Middleton-Madison Memorial Prospect Standouts

MIDDLETON -- The top two teams in the Big Eight Conference squared off Thursday as Middleton (13-0) stayed unbeaten with a 60-51 victory over Madison Memorial (7-7).     [player_tooltip player_id='951132' first='Braylen' last='Blue'] - 2023 - PG - Madison Memorial   Blue got Madison Memorial off to a good start with a pair of early 3-pointers. Middleton mixed up its defenses throughout the game, but Blue seemed most effective against the zone. Finishing with 11 points on three triples, Blue showed some extended range and a quick trigger, forcing the zone to extend itself. That opened up a lot of passing lanes for the Spartans to get the ball into the soft spots. Blue's calling card has always been his floor vision. Able to see things developing before they happen, Blue had more than a handful of passed that threaded the needle and was able to make plays on scramble situations or when things broke down. He probably had 3-4 assists on Thursday and should have doubled that had teammates finished off shots.    [player_tooltip player_id='1447229' first='Will' last='Garlock'] - 2025 - C - Middleton   Was not expecting that type of performance by Garlock. Facing one of the state's top post prospects, Garlock had some dominant stretches on both ends of the floor. You look at Garlock and see a lanky, but athletic 6-foot-10 center and think his game is going to be based around finesse. While there's a good amount of that to his overall skill package, Garlock played with a lot more moxy and aggressiveness than I anticipated, particularly with his 1-on-1 post defense. Garlock could cut down on some unnecessary fouls, but he wasn't giving anybody a free pass to the rim. Garlock moves his feet exceptionally well and plays with a strong, wide base. Offensively, Garlock has an advanced understanding of post position. He's not a prospect that's content with just setting up shop on the block and getting the ball wherever. Garlock knows how to win before the ball ever comes into his possession. In Thursday's win, Garlock chipped in with 19 points. There's a lot of competition in Wisconsin's 2025 class, but based on uniqueness and upside, I probably wouldn't argue against Garlock in a top 7-8 spot right now. The Badgers are starting to get in on Garlock, who I'd expect to start commanding a lot of mid-major attention this summer.    [player_tooltip player_id='1141638' first='Gavyn' last='Hurley'] - 2023 - G - Middleton   Always fun to watch seniors elevate their play in key conference games. Saw this in the playoffs last season, but the moment just isn't too big for Hurley, who scored a game-high 22 points in Thursday's win. Hurley was kind of feelings thing out early and when it was his time to attack, he had the Cardinals in the driver's seat for pretty much the final 25 minutes or so outside of one early second half run for Memorial. Hurley is a very difficult matchup as a 6-foot-4 point guard. Most teams can't defend him with their lead guard or Hurley, who has a knack for just maneuvering in traffic and bullying smaller guards will get right to the rim at will. Seeing zone a lot of the night, Hurley did an outstanding job of getting the ball moving and attacking gaps before the zone could shift back into position. Jumper didn't fall as much as he wanted, but Hurley rarely settles for a bad shot. His mindset is to get two feet into the paint and can also play among the trees with an advanced floater game. An underrated part of Hurley's game is his ability to move without the basketball. Hurley made smart, hard cuts throughout the game to defeat Memorial's face-guarding. The Winona State commit always makes an impact beyond scoring as well. He'll put up points, but that's never defined his game. He'll be a factor on the glass, facilitate and make the right basketball decisions for the most part, and play tough man-to-man defense.    [player_tooltip player_id='1756988' first='Anthony' last='Miller'] - 2026 - G - Madison Memorial   If you haven't seen his artwork on Instagram, go check it out, but this kid can play some ball as well. Miller comes in off the bench for the Spartans and exudes confidence right away. One of his first possessions on the floor, Miller ripped off a transition 3-pointer. Miller is a quick, decisive guard that can play on or off the ball. He wasn't fazed by full court pressure, but rather attacked it and put defenders on their heels. As he gets older, I see Miller being a 'pick your poison type guard. The 5-foot-10 freshman has blow-by ability on the ball, which should force defenders to give him a step or two. Miller can take advantage of that with his outside shooting ability. Still gotta get through the spring and summer, but I can see Miller making our initial class of 2026 rankings.

MIDDLETON -- The top two teams in the Big Eight Conference squared off Thursday as Middleton (13-0) stayed unbeaten with a 60-51 victory over Madison Memorial (7-7).