Milwaukee City Blue Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023-24 Final Standings</strong><br><br>1. Milwaukee Juneau 12-0 (18-5); 2. Milwaukee Audubon Tech 9-3 (19-6); 3. Milwaukee Golda Meir 6-6 (13-12); 3. Milwaukee Vincent 6-6 (14-11); 5. Milwaukee Reagan 4-8 (7-18); 5. Milwaukee School of Languages 4-8 (11-13); 7. Milwaukee Washington 1-11 (3-18).<br><br><em>Editor's Note:</em> Milwaukee Juneau has moved to the Milwaukee City Gold and is replaced in the Blue by Milwaukee South for 2024-25. <br><br><strong>2024-25 Picks</strong><br><br><strong>1. Golda Meir </strong>-- The Owls advanced to the regional finals in Division 3 a year ago before falling to Milwaukee Academy of Science. The program could field its best team ever in 2024-25 as coach Emmitt Colbert welcomes back all five starters from a club that finished 13-12. The talent is plentiful as senior [player_tooltip player_id='1289145' first='Ahmir' last='Woods'] (6-3, 18.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2610546' first='Ameer' last='Anderson'] (6-4, 12.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg) provide leadership for an experienced underclass group that features juniors Amir Hayes (6-2, 9.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg), [player_tooltip player_id='2610565' first='Daniel' last='Spears'] (5-9, 7.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2610589' first='Kaleb' last='Colbert'] (6-0, 16.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg). The balanced scoring figures to make it difficult for opponents to key on any one or two players, and the Owls could have a different leading scorer in games throughout the season. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2610553' first='Brandon' last='Gardner'] (6-5) and A'Mare Bowes (6-0), among others, also figure to make contributions as the Owls set out to capture the Blue Division title.<br><br><strong>2. Audubon Tech</strong> -- Audubon Tech has a new coach as Fernando Williams has replaced Joshua Gee, who moved over to league-rival Reagan. The Cardinals lost top-scorer Isaiah Woodland (6-3, 24.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg) to graduation, but return some very talented players, nonetheless. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2631625' first='Delontay' last='Boyce'] (6-2, 13.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg) led the team in rebounding while junior [player_tooltip player_id='2420131' first='Daijohn' last='Hughes'] (6-3, 11.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg) earned second-team all-league laurels. Also returning for Audubon Tech are junior [player_tooltip player_id='2416668' first='Isaiha' last='Washington'] (6-4, 7.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2129287' first='Ryan' last='Hendricks'] (5-6, 3.9 ppg).<br><br><strong>3. South Division </strong>-- Senior whippet [player_tooltip player_id='2631608' first='Jaquarius' last='Bent'] (6-1, 35.5 ppg) finished second in the state in scoring a year ago and returns to help the Cardinals navigate the difficult waters of the Blue Division after winning the White Division title last winter. Bent is a quick-on-quick combination guard who loves to compete and take on challenges. He is one of three all-league performers back for coach Thomas Shumpert. The others include ever-improving big man [player_tooltip player_id='2631616' first='Terry' last='Miles'] (6-7, 4.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg) and guard [player_tooltip player_id='2631619' first='Kenneth' last='Lemon'] (5-10, 9.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg). Depth is an issue, although sophomore Kendrick Johnson (6-4, 5.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) flashed plenty of promise as a freshman.<br><br><strong>4. Vincent </strong>-- Rodney Buford, who starred at Vincent before embarking on a collegiate career at Creighton and a professional career that spanned six seasons in the NBA, has replaced Ravonte Dantzler as the Vikings' head coach. He takes over a program that finished 14-11 a year ago, but lost four starters to graduation. The lone returning starter is senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2631635' first='Derreon' last='Bowling-Kidd'] (6-2, 13.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg). Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2631637' first='Davion' last='Fowler'] (6-2, 10.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2485839' first='Kareem' last='Williams'] (6-4, 4.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) also return. <br><br><strong>5. Riverside </strong>-- Riverside went 0-12 in the Gold Division last winter and moves to the Blue Division this time around with an experienced roster hungry to achieve success. Coach DeVon Preyer starts his fourth season with four returning starters, all juniors. That core includes [player_tooltip player_id='2631627' first='Dereon' last='Starnes'] (6-3, 13 ppg, 7 rpg), [player_tooltip player_id='2631632' first='Donovan' last='Hoover'] (6-4, 12 ppg, 4 rpg), [player_tooltip player_id='2815772' first='Josiah' last='Raymond'] (5-11, 8 ppg, 4 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2427187' first='Donavan' last='Coleman'] (6-6, 8 ppg, 6 rpg). The Tigers also figure to rely heavily on talented sophomore point guard John Johnson (5-8, 9 ppg, 4 apg) and junior wing Rodmair Austin-Moore 6-3, 8 ppg, 3 rpg). <br><br><strong>6. Reagan </strong>-- After previously serving as head coach at Hope Christian and Audubon Tech, Joshua Gee accepted to head coaching spot at Reagan over the summer. He takes over a program with three starters back from a 7-18 squad in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2504203' first='Kewon' last='Johnson'] (6-1, 8.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and Josiah Brown (6-2, 5.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg) along with junior [player_tooltip player_id='1561952' first='Isaac' last='Schimenz'] (5-10, 10.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg). Schimenz earned honorable mention all-league recognition as a sophomore and is one of the better shooters in the Blue Division. Also back for the Huskies are seniors Gio Cruz (5-10, 4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2417528' first='Quinn' last='Kanarek'] (5-11, 5.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg) along with juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1874968' first='Dewayne' last='Gaynor'] (6-0, 3.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and Nolan Weber (6-1, 2.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg). Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2388278' first='Cam' last='Kleinfeldt'] (6-5) could play a big role for Reagan as well. <br><br><strong>7. School of Languages </strong>-- This team could be a surprise in 2024-25 as long-time coach John Allen brings back two of the league's top performers in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2610598' first='Manning' last='Shareef'] (6-6, 24.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2631621' first='Amaris' last='Hunt'] (5-11, 19.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg). Both players earned first-team all-league honors as juniors and form the best one-two scoring punch among the seven squads in the division. The big question for School of Languages is finding others to fill in around Shareef and Hunt. Two candidates who figure to contend for starting roles include senior TIm Clinton (6-0) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2610974' first='Ashtyn' last='Pampuch-Buck'] (5-10, 3.4 ppg).<br><br><strong>Top Returning Scorers</strong><br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631608' first='Jaquarius' last='Bent'], South Division (35.5 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2610598' first='Manning' last='Shareef'], School of Languages (24.5 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631621' first='Amaris' last='Hunt'], School of Languages (19.5 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1289145' first='Ahmir' last='Woods'], Golda Meir (18.8 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2610589' first='Kaleb' last='Colbert'], Golda Meir (16.6 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631625' first='Delontay' last='Boyce'], Audubon Tech (13.5 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631627' first='Dereon' last='Starnes'], Riverside (13.0 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631635' first='Derreon' last='Bowling-Kidd'], VIncent (13.0 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2610546' first='Ameer' last='Anderson'], Golda Meir (12.1 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631632' first='Donovan' last='Hoover'], Riverside (12.0 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2420131' first='Daijohn' last='Hughes'], Audubon Tech (11.8 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1561952' first='Isaac' last='Schimenz'], Reagan (10.8 ppg)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631637' first='Davion' last='Fowler'], Vincent (10.2 ppg)<br><br><strong>Projected All-Conference Teams<br>First Team</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2420131' first='Daijohn' last='Hughes'], 6-3, Jr., Audubon Tech<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1289145' first='Ahmir' last='Woods'], 6-3, Sr., Golda Meir<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2610589' first='Kaleb' last='Colbert'], 6-0, Jr., Golda Meir<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2610598' first='Manning' last='Shareef'], 6-6, Sr., School of Languages<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631608' first='Jaquarius' last='Bent'], 6-1, Sr., South Division<br><br><strong>Second Team</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2610546' first='Ameer' last='Anderson'], 6-4, Sr., Golda Meir<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2504203' first='Kewon' last='Johnson'], 6-1, Sr., Reagan<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631627' first='Dereon' last='Starnes'], 6-3, Jr., Riverside<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631616' first='Terry' last='Miles'], 6-7, Sr., South Division<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2631635' first='Derreon' last='Bowling-Kidd'], 6-2, Sr., Vincent<br><br><strong>The Big Five</strong><br><br><strong>Best Shooter: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1561952' first='Isaac' last='Schimenz'], Reagan<br><strong>Best Defender: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2420131' first='Daijohn' last='Hughes'], Audubon Tech<br><strong>Best Rebounder:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2631616' first='Terry' last='Miles'], South Division<br><strong>Best Collegiate Prospect:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1289145' first='Ahmir' last='Woods'], Golda Meir<br><strong>Most Improved Player: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2610589' first='Kaleb' last='Colbert'], Golda Meir</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->