Battle at the Lakes: Saturday's WI standouts (Part 1)

A look at some of the Wisconsin players who performed well during day two of the annual Prep Hoops Battle at the Lakes club event in Plymouth, Minnesota.    The left-handed combination guard had it going Saturday morning for the [program_tooltip program_id='2076033' first='Wisconsin' last='Playmakers'] P32 squad in its 67-64 loss to Hoop City out of South Dakota. With his team searching for some offense, Gunderson came off the bench to score 17 points. He made five three-point shots and added a hoop off a drive to the basket. His physical strength and skill combination are impressive, and the Altoona guard almost always is productive. He's coming off a strong sophomore season at Altoona where he averaged 15.6 points and 3.4 assists while earning second-team all-Middle Border Conference honors.     There aren't many players in Wisconsin you'd rather have with the ball in his hands and headed downhill toward the basket than Wollan. He is a finishing machine in the halfcourt and a high-flying dunker in the open court. His impressive physical strength, athleticism and aggressiveness were on full display for the Playmakers in their narrow loss to Hoop City. Already a two-year starter for Amery, Wollan finished the contest with 13 points, making a three and all four of his foul shots to go along with his dependable drives to the hole. The first-team all-Middle Border Conference performer averaged 20.4 ppg as a sophomore for Amery.     There might not be a player on the Playmakers' talented P32 16U roster with more upside than Hoel. A fluid athlete who moves and jumps well, Hoel is still growing into his body and will need some muscle and weight moving forward, not at all uncommon for young big players. What he already possesses is a natural feel for the game, solid moves to create separation and an impressive skill set. He finished with seven points after a slow start against Hoop City, and made one of the best moves/plays of the day when he caught the ball at the high post, executed a reverse pivot/spin, and executed a smooth layin at the rim.     Harper's play for [program_tooltip program_id='2076501' first='Chapman' last='Basketball Academy'] South Black was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult morning contest at Wayzata High School against a very good Minnesota Fury -- Reyes outfit. Harper used his aggressiveness and physical strength to bull his away to the basket and score over taller defender. He had seven points in the first half to account for the majority of CBA's offense. A three-year varsity player at Greendale, Harper averaged 6.8 ppg as a junior for the Panthers.     A very good athlete who excels on the football field and basketball court at Aquinas, Becker is playing this spring for the DI Minnesota Gold squad. He had a strong showing in a 75-71 loss to Minnesota Lace Up Black. Becker drained a baseline three and got the basket off the bounce in the closing minutes of the tight contest. He also was was smart with the ball in his hands. If his route to the hoop was cut off, Becker simply made a strong pivot to kick the ball out to a teammate. He had a solid junior year while helping Aquinas win the WIAA Division 4 state championship and is a three-year varsity performer for the Blugolds.     The question this spring for Pohl is will he earn an offer from a NCAA Division I program? He holds multiple Division II offers, and there certainly were plenty of head coaches of DII teams watching him at Wayzata High School Saturday. In a matchup against a D1 Minnesota 3SSB squad that boasts several Division I players, Pohl held his own, scoring 10 points in a game that was close for a half before DI Minnesota asserted itself and pulled away in the second half. Pohl drained a three, scored in the lane and also made all three of his free-throw attempts. At 6-foot-8 and with good strength, Pohl combines those attributes with a very high skill level, making him one of the state's more highly sought after recruits in the 2026 class.     Ott's length, mobility and skill are all impressive. And, like several others in the state's 2026 class, Ott is a stellar performer in both football and basketball. He will have a decision to make in the near future as to which sport he pursues at the next level, but he figures to have excellent options in both. He had a big game for the Playmakers P32 17U squad in its win over Sanford Sports Academy, scoring 18 points while making several threes along with his usual slashing ability going to the basket.     Kowal is perhaps the most improved class of 2026 prospect in Wisconsin. His team is a bit short handed this season, but he nonetheless turned in a very impressive performance in a loss to Martin Brothers out of Iowa. Kowal finished with 17 points and three triples in the contest while also moving the ball to his teammates, playing strong defense and battling against bigger opponents on the glass. Kowal did a stellar job of moving to openings on the court and grasping where the ball was going to come off the rim, allowing him to swoop in for a couple of offensive rebound baskets. Kowal is a versatile wing who can guard different positions, and his feel for the game is exceptional.     Smart and skilled. Schultz is both of those things and more. He's also savvy. And he has to be at times due to his lack of size while competing against the type of talent Davis Brothers Elite encountered at Battle at the Lakes. In a loss to Martin Brothers, which includes a player in Collin Rice with three Big Ten offers, Schultz was giving up size in the backcourt, but the crafty point guard still managed to find openings while scoring 11 points on the strength of three shots from beyond the three-point arc. Schultz figures to orchestrate the offense for coach Lee Rabas at Neenah in 2025-26, and the Rockets will be in good hands with the two-year varsity veteran.    Battle at the Lakes is powered by Dr. Dish—the world's #1 selling shooting machine, helping players get 5X more reps and unlock their potential at home. <a href="https://hubs.ly/Q03l3YDy0">Click Here to Train Like a Pro</a>.

A look at some of the Wisconsin players who performed well during day two of the annual Prep Hoops Battle at the Lakes club event in Plymouth, Minnesota.