D1 Sectional: De Pere vs Homestead Takeaways

Chris Robinson March 8, 2024 @ 07:55 PM

The WIAA playoffs are here - they have been stacked with talent. With only one game remaining until a trip to the WIAA State Tournament, let us highlight the prospects who have made notable impacts in March.   Homestead entered the Sectional matchup off a tight victory against #5 Hamilton (61-59). Homestead is ranked #4 in the playoffs and finished 2nd (16-2) in the North Shore conference this season.    De Pere, the #1 seed in the Sectional bracket entered the game following a victory over #9 Fond Du Lac (70-54). De Pere remains undefeated on the season, finishing 1st (18-0) in the Fox River Classic conference. De Pere will head to the Sectional Final to face #2 Arrowhead after beating Homestead in double overtime (59-58).    Below are the Notable Performers from Thursday's Sectional matchup:    Zach Kinzinger | De Pere | 2025   Kinzinger had a huge first half shooting the ball. He put himself in an opportune position against zone coverage. He hit some slightly contested buckets that gave his team some early momentum. His impact led to the other end of the floor as well, taking on the major assignments of the opposing team. The Wisconsin commit finished with 27 points.   [player_tooltip player_id='1142121' first='Tim' last='Franks'] | Homestead | 2024   Franks looked like the most balanced scorer on the floor against De Pere. He rarely looked sped up with the ball in his hands. The sharpshooting senior proved to be crafty when ran off the line finishing with either hand around the basket. The St Thomas commit finished with 21 points and remained steady regardless of what the opposition threw at him.   [player_tooltip player_id='1435902' first='Trevor' last='Polite'] | Homestead | 2025   Polite had a grind-it-out type of game but came up big down the stretch for the Highlanders. The Junior floor leader wore many hats in the sectional game, guarding big bodies in the paint, facilitating on the offensive end, and demonstrating grit in 50-50 ball situations. He finished with 13 points.    [player_tooltip player_id='1193234' first='Will' last='Hornseth'] | De Pere | 2024   Hornseth played a major role in De Pere's offense with his back to the basket. The forward frequently put pressure on the rim and allowed his team to play with the advantage after drawing two defenders. The senior showed next-level poise with his understanding of when to attack. His decision-making got him to the free-throw line where he capitalized on some clutch points from the stripe. The Northern Iowa commit finished with 15 points.    Mike Rodgers Jr. | Homestead | 2027   Rodgers did not shy away from the bright lights. Playing sporadic minutes he was able to make some clutch plays in the closing seconds of the half as well as in overtime. The fresh-faced freshman was prepared for the high-pressure moments making big plays when it mattered most. The methodical guard made the right reads without forcing the issue. The stats do not reflect the impact he had on the game but make note he will be one of the top players to watch going into summer action.   [player_tooltip player_id='1428204' first='Roan' last='Demovsky'] | De Pere | 2025   Demovsky was a calming presence for De Pere. He was effective in making plays while under high ball pressure. He found teammates on time and targets at a high rate. The junior guard attacked with purpose and impacted the game a great deal. What stood out the most was his foot speed to get into position and his active hands in the passing lanes on the defensive end.

The WIAA playoffs are here - they have been stacked with talent. With only one game remaining until a trip to the WIAA State Tournament, let us highlight the prospects who have made notable impacts in March.