Preseason All-Conference: Mississippi Valley
Preseason POTY – Johnny Davis: As a Wisconsin basketball commit and the number one prospect in our 2020 class, this award is right up Davis’ alley. Last season, he paced the team in scoring with 23.1 points while gobbling up…
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Continue ReadingPreseason POTY – Johnny Davis: As a Wisconsin basketball commit and the number one prospect in our 2020 class, this award is right up Davis’ alley. Last season, he paced the team in scoring with 23.1 points while gobbling up 9.3 rebounds and swatting 2 shots a night. The prevailing theme in Davis’ game will continue to be his athleticism, not just the fact that it’s a niche that not many can match, but that he can exploit it.
This summer, Davis leaped for alley-oop jams that introduced his forehead to the rim. On defense, he jumped with big men to block shots no other player — no other guard especially — could. Let’s put it this way: Cameras flocked to his court for a reason.
Preseason First Team:
Johnny Davis, G – La Crosse Central: To make Davis seem a tad less perfect, his jump shot could admittedly use some fine tuning. I noted his subtle improvements a few times this summer, but a reliable jumper is a must-have at the next level.
Jordan Davis, G – La Crosse Central: Jordan Davis, the brother of Johnny and a fellow Wisconsin commit, has been a one-two-punch with his brother throughout high school. Though introduced exclusively as a pair, Jordan differs from his twin by getting his hands dirtier on defense — especially on the ball — and by knocking down the outside shot at an efficient clip (departures in mind, that’s something he will need to specialize in next season).
As a prospect, Jordan lacks jagged edges. He’s smooth all around in terms of skillset despite his scoring inconsistencies. Steep mountains and cavernous valleys sum up Jordan’s junior-year game log, as his high (26 points) and low (0 points) in a single game made for a wide variety of outputs. A more consistent version of his junior-self would be ideal this year.
Terrance Thompson, C – La Crosse Central: Thompson is an imposing player physically. He’s the wrong choice to hit with an elbow, if you could even muster up the gut to do so.
Defensively his stature comes into play. Thompson’s wingspan allows him to effortlessly swat away shots and his height acts as a roadblock in the paint. It’s easy to set a high ceiling for him at the next level, just off physical attributes. Offensively, Thompson can bully defenders with his physicality and slightly underrated yet budding arsenal of post moves.
Tyrell Stuttley, F – Onalaska: Stuttley is a mobile, athletic prospect that can rise up and finish at the rim. He’s crafty enough where he can contort his body and dribble around bigger defenders, but plays with the hard-nosed paint instinct to tally 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. It’s a half-way jaded label, but I see a point-foward position sticking in the long term.
Carson Arenz, F – Onalaska: Arenz led Onalsaka in threes last season en route to the second-most points per game (15.0). He appeared comfortable in the pick n’ pop offense and facilitated well for a forward, averaging 2.2 per game. He scored below ten points just three times on the season, as a whole embodying the statistical trends of a consistent player.
Honorable Mentions: Gavin McGrath, Sam Kick, Victor Desmond, Charlie Ella, Kade Gnewik, Jacksun Hamilton