Woodland East Conference Preview
Looking ahead to the 2018-19 season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin breaks down the race in the Woodland East Conference…
PROJECTED STANDINGS
1. Brown Deer
2. Greenfield
3. Milwaukee Lutheran
4. South Milwaukee
5. Whitnall
6. Shorewood
7. Cudahy
FAVORITE
After sharing the conference crown last season, Brown Deer should return enough to at least finish in the top two in 2018-19. Losing a near 30-point per game scorer in Jay Gentry is a tough blow, but his younger brother Jaylon Gentry is ready to take over. The Falcons round out their roster with plenty of quality role players in Brooklyn Jagers, Jeremiah Dotson, Justin Greenlee, and more. Brown Deer is in the midst of a six-year run atop of the Woodland East. It doesn’t look like they’re ready to give that up just yet.
DARK HORSE
Greenfield is poised to make the biggest jump within the conference. The Hawks have their top three scorers back. Mo Jamaleddin, Omarion Bartlett, and Elijah Rosario all averaged in double figures last season.
SURPRISE TEAM
Milwaukee Lutheran went 12-10 last season and lose their second-leading scorer. However, the Red Knights might have the best backcourt in the league in Javeon Tolliver and Ronja Kelly. As underclassmen, the guard tandem both averaged in double figures last season. Milwaukee Lutheran also has perhaps the most balanced scoring attack of anyone in the Woodland East, making them a potential threat.
PRESEASON FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
G Jaylon Gentry – Brown Deer
G Javeon Tolliver – Milwaukee Lutheran
G Elijah Rosario – Greenfield
F Brooklyn Jagers – Brown Deer
F Mo Jamaleddin – Greenfield
SECOND TEAM
G Ronja Kelly – Milwaukee Lutheran
G Omarion Bartlett – Greenfield
G O’Bryan Mungon – Cudahy
F Jeremiah Dotson – Brown Deer
F Zach Lewkowski – South Milwaukee
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
You take fall league for what it’s worth, but it was evident that Jaylon Gentry means as much to his team as anybody in the state. Gentry was a first-team All-Conference pick last season. Now playing without his older brother Jay Gentry, Jaylon will carry the torch for Brown Deer. A highly overlooked prospect in the state, Gentry averaged 16.3 points and 2.4 assists per game as a junior. Those numbers are going to increase substantially in 2018-19 now that Gentry is the focal point for the Falcons.
BREAKOUT PLAYER
He’s lanky, doesn’t blow you away athletically, but one thing is for sure…Javeon Tolliver can play. All summer, Tolliver did some nice things against top competition, particularly at the Fab 48 in Las Vegas. As a sophomore, Tolliver averaged 15.3 points and 4.7 assists per game, but it doesn’t feel as if he’s one of the more well-known players in the Badger State yet and probably got robbed of first-team All-Conference honors last season.
SURPRISE PLAYER
Once you get past Brown Deer and Greenfield, there seems to be a major drop off in the conference. Behind Zack Lewkowski, South Milwaukee has a chance to do some nice things this season. The senior forward is an athletic prospect with a good motor. Lewkowski has averaged in double figures on varsity in each of the past two seasons.