2022-23 Preview: Badger East

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking ahead to the 2022-23 WIAA boy's basketball season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin breaks down the race in the Badger East Conference...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PROJECTED STANDINGS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Stoughton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. Waunakee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. Milton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. DeForest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. Fort Atkinson</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. Monona Grove</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. Beaver Dam</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. Watertown</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE FAVORITE: Stoughton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Feels like we're splitting hairs with the top three projected teams in the conference, but the Vikings return the best player and could get a couple of added boosts elsewhere. [player_tooltip player_id='1144570' first='Ty' last='Fernholz'] was robbed of first-team honors last season, despite being the second-leading scorer in the conference. [player_tooltip player_id='1412223' first='Sawyer' last='Schipper'] averaged in double figures as a sophomore and put together a nice summer on the AAU circuit. Keep tabs on sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1331056' first='Jay' last='Johnson'], who played valuable minutes as a freshman and senior [player_tooltip player_id='1139281' first='Michael' last='Turner'], who missed his entire junior year after suffering a few devastating knee injuries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TOP CHALLENGER</strong>: Waunakee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Waunakee will be a little younger than usual, but talented. Dana McKenzie tends to have senior-laden teams with a lot of guys who have paid dues over the years. This season, a pair of junior forwards in [player_tooltip player_id='1190373' first='Keaton' last='Frisch'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1116321' first='Robert' last='Booker'] will likely lead the way. Frisch is coming off a breakout summer on the Under Armour Circuit. Booker is looking to play football at the next level, but is still a top 25 hoops prospect in the junior class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DARK HORSE</strong>: Milton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Milton won a share of the league last season and has the tall task of replacing Jack Campion. Fortunately for the Red Hawks, they have a lot of guys who played a ton of ball. [player_tooltip player_id='1039320' first='Brogan' last='McIntyre'], [player_tooltip player_id='1289020' first='Ayden' last='Goll'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1141622' first='Matt' last='Kirk'] are all multi-year contributors who have played big minutes and won a lot of games. Do they have a go-to player who can carry them down the stretch? </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PRESEASON FIRST-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1024442' first='Brody' last='Hartig'] (DeForest) - Sr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1144570' first='Ty' last='Fernholz'] (Stoughton) - Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1289020' first='Ayden' last='Goll'] (Milton) - Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1039320' first='Brogan' last='McIntyre'] (Milton) - Sr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1190373' first='Keaton' last='Frisch'] (Waunakee) - Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SECOND TEAM</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1361950' first='Emmett' last='Toijala'] (Monona Grove) - Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1412223' first='Sawyer' last='Schipper'] (Stoughton) - Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1141622' first='Matt' last='Kirk'] (Milton) - Sr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1116321' first='Robert' last='Booker'] (Waunakee) - Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F Logan Kees (Fort Atkinson) - Sr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PLAYER OF THE YEAR: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1144570' first='Ty' last='Fernholz']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fernholz averaged 20.0 points per game as a sophomore. A deadly sniper with a strong frame, Fernholz can play inside-out, able to hunt shots off screens, but take smaller guards down onto the block. Despite being the focus on every scouting report and being forced to take a lot of jumpers, Fernholz still shot 45.2 percent from the field, including 40.6 percent from 3-point range, nailing a total of 82 triples.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BREAKOUT PLAYER: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1190373' first='Keaton' last='Frisch']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Frisch only averaged around 5.4 points per game as a sophomore, but started to explode in spurts on the AAU circuit. Now a top 20 prospect, the 6-foot-7 combo forward has mismatch nightmare potential with his ability to handle the ball, shoot it from deep, attack the offensive glass, and score with either hand with his back to the basket. Also a terrific shot blocker, Frisch played a lot of center in the Under Armour Circuit, which paid dividends for him as a defender, learning to protect the rim despite giving up a lot of size.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SURPRISE PLAYER: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1289020' first='Ayden' last='Goll']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Milton needs a creator offensively to help fill the void left behind by Campion. Could see Goll take over that role. Quietly, Goll averaged 10.5 points per game as a sophomore. An undersized combo guard that moves really well without the ball, has the rock on a string, and is very skilled as a scorer, Goll could be a first-team all-conference performer after not even being named to the honorable mention squad a year ago. Not going to wow you with size or athleticism, but Goll is very difficult to defend because he never stops moving and will throw a ton of fakes at defenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->