Woodland-West Conference: Underrated Players
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The Woodland-West basketball conference is home to the two best teams in Division II. Pewaukee holds the #1 spot, while Wisconsin Lutheran trails right behind at #2. Between the two powerhouses, there are three nationally ranked prospects: Nick Janowski Nick…
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Continue ReadingThe Woodland-West basketball conference is home to the two best teams in Division II. Pewaukee holds the #1 spot, while Wisconsin Lutheran trails right behind at #2. Between the two powerhouses, there are three nationally ranked prospects: Nick Janowski Nick Janowski 6'3" | SG Pewaukee | 2024 State #126 Nation WI , Milan Momcilovic Milan Momcilovic 6'8" | SF Pewaukee | 2023 State #44 Nation WI , and Kon II Knueppel Kon II Knueppel 6'6" | SG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2024 State #15 Nation WI . With most of the attention centered on those three prospects, other players fly under the radar and don’t get the attention they deserve. Here are some of the top underrated prospects in the Woodland-West.
Prentice Young Prentice Young 6’4″ | CG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2023 State #273 Nation WI is one of the best players to ever lace up the shoes for Wisconsin Lutheran. Not only is Prentice the all-time leader in assists, he’s also a recent member of the 1,000 point club. The 6’4″ senior guard does a little bit of everything. He’s averaging 12.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. I fully expect Prentice to play and contribute at the next level. He’s got great size for a point guard, creates well, and is one of the better defenders in the conference. On the offensive end, he’s able to penetrate the defense to get to his spots and score in the paint. He can also stretch the floor and knock down a solid percentage of his three-point attempts (34.5%).
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Devin Isaj Devin Isaj 6’6″ | SF Greendale | 2025 State WI is a 6’4″ sophomore wing that has Division I potential. His offensive game is very mature for an underclassman. What’s most impressive is the variety of ways he can score. He’s able to score inside, outside, on ball, off ball, on the drive, and off the catch. He’s got a confident, quick, lefty jump-shot. His lift and release allow him to shoot over taller defenders. He excels at driving to his left and often hesitates to beat his defender one on one. Already averaging 20.1 points per game for the Greendale Panthers, Devin should start fielding more interest from colleges this summer.
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Luka Momcilovic Luka Momcilovic 6’8″ | SF Pewaukee | 2025 State WI is another talented sophomore with a bright future. With a field goal percentage if 56.7% and a three-point percentage of 49.2%, Luka is one of the most efficient shooters in the state. Luka may be able to sneak into the three-point shootout challenge if he’s able to attempt 15 more three-pointers and still connect at a high percentage. He’s got great size and is lethal in catch-and-shoot situations. I expect Luka to take a leap next year after his brother departs for Iowa State. If Luka can create for himself in his expanded role next year, don’t be surprised to see him average 15-20 points per game.
Yusef Gray Jr
Yusef Gray Jr
Standing at 6’4″ and already dominating at the varsity level, Yusef Gray Jr. is the most intriguing prospect in the 2026 class. Yusef is a natural ball handler who navigates the pick and roll well. He’s patient, hard-nosed, creative, and aggressive. I’m really impressed with how Yusef is able to absorb and score through contact. He’s a highly intelligent player who can create for himself and others. His passing capabilities are advanced and projects to be one of the best distributors in the state. With the way Yusef picks apart defenses, you wouldn’t think he is a freshman. He’s averaging 18 points to go along with 6.7 rebounds and a conference-leading 4.9 assists. Oh, and did I forget to mention he’s a freshman? I love his game, and it’s advanced for his age group. Yusef is next and will likely be a high-major prospect.
Tommy Fritsch
Tommy Fritsch
Ever since taking the floor for the Greendale Panthers, Tommy Fritsch has been a knockdown shooter. This year, he took his game to another level by developing into a consistent scoring threat for the Panthers. His 20.4 points per game lead the team, and he’s getting hot at the right time. In the last four games, Tommy has poured in 111 points. Not to mention he’s shooting 43.7% from deep; good for 7th in Division II. Besides his shot, Tommy runs the floor hard, which often translates to easy baskets in transition. As the season progresses, he’s become more comfortable attacking the hoop, which helps free up space on his jumper.
I guess the Woodland is just full of knockdown shooters. In Thursday’s win over New Berlin Eisenhower, Julian connected on nine three-pointers. No, that’s not a typo. Julian scored all 27 of his points from the three-point line. His jumper is legit. His shooting mechanics are impressive; he squares himself, is ready to shoot, and has a nice, quick ball dip before letting his beautiful shot fly. The nice thing is that Julian can spot up from anywhere. He seems to find a lot of success on catch-and-shoot opportunities from the corner. The junior is averaging 13.2 points per game and I’d expect Pius to lean on his abilities a lot next year.
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Other Names to Watch: Ari Nimani Ari Nimani 6'5" | SF New Berlin Eisenhower | 2024 WI , Daniel Woo, Isiah robinson Isiah robinson 5'10" | PG Racine Park | 2025 State WI , Evan Kern, and Drevion Parks