WIAA State Tournament Preview: Division 1

The 2022 WIAA State Tournament kicks off next week. Here’s a look at the field in Division 1 as well as our predictions in March...   <h5>SECTIONAL 1</h5> THE FAVORITE - Neenah (22-1) 1-seed Neenah’s only hiccup this season came against Appleton East early in the year. The Fox Valley Association champs have shown the ability to win big and<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Emery-1.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1352858" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Emery-1-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a> close games and have run through some of the state’s top teams, including Pewaukee, Kimberly, Brookfield Central, Appleton East, and Middleton. Merrimack commit [player_tooltip player_id="865837" first="Chevalier" last="Emery Jr"] (18.1 ppg) needs to be getting more love for Mr. Basketball consideration considering this team’s resume. The Rockets also feature a dangerous senior frontcourt in [player_tooltip player_id="950099" first="Carter" last="Thomas"] (14.7 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id="988975" first="J.J." last="Paider"] (11.9 ppg). TOP CONTENDER - Eau Claire Memorial (18-4) The Old Abes have one of the best trios in the state that nobody is talking about. The 2-seed in Sectional 1 features [player_tooltip player_id="1189004" first="L.J." last="Wells"] (15.6 ppg), who’s played his way into being a Division 1 recruit, [player_tooltip player_id="1129309" first="Will" last="Boser"] (15.9 ppg), and [player_tooltip player_id="865850" first="Mekhi" last="Shaw"] (12.9 ppg) -- all seniors by the way. The Big Rivers Conference champs don’t have best resume in this region, but do own a win over Marshfield. DARK HORSE - Kimberly (16-7) This team has state championship experience and the best pure scorer in the state in [player_tooltip player_id="801149" first="Jackson" last="Paveletzke"] (30.0 ppg), a Wofford commit. The Papermakers have also been playing much better since the midway point of the season. It took Kimberly a while to find themselves, but have now won six of their last seven games with the lone loss coming by one point to top-seed Neenah. Kimberly has taken the Rockets down to the wire twice this season and it’s very hard to beat a team three times in one year. If St. Leo commit [player_tooltip player_id="1017073" first="Owen" last="Pawlikowski"] (14.4 ppg) plays well, don’t sleep on this team being able to really shake up the bracket. PLAYERS TO WATCH [player_tooltip player_id="801152" first="Tyler" last="Borowski"] - Appleton East [player_tooltip player_id="1129309" first="Will" last="Boser"] - Eau Claire Memorial [player_tooltip player_id="865837" first="Chevalier" last="Emery Jr"]. - Neenah [player_tooltip player_id="1244808" first="Brooks" last="Hinson"] - Marshfield) [player_tooltip player_id="761416" first="James" last="Jacobs"] - SPASH [player_tooltip player_id="801136" first="Maximus" last="Nelson"] - Appleton North [player_tooltip player_id="801149" first="Jackson" last="Paveletzke"] - Kimberly [player_tooltip player_id="1017073" first="Owen" last="Pawlikowski"] - Kimberly [player_tooltip player_id="1139376" first="Andre" last="Renta"] - Hudson [player_tooltip player_id="1189004" first="L.J." last="Wells"] - Eau Claire Memorial   <h5>SECTIONAL 2</h5> THE FAVORITE - De Pere (21-2) Yes, the Redbirds are the two-seed, but at their best, think they have more in the tank. The x-factor here is [player_tooltip player_id="1193234" first="Will" last="Hornseth"] (16.7 ppg), who’s one of the top big men in the state and I’m not sure anybody in this sectional has a matchup for him, outside of Bay Port, who would have to reach the sectional final as a 9-seed. Then there’s the assassin Johnny Kinziger (21.2 ppg) as well as a plethora of shooters and experienced players for De Pere. This team was also one shot away from reaching the state tournament last season, a feeling they likely haven’t forgotten. TOP CONTENDER - Menomonee Falls (21-2)<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Steven-Clay.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1110237" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Steven-Clay-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a> This team can go as far as North Carolina commit [player_tooltip player_id="1129756" first="Seth" last="Trimble"] takes them (26.7 ppg) -- which could be all the way to holding up the gold ball. The frontrunner for Mr. Basketball, Trimble is the No. 1 ranked player in Wisconsin’s 2022 class. He and his running mate, [player_tooltip player_id="801135" first="Steven" last="Clay"] (19.1 ppg) have been building up this Phoenix program for the last four years and just clinched the Greater Metro Conference title. DARK HORSE - Bay Port (12-11) Not sure Bay Port can win this sectional, but is one of the biggest snubs in the tournament in terms of seeding. The Pirates are significantly better than a 9-seed. This team won 10 games in a very top heavy Fox River Classic Conference and has beaten the likes of De Pere and SPASH. Bay Port also took Ashwaubenon down to the wire twice as well as Appleton East. There are three guys who can really hurt you offensively -- [player_tooltip player_id="1024443" first="A.J." last="Lieuwen"] (16.8 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id="1139642" first="Vincent" last="Vandervest"] (14.9 ppg), and [player_tooltip player_id="865865" first="Nate" last="Forystek"] (13.0 ppg).   PLAYERS TO WATCH [player_tooltip player_id="1240336" first="Amari" last="Allen"] - Kaukauna [player_tooltip player_id="801135" first="Steven" last="Clay"] - Menomonee Falls [player_tooltip player_id="1142121" first="Tim" last="Franks"] - Homestead [player_tooltip player_id="1193234" first="Will" last="Hornseth"] - De Pere [player_tooltip player_id="953943" first="John" last="Kinziger"] - Bay Port [player_tooltip player_id="1024443" first="A.J." last="Lieuwen"] - Bay Port [player_tooltip player_id="801139" first="Christopher" last="Morgan"] - Kaukauna [player_tooltip player_id="1028771" first="Ryan" last="Sweeney"] - Green Bay East [player_tooltip player_id="1129756" first="Seth" last="Trimble"] - Menomonee Falls [player_tooltip player_id="1021576" first="William" last="Whorton"] - Milwaukee King   <h5>SECTIONAL 3</h5> THE FAVORITE - Brookfield Central (18-5) St. Thomas commit [player_tooltip player_id="801148" first="Andrew" last="Rohde"] (29.0 ppg) has been sensational as a senior. This was supposed to be<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/01/Rohde.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1366135" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/01/Rohde-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a> somewhat of a rebuilding year for the Lancers, who lost two Division 1 players after last season. Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="1142131" first="Jack" last="Daugherty"] (13.7 ppg) has also stepped up and is playing some of his best ball at the right time. Central finished second in the Greater Metro and has knocked off the likes of Menomonee Falls, Racine Case, and Middleton this season. TOP CONTENDER - Madison La Follette (16-4) The Lancers won the Big Eight Conference, this after not even having a 2020-21 campaign due to the pandemic. A guard-heavy lineup, La Follette can get scoring from just about anywhere and have four players averaging in double figures, including junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1028255" first="Arhman" last="Lewis"] (13.9 ppg), one of the most electrifying players with the ball in his hands. DARK HORSE - Sussex Hamilton (14-8) This is as dangerous as a 10-seed gets. The computers whiffed on this one as the Chargers are good enough to beat anybody in this sectional. Hamilton took top seed Central down to the wire and actually should have won that game. They’ll get a rematch with the Lancers on Thursday at home. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster, but Hamilton has knocked off 1-seed Waukesha South and owns a couple of blowout wins over other high-seeded programs. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="953956" first="Luther" last="Smith"] (21.3 ppg) is one of the top shooters in the state and is capable of putting this group on his back in March.   PLAYERS TO WATCH [player_tooltip player_id="1142119" first="Bennett" last="Basich"] - Arrowhead [player_tooltip player_id="761404" first="Leon" last="Bond"] - Wauwatosa East [player_tooltip player_id="865840" first="Nathan" last="Gapinski"] - Watertown [player_tooltip player_id="1141638" first="Gavyn" last="Hurley"] - Middleton [player_tooltip player_id="1028255" first="Arhman" last="Lewis"] - Madison La Follette [player_tooltip player_id="1260947" first="Sam" last="Mickelson"] - Madison Memorial [player_tooltip player_id="1156904" first="Drew" last="Murphy"] - Verona [player_tooltip player_id="950101" first="Ben" last="Olson"] - Sun Prairie [player_tooltip player_id="988976" first="Greyson" last="Pritzl"] - West Allis Central [player_tooltip player_id="801148" first="Andrew" last="Rohde"] - Brookfield Central [player_tooltip player_id="1039325" first="Matthew" last="Schmainda"] - Brookfield East [player_tooltip player_id="953956" first="Luther" last="Smith"] - Sussex Hamilton [player_tooltip player_id="953945" first="Mac" last="Wrecke"] - Arrowhead   <h5>SECTIONAL 4</h5> THE FAVORITE - Waukesha South (19-4)<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Tyran2.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1199355" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Tyran2-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> One of the most improved teams from last season, the Blackshirts won the always competitive Classic Eight Conference. Their three-headed monster of [player_tooltip player_id="1115915" first="Tyran" last="Cook"], [player_tooltip player_id="1026710" first="Daniel" last="Robinson"], and [player_tooltip player_id="761401" first="Marshawn" last="Robinson"] forms one of the top backcourts in the state. TOP CONTENDER - Racine Case (18-5) Case will play for an outright title in the Southeast Conference on Thursday. The Eagles have fallen short against a lot of the top teams on their schedule, but have a very favorable draw here. [player_tooltip player_id="865835" first="Terryon" last="Brumby"] (18.3 ppg) will provide strong guard play. [player_tooltip player_id="865834" first="Amari" last="Jedkins"] (17.5 ppg) is the momentum-changing big man. This team could be heating up at the right time, currently on a nine-game winning streak. DARK HORSE - Franklin (17-5) Year in and year out, this is one of the toughest outs in March. Franklin is a blue-collar program that rarely beats itself. The Sabres lost a lot of pieces from last season’s squad that reached the sectional finals, but could end up with a 20-win season. Defense travels and Franklin has held 15 consecutive opponents to under 60 points. Only two teams (Onalaska and Catholic Memorial) has hit that mark on them all year. Should the Sabres beat Racine Case on Thursday, they can claim the Southeast Conference title.   PLAYERS TO WATCH [player_tooltip player_id="865835" first="Terryon" last="Brumby"] - Racine Case [player_tooltip player_id="1029759" first="Jalen" last="Carlino"] - Kenosha Bradford [player_tooltip player_id="1115915" first="Tyran" last="Cook"] - Waukesha South [player_tooltip player_id="865834" first="Amari" last="Jedkins"] - Racine Case [player_tooltip player_id="865839" first="Darrien" last="Long"] - Racine Horlick [player_tooltip player_id="1324016" first="Tre" last="Miller"] - Janesville Parker [player_tooltip player_id="761401" first="Marshawn" last="Robinson"] - Waukesha South [player_tooltip player_id="1203034" first="M.J." last="Stackhouse"] - Kenosha Indian Trail [player_tooltip player_id="1383351" first="Isaac" last="Verges"] - Franklin   PREDICTIONS: Sectional 1: Neenah over Eau Claire Memorial Sectional 2: De Pere over Menomonee Falls Sectional 3: Arrowhead over Sussex Hamilton Sectional 4: Racine Case over Mukwonago   State Semifinals: Neenah over Arrowhead De Pere over Racine Case   State Championship: De Pere over Neenah