Previewing the Top First-Round Matchups in Division One
With the WIAA playoff bracket recently coming out, Let us take a look at some of the most intriguing first-round matchups in Divison One. #8 Appleton East Vs. #9 Stevens Point Appleton West and Stevens Point have already squared off once…
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Continue ReadingWith the WIAA playoff bracket recently coming out, Let us take a look at some of the most intriguing first-round matchups in Divison One.
#8 Appleton East Vs. #9 Stevens Point
Appleton West and Stevens Point have already squared off once this season. On February 5th, Appleton East got the best of Stevens Point, taking down the Panthers by a final score of 73-63. In the first contest between these two teams, Stevens Point had a four-point lead at halftime. Despite trailing at the break, Appleton East was able to respond in the second period. The Patriots outscored SP by 14 points in the final 18 minutes of play. Bobby Derfus of Appleton East led all scorers with 29 points. In order to win this upcoming game, Stevens Point will need to be able to slow down Appleton East’s Kaden Clark. Clark was limited to just eight points in the first matchup. If the Panthers are able to slow Clark, they will have a good chance of avenging their earlier loss.
#4 Neenah Vs. #13 D.C Everest
Neenah and D.C Everest played in last year’s regional. The Rockets took down D.C Everest behind a balanced scoring output that was led by Max Klesmit’s 18 points. D.C Everest star, Zion Turner scored 25 points in the loss. Last year’s matchup between these two squads was interesting, but the upcoming contest between these two schools is more intriguing. It is likely that Zion Turner and Max Klesmit will both put up big numbers. The team that moves on will be the team that gets points and good play from players who are not named Zion Turner or Max Klesmit.
#6 Marshfield Vs. #11 Oshkosh West
Despite playing below their potential for most of the season, Oshkosh West has some pretty scary weapons. West was forced to play most of this season without Luke Haasl. Haasl is ranked as the 14th best player in the 2019 class by Prep Hoops Wisconsin. Haasl gives O-West a great rim protector and some extra help on the offensive end. Karter Thomas is one of the best scorers in all of Wisconsin high school basketball. The junior guard is averaging 24.1 points per game this year for the Wildcats. The opposing sidelines will have a little less star power. Marshfield still has plenty of quality players, but the Tigers will rely on their depth more than the play of just a couple of players. Marshfield has four players who are averaging over nine points per game. Oshkosh West has just two players who are scoring over nine points per contest. Expect this to be a tight game and don’t be too surprised if Oshkosh West is able to pull off the upset.
#4 Arrowhead Vs. #13 Menomonee Falls
This first round matchup features some of the best players that the state of Wisconsin has to offer. Arrowhead’s Tyler Gouin and Carter Gilmore make up one of the best one-two punches in Wisconsin. On the other hand, Menomonee Falls has top tier talent from the 2022 class. Steven Clay has had a stellar freshman campaign. Clay leads his team in scoring with 12.5 points per game. Clay’s running mate, Seth Trimble has also had a phenomenal freshman season. If Clay and Trimble are able to play well, Menomonee Falls could make this a closer game than Arrowhead would like.