2023-24 Preview: Classic Eight

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin breaks down the race in the Classic Eight Conference...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PROJECTED STANDINGS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Arrowhead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. Muskego</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. Waukesha West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. Kettle Moraine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. Catholic Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. Mukwonago</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. Waukesha North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. Oconomowoc</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9. Waukesha South</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TEAM TO BEAT</strong> - Arrowhead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Warhawks won the league by three games last season and finished as the runner-up in Division 1. Arrowhead has to replace Mac Wrecke, the reigning conference player of the year, now at Green Bay, and some other integral seniors. With Green Bay commit [player_tooltip player_id='1142119' first='Bennett' last='Basich'] back, don't think you bet against them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DARK HORSE - </strong>Muskego</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Muskego is a sneaky good squad. The Krause brothers, Aiden and Ashton are a pair of potential first-team All-Conference forwards that play a blue collar style and cause matchup problems. The Warriors quietly won 18 games last season and return four of their top six scorers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SLEEPER - Waukesha West</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Think the Wolverines could make a big jump. West finished seventh in the Classic Eight a year ago, but showed a lot of fight in some losses to Muskego, Arrowhead, Waukesha South, and Catholic Memorial. Dom Hill will be tough to replace, but the Wolverines still feature a nice backcourt in [player_tooltip player_id='1258491' first='Carter' last='Combs'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1536506' first='Carter' last='Lavalle'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>First Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1258491' first='Carter' last='Combs'] - Sr. - Waukesha West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1536506' first='Carter' last='Lavalle'] - Sr. - Waukeshe West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1115917' first='Drew' last='Wagner'] - Sr. Kettle Moraine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1142119' first='Bennett' last='Basich'] - Sr. - Arrowhead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1203047' first='Sean' last='Ladwig'] - Sr. - Catholic Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='2350015' first='Will' last='Stuckey'] - Sr. - Kettle Moraine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1489811' first='Aiden' last='Krause'] - Sr. - Muskego</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1364523' first='Jace' last='Gilbert'] - Sr. - Arrowhead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Second Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G A.J. Curtis - Sr. - Waukesha North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1946761' first='John' last='Giricz'] - Sr. - Catholic Memorial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G Cooper Haas - Jr. - Waukesha North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1598977' first='Lukas' last='Hoffman'] - Sr. - Oconomowoc</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F Caleb Poling - Jr. - Mukwonago</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F Ashton Krause - Sr. - Muskego</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F Garrett Sexton - Sr. - Arrowhead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PLAYER OF THE YEAR - [player_tooltip player_id='1142119' first='Bennett' last='Basich']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a relatively easy call. Basich is the second highest returning scorer (15.9 ppg) in the Classic Eight and was second in the league last season in rebounding (9.1). Basich shot 51 percent from the floor as a junior, including 42 percent from 3-point range. A two-way player with tremendous heart and passion for the game, Basich is the heartbeat of this Arrowhead squad. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1142119"],"_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-64e7bff4dd432"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MOST IMPROVED PLAYER - [player_tooltip player_id='1539509' first='Caleb' last='Polling']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Had a hard time leaving Polling off the first team list. With the number of returning All-Conference seniors in the Classic Eight, the Mukwonago wing/forward got the short end of the stick. Polling is coming off a terrific spring and summer after averaging 6.0 ppg as a sophomore. A sweet shooting prospect with versatility and a smooth game, Polling should draw attention as a mismatch problem this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1539509"],"_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-64e7bff4dd492"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SLEEPER TO WATCH - </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1544760' first='Ben' last='Bestor']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A player not on our preseason All-Conference team that could be there by season's end is Bestor. As a sophomore, Bestor gave Kettle Moraine 6.0 ppg during their run to the state tournament. Bestor had a 20-point outing agains Madison West and 21 versus Lake Country Lutheran. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":"","_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":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64e7bff4dd4dc"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->