Prospect Standouts From Tuesday’s Regional Games

<p>Breaking down the top individual performances from Tuesday’s WIAA Division 1 regional action at Baraboo High School...</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1037091" first="Jonah" last="Anderson"] - 2022 - PG - Verona</p> <p>Without Anderson, Verona would be in their off-season right now. After Middleton looked like they would pull away, Anderson responded following a fiery timeout talk from his head coach and turned up the intensity on defense. A pest for the final 15 minutes of action, Anderson was relentless defensively and created a handful of steals while also throwing Middleton completely out of rhythm. A fast, uptempo guard who can dribble penetrate and dish the basketball, Anderson also contributed 13 points in a low-scoring affair.</p> <p>Deaken Bush -  2022 - SG - Oregon</p> <p>Bush shot it really well en route to a team-high 14 points in Tuesday’s loss to Sun Prairie. Bush got hot early in the second half to help Oregon cut a 10-point halftime deficit down to five.  The 6-foot-2 guard worked well off dribble penetration, relocating off drives and giving his teammates east passing windows. Bush also made some nice plays around the rim and found teammates for easy buckets on Tuesday as well.</p> <p>Drew Houtakker - 2021 - PF - Sun Prairie</p> <p>Currently unranked, Houttaker definitely played his way into the Top 150 with Tuesday’s performance. Oregon and Sun Prairie played a contested first half. Without Houtakker, the Cardinals may have been playing from behind through the first 18 minutes. The senior forward absolutely dominated the paint, scoring 8 of his 13 points in the first half.  The Cardinals went to Houtakker time and time again and Oregon simply had no answer for his physicality and relentless motor.  Defensively, Houtakker absolutely owned the glass, recorded a couple of blocks, and didn’t allow the Panthers second chance opportunities. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="950101" first="Ben" last="Olson"] - 2022 - SF - Sun Prairie</p> <p>Olson was kept in check up until the final few minutes of the first half. From that point on, it was complete domination. The junior forward scored 23 points  and sparked the rout for the Cardinals in the second half. Olson got things started with a couple of 3’s. Once Oregon had to account for his outside shooting, Olson was able to do what he did best, slash and get to the bucket. A strong, athletic wing who can play above the rim, Olson is practically unstoppable at 6-foot-5 when he gets to his left hand. A blue collar prospect with one of the best motors in the state, Olson just quietly goes about his business. He kicks your butt and then gets back to the other end of the floor without saying a word.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1134928" first="Ryne" last="Panzer"] - 2022 - G - Oregon</p> <p>An unranked junior to watch, Panzer  had some really good moments during Tuesday’s loss to Sun Prairie. Panzer had a really nice first half that kept Oregon in the game and showed off some tough shot making ability. Off the bounce, Panzer was able to break his man down and score in a variety of ways. He’s a smooth jump shooter that can connect while off-balance. Panzer did a great job of setting up defenders with hard dribbles to the rim and getting them in retreat mode before rising up for his jumper. When he was cut off, liked Panzer’s willingness to change directions or shot types. Thought Panzer fully understood that Oregon wasn’t winning that game unless  he  was aggressive offensively and it showed.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1119112" first="Bennett" last="Sherry"] - 2021 - SF - Verona</p> <p>Continue to be intrigued by this prospect. Sherry is a 6-foot-5, plus-length small forward  who can handle and shoot the basketball.   Sherry made his biggest impact on the defensive end on Tuesday, however. Using his length, Sherry collected more than a handful of tips, blocks, and steals, helping spark a second half surge for Verona.  Offensively, Sherry shows flashes with difficult shot making and three-level scoring ability.  Small school programs should be taking a look here as Sherry has some nice upside at the next level.</p> <p>Hayden Statz -  2021 - SG - Middleton</p> <p>Behind Statz, Middleton made a nice surge late in the first half to grab a five-point lead. The senior guard connected on a couple of shots consecutively  that helped give the Cardinals all the momentum going into the locker room. In a low-scoring, grinder, Statz finished with  a team-high 13 points.  Statz was the most consistent form of offense Middleton had throughout the night. Moving without the ball and stepping into rhythm triples, Statz  also kept the Cardinals within striking distance throughout the second half with a few timely shots.</p>