2021-22 Preview: Prospects With New Roles

<p>The departure of the 2021 class leaves gaping holes in rosters across the state. Which players will help lead their team’s reload next season?</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1267649" first="Alijah" last="Matthews"] - Racine St. Catherines - 2022:<br /> Unranked for now, but that shouldn’t last long. Two of Racine St. Catherine’s best players led the 2021 class exodus, and Matthews will step in as the main guard to replace them. Matthews has the capability to reign in a roster, even a new-look one. This summer, he delivered consistent production for Gallo through high IQ drives and smart shots. In most games, he threaded the defense with quick drives and superb court awareness. Never gets outside himself, but consistently plays high-level basketball.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1085205" first="Dan" last="Gherezgher"] - Brookfield East - 2022:<br /> Gherezgher played second-fiddle all of last year, blossoming in the role. PHW scouts are consistently high on him; the consensus is that he’s only scratched the surface of his potential. We’ll see the wing take off next year with the keys to the offense. He’s spindly with long arms and longer legs. On offense, he’s snuck a bit of everything into his highlights: raining down jumpers, crossing defenders, and finishing above the rim. But he has even more to offer, and we’ll see it next season.</p> <p>Noah Fedderson - Menomonie - 2022:<br /> Colleges are high on Fedderson, who is the hot commodity of centers in the state. At 6’9”, his height is striking at this level, but it’s his finesse that shocks me the most. His high-release jumper is unblockable, and his touch on fadeaways is appealing. He moves like a small forward <span style="font-weight: 400;">— </span>fluid and fast. A big statistical season would solidify him even more as D1 prospect.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1116321" first="Robert" last="Booker"] - Waunakee - 2024:<br /> Booker didn’t get significant scoring opportunities last season, but I expect a major shift in his role and production. This summer he proved he can control a game without the ball, threatening to catch lobs on offense and scaring away attackers on defense. On his best days, he finished everything at the rim: hook shots, floaters, and contested layups. Everything is pointing towards a breakout year for the forward.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1089729" first="John" last="Pitta"] - Whitnall - 2022:<br /> Pitta tore up defenses all summer, coming up with gaudy stat lines and impressive highlights. This season, he’ll need an encore to get more scouts involved. The slashing guard tends to score in a hurry. He gets downhill quickly and has a knack for finishing high-difficulty looks. Not the tallest, but a stellar athlete with great speed and explosion.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1142122" first="Michael" last="McNabb"] Jr. - Grafton - 2024:<br /> An up-and-coming forward that could be the number one guy for Grafton in his sophomore season. He’s young but has the mold of a future stud. He’s lengthy, and his long strides are an asset when he’s trying to beat a defender off the dribble. His body is solid, and he doesn’t shy away from using it to create space. He’s a smooth player, and although his jumper has a bit of a hitch, it works, as he hit over 35 percent of his triples last season.</p>