Most Indispensable Players in State (D3, D4, D5)
Yes, there is a talent gap between the two premier divisions and everyone else. But that gap can be subject to exaggeration, as talent still thrives past D2, as it does in State this season. Here are the most indispensable…
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Continue ReadingYes, there is a talent gap between the two premier divisions and everyone else. But that gap can be subject to exaggeration, as talent still thrives past D2, as it does in State this season.
Here are the most indispensable players in D3, D4, and D5 State.
Patrick Suemnick and Zane Short, Denmark –
Alone, both frontcourt players are list-worthy. But they coexist on the floor, so they can on this list. The duo combines for 38.8 of Denmark’s 59.2 points per game, and while that’s evidence enough to vouch for their indispensableness, the steep drop off in scoring numbers after Short and Suemnick is even more telling.
But let’s be smart here, we’ve seen experiments with multiple centers in one lineup. More often than not, it sowed the seeds for conflict. But with these two, it’s not an issue they’ve stumbled across, and we can accredit that to both players being mobile on the perimeter and Suemnick’s shot from beyond the arc.
Marcus Domask, Waupun – Domask is averaging 26.8 points (on 61.9 percent shooting from the field and 48.4 percent from three), 10.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. Stats-wise, he’s peerless in the state. Not to mention, he carries the weight of an entire program on his shoulders with this Waupun team.
That said, he plays alongside an outstanding supporting cast with Quintin Winterfeldt and Trevor VandeZande, only it’s hard to see Waupun and State on the same playing field without Domask somewhere in the mix of things.
Preston Ruedinger, Lourdes Academy – Shooting the three is this team’s MO. So naturally, they have a scorer-laden roster, and no one has been better on the road through state than Ruedinger. Through his scoring tear, the guard is posting 23.3 points per game, leading the roster in each of their four games. And though he’s producing such high-volume numbers, it’s been at a 72.7 percent clip. That difficult to fathom, especially considering the vast majority of his shots are triples.
Jaden Krewlow, New Glarus – The senior guard has been a problem since his sophomore season, and his experience will only help him lead New Glarus through a wide-open division four bracket.
Jacob Ognacevic, Sheboygan Area Lutheran – He’s my only representative from D5, but in some way that speaks to how far removed he is from the bulk of D5 talent. The 6’7 junior is scoring an absurd 30.5 points per game, and meeting that average during State would mean they have that much leverage over anyone they play.