Wisconsin Week In Review: Week 3
Couldn’t make it out to any games last week? Prep Hoops has you covered! Find out which players produced at a high level, and which teams pulled off some big wins in the Wisconsin “Week In Review”. Players of the…
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Continue ReadingCouldn’t make it out to any games last week? Prep Hoops has you covered! Find out which players produced at a high level, and which teams pulled off some big wins in the Wisconsin “Week In Review”.
Players of the Week
Brooklyn Jagers (6’2 2019 G, Brown Deer)- Brooklyn Jagers is a player who started to emerge last year as a junior, and has been having an extremely impressive senior campaign. The 6’2 guard has the ability to score at all three levels, and took it to conference foe Whitnall on Tuesday, scoring 28 points in a win. He continued that scoring into their next matchup against Pewaukee, where Brooklyn would dominate to the tune of 33 points. More impressive about these performances, is that only 8 points throughout the week came from free throws. Brooklyn was electric and was knocking down a high percentage of his shots from distance and from inside.
Rafe Whalen (6′ 2019 G, Green Bay East)- A big secret in the state of Wisconsin is Green Bay’s Rafe Whalen. A big time scoring talent, Rafe exploded for 39 points last week against Wausa East. That marked a new career high for Rafe, and has him among the state’s leaders in points per game. Rafe can knock down the outside jumper with consistency, and also has a very quick first step that allows him to penetrate the lane and get by his defender with ease. Once at the hoop Rafe has the ability to put in some crafty finishes with either hand, making him a very solid guard prospect. Keep an eye out for Rafe’s name, as he could be in for some more big nights this season.
Aidan Clarey (6’2 2020 G, Brookfield Academy)- A player who has been putting up numbers since he was a freshman, Aidan Clarey recently eclipsed the 1,000 career point milestone last week after a couple of solid games. Aidan started off the week with a 25 point performance against Messmer, knocking down 4 three pointers during that contest. Then on Friday night against Milwaukee Washington, Aidan broke the 1,000 point barrier with a 27 point game, which included 5 threes. Aidan also pulled down a combined 16 rebounds and dished out 5 assists over the week. He is known as one of the best deep shooters in the state, and Aidan continues to produce night in and night out for Brookfield Academy.
Xzavier Jones (6’5 2019 W, Martin Luther)- One of the top ranked seniors in the state, Xzavier has always had talent, but had never really been seen as a big scorer. This week something clicked, and Xzavier put up two of his best performances to date. In a marquee matchup against Racine St. Catherine’s, Xzavier found his shot and put up 28 points on an impressive 12-15 shooting. To go along with the scoring, Xzavier pulled down 8 rebounds and had 2 assists. Earlier in the week against Kenosha St. Joe’s, Xzavier stuffed the box score with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Xzavier is a great all around player who excels at getting to the rim, and has point guard-like passing skills in his 6’5 frame. He is also one of the most athletic players in the state, and can put on a show in transition. Xzavier’s big performances have Martin Luther sitting undefeated on the season.
Qwan Jackson (5’8 2020 G, Milwaukee Lifelong Learning)- Qwan puts up bigger scoring numbers than perhaps anyone the state has ever seen, and he’s still just a junior. But most are skeptical about his performances since he plays against tiny schools. Last week he faced off against a stacked Milwaukee Academy of Science squad that features one of the state’s top point guards. Qwan proved he can score against anyone by putting up 44 points on the night, keeping MLL close the whole game. Qwan knocked down 4 threes, but did his most damage attacking the rim where he excels at drawing fouls and finishing among the trees. He averages 50 ppg this season, and is one of the most exciting players to read about in the box scores the day after a game.
Team of the Week
Kenosha Indian Trail- After losing their season opener, Kenosha Indian Trail has gone undefeated since, including three big wins last week. They started off with a Monday night win over a young but talented Milwaukee Bradley Tech squad by a score of 67-57, with Ezra Stargell paving the way with 25 points. On Tuesday night they defeated Union Grove 55-47, getting a 21 point game from senior guard Arlind Zemaj. In their biggest game to date against state ranked Racine Park on Friday night, they pulled off one of the week’s biggest upsets to win 64-59. Three players scored in double figures, led by Anthony Bernero and his 15 points. K.I.T’s ability to find ways to win even when their star isn’t scoring is making them seem like an increasingly dangerous team in the Southeast Conference.
Upset of the Week
Appleton North takes down Oshkosh West 70-47- Oshkosh West was undefeated and ranked top 10 in the state before facing off against conference foe Appleton North. North was phenomenal defensively, limiting one of the state’s leading scorers to just 12 points. On the offensive end, North got a career game out of senior guard Devin Blom who dropped 27 points in the blowout win. Blom is a deadly outside shooter, who showed out in one of the biggest games of the season. Luke Van Handel and Jack Kritzer both added 10 points in the win, playing key roles offensively. The Fox Valley Association is known as one of the toughest conferences in the state, and with this win Appleton North proved that anyone can beat anyone in this conference.
Sleeper of the Week
James Kelley (6’5 2019 F, Saint John’s NW Military Academy)- The 6’5 and physical frame of James Kelley has made him a force inside during his senior season. He has a knack for getting good looks around the rim, and has the strength to finish through contact. Last week he stuffed the stat sheet in his lone game against Heritage Christian, scoring 23 points to go with 13 rebounds and 6 assists. Though not a great shooter, James has been increasing his range this year and is shooting 36% from beyond the arc, including going 2-6 in that game against Heritage Christian. James has all the tools and natural athleticism to produce as a forward at the college level, and with his widespread production some coaches are sure to take notice.
Freshman of the Week
Danilo Jovanovich (6’4 2022 W, Whitnall)- The Tyler Herro era is over for Whitnall, as their former standout is now running lighting it up for Kentucky, but the future is bright with freshman Danilo Jovanovich. Danilo has shown flashes of potential to be another great scorer to come from Whitnall, and he put up some solid scoring numbers last week. In a game against Woodland Conference power Brown Deer, Danilo scored an early career high of 18 points. Later in the week against Greenfield he scored 9. The 6’4 lefty has a smooth looking stroke, and although he isn’t a major three point shooting threat at this stage, his mechanics are all there to become one. He ran with Phenom U in the AAU season, a young program that has already put itself into contention as the best AAU program in Wisconsin. If he continues to develop his game, Danilo Jovanovich is a player to watch over the next few seasons at Whitnall.
Other Storylines
Pewaukee upset Brown Deer 90-84
Jeffrey Brazziel (6’5 2022 G, Milwaukee Bradley Tech)- Freshman guard scores 25 points against Menomonee Falls.
Dalton Banks (6’2 2020 PG, Eau Claire North)- Averaged 30 ppg, 10 rpg, and 8.5 apg through two games.