Preseason Division Two Outlook
In Wisconsin, “when it rains it pours” took on a whole new meaning this year. When the Green Bay Packers struggled, they missed the playoffs, dumped their 13-year head coach, and called to the carpet the longevity of their beloved…
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Continue ReadingIn Wisconsin, “when it rains it pours” took on a whole new meaning this year. When the Green Bay Packers struggled, they missed the playoffs, dumped their 13-year head coach, and called to the carpet the longevity of their beloved quarterback. And when Jalen Johnson departed to a prep school, it just so happened that two other high-major prospects had left before him.
Jalen, Jamari Sibley, and Michael Foster Jr. left a vacuum where there was once a treasure trove of nationally-ranked talent in the division-two field. As expected, Nicolet and Milwaukee Washington, their respective programs, slipped down the rankings as well. But with their departures comes new frontrunners and a path for a dark horse to make a play at the State championship.
Below we outline the State Tournament favorites, top conferences, and primary dark horse of the division two field.
State Favorites:
La Crosse Central: Right now, there’s an ocean between Central and the next frontrunner. Last season, they sat on a three-man contender tier with Nicolet and Milwaukee Washington, but the loss of their five-stars changes things. Central has assumed the unquestioned number one ranking as Johnny and Jordan Davis, both Wisconsin commits, and Terrance Thompson, Wisconsin’s best back-to-the-basket center, look to hoist the Gold Ball next season.
Kaukauna: You know what you’re betting on with this team, especially when they’ve bucked roster turnover like they did the past few seasons. Hats off to their culture and to the coaches that implemented it.
Keaton Ferris returns as their steady hand at guard, while Logan Jedwabny looks to assume the primary scoring fix after landing his first college offer this summer at Northern Michigan. Jacob Newhouse may be the top center in the FVA next season, a walking mismatch with his size and diverse skill set. And, not to leave out, Kaukauna has assembled a capable yet youthful supporting cast laden with shooters and role players.
Top Conferences:
Milwaukee City: Each division seems to boast a conference that’s head-and-shoulders above the rest. From the sentiment of recruiting, Milwaukee City can don that title. Milwaukee Washington holds on to Tre White for the time being. The Kansas commit is one of the most gifted offensive talents in the state and will be a one-man wrecking crew next season if he stays. Jeffery Brazziel, the second-best prospect from the 2022 class, transferred to Milwaukee Madison this summer where he’ll pair with crafty guard Brandon Leach Jr. Milwaukee Bay View was a one-seed in division two last season, and they bring back a stud in Shelton Williams-Dryden. There will be no shortage of individual standouts from a conference that spotlights the Milwaukee talent-wellspring.
Mississippi Valley: The Valley is top-heavy, as their top two teams are preseason State favorites. La Crosse Central and Onalaska (a team not mentioned above because they will play in the same pool with Central come the postseason) finished one and two respectively in the conference. Central’s record was unblemished in conference play, and Onalaska’s was clean aside from two losses (to Central, of course). Look for those two to make serious noise on the recruiting scene and in the postseason.
Dark Horse:
Wauwatosa East: The improvements of John Lovelace and Leon Bond this summer were eerily similar. Lovelace, from the bottomless pit of unranked players, swiftly became a top prospect with his length, frame, and guard skill set. Bond, from the top-15 of the 2022 class, used the Prep Hoops Circuit as a springboard to the top-five. They’re both stock risers, so why shouldn’t their team be cut from the same cloth?
Wauwatosa East is poised to rise the ranks of the Greater Metro conference from their current standing. They finished 8-16 (only three wins coming in conference play) last season as grist for the Greater Metro mill. But Brian Parzych, their leading scorer last year as a sophomore, returns along with the aforementioned prospects. They’ll boast a young trio brimming with potential.
This year, they look to outshine the depth of Wauwatosa West and a Germantown team that lost their top-three scorers. I have Tosa East finishing with a better record than West and Germantown, and with more conference wins than Marquette. When it’s all said and done, they’ll be standing toe-to-toe with Hayden Doyle and Brookfield East.