State Tournament Preview: Division 1 Sectional 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2024 WIAA State Tournament set to tip off next week, Prep Hoops Wisconsin takes a closer look at Division 1 Sectional 2...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE FAVORITE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(1) De Pere</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The reigning Division 1 champs have looked the part in 2023-24. Featuring a duo of Northern Iowa signee [player_tooltip player_id='1193234' first='Will' last='Hornseth'] (16.9 ppg) and Wisconsin commit [player_tooltip player_id='1351717' first='Zach' last='Kinziger'] (19.4 ppg), the Redbirds are 22-1 with the lone hiccup coming to Division 2 favorite Wisconsin Lutheran. This team is simply a machine and has plenty of depth behind their stars in junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1908410' first='Pryce' last='Gregoire'] (11.2 ppg), junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1428204' first='Roan' last='Demovsky'] (7.4 ppg), and senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1238625' first='Ben' last='Willihnganz'] (6.9 ppg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1908410"],"_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-65d74806be52f"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TOP CONTENDERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(2) Arrowhead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Really rough draw for Arrowhead, who very well could be the second-best team in the state, and their schedule/results would back that up. In what was supposed to be somewhat of an adjustment year after making the state title game last season, the Warhawks have gotten right back to business, posting a 21-2 record and have taken down the likes of Marquette, Milwaukee Academy of Science, and Waunakee. Green Bay bound [player_tooltip player_id='1142119' first='Bennett' last='Basich'] is having a stellar senior season at 20.2 ppg, but don't sleep on the state's biggest x-factor, Iowa State football commit [player_tooltip player_id='1364523' first='Jace' last='Gilbert'] (17.5 ppg).</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-65d74806be58e"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(4) Homestead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Highlanders will either finish first or second in the North Shore Conference. Homestead is currently 18-5 and has hung with some of the top teams in the state, including De Pere and Pewaukee. St. Thomas commit [player_tooltip player_id='1142121' first='Tim' last='Franks'] leads the way at 28.0 ppg. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1435902' first='Trevor' last='Polite'] (13.3 ppg) is capable of carrying the load as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1142121"],"_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-65d74806be5d7"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DARK HORSE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(3) Oshkosh North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nobody in the state has as good of a 1-2 punch as Oshkosh North with the exception of maybe the Milwaukee Academy of Science. Colgate commit [player_tooltip player_id='1089684' first='Stevie' last='Clark'] (22.0 ppg) and junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1282617' first='Xzavion' last='Mitchell'] (25.2 ppg) led the Spartans to the Fox Valley Association title and an 18-5 overall record. North has won nine of its last 10 games and knocked off the likes of Germantown, Stoughton, and Kaukauna (twice). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1282617"],"_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-65d74806be61d"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PREDICTIONS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Sectional Semifinals</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(1) De Pere over (4) Homestead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(2) Arrowhead over (3) Oshkosh North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Sectional Final</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(1) De Pere over (2) Arrowhead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->