Badger Challenge Standouts

MADISON -- Standouts from Saturday's Badger Conference Challenge at Madison Edgewood High School, which the South Conference won 5-3 over the North... <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/nate-abel/">Nate Abel</a> - 2021 - G - Beaver Dam Abel had a game-high 25 points, including the game-winning free throw with 5.4 seconds left to lift Beaver Dam past Watertown. A plus-length, high-IQ guard, Abel took over in the second half and quickly turned a four-point halftime deficit into a two-point lead, one the Beavers would never relinquish. Abel is a very patient guard that doesn't mind working deep into the clock for shots, be it on or off the ball. Abel has good handles, adequate quickness off the bounce, and can score with his momentum going away from the basket. Also a strong shooter, Abel can't be left alone on the perimeter and can bury teams in the catch-and-shoot game. Abel is currently receiving both Division 1 and 2 interest during his junior season where he's averaging 21.5 ppg. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jack-campion/">Jack Campion</a> - 2022 - PG - Milton Campion had a tall task against Reedsburg and you could see the frustration starting to get to him. The Beavers picked him up and denied him the ball for 94 feet. When he was able to get a touch, every help-side defender seemed to have a foot or two in the lane. After Milton went into the half trailing 44-12, Campion showed great ledership and moxy, getting the Red Hawks back within 13 points. Campion started to settle down and not foce offensively. A terrific drive and dish guard with arguably the best on-ball speed and handles in the state, Campion's teammates fed off his passing in the second half. After being stifled in the first half, Campion went onto score a game-high 21 points. Carter Daniels - 2020 - G/F - Reedsburg They tell young players all the time, "Be a star in your role." Daniels gets that. The senior takes pride in doing the dirty work --whether it's rebounding, playing lockdown defense, creating turnovers, or working for second chance opportunities. Daniels finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, and four steals. Defensively, Daniels often appeared one step ahead from Milton. When the Red Hawks were calling out plays, Daniels seemed to be one step ahead, which led to his four-steal performance. Daniels is listed at 6-foot-2, but plays bigger than his size and has a physically imposing frame. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/adam-hobson/">Adam Hobson</a> - 2020 - SF - Stoughton Thought Hobson made his biggest impact defensively. Facing DeForest's point guard and second-leading scorer, Hobson did a great job of forcing tough shots. When his opponent put the ball on the deck and tried to use his speed, Hobson stayed wide and walled up around the rim, forcing numerous misses from inside the paint. A 3-and-D type prospect, the Michigan Tech commit is a prototypical swingman who can space the floor or rip and go to the rim when he's isolated on one side. With DeForest trying to rally late, Hobson, who finished with a team-high 20 points, put the game away at the foul line. Caden Nelson - 2021 - W/F - Waunakee Nelson was a tone setter throughout Saturday's loss to Monroe. A physical wing/forward who can play downhill, attack the rim, and finish against contact, Nelson finished with a game-high 20 points. Nelson had some violent finishes inside that turned into three-point plays. An inside-out theat, Nelson was a tough matchup for the Cheesemakers all day long. Not only can Nelson impose his will on the interior, but he steps out and shoots the ball well from 3-point range as well. Nelson is one of the many reasons that Waunakee is going to be such a tough out in March. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/lance-nelson/">Lance Nelson</a> - 2021 - G - Monona Grove Nelson hit a clutch 3-pointer with 7.7 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime as Monona Grove would eventually knock off Sauk Prairie in the extra session. The junior guard just plays the game with very high instincts. Nelson is capable of scoring a lot more than he does, but his DNA is wired to make the right basketball play. A skilled guard who sees the floor and can probe with the ball in his hands, Nelson is the straw that stirs the drink for the Silver Eagles. While he may lack athleticism, Nelson has the tools to create his own shot and pull-up off the bounce when his team needs a bucket. Cade Oiler - 2020 - PG - Watertown Oiler only had five points, but his impact was greatly felt. While he missed some shots he'd probably like to have back, Oiler was terrific in the open floor for Watertown. Oiler has the ability to see plays developing before they happen and hit Beaver Dam with a handful of assists in transition, often when he was still more than 35 feet from the hoop. A guard that keeps defenders on their toes, Oiler plays with terrific change of pace and direction. Oiler can lull you to sleep one minute and then all of a sudden hit a gap and make something happen. He's one of those guys that may not always score a ton of points, but you hate guarding because he's constantly moving. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/j-t-seagreaves/">J.T. Seagreaves</a> - 2022 - F - Monroe Seagreaves isn't getting enough attention for the season he's having. Sure, he's the third-leading scorer for Monroe, but his points are often coming at key points in the game. The opposition often has to key on <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/carson-leuzinger/">Carson Leuzinger</a> and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/cade-meyer/">Cade Meyer</a>. It's often up to Seagreaves to get the Cheesemakers out of offensive ruts and he does a great job of breaking up those dry spells. The 6-foot-6 forward can step out and shoot the basketball, pull-up off the dribble from mid-range, and has plenty of vertical athleticism to score above the rim. Seagreaves has made so many gains this season with his ability to face-up and shoot over the top or even score while fading away from the basket. The sophomore also had a big offensive rebound and putback late in the game that gave Monroe the lead. Wallace Schmotzer - 2020 - PF - Edgewood He only had six points, but I thought Schmotzer was the best prospect on the floor against Mount Horeb. The 6-foot-7 senior has good touch down low and does a great job of keeping the ball high when he catches in traffic - something that's hard for young bigs to grasp. He needs a lot of skill work right now, but there's a lot to like about Schmotzer's size and frame. If he manages to sneak onto a small college's roster next season, Schmotzer could definitely turn himself into something. Trevor Spray - 2020 - PF - Sauk Prairie Spray has nice size, versatility, and moves well for his frame. The 6-foot-7 senior needs some footwork refinement and isn't as fluid with the ball in his hands as you'd like, but there's definitely a lot of upside here. Sauk Prairie was able to play Spray all over the floor on both ends and he even defended Monona Grove's point guard for the entire game. Once MG went to a zone to matchup with Sauk's size, Spray did an excellent job of passing from the high post -- hitting his fellow big in the high-low game or skipping across the floor to open shooters. Spray finished with 14 points in a loss. Max Tully - 2020 - W - Reedsburg Tully helped get Reedsburg off to a great start. Offensively, he was able to create a handful of easy baskets around the rim. Tully works without the ball and gets into high percentage areas where his teammates can find him. That led to a 20-point performance on Saturday. Also an energy and effort player, Tully grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out three assists. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/max-weisbrod/">Max Weisbrod</a> - 2022 - G - DeForest Weisbrod had a game-high 25 points in a loss to Stoughton. The sophomore guard hasn't been a big scorer this season, mostly because he plays within the system. With DeForest trailing in the second half, Weisbrod showed he can create outside the box and carry a team. Weisbrod hit some deep 3's and also scored in transition on a number of occasions. A patient, high-IQ guard that knows how to take what a defense gives him, Weisbrod can score and create in a variety of ways. While he's not overly athletic, Weisbrod can beat defenses with skill and instincts. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jaxson-zibbel/">Jaxson Zibell</a> - 2021 - SG - Waunakee This is one of the best shooters in the state that most people haven't heard of yet. Zibell has in-the-gym range and a dangerous, quick stroke that catches defenders off-guard. If you're not in Zibell's shorts when he catches, as a defender, you're in trouble. The lefty doesn't need much space to snap his wrist and drain triples. While he'll make most of noise beyond the 3-point arc, Zibell is pretty good going to the basket and can put his head down and absorb contact. He finished with a team-high 18 points in a loss to Monroe. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/owen-ziegler/">Owen Ziegler</a> - 2020 - G - Mount Horeb Ziegler had a big second half to push the Vikings past Edgewood. Icing the game away at the free throw line, Ziegler finished with a game-high 22 points. The senior guard got hot after halftime and connected on a number of jumpers off the dribble to give Mount Horeb some much-needed breathing room. A sharpshooter with a quick stroke, Ziegler can also handle the point duties and had a handful of assists on Saturday.   Results Beaver Dam 55 Watertown 54 Mount Horeb 72 Edgewood 58 Monona Grove 58 Sauk Prairie 50 (OT) Reedsburg 70 Milton 51 Stoughton 75 DeForest 61 Monroe 70 Waunakee 68