Preseason Top 10 Rankings: Division 2

Who are the top 10 teams in Division 2 heading into the 2021-22 season? Prep Hoops Wisconsin drops our rankings prior to opening tip-off. 1. Pewaukee 2020-21 Record: 27-3 (12-0) WIAA Playoff Finish: Defeated Onalaska in the State Championship<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Ashton-Janowski.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1113688" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Ashton-Janowski-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a> The defending Division 2 state champs return just about everything and are reloading for another run at the gold ball. The top ranked junior in the state, [player_tooltip player_id="953944" first="Milan" last="Momcilovic"] (17.0 ppg) headlines a loaded roster, which also includes Hillsdale commit [player_tooltip player_id="761419" first="Ashton" last="Janowski"] (12.0 ppg) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1089682" first="Nick" last="Janowski"] (10.0 ppg), who's one of the top 2-3 prospects in the 2024 class. The Pirates also feature a lot of quality role players, including senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="865859" first="Emmett" last="Loew"], who's one of the grittiest players in the state and is capable of rising to the occasion when his number is called. 2. Wisconsin Lutheran 2020-21 Record: 21-3 (10-2) WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Pewaukee in the Sectional Finals Leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id="951467" first="Prentice" last="Young"] (14.1 ppg) is back for his junior season. The top-five junior suffered an injury over the summer, but is expected to be back at full strength. Young will get a big boost in the backcourt from sophomore sniper [player_tooltip player_id="1142123" first="Kon" last="Knueppel"] (10.6 ppg), who's poised for a big year. A lot of good, young talent in this group as well, including sophomores [player_tooltip player_id="1144571" first="Grayson" last="Young"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1159275" first="Logan" last="Rindfleisch"]. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="1089725" first="Jordan" last="Glenn"] and junior [player_tooltip player_id="1012675" first="Jamiir" last="Allen"] are two of the better guards in the state that get overshadowed because they play on a loaded team. 3. Westosha Central 2020-21 Record: 16-6 (13-1) WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Burlington in the Regional Finals<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/20210501_124330-1.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1203667" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/20210501_124330-1-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a> A lot of this group has been together for 3-4 years and the dividends could pay off this season. Led by one of the top available seniors in the state, [player_tooltip player_id="727964" first="Jack" last="Rose"] (21.0 ppg), the Falcons reload with their top four scorers. Central also features a terrific backcourt of seniors [player_tooltip player_id="945811" first="Kenny" last="Garth"] (13.1 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id="1134929" first="Devin" last="Griffin"] (11.1 ppg). Despite an early exit in last season's playoffs, the Falcons have won three-straight conference titles in the Southern Lakes. 4. La Crosse Central 2020-21 Record: 8-2 WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Eau Claire North in the Regional Semifinals The Red Raiders had a shortened 2020-21 campaign, but won some big games against Beaver Dam and Sun Prairie. This group was a little young and in the midst of a bridge year last season, but should have one of the best trios in the state. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="990740" first="Devon" last="Fielding"] (17.2 ppg) had a breakout campaign last winter. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1022499" first="Bennett" last="Fried"] and senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="865862" first="Noah" last="Compan"] (10.1 ppg) are also two high-upside prospects who can explode on any given night. 5. DeForest 2020-21 Record: 16-6 WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Kimberly in the (D1) state semifinals<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Max-Weisbrod.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1036533" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Max-Weisbrod-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a> DeForest will return to Division 2 after the pandemic moved them up a level last season. Do-it-all senior guard and Northern Michigan commit [player_tooltip player_id="801146" first="Max" last="Weisbrod"] (18.4 ppg) leads a veteran and deep group. The Norskies might not have a ton of star power, but they've got dependable pieces such as senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="865844" first="Nolan" last="Hawk"] (13.0 ppg) and senior guard Deven Magli (10.0 ppg). 6. Ashwaubenon 2020-21 Record: 20-6 WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Seymour in the Sectional Semifinals This team started to play some really good ball down the back end of last season. The Jaguars won 16-straight, including a blowout win over De Pere before being upended in sectionals. Michigan Tech commit [player_tooltip player_id="865854" first="Marcus" last="Tomashek"] (23.4 ppg) is coming off a monster junior season. His running mate, senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="865851" first="Matt" last="Imig"] (14.6 ppg) is also back. Kyle Krueger will be tough, if not impossible to replace, but Ashwaubenon has a number of returning role players who can help fill the void. 7. Whitnall 2020-21 Record: (15-6, 11-1) WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Martin Luther in the Regional Finals The Falcons appear to have gotten a lot better in the off-season after winning the Woodland East by 3.5 games last season. [player_tooltip player_id="761417" first="Danilo" last="Jovanovich"] (22.0 ppg), who's signed with Miami (FL) is obviously the feature player, but Whitnall should get a big senior year from guard [player_tooltip player_id="1089729" first="John" last="Pitta"] (9.7 ppg). The key to Whitnall's long-term success could reside with the Herro brothers. Austin, a junior, did not play last season due to injury. Myles is one of the top freshmen in the state. The Falcons also picked up Greenfield transfer [player_tooltip player_id="981028" first="Ethan" last="Thomas"] (2.7 ppg), a top 25 prospect in the 2023 class. 8. Milton 2020-21 Record: 13-5 WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Monona Grove in the Regional Semifinals<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Brogan-McIntyre.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1188711" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Brogan-McIntyre-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a> Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="865836" first="Jack" last="Campion"] (22.6 ppg) is lightning in a bottle and makes a really strong case for the most important player to his team in the state. Campion creates a lot of offense and likes to find his teammates for open 3's. That's good news for the Red Hawks, who have a couple of snipers in senior Tommy Widner (8.7 ppg) and junior [player_tooltip player_id="1039320" first="Brogan" last="McIntyre"] (6.3 ppg). 9. Wauwatosa West 2020-21 Record: 5-20 (0-16) WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Marquette in the regional semifinals It may not come together overnight, but the days of picking on the Trojans in the Greater Metro Conference are over. This group was 0-16 in league play last season and now seniors <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/colin-hardrick/">[player_tooltip player_id="1021573" first="Colin" last="Hardrick"]<img class=" ls-is-cached lazyloaded" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/k85EZbGl-150x150.jpg" data-src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/k85EZbGl-150x150.jpg" /></a> (22.4 ppg) and <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/1289013/">[player_tooltip player_id="1289013" first="Terrance" last="Mcclendon"]<img class=" lazyloaded" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/95-Terrance-Mcclendon-150x150.jpg" data-src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/95-Terrance-Mcclendon-150x150.jpg" /></a> (12.4 ppg) have a lot more help. West has picked up a key transfer in <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/cole-hansen/">[player_tooltip player_id="1089681" first="Cole" last="Hansen"]<img class=" ls-is-cached lazyloaded" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/08/20210708_101814-150x150.jpg" data-src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/08/20210708_101814-150x150.jpg" /></a>, who started at Sun Prairie as a freshman. A pair of freshmen, <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/kai-rogers/">[player_tooltip player_id="1240335" first="Kai" last="Rogers"]<img class=" lazyloaded" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/08/Kai-Rogers-Wisconsin-PGC-14u-1-150x150.jpg" data-src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/08/Kai-Rogers-Wisconsin-PGC-14u-1-150x150.jpg" /></a>, and <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/jake-hansen/">[player_tooltip player_id="1240337" first="Jake" last="Hansen"]</a>, are also two of the best class of 2025 prospects in the state. 10. Monroe 2020-21 Record: 16-2 WIAA Playoff Finish: Lost to Lake Mills in the Sectional Semifinals<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/20200705_134130.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1153529" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/20200705_134130-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a> Monroe will have to move on without Cade Meyer (UW-Green Bay) and some other key seniors from last season, but there's still some talent in the cupboard. The Cheesemakers were stunned by Lake Mills in the sectional semifinals and probably have a chip on their shoulder after being denied what felt like a likely state berth. The 1-2 punch of [player_tooltip player_id="801147" first="J.T." last="Seagreaves"] (15.3 ppg), a Wisconsin football commit, and senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="801151" first="Carson" last="Leuzinger"] (15.1 ppg), an instant offense prospect can carry Monroe deep.   Honorable Mention: Oshkosh North, Stoughton, Whitefish Bay, Pius XI, Fox Valley Lutheran, Grafton, Burlington, Milwaukee Bradley Tech, Menasha, Medford, Nicolet, West De Pere, Notre Dame, Milwaukee Washington