Preseason Top 10: Division 3
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Looking ahead to the 2022-23 season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin reveals our top 10 preseason rankings in Division 3…. 1. WEST SALEM 2021-22 Record: 27-2 WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Lake Country Lutheran in the State Championship Key Returners: Carson Kopenick…
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Continue ReadingLooking ahead to the 2022-23 season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin reveals our top 10 preseason rankings in Division 3….
1. WEST SALEM
2021-22 Record: 27-2
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Lake Country Lutheran in the State Championship
Key Returners: Carson Kopenick (16.8 ppg), Peter Lattos Peter Lattos 6'5" | SF West Salem | 2023 State WI (15.7 ppg), Tamarein Henderson (8.3 ppg)
West Salem gave LCL a run for its money in the state title game last year. This group will be hungry to get back. The scary part? The Panthers were a very young team last season and now have almost its entire roster back. West Salem is also very battle tested already, having gone through a large chunk of this list to get to the title game a year ago.
Highlights
2. ST. THOMAS MORE
2021-22 Record: 23-4
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Lake Country Lutheran in the state semifinals The Cavaliers do have to replace their second-leading scorer from last season, but Konneh is coming off a big time summer and expected to explode as a junior.
Key Returners: Amari McCottry Amari McCottry 6'5" | SF St. Thomas More | 2024 State #304 Nation WI (23.7 ppg), Sekou Konneh Sekou Konneh 6'6" | SF St. Thomas More | 2024 State WI (12.7 ppg)
A pair of top five prospects lead St. Thomas More into another promising season.
3. BRILLION
2021-22 Record: 26-3
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to West Salem in the state semifinals
Key Returners: Jeremy Lorenz Jeremy Lorenz 6'8" | PF Brillion | 2023 State WI (19.8 ppg), Grady Geiger Grady Geiger 6'6" | PF Brillion | 2024 State WI (10.0 ppg), Caeden Holly Caeden Holly 5'11" | PG Brillion | 2023 State WI (10.6 ppg), Parker Braun (9.6 ppg)
The Lions get their top four scorers and pretty much their entire starting lineup back from last season. Lorenz, a Wofford commit, has made some promising gains since last season, cementing himself as a top five prospect in the senior class.
Highlights
4. CATHOLIC MEMORIAL
2021-22 Record: 16-10
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Racine St. Catherine’s in the regional finals
Key Returners: Bennett McCormick Bennett McCormick 6'3" | SG Catholic Memorial | 2023 State WI (13.7 ppg), Braden Mcglothlin Braden Mcglothlin 6'0" | PG Catholic Memorial | 2023 State WI (11.0 ppg), Ben Goedheer Ben Goedheer 6'6" | PF Catholic Memorial | 2023 State WI (8.7 ppg), Antwan Burns-Jones Antwan Burns-Jones 6'2" | SG Catholic Memorial | 2023 State WI (8.6 ppg)
This team has played a lot of ball together over the last three-plus years, even on the AAU circuit. It’s time they finally put it all together. The Crusaders are a very senior-led group as well, highlighted by McCormick and McGlothlin, an Indianapolis commit.
5. PRESCOTT
2021-22 Record: 22-3
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Osceola in the regional semifinals
Key Returners: Jordan Malmlov Jordan Malmlov 6'0" | CG Prescott | 2023 State WI (22.8 ppg), Dallas Wallin Dallas Wallin 6'3" | SF Prescott | 2024 State WI (16.1 ppg), Brandon Stuart (10.0 ppg)
This team was on a roll before being stunned in their playoff opener. The Cardinals were riding a 10-game winning streak and won a good Middle Border Conference by two games. Prescott now reloads with its top three scorers.
Highlights
6. DOMINICAN
2021-22 Record: 21-6
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to St. Thomas More in the Sectional Semifinals
Key Returners: Aaron Womak (16.6 ppg), Derrick Johnson Derrick Johnson 6'3" | CG Dominican | 2024 State WI (15.1 ppg), Jaiden Martin Jaiden Martin 6'1" | CG Dominican | 2024 State WI (15.1 ppg)
The trio of Womack, Johnson, and Martin might be as good as any team in Division 3. They can shoot, create, cause matchup problems, and really stress a defense. Womack might be another year away, but he’s a potential budding star in this state with a ton of upside. This Knights team can put up points in a hurry as well, scoring 80 or more points in 17 of their 27 contests in 2021-22.
Highlights
7. LAKESIDE LUTHERAN
2021-22 Record: 16-9
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Big Foot in regional semifinals
Key Returners: Levi Birkholz Levi Birkholz 5'2" | SG Lakeside Luthersn | 2023 State #290 Nation WI (22.9 ppg), Trey Lauber (11.7 ppg)
Lakeside Lutheran might raise some eyebrows, but I think they bounce back after a bit of a disappointing season in 2021-22. The Spartans hit a wall during the final weeks of the season and didn’t recover, losing five of six. At one point in the year, they were sitting at 14-3. Five of their top six scorers are back from last season, including Birkholz, a Citdel commit.
Highlights
8. MILWAUKEE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
2021-22 Record: 23-6
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Roncalli in the state championship (D4)
Key Returners: Jamarion Batemon Jamarion Batemon 6'3" | CG Milwaukee Academy of Science | 2025 State #174 Nation WI (7.8 ppg), Devin Brown Devin Brown 6'7" | PF Milwaukee Academy Of Science | 2025 State #196 Nation WI (7.3 ppg), Agape Keys Jr. (6.4 ppg), Amare Jackson Amare Jackson 6'4" | SF Milwaukee Academy of Science | 2025 State WI (5.8 ppg)
A lot of transfers to overcome here, but there’s still plenty in the cupboard from last season’s Division 4 runner-up. The Novas lose a trio of Division 1 prospects, but this is still a young, exciting team. Batemon and Brown are a pair of top 15 sophomores. MAS can also go about 7-8 deep without much drop off.
9. CARMEN NORTHWEST
2021-22 Record: 15-7
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Messmer in the regional semifinals
Key Returners: Dupree Fletcher Jr. Dupree Fletcher Jr. 5'10" | PG Milwaukee Carmen | 2024 State WI (21.1 ppg), Amare Posey Amare Posey 6'2" | SG Milwaukee Carmen | 2023 State WI (12.9 ppg), Taquarian Tribune (17.9 ppg), Javante Edwards (11.4 ppg)
Really good guard and wing play here. Fletcher is a dynamic, electric floor general that led his team in scoring, rebounding, and assists a year ago. Carmen Northwest gets its top five scorers back from last season as well, coming off a Milwaukee City Blue title.
10. Kiel
2021-22 Record: 17-9
WIAA Tournament Finish: Lost to Kewaunee in the regional finals
Key Returners: Pierce Arenz Pierce Arenz 5'10" | PG Kiel | 2024 State WI (19.2), Grant Manz Grant Manz 6'6" | SF Kiel | 2024 State WI (11.8 ppg),
Kiel was quite competitive in a very good Eastern Wisconsin Conference, which yielding two state tournament teams last season. This was a young group, led by a pair of sophomores in Arenz in Manz. Kiel also only lost one key senior, returning eight of their top nine performers from 2021-22.
Honorable Mention: Brookfield Academy, Wisconsin Dells, Northwestern, Stanley-Boyd, Bloomer, Mauston, Campbellsport, Kettle Moraine Lutheran, Dodgeville, Edgewood, Columbus, Mayville, Turner, Northland Pines, Southern Door, Kewaskum, Baldwin-Woodville