Hard Work Region Finals - Wisconsin's top point guard

Handling the ball against pressure, finding open teammates with well-timed passes and defending on the perimeter are among the traits necessary to succeed while playing the point-guard position. Here are a few of the standout point guards from Wisconsin at last weekend's Prep Hoops Hard Work Region Finals in the Twin Cities. [player_tooltip player_id='1544740' first='Aiden' last='Hawkinson'] State: Wisconsin School: Waupun Club: [program_tooltip program_id='2076033' first='Wisconsin' last='Playmakers'] National (17U) Hawkinson has grown an inch or so and added weight and strength to his 6-foot-2 frame. His skill level always has been high and with his bulked up frame, he's able to handle the bumps and intense on-ball pressure of opposing defenses much better. Hawkinson performed well for the Playmakers in a narrow victory over Ricky Davis Legends, scoring 17 points and drilling a late three-point basket that helped his team get over the top and notch the victory. His vision is very good as he does an excellent job of keeping his head up at all times. Also a very good scorer from the perimeter and off the bounce, Hawkinson earned several trips to the foul line and cashed in from the stripe on a regular basis. Several schools from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) are recruiting Hawkinson, who averaged 19.3 points and 5.9 rebounds as a junior and earned unanimous first-team all-East Central Conference honors. [player_tooltip player_id='2381444' first='Graeson' last='Geiger'] State: Wisconsin School: Fort Atkinson Club: [program_tooltip program_id='2517147' first='Wisconsin' last='Breakaway'] (15U) The most impressive player on a talented [program_tooltip program_id='2517147' first='Wisconsin' last='Breakaway'] roster, Geiger is an aggressive and very skilled 6-foot-1 lead guard who figures to contend for significant playing time in the winter for a very good Fort Atkinson squad. His ability to get into the lane off the dribble with his quickness kept Minnesota Heat defenders off balance in a Breakaway win last Friday. Geiger can get all the way to the basket or pull up for his accurate mid range jump shot. He has excellent footwork in the lane and is a good passer and three-point shooter as well. Geiger is the younger brother of class of 2025 guard/forward, [player_tooltip player_id='2493675' first='Owen' last='Geiger'], who also is a key player for Fort Atkinson. Geiger may also grow in the future as his father is 6-foot-8. [player_tooltip player_id='1544745' first='Bennett' last='Buss'] State: Wisconsin School: Verona Club: [program_tooltip program_id='2076023' first='Wisconsin' last='Academy'] -- Thompson (17U) The son of former Verona coach Alan Buss, [player_tooltip player_id='1544745' first='Bennett' last='Buss'] plays with great tempo for the [program_tooltip program_id='2076023' first='Wisconsin' last='Academy'] program. He pushes the ball in transition exceptionally well while also keeping his head up and tossing the ball ahead to his teammates for fast-break scoring opportunities. Buss is a capable shooter, but he's a true pass-first point guard who is always probing the defense looking to create openings for other players on his squad. Buss can put good pressure on the ball on defense due to his lateral movement and quickness, and he is one of the first on the floor for a loose ball. A key returning player for a Verona club expected to contend for the title in the Big Eight Conference next winter, Buss averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 assists as a junior. [player_tooltip player_id='1561895' first='Collin' last='Branch'] State: Wisconsin School: Milton Club: [program_tooltip program_id='2076023' first='Wisconsin' last='Academy'] -- Hibner (16U) Exhibiting superb quickness with the ball in his hands, Branch (5-10) did a very good job of racing the ball up the court for [program_tooltip program_id='2076023' first='Wisconsin' last='Academy'] -- Hibner, which finished second in the championship bracket at the Hard Work Region Finals. Branch's squad is headlined by a pair of stellar class of 2026 prospects in Wes Rahn (6-7) and Jacob Hibner (6-3), and Branch was able to see the court well enough to get the ball to those talented teammates in scoring position nearly every time down the court. When defenders opted to play off Branch a bit an attempt to get into passing lanes to avoid passes Rahn and Hibner, Branch stepped up and put the ball in the basket as he finished with 12 points in a win over Dakota Phenom. Branch played varsity minutes as a sophomore at Milton, averaging 4.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists. [player_tooltip player_id='1673681' first='Cohen' last='Priebe'] State: Wisconsin School: D.C. Everest Club: [program_tooltip program_id='2485560' first='G-Elite' last=''] (17U) Playing alongside gifted teammates such as Jesse Napgezek, Charlie Cayley, Camden Schurk and [player_tooltip player_id='2506220' first='Bennett' last='Matteson'], among others, Priebe had his choice of who to deliver the ball to in [program_tooltip program_id='2485560' first='G-Elite' last='']'s overtime win over the [program_tooltip program_id='2075258' first='ABC' last='Young Lions'] Black squad. A capable scorer from deep and the mid range, Priebe zipped the ball into Cayley (6-6) in the post early and often, and the big man delivered, scoring 17 points in the narrow victory. A streaky three-point shooter, Priebe is confident from beyond the arc and did drop a pair of triples in the contest while finishing with 12 points. At 6-foot-1 and with stellar ball handling and passing skills, Priebe is one of the top point guards in the 2025 class in northern Wisconsin. [player_tooltip player_id='2140924' first='Graysen' last='Becker'] State: Wisconsin School: Altoona Club: [program_tooltip program_id='2076033' first='Wisconsin' last='Playmakers'] UA Rise (15U) A physically strong young player who competes at a high level and excels playing off two feet, Becker runs the show for the Playmakers' talented 15U squad. He is able to get into the paint on a consistent basis due to his strength, quickness, speed and ball handling skills. An unselfish player who consistently looks to kick the ball out to open shooters or cutting teammates, Becker also is a capable scorer, both from deep and off the bounce. He plays with very good verticality and can grab a reound and immediately start a fast break with his speed up the court. Becoming a knock-down shooter and locking down opposing perimeter players on defense are the next steps in the development of Becker, one of the state's better class of 2027 point guards and a returning varsity performer for Altoona.

Handling the ball against pressure, finding open teammates with well-timed passes and defending on the perimeter are among the traits necessary to succeed while playing the point-guard position. Here are a few of the standout point guards from Wisconsin at last weekend's Prep Hoops Hard Work Region Finals in the Twin Cities.

Aiden Hawkinson Aiden Hawkinson
State: Wisconsin
School: Waupun
Club: Wisconsin Playmakers National (17U)

Hawkinson has grown an inch or so and added weight and strength to his 6-foot-2 frame. His skill level always has been high and with his bulked up frame, he's able to handle the bumps and intense on-ball pressure of opposing defenses much better. Hawkinson performed well for the Playmakers in a narrow victory over Ricky Davis Legends, scoring 17 points and drilling a late three-point basket that helped his team get over the top and notch the victory. His vision is very good as he does an excellent job of keeping his head up at all times. Also a very good scorer from the perimeter and off the bounce, Hawkinson earned several trips to the foul line and cashed in from the stripe on a regular basis. Several schools from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) are recruiting Hawkinson, who averaged 19.3 points and 5.9 rebounds as a junior and earned unanimous first-team all-East Central Conference honors.

Graeson Geiger
State: Wisconsin
School: Fort Atkinson
Club: Wisconsin Breakaway (15U)

The most impressive player on a talented Wisconsin Breakaway roster, Geiger is an aggressive and very skilled 6-foot-1 lead guard who figures to contend for significant playing time in the winter for a very good Fort Atkinson squad. His ability to get into the lane off the dribble with his quickness kept Minnesota Heat defenders off balance in a Breakaway win last Friday. Geiger can get all the way to the basket or pull up for his accurate mid range jump shot. He has excellent footwork in the lane and is a good passer and three-point shooter as well. Geiger is the younger brother of class of 2025 guard/forward, Owen Geiger Owen Geiger , who also is a key player for Fort Atkinson. Geiger may also grow in the future as his father is 6-foot-8.

Bennett Buss Bennett Buss
State: Wisconsin
School: Verona
Club: Wisconsin Academy -- Thompson (17U)

The son of former Verona coach Alan Buss, Bennett Buss Bennett Buss plays with great tempo for the Wisconsin Academy program. He pushes the ball in transition exceptionally well while also keeping his head up and tossing the ball ahead to his teammates for fast-break scoring opportunities. Buss is a capable shooter, but he's a true pass-first point guard who is always probing the defense looking to create openings for other players on his squad. Buss can put good pressure on the ball on defense due to his lateral movement and quickness, and he is one of the first on the floor for a loose ball. A key returning player for a Verona club expected to contend for the title in the Big Eight Conference next winter, Buss averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 assists as a junior.

Collin Branch Collin Branch 5'11" | PG Milton | 2026 State WI
State: Wisconsin
School: Milton
Club: Wisconsin Academy -- Hibner (16U)

Exhibiting superb quickness with the ball in his hands, Branch (5-10) did a very good job of racing the ball up the court for Wisconsin Academy -- Hibner, which finished second in the championship bracket at the Hard Work Region Finals. Branch's squad is headlined by a pair of stellar class of 2026 prospects in Wes Rahn (6-7) and Jacob Hibner (6-3), and Branch was able to see the court well enough to get the ball to those talented teammates in scoring position nearly every time down the court. When defenders opted to play off Branch a bit an attempt to get into passing lanes to avoid passes Rahn and Hibner, Branch stepped up and put the ball in the basket as he finished with 12 points in a win over Dakota Phenom. Branch played varsity minutes as a sophomore at Milton, averaging 4.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

Cohen Priebe Cohen Priebe
State: Wisconsin
School: D.C. Everest
Club: G-Elite (17U)

Playing alongside gifted teammates such as Jesse Napgezek, Charlie Cayley, Camden Schurk and Bennett Matteson Bennett Matteson 6'1" | SF Wausau West | 2025 WI , among others, Priebe had his choice of who to deliver the ball to in G-Elite 's overtime win over the ABC Young Lions Black squad. A capable scorer from deep and the mid range, Priebe zipped the ball into Cayley (6-6) in the post early and often, and the big man delivered, scoring 17 points in the narrow victory. A streaky three-point shooter, Priebe is confident from beyond the arc and did drop a pair of triples in the contest while finishing with 12 points. At 6-foot-1 and with stellar ball handling and passing skills, Priebe is one of the top point guards in the 2025 class in northern Wisconsin.

Graysen Becker Graysen Becker 6'2" | PG/SG Altoona | 2027 State WI
State: Wisconsin
School: Altoona
Club: Wisconsin Playmakers UA Rise (15U)

A physically strong young player who competes at a high level and excels playing off two feet, Becker runs the show for the Playmakers' talented 15U squad. He is able to get into the paint on a consistent basis due to his strength, quickness, speed and ball handling skills. An unselfish player who consistently looks to kick the ball out to open shooters or cutting teammates, Becker also is a capable scorer, both from deep and off the bounce. He plays with very good verticality and can grab a reound and immediately start a fast break with his speed up the court. Becoming a knock-down shooter and locking down opposing perimeter players on defense are the next steps in the development of Becker, one of the state's better class of 2027 point guards and a returning varsity performer for Altoona.