A look at three potential upsets to watch during Saturday’s sectional final action…
(6) Milwaukee Hamilton vs. (2) Arrowhead
Hamilton is playing some really good ball right now. Saw it myself in Thursday’s semifinal final win over Middleton, which was essentially a road game. The thought was the Wildcats, who are very under-seeded, would struggle to play outside of the City Conference. That hasn’t happened yet.
Bradley commit
Demarion Burch
Demarion
Burch
6'4" | SG
Milwaukee Hamilton | 2023
State
WI
(27.5 ppg) is about as tough of a defensive assignment as there is in the state. Hamilton also has a dominant interior presence in
Simeon Murchison
Simeon
Murchison
6'8" | PF
Milwaukee Hamilton | 2023
State
WI
(19.1 ppg) and a sharpshooter in
Ky’Moni Hunt
Ky’Moni
Hunt
5'9" | PG
Milwaukee Hamilton | 2024
State
WI
(16.4 ppg).
Arrowhead is likely the one team capable of taking down De Pere in the state tournament. At 25-2, the Warhawks have lived up to high expectations all year, winning the Classic Eight Conference by three games. The trio of
Austin Villareal
Austin
Villareal
6'1" | SG
Arrowhead | 2023
State
WI
(18.1 ppg),
Mac Wrecke
Mac
Wrecke
6'5" | SG
Arrowhead | 2023
State
#272
Nation
WI
(17.7. ppg), and
Bennett Basich
Bennett
Basich
6'3" | SG
Arrowhead | 2024
State
WI
(15.8 ppg) may even overwhelm a Hamilton squad that’s put up 100 or more points eight times this year.
(1) Wisconsin Lutheran vs. (1) Pewaukee
Is this finally the year Wisconsin Lutheran gets over the hump?
While technically both teams are 1-seeds, most expect Pewaukee to keep marching on toward a third-straight Division 2 state championship. However, it’s very hard to beat a team like Wisconsin Lutheran three times and these two squads are more evenly matched than they have been during Pewaukee’s dynasty.
The Pirates have won both meetings, the most recent being an 87-70 decision in February. Pewaukee has only lost one game all year when at full strength behind Iowa State commit
Milan Momcilovic
Milan
Momcilovic
6'8" | SF
Pewaukee | 2023
State
#44
Nation
WI
(24.2 ppg) and
Nick Janowski
Nick
Janowski
6'3" | CG
Pewaukee | 2024
State
#71
Nation
WI
(23.0 ppg).
The state’s No. 1 ranked player
Kon II Knueppel
Kon
II Knueppel
6'6" | SG
Wisconsin Lutheran | 2024
State
#56
Nation
WI
(19.9 ppg) needs to be special on Saturday. He’ll also need some help from the likes of
Jamiir Allen
Jamiir
Allen
6'0" | CG
Wisconsin Lutheran | 2023
State
WI
(13.3 ppg),
Prentice Young
Prentice
Young
6'4" | CG
Wisconsin Lutheran | 2023
State
#273
Nation
WI
(12.5 ppg), and others.
(2) Franklin vs. (1) Kettle Moraine
This bracket has been considered up for grabs from the jump. There’s not one dominant team in Sectional 4.
That being said, Franklin has been about as consistent of a team as there’s been in the state for quite some time. They’ve knocked on the door in the past and have some players still around from their last sectional final run. At 19-8 overall, the Sabers won the Southeast Conference and have come out victorious in 10 of their last 11 games. Senior
Will Gardner
Will
Gardner
6'2" | CG
Franklin | 2023
State
WI
(19.2 ppg, 4.1 apg) is quietly having one of the best seasons that people aren’t talking about.
Kettle Moraine has been a pleasant surprise in this state, but there’s no way to slice it, the Lasers benefited from a very weak region, getting a 1-seed after finishing 14-10 during the regular season. Junior guard
Drew Wagner
Drew
Wagner
5'7" | PG
Kettle Moraine | 2024
State
WI
(18.4 ppg) will have to be big in this one to penetrate what’s typically a very good Franklin defense.
(2) Whitnall vs. (1) McFarland
Not sure I’d call this one an upset, but on paper and per the seedings, it is.
Thought the winner of this sectional would come from the Whitnall-Westosha Central game. The Falcons are a top five team in Division 2, while McFarland has been sitting on honorable mention honors. Whitnall was supposed to be in rebuilding mode a bit after losing their top two scorers from last season, including a Miami (FL) bound forward, but the Falcons won the Woodland East Conference and have only lost one game all year while at full strength.
At 24-3 overall, McFarland won the Rock Valley Conference by two games. The Spartans haven’t played a great schedule, but avenged a prior loss to Stoughton in the semifinals. This group is pretty deep with three players averaging at least 15 points per game and that doesn’t include arguably their best college prospect.
