I have already listed some of Wisconsin’s best guards and small forwards. Now, it is time to take a look at some of the state’s best big men. Terrance Thompson 6’8 / PF La Crosse Central If you…
I have already listed some of Wisconsin’s best guards and small forwards. Now, it is time to take a look at some of the state’s best big men.
If you just looked at Terrance Thompson’s stats, you might wonder why he is considered to be a top-five prospect in Wisconsin’s 2020 class. After all, Thompson averaged a middling 8.2 points per game as a junior at La Crosse Central. But, if you were to watch the 6-foot-8 power forward in person, you would quickly find out that the defensive end is where Thompson excels. While he doesn’t necessarily struggle on offense, the forward is certainly regarded as one of the best prospects in Wisconsin because of his defensive expertise. He can provoke ire in his opponents with his ability to rebound and block shots.
College coaches have noticed how good of a prospect Thompson is. The La Crosse Central forward holds nine scholarship offers from schools located across the country.
Darius Hannah’s recruitment ended when he committed to Bradley on September 26th. Prior to committing, the 6-foot-8 power forward had become one of the most intriguing prospects in the state due to his intangibles; college coaches were all over the forward. He has long arms, can shoot it from deep, can block shots, and rebound. A knee injury sidelined him for most of his junior season, but he now appears to be fully recovered.
“I’m 100% healthy,” Hannah told Prep Hoops Wisconsin. “I just wear the brace for protection. My knee is stronger than it was before, I can move faster and jump higher.” A fully recovered Darius Hannah should strike fear in opposing teams.
Jacob Ognacevic dominated as a junior at Sheboygan Lutheran. He scored over 30 points per game and led his team to a Division 5 state championship. After doing whatever he wanted against D5 competition, the AAU season served as a wake-up call. Competing with Wisconsin Playground Club on the AAU Circuit, Ognacevic was slowed down by the stiffer talent. Despite struggling at times, The 6-foot-8 prospect was still able to contribute to WPC’s great summer. He rebounded with confidence and showed off his great footwork in the paint.
Shortly after his final AAU season concluded, Ognacevic committed to Valparaiso.
Wisconsin RAP probably doesn’t win the Hard Work Region Finals if Shilo Bowles doesn’t suit up. Bowles was simply incredible on the Prep Hoops Circuit in the 2019 AAU season. He did everything in his power to help his team win games. The forward converted on outside jumpers, dunked, rebounded, and blocked shots. Perhaps the most important part of Bowles’ game is his tenacity — the forward’s motor never stops. Bowles still doesn’t hold a scholarship offer, but he said that he has been in contact with multiple college programs.
After being a major contributor for Sun Prairie during their 2019-20 season, Delaware Hale suffered a foot injury that marred his final AAU season. A stress fracture kept Hale out for the spring AAU session and limited him during the summer. Due to the unfortunate injury, Hale saw his stock plateau. He will look to regain some of his deserved recognition as a senior. When he was healthy, Hale impressed around the rim. He has great footwork in the paint and he can also score as a slasher from the high post.
I really like Jacob Newhouse’s skillset as a power forward. Newhouse can do a little bit of everything. The forward’s go-to skill would have to be his ability to score out of the post, though. He has great footwork and patience when his back is to the basket. His shooting, rebounding, and shot-blocking abilities are all embellishments that make him even more attractive as a prospect. Because he is able to dabble in many different things on the court, Newhouse becomes really tough to stop. Division 2 college programs should make landing the Kaukauna forward a priority during this fall and winter.
I watched Cade Meyer play a lot over the course of this spring and summer. Not once, could I honestly say that I was bored watching Meyer perform. Every time he competed, Meyer brought great energy and skill to the court. Sometimes he was catching lobs and throwing down dunks, other times the PF wasn’t hitting the rim on three-point attempts. He is Wisconsin’s second-best 2021 prospect for a good reason.
Between playing baseball and switching AAU teams, Logan Landers didn’t get a ton of run during the summer. Despite this, he still earns a spot on this list because of how good he was as a sophomore at Brookfield Academy. Landers averaged a double-double, scoring 14.2 points and grabbing 12.5 rebounds per contest. He can score from inside the paint, or knockdown jumpers on the outside. Because Landers will be able to devote most of his attention to basketball during the season, the PF should be in for a huge junior campaign.
Gavin McGrath still has a long way to go in his development. The lanky center needs to add strength to his wiry frame and become more versatile. But, with that being said, he has carved out a niche. The Onalaska standout is one of the best rebounders and shot-blockers in the state. He uses every centimeter of his long arms to influence an opponent’s shot. And if the offensive player does happen to get a shot off, McGrath will be there for the rebound if it is off-target. McGrath did many positive things over the summer with Wisconsin Playground Club.
Adam Larson is in the same boat as McGrath. Both prospects have shown promise, but definitely have things to work on. For Larson, he admitted that he needs to work on his ball-handling skills. Although his game is not perfect, he still has proven that his ceiling is very high. The Fennimore forward is a long, athletic prospect who can throw down dunks and serve as a roadblock at the rim. He has also paired these already impressive skills with an effective jump shot.
Brock Heffner jumped onto my radar during the last AAU tournament of the year. After watching him lead the ABC Young Lions to a first-round win, I knew that Heffner was a serious prospect. He was phenomenal in the post and also showed his athleticism in transition with multiple dunks. Heffner should be a good compliment to Alex Huibregtse in the 2019-20 season.
Leon Bond stands at just 6-foot-3, but his play style resembles that of a power forward. He is constantly lurking in, or around the paint. His strength gives him the ability to finish at the rim regardless of how many defenders are in his way. Bond’s phenomenal summer put him on the radar of multiple well-known college programs. If his great summer gives way to an even better school season, then the Wauwatosa East forward should see his recruitment take off.
Amari Jedkins’ freshman season at Racine Case was nothing to write home about. He averaged a modest 5.7 points per game to go along with 4.3 rebounds. Jedkins found his way onto this list because of his immense potential. He is an incredible athlete who has a Division 1 caliber build. If his skills are able to catch up to his measurables, Jedkins will be a weapon for Case to use over the next three years.
Max Nelson’s summer was split into two categories: Peaks and valleys. He had some really high points, but he also struggled at times. One of his peaks came during the Hard Work Region Finals, where he led his team to a runner-up trophy. Nelson rebounds the ball well and is easily one of the best shooters included on this list. If he can develop a bit more as a scorer in the paint, there is no reason why he should not be looked at as a Division One prospect.