2020-21 Preseason Top 10: Division 5
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The 2020-21 season will get underway later this month with actual competition kicking off on Dec. 1. Prep Hoops Wisconsin breaks down the race in Division 35with our preseason top 10 teams… 1. Lourdes Academy 2019-20 Record: 22-3 (14-3 Trailways…
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Continue ReadingThe 2020-21 season will get underway later this month with actual competition kicking off on Dec. 1. Prep Hoops Wisconsin breaks down the race in Division 35with our preseason top 10 teams…
1. Lourdes Academy
2019-20 Record: 22-3 (14-3 Trailways East)
Key Returners: Preston Ruedinger Preston Ruedinger 6'1" | PG Lourdes Academy | 2021 State WI (27.2 ppg), Josh Bauer (15.5 ppg), Jack McKellips (10.9 ppg)
Notable Losses: George Muench (8.2 ppg)
Lourdes Academy gets it top three scorers back from last season, including Ruedinger, one of the top point guards in the state. The Knights played a loaded schedule last season that featured Hustisford, DeForest, Laconia, Roncalli, and Milwaukee Academy of Science, and will be battle tested in 2020-21.
2. Blair-Taylor
2019-20 Record: 24-2 (14-0 Dairyland Small)
Key Returners: Kyle Steien (16.5 ppg), Matthew Waldera (15.3 ppg), Alec Riesmann (10.2 ppg)
Notable Losses: Isaac Nerby (13.2 ppg)
The Wildcats easily won the Dairyland Small Conference last season by a whopping four games. After surviving against Bangor, Blair-Taylor was also one game away from the state tournament. Waldera, a versatile, do-it-all forward nearly averaged a double-double as a junior.
3. Sheboygan Lutheran
2019-20 Record: 25-1 (18-1 Big East-South)
Key Returners: Casey Verhagen Casey Verhagen 6'0" | PG Sheboygan Area Lutheran | 2022 State WI (19.7 ppg), Robby Michael (10.7 ppg), Jonah Jurss Jonah Jurss 6'2" | SG Sheboygan Lutheran | 2021 State WI (9.4 ppg)
Notable Losses: Jacob Ognacevic Jacob Ognacevic 6'8" | PF Sheboygan Lutheran | 2020 State #413 Nation WI (39.4 ppg)
Ognacevic, a Valparaiso commit, is gone, but the Crusaders still have plenty of talent and numerous players who have helped win a ton of games over the last two seasons. Led by Verhagen, who averaged 20 points and 9 assists per game
4. Hustisford
2019-20 Record: 22-4 (12-2 Tailways-East)
Key Returners: Dylan Kuehl Dylan Kuehl 6'7" | PF Hustisford | 2021 State WI (24.0 ppg), Gavin Thimm (11.7 ppg)
Notable Losses: Dylan Schmitt (18.7 ppg)
Hustisford has arguably the best player in all of Division 5 in Kuehl, a Northern Michigan commit. This team took heavy D5 title favorite Sheboygan Lutheran to the brink last season in sectionals. After Jan. 30, that was the only loss for the Falcons, who got hot at the end of the season by winning 12-straight games.
5. Randolph
2019-20 Record: 23-2 (12-2 Trailways West)
Key Returners: Travis Alvin (14.0 ppg), Sam Grieger (13.3 ppg)
Notable Losses: Peyton Moldenhauer (13.5 ppg)
The Rockets advanced to the sectional finals last season prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. Sharing the Trailways West conference title with Markesan, Randolph returns just about everything on its roster from 2019-20.
6. Wauzeka-Steuben
2019-20 Record: 22-3 (14-0 Ridge & Valley)
Key Returners: Gavin Ralph Gavin Ralph 6'4" | SF Wazeka | 2021 State WI (17.0 ppg)
Notable Losses: Carter Lomas Carter Lomas 6'4" | SF Wauzeka-Steuben | 2020 State WI (22.7 ppg), Jake Reichmann (10.7 ppg)
Lomas, now at Winona State, will be tough to replace, but Ralph is more than ready for the spotlight. A versatile, athletic, and two-way player, Ralph led the team in rebounding and assists last season, while still averaging 17 ppg.
7. Bangor
2019-20 Record: 24-2 (14-0 Scenic Bluffs)
Key Returners: Zane Langrehr (14.5 ppg), Hank Reader (11.4 ppg)
Notable Losses: Grant Manke Grant Manke 6'4" | PF Bangor | 2020 State WI (22.7 ppg)
Bangor won the Scenic Bluffs Conference by four games and took heavyweight Blair-Taylor down to the wire in the sectional semifinals. With six of their top seven scorers returning, Bangor should remain in contention even without last season’s leading scorer and rebounder Manke.
8. Port Edwards
2019-20 Record: 13-10 (5-7 Central Wisconsin South)
Key Returners: Quinton Tranel (21.2 ppg), Nathan Gibbs (11.6 ppg), David Gibbs (10.8 ppg)
Notable Losses: N/A
A team that didn’t put up a great record last season, Port Edwards does absolutely reload in 2020-21. They were also victims of a tough conference where over half the league was at .500 or better, including powers such as Wild Rose and Almond-Bancroft. With their top seven scorers back from last season, the Blackhawks should be one of the state’s most improved teams.
9. Greenwood
2019-20 Record: 13-10 (11-5 Cloverbelt East)
Key Returners: Weston Schmitz (18.1 ppg), Cooper Bredlau (13.1 ppg)
Notable Losses: Treyton Thomas (8.0 ppg)
Greenwood returns four of its top five scorers from last season. The Indians finished third in a very strong Cloverbelt East Conference that featured two top contenders in Division 4.
10. Almond-Bancroft
2019-20 Record: 21-3 (10-2 Central Wisconsin South)
Key Returners: Seth Bunders Seth Bunders 6'1" | CG Wauzeka-Steuben | 2023 State WI (10.0 ppg)
Notable Losses: Elijah Kollock (15.2 ppg)
This team loses a lot, but Bunders can carry Almond-Bancroft. A skilled, exciting combo guard who can shoot, facilitate, and defend, Bunders is in store for a breakout sophomore season.
Honorable Mention: Wild Rose, Clear Lake, Hurley, Birchwood, Greenwood, North Crawford, Monticello, Shullsburg