Under-the-Radar Standouts: Large Schools

Following are updated player profiles for some of the standout high school basketball players in Wisconsin who, for a variety of reasons, fly a bit under the radar. None of these players are ranked among the top 100 in their respective class in the Prep Hoops Wisconsin Player Rankings, but each is having an impactful season for their high school teams. So, today, we give them their due. Presenting the Prep Hoops Wisconsin "Under-the-Radar Standouts: Large Schools" squad.    An exceptionally quick and aggressive backcourt prospect for a Milwaukee South program that currently leads the Blue Division of the Milwaukee City Conference, Bent's strong play this winter has helped the Cardinals to a 14-2 record under coach Thomas Shumpert. Bent can use his speed in the open court, his quick first step in the half and his strength to get to the basket and foul line. He is one of the toughest players to guard in the City Conference due to his extreme quickness, improved perimeter shot and unrelenting energy on both ends of the court.     Playing on the road against a solid Sheboygan North in late January, Franklin erupted for a career-best 33 points to help Oak Creek post an impressive 74-70 victory. It's been that type of season for Franklin, one of the top breakout performers in the Southeast Conference. The 6-foot-3 combination guard is averaging 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists while helping the Knights to a 14-4 mark, including a 7-3 record in league play. He had a good junior season for coach Eric Hollow, but has taken his game to the next level as a senior.     One of the key components to a very good Fond du Lac squad, Haslett's strong play is a big reason why the Cardinals are currently tied for first place in the Fox Valley Association with Kaukauna. A speedy backcourt player who gets to the basket in transition while also putting strong defensive pressure on opposing guards, Haslett leads Fond du Lac in scoring at 16.4 ppg. He had a career-best 31 points in a recent two-point victory over Hortonville, and also contributes 2.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Haslett has helped Fond du Lac to a 15-5 record, including a 12-2 mark in the FVA.     It's difficult to stand out on a team with so many standouts. Hutjens often does take a backseat to the exploits of seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1351717' first='Zach' last='Kinziger'] (Wisconsin), [player_tooltip player_id='1908410' first='Pryce' last='Gregoire'] (Northern Michigan) and [player_tooltip player_id='1428204' first='Roan' last='Demovsky'] (Eau Claire). Still, Hutjens is on the floor a ton for the Redbirds in large part because coach Brian Winchester has full faith in his ability to defend, move the ball, grab some rebounds and come up with steals. Hutjens is a good shooter as well as he is shooting 39 percent (26 of 67) from three-point range. The valuable performer has helped De Pere to an 18-1 record by averaging 6.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists.     Freedom has put together a terrific season thus far, winning 18 of 19 games under coach Andrew Gibbons. The strong showings of sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1847792' first='Donovan' last='Davis'] (6-8) is a big reason for the success of the Irish, but so, too, is the stellar play of Kortz. A three-year varsity player and 1,000-point career scorer, Kortz seems to come up with the biggest baskets and most important rebounds for Freedom, which sits alone on top of the North Eastern Conference standings. Also a standout quarterback on the football field, Kortz is averaging 19.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 51 percent from the field, 75 percent from the foul line and 34 percent from outside the arc. His toughness, tenacity on defense and senior leadership are huge assets for the Irish.     Earlier this season, Laine dropped 42 points in a double overtime victory over St. Augustine Prep and in the process became the eighth player in South Milwaukee history to reach 1,000 career points. Laine has very good size, but he matches his height with very good skill as well. He has a soft shooting touch around the basket, and he can also step outside and make some perimeter shots. South Milwaukee has struggled a bit this season, but Laine has been a bright spot for the Rockets as he is averaging 26.7 points and 11.6 rebounds. Laine is receiving recruiting interest from a number of NCAA Division III programs in Wisconsin.     Lange might not being a super impressive athlete or jump out at you with his long-range shooting skill. But what he does do well is help his team record victories by making game-winning plays. A versatile wing prospect, Lange has helped Wausau West to a 14-5 record and second-place standing in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. His strong all-around play includes averaging 12.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He's also one of the better defenders on the Wausau West squad as he is averaging nearly two steals per contest. Coach Nate Lemmens knows he can count on Lange to give him all-out effort and fill the stat sheet on a nightly basis.     Marshfield is again running away with the title in the Wisconsin Valley Conference as the Tigers have a three-game lead in the loss column with just four outings left. Lee's play in the Tigers' backcourt continues to shine as he plays alongside Northern Michigan recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1244808' first='Brooks' last='Hinson']. Lee is averaging 13.8 points and a team-best 5.8 assists for coach Chris Fischer's squad. He has helped Marshfield to an 8-0 league record and 11-5 mark in all games with his strong ball handling, passing, unselfishness and on-ball defense. He also has made some big shots for the Tigers and doesn't shy away from having the ball in his hands at crunch time.     Lomax has displayed steady improvement throughout his high school career, and the bouncy 6-foot-6 forward once again has soared to new heights as a senior. He is among the Elkhorn team leaders in scoring (16.9 ppg), rebounding (10.0 rpg) and assists (3.6 apg). He's also getting nearly one block and one steal per game for the Elks, who have won 13 of 18 outings thus far. Lomax has the ability to score in the lane, above the rim and from the foul line. He also can pick-and-pop and knock down some three-point shots, making a very valuable recruit for the NCAA Division III program at Oshkosh.     Xavier is 16-5 and a play or two away from being 20-1 as the Hawks have lost four games by three points or less. Oelhafen's stellar play has been a big reason for Xavier's success. The senior wing is shooting at a high level for coach Matt Klarner as he is connecting on 40 percent of his three-point attempts (44 of 111) while also shooting 53 percent from the field and 73 percent from the foul line. Oelhafen is averaging 15.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He had a good junior season as well for the Hawks, who trail Bay Conference leading West De Pere by one game with a league showdown set for this week Thursday in the Xavier gym.

Following are updated player profiles for some of the standout high school basketball players in Wisconsin who, for a variety of reasons, fly a bit under the radar. None of these players are ranked among the top 100 in their respective class in the Prep Hoops Wisconsin Player Rankings, but each is having an impactful season for their high school teams.

So, today, we give them their due. Presenting the Prep Hoops Wisconsin "Under-the-Radar Standouts: Large Schools" squad.