2023-24 Preview: Big Eight

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin breaks down the race in the Big Eight Conference...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PROJECTED STANDINGS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Sun Prairie West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. Verona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. Madison La Follette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. Madison Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. Middleton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. Janesville Craig</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. Janesville Parker</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. Madison East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9. Sun Prairie East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>10. Madison West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE FAVORITE</strong> - Sun Prairie West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wolves finished fourth in the league last season and reload behind junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1481180' first='Chris' last='Davis Jr.'], one of the fastest rising players in his class. SPW also picked up transfer [player_tooltip player_id='1274622' first='Clevon' last='Easton'] from Madison East, a top five prospect in the junior class. The Wolves are coming off a 15-8 record last season, but also lost five games by five points or less. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DARK HORSE</strong> - Verona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats have some tough losses to replace, but there's enough to compete toward the top of the league. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1156904' first='Drew' last='Murphy'] is a legit Player of the Year candidate after averaging 19 points per game in 2022-23. [player_tooltip player_id='1740863' first='Tre' last='Poteat'] (16.4 ppg), a power-five football prospect is also back as is [player_tooltip player_id='1688319' first='Kamarr' last='Bridges'] (11.0 ppg), giving Verona three double-digit scorers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SLEEPER TEAM</strong> - Madison Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Spartans could be sneaky good in 2023-24. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1260947' first='Sam' last='Mickelson'] (15.2 ppg) has been around the block for four years now. There's a lot of good, young talent on this roster as well. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1756988' first='Anthony' last='Miller'] impressed as a freshman, averaging 9.0 ppg. Memorial also picked up sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='1561947' first='Caleb' last='Liggon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2045264' first='Ezra' last='Liggon'] from Madison West. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>First Team</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1740863' first='Tre' last='Poteat'] - Jr. - Verona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1384712' first='Camron' last='Henderson'] - Sr. - Madison East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1481180' first='Chris' last='Davis Jr.'] - Jr. - Sun Prairie West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1887196' first='J.J.' last='Douglas'] - Sr. - Janesville Parker</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1156904' first='Drew' last='Murphy'] - Jr. - Verona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1260947' first='Sam' last='Mickelson'] - Sr. - Madison Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1561953' first='Thian' last='Riak'] - So. - Madison La Follette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>C [player_tooltip player_id='1447229' first='Will' last='Garlock'] - Jr. - Middleton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Second Team</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1274622' first='Clevon' last='Easton'] - Jr. - Sun Prairie West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1756988' first='Anthony' last='Miller'] - So. - Madison Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1756989' first='Isaiah' last='Oliver'] - So. - Middleton </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G Carson McCormick - Sr. - Janesville Craig</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1089686' first='Quinton' last='Lomack'] - Sr. - Madison La Follette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1481177' first='Tyler' last='Haney'] - Jr. - Sun Prairie West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1561947' first='Caleb' last='Liggon'] - So. - Madison Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='2045264' first='Ezra' last='Liggon'] - So. - Madison Memorial </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR</strong> - [player_tooltip player_id='1481180' first='Chris' last='Davis Jr.']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the second time in three years, think this award goes to a junior. Gavyn Hurley (Middleton) also won POY as a junior and then repeated the following season. Davis will have a good chance of doing the same. Davis had a monster sophomore campaign for the Wolves in their inaugural season, going for 24 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals per outing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1481180"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64e2adba83cb2"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MOST IMPROVED PLAYER</strong> - [player_tooltip player_id='1447229' first='Will' last='Garlock']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He's still nowhere near his ceiling, but think the Big Eight is going to see a different [player_tooltip player_id='1447229' first='Will' last='Garlock'] this winter. Playing on the Under Armour Circuit and now pushing seven-feet, Garlock is coming to Middleton tougher and more skilled than he was a sophomore. Last season, Garlock averaged 11 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 66 percent from the field. He'll move into a more primary role for the Cardinals this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1447229"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64e2adba83d4d"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SLEEPER TO WATCH</strong> - [player_tooltip player_id='1544745' first='Bennett' last='Buss']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the reasons I'm a believer in Verona is Buss, who's coming off an outstanding summer. Buss played in just eight varsity games as a sophomore, averaging 3.2 ppg. With the Wildcats losing two key guards, Buss could step right into that starting point guard role.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1544745"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64e2adba83dc2"} /-->