Wisconsin Week In Review: Week 9
Conference seasons are in full swing in Wisconsin, and teams are beginning to play at their highest level. Week 9 included some major upsets, as well as a lot of weekend tournament action in Wisconsin. Prep Hoops breaks down all…
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Continue ReadingConference seasons are in full swing in Wisconsin, and teams are beginning to play at their highest level. Week 9 included some major upsets, as well as a lot of weekend tournament action in Wisconsin. Prep Hoops breaks down all of the action from the week in the Wisconsin Week In Review.
Players of the Week
Kyran Gaines (6’6 2019 F, Milwaukee Madison)- Kyran continued in his ways as a dominant low post force in the City Conference. He has Milwaukee Madison off to a strong start, and last week he contributed in a big way to two team wins. On Tuesday he dropped 30 points in a win over Milwaukee North, and he followed that up on Friday by scoring 25 points in a contested victory against Milwaukee Vincent. Kyran combines height with strength and physicallity to become a force in the paint, and it shows in his efficiency scoring the ball. Kyran has also developed a more versatile outside game, and put that on display when he knocked down 7 threes in the win over Milwaukee North.
Jaeden Zackery (6’3 2019 PG, Westosha Central)- They say numbers don’t lie, and Westosha Central’s Jaeden Zackery has been consistently putting up some of the best all-around stats in the state this season. This past week in a win over Kettle Moraine, Zackery tallied 28 points on 12-16 shooting from the field while dishing out 4 assists. Then on Friday he led his squad to a win over conference rival Union Grove by scoring 21 points to go along with his 7 assists. Zackery is a do-it-all point guard who plays with a high motor and a level of competitiveness that has allowed him to go at some high caliber players over the past two seasons. His strength allows him to score inside, but he also has a dangerous pull-up mid-range that he excels in knocking down when coming off of screens. Jaeden’s numbers speak for themselves, and considering his outputs he could push his way into the Mr. Basketball conversation come March.
Trequan Carrington (5’10 2019 PG, Martin Luther)- Trequan Carrington can flat out get buckets, and that’s exactly what he did last week through three games against tough opponents. He started off the week leading Martin Luther to a big conference win over Dominican behind 29 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists before leading his team to another conference win against Prairie on Friday. In the win against Prairie he finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Trequan saved his best for last however, scoring 32 points and adding 7 rebounds with 5 assists in a win over Minneapolis North at the Midwest Players Classic. Trequan plays with such a calm demeanor, and can appear to be going in slow motion when really he’s the quickest player on the floor. He’s so crafty at finding space on the floor, and uses his lefty stroke to knock down jumpers consistently.
Donovan Ivory (6’5 2019 W, Kaukauna)- The Minnesota-Duluth commit delivered last week, putting in some solid performances to help lead Kaukauna to a 2-1 record. The lengthy wing scored 26 points on Tuesday in a win over Hortonville, and later that week scored 20 points against a tough Kimberly squad. Donovan concluded the week by scoring 13 points in a win over La Crosse Logan at the Midwest Players Classic on Saturday. Ivory is a very good athlete with the length to be a threat finishing around the rim. He also continues to develop his jumper, developing into a contributor from the perimeter as well. Minnesota-Duluth is getting a big time athlete who competes on defense, and last week he showed that he can put up numbers on offense as well.
Johnny Davis (6’5 2020 G, La Crosse Central)- After recently eclipsing the 1,000 career point milestone, Johnny Davis continued on his ways as one of the state’s most dangerous scorers. The junior guard put up 23 points in Central’s win over Tomah on Thursday, before taking on one of the nation’s top juniors in Jalen Suggs (MN) on Saturday at the Midwest Players Classic. Facing off against a loaded Minnehaha Academy team, Johnny more than held his own and finished the game with 21 points. In one of the top plays of the day, Johnny caught an alley-oop pass from an out of bounds play and threw down the dunk with authority. Johnny is extremely quick and athletic for someone 6’5, and combines those attributes to finish at the rim with ease. He also has a jumper that he knocks down from mid-range and beyond the arc, and has continued to establish himself as a legit Division One prospect.
Team of the Week
Martin Luther- After dropping back-to-back games over the Christmas break period, Martin Luther is back to their winning ways, and last week they took down three quality opponents to bolster their status as the top team in Division 3. Their opener was against Dominican, and behind the combined 58 points from Trequan Carrington and Ace Evans, Martin Luther was able to pull out a 76-64 win. On Friday they traveled to Racine to take on Prairie, where they would come away with a 69-59 win over a young but talented squad. Xzavier Jones and Joey Immekus provided the spark on offense for Martin Luther with 15 points a piece, with Xzavier doing some dirty work inside and Joey knocking down five three pointers. The marquee match-up of the week took place at the Midwest Players Classic, where Martin Luther faced off against Minneapolis North. The game was close to the last minute before Martin Luther pulled away on free throws to win 81-73. Trequan Carrington was unguardable on his way to 32 points while Immekus and Evans had a combined 39. Martin Luther has arguably the most dominant backcourt trio in the state, and an offensive firecracker in Joey Immekus that makes them capable of competing with the top big schools in the state. If they keep performing like this, don’t be surprised to see Martin Luther celebrating in Madison come March.
Statement Win of the Week
Madison West takes down Madison East 96-80- In one of the biggest upsets we’ve seen this season, a then 5-9 Madison West squad took down undefeated Madison East with a dominating offensive night. Trailing by 2 points at halftime, something clicked as West went on to score 53 points in the second half to pull away with the win. Senior guard Cliff McCray had a career game by dropping 32 points in the prime-time rivalry game. Dayne Armwald also continued his streak of dominance in conference play by scoring 20 points, his third straight game of 20+. Chamar Reed (19) and Elliot Barry (13) were among the other Madison West players in double figures. West doesn’t possess the star power of some of the other Big Eight Conference schools, but they make up for it with solid guard play and defensive effort. Despite a slow start to the season, Madison West made a statement to the rest of the league that they won’t be a pushover on the schedule, and that they can compete and take down any team in the state.
Sleeper of the Week
Azarien Stephens (6’2 2019 SG, Racine St. Catherine’s)- Teams looking for a shooter, look no further than Azarien Stephens. The 6’2 senior can simply light it up from beyond the arc, and last week he proved how dangerous of a scorer he can be. He started off the week scoring 15 points against a fast paced Racine Horlick squad while chipping in on the defensive end with 2 steals and 2 blocks. He only improved from their as he scored 23 points in a win over Racine Lutheran on Friday, shooting 5-7 from distance. He also showed off his all-around game as a guard by dishing out 5 assists and registering 4 steals on defense. At 6’2 Azarien has solid length and plays with composure at the guard spot. He won’t force his offense, but if he can find an opening from almost anywhere inside half court he’s willing to take his shot, often finding the bottom of the net from range. Azarien has been a consistent contributor for a St. Cat’s program that is known for its winning tradition, and is a solid player that schools should take notice of.
Freshman of the Week
Seth Trimble (5’11 2022 G, Menomonee Falls)- As the younger brother of former North Carolina Tarheel JP Tokoto, Seth Trimble has a lot of eyes on him as he begins his high school career, and so far he has been excelling. Progressively improving and adapting to the varsity level, last week was a breakout for the electric guard. In games against Wauwatosa West and Milwaukee Vincent, he scored 12 and 23 points respectively. The latter of those two totals was a new career high for Seth, and an impressive feat for a freshman. Seth is an extremely bouncy guard capable of defending the rim and getting up to finish inside on offense. He scored his 23 points without a single three pointer, further signifying his ability to get to the rim and finish despite his shorter stature. As one of the state’s top freshman guards, Seth has a high ceiling with his elite athleticism and room to grow, and he could develop into a walking highlight over the next few seasons.
Other Storylines
Sun Prairie took down DeLaSalle (MN) 72-61.
Qwan Jackson (5’8 2020 G, Milwaukee Lifelong Learning)- Scored 67 points in a win over Milwaukee Carmen.
Oshkosh West upset Kimberly 73-67.
Cole Nau (6’3 2019 G, Brookfield Central)- Scored 22 points with 9 boards and 6 assists against Menomonee Falls.
Hasaan Blue (5’10 2019 G, Shorewood)- Dropped 34 points against Milwaukee Lutheran.