Stock Boosters from the Rick Majerus WBY Shootout

With 34 teams taking part in the 19th annual Rick Majerus Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout last week at Concordia University in Mequon, several players made strong cases for moving up in the Prep Hoops Wisconsin Player Rankings, which will be updated in mid January. Here are some individuals who improved their stock with strong play at the event:    When you are the fourth-ranked player in your class, it's hard to improve your stock all that much. But Kohnen did exactly that with his stellar performance in Slinger's 71-49 victory over Freedom. Playing inspired basketball against a quality opponent that came into the contest undefeated and had beaten Slinger 70-55 to open the season, Kohnen was locked in from the opening tip. He finished the contest with 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists while also playing strong defense on Freedom standout [player_tooltip player_id='1847792' first='Donovan' last='Davis']. Moreover, Kohnen's passing, poise and versatility made things tough for the Irish as he was able to find open teammates, compete with stellar basketball instincts and score from different spots on the floor. Kohnen is the most complete player in the state's stellar 2027 class and already owns scholarship offers from Marquette and Iowa State.     The only knock on Davis is his size. Some question whether the 5-foot-11 point guard can garner multiple NCAA Division I scholarship offers due to his lack of height. But there is absolutely no questioning his positive impact on the game. The lightning quick lead guard was nothing short of sensation in Nicolet's 85-80 win over West Allis Central. His quickness in the open court, aggressiveness in getting into the lane and ability to make extremely difficult shots over taller opponents helped the Knights improve to 9-1 under coach Terence Smith. Davis finished the extremely competitive contest against a high quality opponent with 29 points, three rebounds and three steals. He played strong on-the-ball defense and embraced the challenge of making big play after big play down the stretch to help his team get the victory. Davis currently owns an offer from Western Illinois, and with his quickness, skill and impressive will to win, other scholarship schools figure to offer in the near future.     Sometimes really good players are hiding a bit right under your eyes. Britton is definitely one of those players. Ranked no higher than 191 in the senior class, Britton figures to zoom up the revised rankings next month after his eye-opening showing for Living Word Lutheran in the Timberwolves' 80-63 win over Milwaukee Reagan. Britton finished the contest with several crowd-pleasing dunks, including a windmill throw down in the second half. The ultra-athletic 6-foot-3 wing finished the contest with 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists as Living Word Lutheran moved to 6-1 under coach Jake Holton. Britton's length, ability to play away from the basket due his ball skills and his explosiveness figure to help him moving forward as he becomes one of the more recruitable players in the state still uncommitted in the 2025 class.     Lindsey had 35 points and 14 rebounds in a 66-60 win over Dominican. Both are career bests for the four-year varsity performer. In addition, Lindsey made big plays on the defensive end of the floor with several deflections and three blocked shots. He made one clutch shot after another down the stretch, including a pair of enormous three-point shots as the Pointers rallied for the victory against a very good Dominican team. Lindsey's versatility in guarding different spots on the floor, his reads while getting into passing lanes on that end of the floor, and his positioning for rebounds are all outstanding. He plans to major in nursing and play golf at Viterbo University in La Crosse so his basketball days may be nearing an end. But he has never played better than he did against Dominican, and his presence on the floor is a major reason why coach Dan Burreson's squad is a definite contender to repeat as WIAA Division 4 state champions.     When players consistently impact a game by doing things other than just scoring, you tend to notice. Hardy's decision making with the ball, his anticipation on defense and his ability to score at all three levels make him one of the more complete players in the state's 2026 class. Already a three-year varsity performer for Appleton North, Hardy's strong play at Concordia helped the Lightning earn victories over Brookfield Central and Eau Claire Memorial. Surrounded by very talented teammates, Hardy understands how to deliver the ball to his teammates, but he also knows when to score himself. He made nine-of-11 shots from the floor while scoring 22 points against Brookfield Central. He also contributed five rebounds, seven assists and a steal as coach Chris Kellett's squad posted a 78-63 triumph. Against Eau Claire Memorial, Hardy went for 14 points and 12 rebounds in a 70-59 victory. Hardy's stats might not always jump off the page, but his winning plays almost always do.     The beat rolls on at Wisconsin Lutheran, despite losing a pair of stellar seniors off last year's 30-0 squad in Kon Knueppel (Duke) and Logan Rindfleisch (UW-Oshkosh). The Vikings have now won 38 games in a row dating back to last season and are 8-0 in 2024-25, thanks in large part to the strong play of Mellock. A physically strong and aggressive combination guard, Mellock played a superb game in helping the Vikings turn back a rebuilding Marquette squad. Mellock finished with 18 points, two rebounds, three assists and a steal as Wisconsin Lutheran ran away early from the Hilltoppers in a matchup of defending Division 1 and Division 2 state champions. Mellock is uncommitted for next season at this point, but he is a definite college player as he can score from deep and off the dribble while also playing solid defense on the perimeter. He is a key cog in another quality team for coach Ryan Walz at Wisconsin Lutheran.     Syracuse recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1351718' first='Aaron' last='Womack'] is the lone returning starter for Dominican, and his presence on the floor always attracts the attention of opposing clubs. So it's super important for others on the young Dominican squad to step up their game to take some pressure off Womack. Enter, Mr. Jones. The talented young wing guard is one of the better class of 2027 prospects in the state due to his size, length and stellar shooting ability. He was particularly effective from deep in the Knights' 66-60 loss to Mineral Point as he scored 20 points and drilled four three-point shots. He also had eight points and four rebounds in Dominican's 104-74 win over Milwaukee Juneau. Jones appears to be gaining confidence and will be a huge factor for Dominican as it attempts to win the Metro Classic Conference title under coach Steve Showalter.     Playing alongside talented teammates such as [player_tooltip player_id='2045256' first='Yusef' last='Gray Jr.'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2194435' first='Max' last='Jones'], among others, Pittman might not put up glossy scoring numbers every night. But he is proving to be a very capable offensive performer for coach Dave Mlachnik at West Allis Central. And his play on defense has always been strong as he uses his massive 6-foot-10 size and excellent timing to block shots and share rebounds as a high level. Pittman has improved in all aspects of the game over the last 12 months, and is good shape as he ran the floor well for the Bulldogs in a high possession game against Nicolet. He finished that game with 22 points as he scored at the rim, above the rim and with his back to the basket. Pittman also scored 13 points in West Allis Central's win over Oshkosh North at Concordia. He owns a NCAA Division I scholarship offer from Western Michigan, and others figure to take a strong look at his game during the spring/summer club season.     After scuffling along during the early potions of the season, Fofana stepped up his game and the overall play of his team at the WBY Shootout. One of a couple of players back with playing experience from last year's 29-1 WIAA Division 3 state-title team, Fofana was a bit inconsistent in the early going of this season. However, he was stellar in helping the Cavaliers beat Xavier, 71-70, and drop a close game to Catholic Memorial, 58-50. Against Xavier, Fofana used his speed, his springy jumping ability, and his will to get around a screen, drive the lane and swish a floater with two seconds left that proved to be the game winner. Fofana finished with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists against Xavier, by far the best game he has played this season. He also had 16 points, four rebounds and two assists against Catholic Memorial. Fofana's ability to put pressure on the ball on defense, his strong ability to penetrate and his quickness on both ends are major assets for coach Tony Mane's squad this winter.     Wisconsin-bound [player_tooltip player_id='1351717' first='Zach' last='Kinziger'] and Northern Michigan recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1908410' first='Pryce' last='Gregoire'] rightfully get most of the media attention on the De Pere basketball team. But Redbirds' coach Brian Winchester would be the first to tell you his squad wouldn't be nearly as good as it is without Eau Claire recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1428204' first='Roan' last='Demovsky']. After watching Demovsky compete in wins over both Milwaukee Academy of Science and Wauwatosa West, it would be impossible to argue against Winchester's claim. Simply put, Domovsky is a heck of a player, on both ends of the floor. His ball handling, passing and scoring at the rim are all strong, but it's his all-out hustle and impressive athleticism that stand out even more. He always seems to be first to a loose ball, make a big steal or grab a key offensive rebound. He can push the ball in transition and always seems to know when and where to deliver the ball to his teammates. He had 13 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals in the Redbirds' memorable 75-73 overtime win over Academy of Science, and then contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a steal in the 68-52 win over Wauwatosa West.     Jesperson had a big gathering in the Buuck Fieldhouse buzzing last Thursday with his 34-point performance in an 82-78 loss to highly regarded Milwaukee Academy of Science. Playing against a backcourt that includes such standouts as [player_tooltip player_id='1447228' first='Jamarion' last='Batemon'], [player_tooltip player_id='1390442' first='Agape' last='Keys Jr.'], [player_tooltip player_id='2045302' first='Jamir' last='Batemon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1501903' first='Deuce' last='Burkes'], among others, Jesperson kept his team in the game with his skill of making shots from well beyond the three-point arc. He had five of his six three-point baskets after intermission and each make seemed deeper on the court. He also had a great dribble, drive and pivot that shed a defender and resulted in a short bank shot in the lane. Jesperson also had 19 points and five triples in the Old Abes' 70-59 loss to Appleton North. At 6-foot-4 and with his ability to make shots, Jesperson is perhaps the best uncommitted senior in the state.     It was a very cool start for Ramczyk and his Xavier teammates in the Hawks game against Saint Thomas More. They had a grand total of three points with 10:30 left in the opening half. But Ramczyk and his teammates got it going from that point. Ramczyk scored a career-best 32 points and made five three-point baskets. A big guard with ball handling, passing and scoring skills, Ramczyk also had five rebounds, four assists and three steals in the 71-70 loss. One of the better sophomores in Wisconsin, Ramczyk made two foul shots with around 10 seconds left to give Xavier a 70-69 lead, but [player_tooltip player_id='2500051' first='Omar' last='Fofana'] then won the game for Saint Thomas More with his floater in the lane with just two seconds left. Ramczyk is averaging 19.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists for Xavier.     The star quarterback on Freedom's outstanding football team last fall, Kortz has carried over his impressive play to the basketball court. The steady combination guard is adept at playing with balance, playing off two feet, making athletic plays at the rim. He also can score from deep and from the mid range for coach Andrew Gibbons' squad. Kortz finished with 17 points in the 71-57 victory over Catholic Memorial, and then had 16 points in a loss to Slinger. Kortz is the perfect compliment to Freedom's super sophomore, 6-foot-8 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1847792' first='Donovan' last='Davis'], and his poise, skill and leadership are vitally important for a very good Freedom squad.     Manchester is ranked very highly in the 2026 class so it might be a stretch to call him a stock booster. Still, he continues to make a case for himself as a legitimate NCAA Division I collegiate prospect with his incredible shot-making ability. A net-snapper from deep, Manchester rarely touches the rim when he lets go from beyond the arc. He has a bit of a lower release point, but his shot is so quick that it doesn't seem to matter. In addition to his shooting, Manchester plays with great confidence, finds his teammates with pin-point passes and uses his exceptionally quick hands to get steals and deflections. Manchester scored 32 points for Mount Horeb in its thrilling 65-62 overtime win over Notre Dame Academy, and he had 24 in a victory over Greendale. Plenty of college coaches are starting to pay attention to Manchester and the 6-foot-4 wing guard recently picked up a college visit invite from Iowa State as he will take in the Cyclones' game with Kansas on January 15.     A player on the rise in the senior class, Steffensmier has carried over his strong play from the summer to the prep season with Sheboygan North. The bouncy forward and Edgewood College recruit was instrumental in helping the Golden Raiders to wins over Sussex Hamilton and Brookfield Central. He had 17 points and couple of impressive dunks in the Golden Raiders' 67-65 win over Sussex Hamilton, and then contributed 12 points in the 71-54 triumph over Brookfield Central. Steffensmier's size, ability to run the floor and impressive jumping ability are key strengths for a very good Sheboygan North squad.

With 34 teams taking part in the 19th annual Rick Majerus Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout last week at Concordia University in Mequon, several players made strong cases for moving up in the Prep Hoops Wisconsin Player Rankings, which will be updated in mid January. Here are some individuals who improved their stock with strong play at the event: