Program Profile: Wisconsin Crusaders 17U

<p>Wisconsin Crusaders 17U is a roster that has accommodated seating for college scouts. We saw the packed baseline at Hard Work Live, and have noted schools’ private recruiting endeavors.</p> <p>That’s all due to their deep, talented, yet slightly underrated roster.</p> <p>Guard Keaton Ferris has been reaping the rewards of being the primary ball handler (in what may be a sneak peek into his senior self at Kaukauna). His playstyle brings his shooting and passing to the fore, and the Crusaders have begun running their offense through his pacing. And as a valuable asset for Crusaders, many colleges believe that he can mimic that at the next level. He’s been “in touch” with Lipscomb, Michigan Tech, and Belmont while Minnesota Duluth, Central Missouri, Portland, Idaho, and others have expressed interest.</p> <p>His counterpart at Kaukauna, forward Jacob Newhouse, is also paired with him for the Crusaders. As a sophomore, his impact was minimal from outside the paint, so Newhouse looked to branch out skill-wise this spring and summer. “I wouldn’t really shoot much,” said the forward of his prior seasons, “But over the summer I got my shot down so I’m more of a shooter.” And with three other frontcourt threats competing for minutes, that addition may have given him, and Coach Zakowski, more incentive to play the 4-spot.</p> <p>Newhouse has also taken baby steps into the recruiting scene with Minnesota Duluth and Winona State showing interest.</p> <p>The most versatile, switchblade piece to their roster is 6-foot-6 Ryan Claflin. It’s posited that he’s a frontcourt threat — as all external clues seem to hint at that — but he truly fits anywhere. He’s active enough defensively to stand atop a one-three-one zone and athletic enough to guard all five positions one-on-one. Offensively, he’s a hair-trigger shooter and capable off the bounce, while he can catch lobs and muscle around in the trenches. He’s able to fit in any system, making him invaluable for their roster.</p> <p>Gabe Krueger is another, explosive scoring big for the Crusaders. He was named to the All-Wisconsin Valley First-Team as a junior, averaging 19.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Evan Glaser backs up Krueger and Newhouse, bringing frontcourt experience from an FVA squad in Appleton East.</p> <p>Crusaders’ backcourt has elite depth in Riley Murphey, Evan VollenDorf and Zach Mashlan. Murphey, who is a proven scorer at 5-foot-11, provides them with a viable starter and sixth-man. Vollendorf is another elite scorer who maintained a 17 point per game average through his school season. His recruitment has also taken off. He currently has interest from colleges at every corner of Wisconsin, including La Crosse, Stevens Point, and Lakeland. Mashlan, who battled injuries as a junior, is full strength this spring and adds a touch of all-around offensive play.</p> <p>The Crusaders are a particularly guard heavy-roster, each of them seemingly in the same ballpark of playstyles. But lots of scoring isn’t really an issue, and Ferris has proven to be a great facilitator to balance that out.</p>