2023-24 Preview: Badger Small

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking ahead to the 2022-23 season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin beaks down the race in the Badger Small Conference...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PROJECTED STANDINGS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Stoughton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. Mount Horeb</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. Edgewood</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. McFarland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. Baraboo</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. Portage</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. Reedsburg</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. Sauk Prairie</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE FAVORITE - </strong>Stoughton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Vikings were 19-8 last season and reached sectionals. The entire starting lineup is back for Stoughton as are the top six leading scorers. The headliner is senior [player_tooltip player_id='1144570' first='Ty' last='Fernholz'] (20.7 ppg), a Michigan Tech commit, but he's got a lot of help as well in [player_tooltip player_id='1412223' first='Sawyer' last='Schipper'] (14.2 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='1331056' first='Jay' last='Johnson'] (6.8 ppg), and others.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1331056"],"_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-65031380261ef"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DARK HORSE - </strong>Mount Horeb</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Vikings were a big surprise in the state last season. It was an up-and-down 16-10 campaign, but Mount Horeb beat the likes of Onalaska, Stoughton, and Burlington and were one possession away from heading to sectionals. Freshman, now sophomore, [player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'], had a big season, averaging better than 17 points per game. The Vikings have a few other key pieces returning as well, including Nick Vorwold (10.5 ppg), Zach McGuire (8.1 ppg), and Austin Leibfried (6.6 ppg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1561888"],"_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-6503138026256"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MOST IMPROVED - </strong>Baraboo</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Thunder were 9-16 overall in 2022-23, including 4-10 in the Badger Small Conference. Three of the top four scorers from last season are back, including [player_tooltip player_id='2350008' first='Ross' last='Liegel'] (14.0 ppg) and Tobin LeFevre (10.6 ppg). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1144570' first='Ty' last='Fernholz'] - Sr. (Stoughton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'] - So. (Mount Horeb)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1412223' first='Sawyer' last='Schipper'] - Sr. (Stoughton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1456332' first='Rex' last='Lamb'] - Sr. (Edgewood)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='1930636' first='Anton' last='Kilde'] - Sr. (Portage)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id='2350008' first='Ross' last='Liegel'] - Sr. (Baraboo)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Second Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1561944' first='Jacob' last='Hibner'] - So. (Stoughton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1331056' first='Jay' last='Johnson'] - Jr. (Stoughton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1289093' first='Nick' last='Vorwald'] - Sr. (Mount Horeb)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='1160072' first='Andrew' last='Kelley'] - Sr. (McFarland)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id='2231583' first='Timothy' last='West'] - Fr. (Edgewood)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>F Connor Breuing - Sr. (Sauk Prairie)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PLAYER OF THE YEAR - </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1144570' first='Ty' last='Fernholz']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fernholz is coming off a junior season in which he averaged 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game. He led Stoughton to 19-8 record in 2022-23 and a sectional appearance. The Michigan Tech commit shot 48 percent from the field, including a blistering 45 percent from 3-point range. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1144570"],"_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-65031380262ab"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MOST IMPROVED - </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1561944' first='Jacob' last='Hibner']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Vikings have a chance to be really dangerous in 2023-24. The potential emergence of Hibner is a big reason why. Hibner got his feet wet with 20 varsity appearances as a freshman, contributing 6.0 points per game. Coming off a big spring and summer on the travel circuit, Hibner was lethal as a scorer can might be able to carry the Vikings on a few off nights. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1561944"],"_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-65031380262f8"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SLEEPER TO WATCH </strong>- [player_tooltip player_id='2231583' first='Timothy' last='West']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He won't be a sleeper for long, but as an incoming freshman, West has yet to strut his stuff at the varsity level. It's early, but West is widely considered the top 2027 prospect in Wisconsin. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->