Wisconsin Week In Review: Week 4
Couldn’t make it out to any games last week? Prep Hoops has you covered with some of the top performers and teams from across the state of Wisconsin from the last week! Players of the Week Alex Antetokounmpo (6’7 2020…
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Continue ReadingCouldn’t make it out to any games last week? Prep Hoops has you covered with some of the top performers and teams from across the state of Wisconsin from the last week!
Players of the Week
Alex Antetokounmpo (6’7 2020 W, Dominican)- One of the biggest names in the state, Alex has been quietly producing solid numbers throughout his high school career, but hadn’t ever produced any extraordinary games. This week it appears something clicked, and he started to put together just how good he can be. He started off the week with a 16 point, 17 rebound double-double against St. Thomas More, and things only got better from there. On Thursday against Lourdes Academy, he set a new career high of 30 points and 21 rebounds in another win. Alex wasn’t finished yet though, eclipsing that career high in the very next game on Saturday with 38 points and 10 rebounds! Alex has such a strong frame at 6’7, and he focused on getting inside where he was able to shoot 17 of 20 from the field in his 38 point game. He’s a high effort player who’s willing to do all of the dirty work inside to get the job done, and that physicality allowed him to absolutely dominate over three games last week. It seems Alex has just discovered how dangerous he can be on offense, and that could be a scary sight for the rest of the Metro Classic Conference.
Dustin Beaupray (6’3 2021 PG, Mountaintop Christian)- Now I know Mountaintop Christian isn’t playing the best competition in the state, but Dustin Beaupray spent the week putting up video game numbers, including one of the most impressive triple-double statlines you may ever see. In the week’s opener against Marantha Baptist, Dustin exploded for 58 points, 22 rebounds, and 10 assists. He followed that up with games of 39 points with 22 rebounds, and 26 points with 23 rebounds. He is currently second in the state and scoring, and leads the state in rebounding as a point guard. From what I’ve seen, Dustin excels at getting to the basket where he is a crafty finisher at the rim. Dustin is also a scrappy defender and isn’t afraid to get on the floor for loose balls.
Ryan Waddell (6’1 2019 G, Homestead)- Ryan Waddell is a player who has constantly been improving throughout his high school career, and this year is starting to become recognized as one of the state’s better guards in the senior class. Last week he helped lead Homestead to two big wins, the first of which was against West Bend East where he scored 17 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. He followed that up with a win over a talented Brown Deer squad with 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Waddell is a crafty guard who has the ability to shoot from distance, but can also drive to the hoop and is a patient decision maker in the paint. He has the skill to finish at the rim, but also has the vision to find an open teammate. His impressive performances have Homestead sitting at 6-0 on the season.
Qwan Jackson (5’8 2020 G, Milwaukee Lifelong Learning)- I hadn’t planned on including players in back-to-back weeks, but when you put up a performance like Qwan did, it’s hard not to recognize him. Qwan started off the week with 49 points, before scoring a “light” 37 in a win over Destiny. Despite the below average start by Qwan’s scoring standards, he went on to have a historic performance against Kenosha Reuther, scoring 70 points! That 70 is tied for the 4th highest single game total in state history, and is the most since Travis Tuttle scored 71 back in 1992. Despite his short stature, Qwan is extremely talented at driving to the hoop, where evident by his scoring numbers, is an extremely skilled finisher at the rim. Qwan has excelled against every opponent he has faced thus far, and it will be exciting to see what kind of numbers he can put up the rest of the year.
Keaton Ferris (5’11 2020 G, Kaukauna)- Despite no longer having Jordan McCabe, guys like Keaton Ferris are keeping Kaukauna competitive, and he played a big role in leading them to two close wins last week. On Tuesday against a tough Oshkosh North squad, Keaton scored 26 points to help capture the 91-89 win. Then on Friday against Oshkosh West, Keaton put up 20 points in what turned out to be a 1 point victory for the Galloping Ghosts of Kaukauna. Keaton is a player that has always been able to wear out the nets from distance, and has really stepped up as more of an all around scorer this year, as opposed to a spot up shooter in years past. He provided a big time offensive spark for Kaukauna down the stretch in what were two very contested games in the Fox Valley Association.
Team of the Week
Kaukauna High School- We talked about Keaton Ferris with some impressive numbers as an individual, but the whole Kaukauna team stepped up to produce two close wins in the highly competitive Fox Valley Association. The first of the two wins came against the reigning Division One state champs Oshkosh North, where Kaukauna pulled off a 91-89 win. They were led by Keaton Ferris’ 26 points, along with strong game from Logan Jedwabny (23 points) and Donovan Ivory (16 points). The combination of Keaton and Logan firing from distance opens up a lot of space for Donovan’s athleticism inside, and they proved to be the difference makers in the win. On Friday against the FVA’s other Oshkosh team, Oshkosh West, Kaukauna once again pulled off a narrow victory by a score of 78-77. Brayden Ivory stepped up with 14 points, and Jacob Newhouse contributed 10. Last year the team was focused around McCabe, but this year Kaukauna’s depth is proving to be they key to their success, as evident by having five different players in double digit scoring over two games.
Statement Game of the Week
Arrowhead takes down Waukesha West 88-60- In what was supposed to be a highly competitive game between two of the top teams in Division One, Arrowhead turned the matchup into a blowout winning by nearly 30 points. Senior guard Tyler Gouin proved to be the difference maker for Arrowhead with his outside shooting, dropping 30 points with 6 three pointers in the win. He really helped to stretch the floor against a Waukesha West team that is known for their size. Division One offered junior Carter Gilmore contributed 15 points while defending the paint against some of West’s talented bigs. Cole Kyle and Sam Hytinen also contributed double figure scoring, with 13 points apiece. Arrowhead is loaded with players who understand their roles and can step up on any given night, and this win was a statement of just how good they can be this year.
Sleeper of the Week
Nick Otto (6’4 2019 F, Xavier)- Nick Otto was an often overlooked piece in Xavier’s dominance over the last few seasons, but after graduating a loaded senior class, Otto has stepped into the role of their star player. He has been producing at a high level all season, and in Xavier’s lone game last week he scored 25 points to go along with his 15 rebounds. His contributions were key in Xavier’s win over New London. Otto is a player who can absolutely light it up from downtown, and holds the WBY Tournament three point record with 9 makes in a single game last year. Nick is also a terrific rebounder, and at just 6’4 he is among the state’s leaders with his 12.8 per game.
Freshman of the Week
Jack Rose (6’3 2022 G, Westosha Central)- Westosha Central is one of the top teams in Division Two this season, and one of those reasons has been the solid contributions of freshman Jack Rose. Standing at 6’3, Jack already has great size at the guard position, and used it to put up 16 points on 7-8 shooting in a win over Antioch (IL). He followed that up with a 5 point game against Warren. Jack is a solid three point shooter at this point, but is also capable of getting to the rim and using his size to finish over defenders. Westosha is led by a deep senior class, but their future is in good hands with a talent like Jack Rose.
Other Storylines
Antuan Nesbitt (6’3 2021 W, The Prairie School)- Had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists vs.Catholic Central.
Sussex Hamilton took down Brookfield Central 69-61.
Kaleim Taylor (6’3 2020 PG, Milwaukee Academy of Science)- Scored 37 points with 13 rebounds vs. Milwaukee Madison.
Nicolet defeated Sussex Hamilton 78-70 in a highly publicized game.