Wisconsin Basketball Week One Recap of Top Performances

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wisconsin basketball is under way and week one of the 2023-2024 season is now in the books. Here's a look at some outstanding individual performances and a look at a player of the week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Players That Balled Out:</span></strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dupree Fletcher Jr | 6'0" | PG | 2024 | Carmen Northwest:</strong> The 2024 guard just balled out in a tough lost to St Thomas More. Going for 31 pts on the game, 13 pts in the 1st half &amp; 18 in the second. He elevates and gets to the rim at a high rate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1203602' first='Sekou' last='Konneh'] | 6'8" | W | 2024 | St Thomas Moore:</strong> For 3/4ths of the game he was a true basketball player and did what was needed to produce and win. I had him going for 23 pts unofficially. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142142' first='Jaquan' last='Johnson'] | 5'11" | PG | 2024 | Pius Catholic: </strong>Missed a triple double by one assist. 38 pts, 12 rebounds. 9 assists. This has to be in consideration for performance of the week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1454225' first='Devin' last='Isaj'] | 6'5" | W | 2025 | Greendale:</strong> went for 31 pts in a team win. One of the most improving kids in the state </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288365' first='Ayden' last='Goll'] | 6'0" | PG | 2025 | Milton:</strong> 34pts 9 rebounds </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jack Konen | 6'5" | W | 2027 | Slinger:</strong> The freshman makes a statement and goes for 30pts </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1237799' first='Alex' last='Trotter'] | 5'11" | G |2024 | Heritage Christian</strong>: Achieves 1250 career points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1300316' first='Myles' last='Herro'] | 6'2" | PG | 2025 | Whitnall:</strong> The player that usually set the table for others, produces 30pts in a huge 100 pts win for his team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2371701' first='Isaiah' last='Yuenger'] | 6'3" | W/G | 2027 | Dodgeland:</strong> 34 pts in a win over Madison Country Day. Another freshman made an impression. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Quick Buckets: </span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grafton HS &amp; Tosa West went out of state and players made an impact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Juan Guerro Hernandez</strong> made an all-tournament team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142122' first='Michael' last='McNabb']</strong> made a player of the game award.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kia Rogers</strong> made an all-tournament team; He had a double double. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2288469' first='Jalen' last='Brown']</strong> the 2027 freshman, at times, looked to be the best player for his team &amp; the only one that wasn't nervous. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>Player of the Week:</strong> </span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is hard not to choose <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142142' first='Jaquan' last='Johnson']</strong> of Pius, he nearly went for a triple double, but I am choosing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1203602' first='Sekou' last='Konneh']</strong> of St. Thomas More, as the player of the week. Here is why - Sekou, like most players in today's positionless basketball, sees what NBA players are doing at 6'6" and above. They want to prove their guard skills. This very good player is the same, but in a high school game were 6'1" players and shorter make an impact, his skills are just not there yet. He'll get his chance at the next level to showcase any expanding skill set. In this one he even argued briefly with his coach, but he went out and played the role that his team needed. Once he committed to working within the arch, he was exceptional, in that he showed a true skill and dominance. In the first half he was scoring off of passes inside by his teammates and then by controlling the boards, at a high rate, for put back dunks. By doing this STM was able to erase the double-digit lead of the opponent and turn it into a 3-point lead at half. Then, in the second half, something remarkable happened, in that Sekou showed a skill that I hadn't seen before from him. He was a floor general from the mid post area. He either scored or he got the ball to teammates that were sitting beyond the arch for the much needed and timely 3 ball. This was key to securing the win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For me this was a big message to a lot of youth players. Play the role that is needed, show the skill that you have that makes you exceptional, do not settle for the skill you are working on that makes you average, and there will be plenty of chances to show off that new skill in spurts. These players are called winning players. I have to imagine that any college coach that would be recruiting you wants to know what you're exceptional at and that you put your team in a place to win first and foremost. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lastly, Sekou showed me more than enough to say he can lead his team. That he is potentially a high major player. In the half court set he showed me more than enough to say that he will eventually be a highly skilled player against his 6'8 and above peers. He showed court vision, he triggers the offense from either the mid post or the top of the key and got the ball to players that could win the game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1203602' first='Sekou' last='Konneh'] was exceptional. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1627187} --> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/Ayden-Goll1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1627187" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1947022} --> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Dupree.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1947022" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1454232,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/FAzkW-FWEAYtXF5.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/FAzkW-FWEAYtXF5.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1454232" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1289993} --> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/130-Alex-Trotter.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1289993" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2223961} --> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Devin-Isaj--rotated.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-2223961" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1560073} --> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Jaquan-Johnson-Phoot-Copy-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1560073" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->