in a hurry. If they keep the ball in point guard Michael Horton's hands they can beat anyone, along with remaining patience and not becoming selfish or flustered when they get down.
15. Eau Claire Regis (1)- Tall team that is another very balanced team. Like Middleton don't have a real go to player which works to their favor. In division three this team is easily a top 10 team.
HM
Tartan MN (1)
Maranatha Christian MN (1)
Rockford MN (1)
Wisconsin Dells (3)
Division 1
1. Madison Memorial- Very tough full court pressure defense. Have five extremely athletic starters.
2. Janseville Craig- Tallest team I've seen this year and have the best defense.
3. Madison Lafollette- Very athletic team, that relies on strong guard play.
4. Middleton- Very balanced, disciplined team.
5. Milwaukee Bay View- Athletic team that's very young and likes to get out and run.
6. Verona- Disciplined team, thats patient on offense, and plays great defense.
7. Madison East- Great player Marquis Mason is finally getting some help.
8. Madison West- Very athletic team that lacks discipline.
9. Eau Claire Memorial (1)- Ranked simply because I've only seen nine teams in D1.
Division 2
1. Waupun- Best three point shooting team I've seen this year and they shoot a lot of threes.
2. Adams Friendship- 1-3-1 defense is the best around and have two big time scorers.
3.Madison Edgewood- Very disciplined team where everyone knows their role.
4. Wisconsin Dells- One of the best back courts in D2, lack interior help.
5. Reedsburg (1/2)- Have two very good players in Mazur and VanCleave.
6. Portage (1)- Very disciplined team, that lacks athleticism but, gives 100%.
7. Sauk Praire (1)- Another team ranked only because I've only seen a few D2 teams.
Division 3
1. Lacrosse Aquinas- Very well coached team that takes care of the ball and can run the court or play a half court game.
2. Laconia- Kieran Weed is a stud and they have one of the best starting fives around.
3. Eau Claire Regis- Very tall team that lack the go to star like Laconia and Aquinas.
4. Marshall (1)- Tall athletic team but, doesn't play the greatest defense.
Division 4
1. Barneveld (1)- Discipline team that always gives 110% but, are lacking height.
2. Wausau Newman (1/2)- Have only seen two D4 teams.
Theres the new team rankings. Tomorrow will probably be the updated player rankings which is gonna take me some time because I saw so many players play this past weekend. Hopefully the weather will let up some this weekend so I'm able to attend a game or two later this week.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Border Battle Review
The Border Battle turned out to be the great basketball I was expecting. The first three games ended up not being very close, with the final two games going down to the final minute. The day was highlighted by six very impressive individual efforts, one game had two players team up for a great win. Minnesota was able to take the first two games, winning failry easily, then Waupun turned things around winning big, then Madison Memorial, and Verona finished it off with two very impressive victories.
Maranatha Christian 65 Barneveld 41
In the opening game of the day Barneveld was cleary outmatched in height and athleticism. Maranatha controlled the boards and Barneveld had no one to guard D1 Cal Poly recuit David Hanson, who completely dominated the game. Hanson a 6'6 forward knocked down the outside jumpers, and could go inside and score at will. In the second half Barneveld came out with a full court press that cut Maranthas lead a bit but, in the end the Eagles ran out of steam and both benches were cleared with about 3 minutes left in the game. Trent Sullivan was the one bright spot for Barneveld as he was able to penetrate and score or get the assist. It seemed every basket for Barneveld was keyed by Sullivan. One strange thing to note is that Maranatha had an eighth grader starting at point guard in Darian Pittman. Pittman didn't stand out by any means but, he held his own fairly well in the game and didn't seem like a junior high player at all.
Scoring
Barneveld 41- Sullivan 11 Kyle Thompson 9 Michael Schlimgen 5 Shawn Monson 5 Tim Nechkash 3 Patrick Clerkin 3 Logan Johnson 2 Grant Bowe 2 Jacob Erfurth 1 Cody Knudson 0 Josh Slaney 0 Derek Mieden 0
Maranatha 65- D Hanson 27 Tyler Champion 19 Josh Hanson 8 Matt Eickman 4 Pittman 3 Chis Paskey 2 Jay Higgins 2 Milos Ristanovic 0 SaVaughn Jordan 0
Rockford 88 Marshall 61
In warmups first thing I noticed was that Marshall had a huge height advantage in this game and through the first quarter of this game it appeared that would be the difference in this game. Marshall was able to jump out to a 15-3 advantage out of the gates by using their height advantage and pound the ball inside. In the second quarter Rockford switched to a zone defense which really shut down Marshall's inside game and Marshall began settling for the outside shots. Marshall wasn't able to knock down their outside shots which led to long rebounds and allowed Rockford to get out and run which is their signature of their game. Rockford was able to beat Marshall up the court and get soem easily layups. When Marshall did look to get the ball inside, they turned the ball over, which once again led to easy layups for Rockford. Marshall did a very poor job of getting back on defense and some foul trouble led to a pair of the Marshall starters having to sit for long periods of time, those two things teamed with Marshall's inability to knock down their outside shots.
Scorers
Marshall 61- Greg Haag 11 Alex Koeller 10 Derek Woelffer 10 Mike Boebel 10 Stephen Lunda 6 Max Franklin 5 Deveron Crews 5 Bryan Weisman 1 Zac Hurley 0 Gustavo Gonzalez 0 Alex Fry 0
Rockford 88- Luke Mernin 25 Nick Haugen 16 Antone Nelson 12 Mike Mernin 10 Andrew Wacha 7 Nathan Maher 6 Chris Luhmann 6 Kyle Then 2 Bradley Skafte 2 Joshua Brozek 0 Brian Lynch 0
Waupun 83 Princeton 44
Everyone came to see Princeton's 6'10 Jared Berggren a University of Wisconsin recruit, but it was Waupun's Ryan Rasmussen and Aris Wurtz who stole the show. Rasmussen came out gunning as he poured in 18 first quarter points and finished with 30. When Rasmussen cooled off in the second quarter Wurtz picked up where he left off scoring 15 second quarter points and finished with 29 points. Jared Berggren had a solid first half scoring 16 points but, was held silent in the second half. Waupun was able to double down on Berggren in the second half and leave the Princeton shooters wide open who were unable to knock down the outside shots. The difference in this game was Waupun's ability to knock down the three point shots and Princetons inability to knock down the threes.
Waupun 83- Rasmussen 30 Wurtz 29 Austin Armga 10 Jess Nickel 3 Jordan Mock 3 Andrew Visser 3 Taylor Nehls 3 Cory Nickel 2 Tyler DeBoer 0 Kody Fietz 0 Ben Weisnicht 0 Dylan Wurtz 0 Evan Guell 0 Derrick Winterback 0 Mitch Bille 0
Princeton 44- Berggren 16 Ryan Fay 11 Phillip Klaphake 5 Nick Falken 4 Dylan Carroll 2 Asaiah McBride 2 Nick Walz 2 Tobi Egbujor 1 Josh Hanus 1 Joe Hafften 0 Jack Youso 0 Casey Milesko 0 Ben Kettelholdt 0 Taylor Murphey 0 Angelo Fraboni 0 Tyler Hass 0 Jesse Liila 0 Zach Sajion 0
Madison Memorial 78 Minnetonka 69
The most highly anticipated match up of the tournament lived up to the hype. The game was tied 31 all at half time but, in the second half Memorial turned up the pressure with their trapping defense and forced Minnetonka to turn the ball over and forced an uptempo game. Iowa recruit Anthony Tucker was able to knock down some outside shots but, was unable to continue his hot shooting in the second half. D1 recruit CJ Erickson never got things going but, Tyler Schilling picked up his slack and scored 19 points. Scoring was not the problem for Minnetonka but, their inability to handle the Memorial pressure. Jeronne Maymon for Memorial was his normal self as he recorded another double which seems to be common hat for him. Vander Blue also had a great game as he was able to knock down some outside shots and had a couple big blocks.
Madison Memorial 78- Maymon 30 Blue 16 Tre Creamer 9 Devonte Maymon 9 Ace Davis 6 Derek Nkemji 5 Xavier Jones 3 Fred Ringhand 0
Minnetonka 69- Tucker 21 Schilling 19 Sedrick McBounds 10 Erickson 8 Ut Udo 4 Andy Burns 3 Kyle Risinger 2 Taylor Nelson 2 Andrew Latzke 0
Verona 68 Tartan 64
This game was close throughout as Verona led 27-25 at half and Tartan was able to keep the game within eight points throughout much of second half and were able to get within a last second three point shot of sending the game to overtime. Verona was able to control the boards and Tartan star Marc Sonnen was limited to only two minutes of play in the first half which led to the Verona win. Tartan was unable to knock down their shots throughout the game and Verona limited their second chance points.
Verona 68- Jason Ziemer 30 Connor Valentyn 13 Adam Wadzinski 9 Justin Scanlon 7 Zach Stangel 5 Travis Schaaf 2 Sam Riebau 2 Scott Platto 0 Sky Waters 0 Ethan Malofsky 0
Tartan 64- Sonnen 17 Sam Ryan 14 Aaron Hoverson 8 Manani Beavers 8 Tim Lubke 6 Shawn Marlowe 6 James Pritschet 4 Max Ryan 1 Derek Peterson 0 Nick Estrem 0
Top Players of the Border Battle
Trent Sullivan 6'2 senior guard Barneveld- The few bright spots for Barneveld were keyed by Sullivan who was able to get inside and score or set up open teammates.
Patrick Clerkin 6'2 junior forward Barneveld- Didn't score much in the game but, really did a good job of going inside and rebounding.
David Hanson 6'6 senior forward Maranatha- Kid does it all. Can knock down outside shots, score in the post, and can handle the ball really well for a 6'6 player.
Tyler Campion 6'3 senior center Maranatha- Overshadowed by Hanson but, was a very solid player. Did a great job of battling against Clerkin who is much more solid then Campion. Campion also was able to knock down his free throws were he seemed to spend a good portion of his time.
Mike Boebel 6'6 junior forward Marshall- Very unselfish player that does a great job of passing out of the post. Is versitle to score from the outside or inside.
Greg Haag 6'1 junior guard Marshall- Very good outside shooter who did his best of bringin Marshall back into the game.
Luke Mernin 5'11 senior guard Rockford- Very fast kid from one end of the court to the other with the ball in his hand.
Nick Haugen 6'3 senior guard Rockford- Bigtime scorer that can knock down a lot of shots in a hurry.
Ryan Rasmussen 6'2 senior guard Waupun- Great outside shooter with unlimited range and when he did miss a couple shots he was able to get inside and find open teammates.
Aris Wurtz 6'4 senior forward Waupun- Very good spot up outside shooter and guarded the 6'10 bigman Jared Berggren.
Jared Berggren 6'10 senior center Princeton- Very soft touch around the rim, a good shot blocker, and a very solid rebounder.
Jeronne Maymon 6'6 junior forward Madison Memorial- Best rebounder I have seen this year. Very versatile on the offensive end can score inside or outside.
Vander Blue 6'3 sophomore guard Madison Memorial- Very fast player on the breakaways and goes inside very strong and can knock down the outside shots. Is also a very good defensive player that can get steals and block shots.
Anthony Tucker 6'5 senior guard Minnetonka- Very smooth outside shooter with a quick release that can go off at any time.
Tyler Schilling 6'6 senior forward Minnetonka- Can play inside or out. Is very strong on the inside and is a good rebounder.
Jason Ziemer 6'4 junior forward Verona- Extremely good rebounder with a soft touch on the inside. Can use either hand and has a fairly good hook shot.
Marc Sonnen 6'3 junior guard Tartan- Very good scorer off the dribble and has the ability to find his teammates for open shots.
Manani Beavers 6'2 sophomore forward- Did a great job of rebounding and guarding the bigger Ziemer.
Well theres my run down of the Border Battle. I'll admit my run down of the top players was a little short due to the fact that I'm extremely tired and have to get up early tomorrow.
Maranatha Christian 65 Barneveld 41
In the opening game of the day Barneveld was cleary outmatched in height and athleticism. Maranatha controlled the boards and Barneveld had no one to guard D1 Cal Poly recuit David Hanson, who completely dominated the game. Hanson a 6'6 forward knocked down the outside jumpers, and could go inside and score at will. In the second half Barneveld came out with a full court press that cut Maranthas lead a bit but, in the end the Eagles ran out of steam and both benches were cleared with about 3 minutes left in the game. Trent Sullivan was the one bright spot for Barneveld as he was able to penetrate and score or get the assist. It seemed every basket for Barneveld was keyed by Sullivan. One strange thing to note is that Maranatha had an eighth grader starting at point guard in Darian Pittman. Pittman didn't stand out by any means but, he held his own fairly well in the game and didn't seem like a junior high player at all.
Scoring
Barneveld 41- Sullivan 11 Kyle Thompson 9 Michael Schlimgen 5 Shawn Monson 5 Tim Nechkash 3 Patrick Clerkin 3 Logan Johnson 2 Grant Bowe 2 Jacob Erfurth 1 Cody Knudson 0 Josh Slaney 0 Derek Mieden 0
Maranatha 65- D Hanson 27 Tyler Champion 19 Josh Hanson 8 Matt Eickman 4 Pittman 3 Chis Paskey 2 Jay Higgins 2 Milos Ristanovic 0 SaVaughn Jordan 0
Rockford 88 Marshall 61
In warmups first thing I noticed was that Marshall had a huge height advantage in this game and through the first quarter of this game it appeared that would be the difference in this game. Marshall was able to jump out to a 15-3 advantage out of the gates by using their height advantage and pound the ball inside. In the second quarter Rockford switched to a zone defense which really shut down Marshall's inside game and Marshall began settling for the outside shots. Marshall wasn't able to knock down their outside shots which led to long rebounds and allowed Rockford to get out and run which is their signature of their game. Rockford was able to beat Marshall up the court and get soem easily layups. When Marshall did look to get the ball inside, they turned the ball over, which once again led to easy layups for Rockford. Marshall did a very poor job of getting back on defense and some foul trouble led to a pair of the Marshall starters having to sit for long periods of time, those two things teamed with Marshall's inability to knock down their outside shots.
Scorers
Marshall 61- Greg Haag 11 Alex Koeller 10 Derek Woelffer 10 Mike Boebel 10 Stephen Lunda 6 Max Franklin 5 Deveron Crews 5 Bryan Weisman 1 Zac Hurley 0 Gustavo Gonzalez 0 Alex Fry 0
Rockford 88- Luke Mernin 25 Nick Haugen 16 Antone Nelson 12 Mike Mernin 10 Andrew Wacha 7 Nathan Maher 6 Chris Luhmann 6 Kyle Then 2 Bradley Skafte 2 Joshua Brozek 0 Brian Lynch 0
Waupun 83 Princeton 44
Everyone came to see Princeton's 6'10 Jared Berggren a University of Wisconsin recruit, but it was Waupun's Ryan Rasmussen and Aris Wurtz who stole the show. Rasmussen came out gunning as he poured in 18 first quarter points and finished with 30. When Rasmussen cooled off in the second quarter Wurtz picked up where he left off scoring 15 second quarter points and finished with 29 points. Jared Berggren had a solid first half scoring 16 points but, was held silent in the second half. Waupun was able to double down on Berggren in the second half and leave the Princeton shooters wide open who were unable to knock down the outside shots. The difference in this game was Waupun's ability to knock down the three point shots and Princetons inability to knock down the threes.
Waupun 83- Rasmussen 30 Wurtz 29 Austin Armga 10 Jess Nickel 3 Jordan Mock 3 Andrew Visser 3 Taylor Nehls 3 Cory Nickel 2 Tyler DeBoer 0 Kody Fietz 0 Ben Weisnicht 0 Dylan Wurtz 0 Evan Guell 0 Derrick Winterback 0 Mitch Bille 0
Princeton 44- Berggren 16 Ryan Fay 11 Phillip Klaphake 5 Nick Falken 4 Dylan Carroll 2 Asaiah McBride 2 Nick Walz 2 Tobi Egbujor 1 Josh Hanus 1 Joe Hafften 0 Jack Youso 0 Casey Milesko 0 Ben Kettelholdt 0 Taylor Murphey 0 Angelo Fraboni 0 Tyler Hass 0 Jesse Liila 0 Zach Sajion 0
Madison Memorial 78 Minnetonka 69
The most highly anticipated match up of the tournament lived up to the hype. The game was tied 31 all at half time but, in the second half Memorial turned up the pressure with their trapping defense and forced Minnetonka to turn the ball over and forced an uptempo game. Iowa recruit Anthony Tucker was able to knock down some outside shots but, was unable to continue his hot shooting in the second half. D1 recruit CJ Erickson never got things going but, Tyler Schilling picked up his slack and scored 19 points. Scoring was not the problem for Minnetonka but, their inability to handle the Memorial pressure. Jeronne Maymon for Memorial was his normal self as he recorded another double which seems to be common hat for him. Vander Blue also had a great game as he was able to knock down some outside shots and had a couple big blocks.
Madison Memorial 78- Maymon 30 Blue 16 Tre Creamer 9 Devonte Maymon 9 Ace Davis 6 Derek Nkemji 5 Xavier Jones 3 Fred Ringhand 0
Minnetonka 69- Tucker 21 Schilling 19 Sedrick McBounds 10 Erickson 8 Ut Udo 4 Andy Burns 3 Kyle Risinger 2 Taylor Nelson 2 Andrew Latzke 0
Verona 68 Tartan 64
This game was close throughout as Verona led 27-25 at half and Tartan was able to keep the game within eight points throughout much of second half and were able to get within a last second three point shot of sending the game to overtime. Verona was able to control the boards and Tartan star Marc Sonnen was limited to only two minutes of play in the first half which led to the Verona win. Tartan was unable to knock down their shots throughout the game and Verona limited their second chance points.
Verona 68- Jason Ziemer 30 Connor Valentyn 13 Adam Wadzinski 9 Justin Scanlon 7 Zach Stangel 5 Travis Schaaf 2 Sam Riebau 2 Scott Platto 0 Sky Waters 0 Ethan Malofsky 0
Tartan 64- Sonnen 17 Sam Ryan 14 Aaron Hoverson 8 Manani Beavers 8 Tim Lubke 6 Shawn Marlowe 6 James Pritschet 4 Max Ryan 1 Derek Peterson 0 Nick Estrem 0
Top Players of the Border Battle
Trent Sullivan 6'2 senior guard Barneveld- The few bright spots for Barneveld were keyed by Sullivan who was able to get inside and score or set up open teammates.
Patrick Clerkin 6'2 junior forward Barneveld- Didn't score much in the game but, really did a good job of going inside and rebounding.
David Hanson 6'6 senior forward Maranatha- Kid does it all. Can knock down outside shots, score in the post, and can handle the ball really well for a 6'6 player.
Tyler Campion 6'3 senior center Maranatha- Overshadowed by Hanson but, was a very solid player. Did a great job of battling against Clerkin who is much more solid then Campion. Campion also was able to knock down his free throws were he seemed to spend a good portion of his time.
Mike Boebel 6'6 junior forward Marshall- Very unselfish player that does a great job of passing out of the post. Is versitle to score from the outside or inside.
Greg Haag 6'1 junior guard Marshall- Very good outside shooter who did his best of bringin Marshall back into the game.
Luke Mernin 5'11 senior guard Rockford- Very fast kid from one end of the court to the other with the ball in his hand.
Nick Haugen 6'3 senior guard Rockford- Bigtime scorer that can knock down a lot of shots in a hurry.
Ryan Rasmussen 6'2 senior guard Waupun- Great outside shooter with unlimited range and when he did miss a couple shots he was able to get inside and find open teammates.
Aris Wurtz 6'4 senior forward Waupun- Very good spot up outside shooter and guarded the 6'10 bigman Jared Berggren.
Jared Berggren 6'10 senior center Princeton- Very soft touch around the rim, a good shot blocker, and a very solid rebounder.
Jeronne Maymon 6'6 junior forward Madison Memorial- Best rebounder I have seen this year. Very versatile on the offensive end can score inside or outside.
Vander Blue 6'3 sophomore guard Madison Memorial- Very fast player on the breakaways and goes inside very strong and can knock down the outside shots. Is also a very good defensive player that can get steals and block shots.
Anthony Tucker 6'5 senior guard Minnetonka- Very smooth outside shooter with a quick release that can go off at any time.
Tyler Schilling 6'6 senior forward Minnetonka- Can play inside or out. Is very strong on the inside and is a good rebounder.
Jason Ziemer 6'4 junior forward Verona- Extremely good rebounder with a soft touch on the inside. Can use either hand and has a fairly good hook shot.
Marc Sonnen 6'3 junior guard Tartan- Very good scorer off the dribble and has the ability to find his teammates for open shots.
Manani Beavers 6'2 sophomore forward- Did a great job of rebounding and guarding the bigger Ziemer.
Well theres my run down of the Border Battle. I'll admit my run down of the top players was a little short due to the fact that I'm extremely tired and have to get up early tomorrow.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Border Battle Preview
Big weekend of games coming up as the second annual Border Battle takes place. The Border Battle pins five of the premier Wisconsin high school teams against five of the premier Minnesota high school teams. The Border Battle doesn't truly show which state is the best due to the fact that teams are picked a couple years in advance and it isn't always the top teams from each division playing each other but, it is close to showing which state is better. Last year Wisconsin was able to escape with a 3-2 advantage but, this year looks to be much tougher draw for the Wisconsin teams. Every team from Minnesota is ranked in the top 10 in each of their respected divisions and most of the teams are in the top three of their division. With my prediction total at 19-14 will see how my predictions for the Border Battle work out. This will be some pretty tough picks because all the teams are fairly good and I have seen only one the teams play that is playing in the tournament.
Maranatha Christian Academy (MN) vs Barneveld (WI) Division 4
Barneveld came into this season with some high hopes but, have struggled as of late. Barneveld is currently 8-4 and have lost three of their last four games. On the other hand Maranatha comes in undefeated and ranked #1 in Minnesota for division four schools. Maranatha has division one college player on there team, who is a Mr. Basketball candidate. I believe that Maranatha will handle Barneveld fairly easy in this one.
Rockford (MN) vs Marshall (WI) Division 3
Rockford comes into this game highly touted being ranked second in their division. Rockford matched uped with Lacrosse Aquinas who dominated the game from start to finish. Aquinas was an extremely talented team but, I came away from the game not very impressed with Rockford. Marshall lost some key players from their team last year in Nick Krull and Ralph Crews but, still have a fairly solid team and some rich tradition at Marshall, who are currently 9-3. I'm gonna go out a limb a little bit and pick Marshall in this one.
Princeton (MN) vs Waupon (WI) Division 2
This is really the toughest game for me to predict. Waupon is a high school team that is lead by a pair of perimeter players in Ryan Rasmussen and Aris Wurtz who each average close to 20 ppg, while Princeton is led by 6'11 Badger recruit Jared Berggren who averages a near double double. Waupon is currently undefeated while Princeton has lost four games and is just barely hanging on to their top ten ranking. Maybe this is Wisconsin bias but, I'm picking Waupon to take this one.
Minnetonka (MN) vs Madison Memorial (WI) Division 1
This two teams matched up last year and Minnetonka had their way as they really frustrated Memorial big man Keaton Nankivil. Minnetonka was filled with lots of guys that were 6'3 to 6'6 and were extremely athletic and if I remember correctly they had a lot of juniors. Tonka is currently ranked third in division one and are arguably the best team in the state of Minnesota. Last time the two teams met Jeronne Maymon had a huge game for Memorial scoring 27 points and really helped keep the score respectable. Maymon is back and should once again have a big game but, I just don't see Memorial as a team being able to play with the high power Minnetonka team. Minnetonka wins this one.
Tartan (MN) vs Verona (WI) Division 1 host school
Last year Tartan played Wisconsin Rapids and were less then impressive as they lost to an average Rapids team. Verona has a lot more weapons then Rapids had and are playing at home in this one. Tartan is supposedly smaller then last years team which should allow Verona to go to big man Jason Ziemer inside, which should carry them to victory. Verona
So I have Wisconsin winning once again 3-2. There is a little Wisconsin bias in there and I could honestly see Wisconsin getting swept as easily as I could see them going 3-2. Two games that I will guarantee are Marantha over Barneveld and Minnetonka over Madison Memorial. I guess will just have to wait two days to see for sure. Be back Saturday or Sunday with results and thoughts.
Maranatha Christian Academy (MN) vs Barneveld (WI) Division 4
Barneveld came into this season with some high hopes but, have struggled as of late. Barneveld is currently 8-4 and have lost three of their last four games. On the other hand Maranatha comes in undefeated and ranked #1 in Minnesota for division four schools. Maranatha has division one college player on there team, who is a Mr. Basketball candidate. I believe that Maranatha will handle Barneveld fairly easy in this one.
Rockford (MN) vs Marshall (WI) Division 3
Rockford comes into this game highly touted being ranked second in their division. Rockford matched uped with Lacrosse Aquinas who dominated the game from start to finish. Aquinas was an extremely talented team but, I came away from the game not very impressed with Rockford. Marshall lost some key players from their team last year in Nick Krull and Ralph Crews but, still have a fairly solid team and some rich tradition at Marshall, who are currently 9-3. I'm gonna go out a limb a little bit and pick Marshall in this one.
Princeton (MN) vs Waupon (WI) Division 2
This is really the toughest game for me to predict. Waupon is a high school team that is lead by a pair of perimeter players in Ryan Rasmussen and Aris Wurtz who each average close to 20 ppg, while Princeton is led by 6'11 Badger recruit Jared Berggren who averages a near double double. Waupon is currently undefeated while Princeton has lost four games and is just barely hanging on to their top ten ranking. Maybe this is Wisconsin bias but, I'm picking Waupon to take this one.
Minnetonka (MN) vs Madison Memorial (WI) Division 1
This two teams matched up last year and Minnetonka had their way as they really frustrated Memorial big man Keaton Nankivil. Minnetonka was filled with lots of guys that were 6'3 to 6'6 and were extremely athletic and if I remember correctly they had a lot of juniors. Tonka is currently ranked third in division one and are arguably the best team in the state of Minnesota. Last time the two teams met Jeronne Maymon had a huge game for Memorial scoring 27 points and really helped keep the score respectable. Maymon is back and should once again have a big game but, I just don't see Memorial as a team being able to play with the high power Minnetonka team. Minnetonka wins this one.
Tartan (MN) vs Verona (WI) Division 1 host school
Last year Tartan played Wisconsin Rapids and were less then impressive as they lost to an average Rapids team. Verona has a lot more weapons then Rapids had and are playing at home in this one. Tartan is supposedly smaller then last years team which should allow Verona to go to big man Jason Ziemer inside, which should carry them to victory. Verona
So I have Wisconsin winning once again 3-2. There is a little Wisconsin bias in there and I could honestly see Wisconsin getting swept as easily as I could see them going 3-2. Two games that I will guarantee are Marantha over Barneveld and Minnetonka over Madison Memorial. I guess will just have to wait two days to see for sure. Be back Saturday or Sunday with results and thoughts.
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