Team of the Week Nominees: 12.9 – 12.15
Collin Parker
<p>With three full weeks under our belts, teams start to seek validation for hot starts. For our TOTW candidates, each win puts stamp on an undefeated or near-spotless record, solidifying their name in the prep basketball landscape.</p>
<p>To vote for your favorite team, visit @_CollinParker on Twitter.</p>
<p><strong>Hortonville:</strong> The Polar Bears stormed into relevancy this week, beating up on a top-ranked Kaukauna team on Tuesday, then following up with a convincing win over Fond du Lac. They move to 6-0 on the season, becoming a legitimate playoff sleeper with their roster depth.</p>
<p><strong>Eau Claire North:</strong> Last season, Eau Claire North struggled to pull away from the middle-pack in the conference. Two blowouts against upper-echelon conference foes in Hudson and La Crosse Logan change that sentiment, as North validated themselves as a complete roster behind Dalton Banks’ heroics.</p>
<p><strong>Brookfield Central:</strong> Central was tested for the first time this season, matching up with Arrowhead on Saturday. But, an 18 point margin of victory leaves little doubt in their talented roster.</p>
<p>This win along with a win over Germantown earlier in the week justifies consecutive title predictions that have followed them early in this season.</p>
<p><strong>Homestead:</strong> Last week’s diagnosis of Homestead was rather dreary, as they limped to a 1-2 record with back-to-back losses. This week, though, Homestead finished 3-0, winning over an uber-talented Wauwatosa East team and Grafton, a conference title favorite. Both wins came by slim margins, but after last week, it’s a Team-of-the-Week-worthy turnaround.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oh, and if winning becomes a trend, we could be considering Declan Ciurlik as a legitimate breakout player.</span></p>
<p><strong>Honorable Mentions:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Bay Port:</strong> Bay Port is the early-estimate for Fox River Classic champion. They finished this week with a win over SJNMA and Manitowoc Lincoln, both wins coming without much strain. However, the prominence of those teams doesn't stack up with the four listed above, so they're a close fifth in the voting.</p>
<p>If Logan Geissler remains as dynamic as his early-season play, they’ll find themselves in the voting later this season.</p>
<p><strong>Madison East:</strong> East notched two in-conference wins this week. While they don’t appear to hold serious weight early in the conference standings, their week fits the overall theme of roster validation. </p>
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