2023-24 Preview: Classic Eight
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Looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin breaks down the race in the Classic Eight Conference… PROJECTED STANDINGS 1. Arrowhead 2. Muskego 3. Waukesha West 4. Kettle Moraine 5. Catholic Memorial 6. Mukwonago 7. Waukesha North 8. Oconomowoc…
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Continue ReadingLooking ahead to the 2023-24 season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin breaks down the race in the Classic Eight Conference…
PROJECTED STANDINGS
1. Arrowhead
2. Muskego
3. Waukesha West
4. Kettle Moraine
5. Catholic Memorial
6. Mukwonago
7. Waukesha North
8. Oconomowoc
9. Waukesha South
TEAM TO BEAT – Arrowhead
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 Bennett Basich Bennett Basich 6'3" | SG Arrowhead | 2024 State WI back, don’t think you bet against them.
DARK HORSE – Muskego
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.
SLEEPER – Waukesha West
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 Carter Combs Carter Combs 5'11" | PG Waukesha West | 2024 WI and Carter Lavalle Carter Lavalle 6'2" | SG Waukesha West | 2024 State WI .
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE
First Team
G Carter Combs Carter Combs 5'11" | PG Waukesha West | 2024 WI – Sr. – Waukesha West
G Carter Lavalle Carter Lavalle 6'2" | SG Waukesha West | 2024 State WI – Sr. – Waukeshe West
G Drew Wagner Drew Wagner 5'7" | PG Kettle Moraine | 2024 WI – Sr. Kettle Moraine
G Bennett Basich Bennett Basich 6'3" | SG Arrowhead | 2024 State WI – Sr. – Arrowhead
G Sean Ladwig Sean Ladwig 6'4" | SG Catholic Memorial | 2024 State WI – Sr. – Catholic Memorial
G Will Stuckey Will Stuckey 6'1" | SG Kettle Moraine | 2024 State WI – Sr. – Kettle Moraine
F Aiden Krause Aiden Krause 6'4" | SF Muskego | 2024 State WI – Sr. – Muskego
F Jace Gilbert Jace Gilbert 6'5" | PF Arrowhead | 2024 State WI – Sr. – Arrowhead
Second Team
G A.J. Curtis – Sr. – Waukesha North
G John Giricz John Giricz 5'10" | PG Catholic Memorial | 2024 State WI – Sr. – Catholic Memorial
G Cooper Haas – Jr. – Waukesha North
G Lukas Hoffman Lukas Hoffman 6'1" | SG Oconomowoc | 2024 WI – Sr. – Oconomowoc
F Caleb Poling – Jr. – Mukwonago
F Ashton Krause – Sr. – Muskego
F Garrett Sexton – Sr. – Arrowhead
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Bennett Basich Bennett Basich 6'3" | SG Arrowhead | 2024 State WI
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.
Highlights
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – Caleb Polling Caleb Polling 6'4" | SF Mukwonago | 2025 State WI
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.
SLEEPER TO WATCH – Ben Bestor Ben Bestor 6'1" | SG Kettle Moraine | 2025 State WI
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.