Preseason Division One Overview
Wisconsin’s division one field is the most well-rounded of divisions one-through-five, housing the top teams and talents in the state. But, there are some lingering question marks. The State Tournament unfolded displaying underdog colors last season, but will the bracket…
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Continue ReadingWisconsin’s division one field is the most well-rounded of divisions one-through-five, housing the top teams and talents in the state. But, there are some lingering question marks. The State Tournament unfolded displaying underdog colors last season, but will the bracket again be unpredictable? There are favorites, but the field is an open plane. So, which conferences offers up the most contenders? Below we look at the division one field from a team and player perspective, giving a prediction-based preseason overview.
Top Teams:
Brookfield Central: With nowhere to travel north, the name of the game has become holding on. Junior duo David Joplin and Ben Nau will have to fuel the roster past an unrelenting conference gauntlet. Rising sophomore Andrew Rohde and senior Malik Abdul-Wahid look to undergo major developments to compensate for senior departures as well. But improvements are well within the realm of possibility considering Joplin, Nau, and Rohde were seasoned with EYBL programs this spring.
Sussex Hamilton: The winning expectations shouldered by Patrick Baldwin Jr. draw comparisons to that of LeBron James. Both are the top players in their respective leagues, and their presence thrusts their squads into the immediate title conversation.
But, like LeBron, he’s not alone on the roster. Alongside him is a cast of players that, if Baldwin’s 6-foot-10 frame didn’t create such a smothering shadow, would have bigger followings. Tanner Resch displayed elite scoring prowess this summer, notably 45 points in two games at the WBY tournament. JT Hoytink’s speed and guard skills have kneaded the offense at times, while Carson Smith has provided a scoring boost behind Baldwin and Resh.
Top Conferences:
Greater Metro: The Greater Metro conference offers up an elite tier of programs, depth, and a fistful of college talent. The conference is a fighter with featherlike agility, stamina, and a jaw-breaking right arm. Hamilton and Brookfield Central, the likely one and two teams in the division, respectively, and the aforementioned title front runners are the prevailing powers. On the rungs below are Brookfield East and West Allis Central (both of them were two seeds in State last year). Moreover, every program seems to be shepherded by a superstar. Aside from Baldwin and Joplin, Shilo Bowles and Hayden Doyle are names with prominent local ties from the Metro Conference and a massive role as the leaders on their respective squads.
Big Rivers: This conference alienated itself geographically, becoming a basketball oasis in the western part of the state. That isolation has left a lot of room to beckon low ratings and fend off coverage. Once again I find myself crediting the grassroots season for its eye-opening effects, as I had a handful of opportunities to see the crop from this conference over the summer.
Eau Claire North is a constant threat with Dalton Banks, while Eau Claire Memorial has an elite roster starring Caden Boser and compliments like Tanner Linduski and Altherelle Robbins. Despite finishing in the basement of the conference, Chippewa Falls also has an explosive duo of Peyton Rodgers-Schmidt and Joe Rueter that could do some damage come March.
FVA: There was some landscape-shattering turnover in this conference, but the transfer buzz in the state makes that feel like a rubber band snap to the wrist. That said, the remaining depth has interplayed with elite guard play, creating solid top-to-bottom rosters. Oshkosh North guard Josh Dilling will likely take another step this season while Jalen Keago and Matthew Berger return to fill in a well oiled 1-3-1 zone. Neenah, after a miraculous state run last season, returns Max Klesmit, a recent Wofford commit. Kimberly, led by Jake Buchanan, is loaded with talented underclassmen. Appleton North, a team that was paved concrete for Neenah in the postseason last year, returns star sophomore, Max Nelson. The conference tends to be a conduit to state, and there’s a rash of teams that could have winning sprees in the postseason. Right now, it’s a matter of who can reload after roster churning.
State Dark Horse:
There’s a lot of team-specific factors burying Wisconsin Rapids into the middle pack. An unflattering 7-17 record last year led Rapids to Kimberly in Regionals, where they would fall by nearly 40 points. They finished sixth in a conference of seven last year while boasting two different four-plus game losing streaks. Overall, their performance last year isn’t the greatest segue into what could be a successful season next year, though it does set the table for a dark horse year.
They return their top four scorers, notably Dylan Lisitza and Nathan Krommenakker, along with marquee transfers in Grant Flory and Reuben Freeberg. They’ll be a forward heavy team with Lisitza headlining their backcourt and Flory adopting more of a perimeter fix as a small forward. And while the bulk of the conference will battle turnover, Rapids will be bolstering their roster with a layer of college talent and a senior-laden nucleus.