WI Freshman Showcase: Team 8 Evaluations

Smooth, lanky, smart and poised backcourt prospect with advanced court vision and passing skills. Oh, and he can also put the ball in the basket. Fischer was one of the more impressive class of 2029 prospects at the Prep Hoops Freshman Showcase in Appleton. He scored from outside the arc, from mid range and from the foul line for Team 8. He is a team-first player who did an excellent job of communicating with his teammates on and off the court. Just a very impressive all-around player with a bright future ahead of him at state-power Wisconsin Lutheran.     Rock-solid lead guard with impressive physical strength and a more-than-impressive skill set. Lenz is an advanced player for his age and already has played a ton of basketball. It shows as he runs a team like a veteran and makes big shots with defenders in his face. Lenz figures to be a key player for an improved Winneconne squad this upcoming season and could wind up being one of the better players to ever come through the program.     Hall was impressive for Team 8, teaming with [player_tooltip player_id='2401344' first='Jackson' last='Fischer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2436991' first='Drew' last='Lenz'] in a very talented backcourt. His physical strength, confidence and shooting skill were tough for opponents to stop. Hall also was able to get to the rim and finish through contact a number of teams for Team 8. New Berlin Eisenhower returns a boatload of experience so Hall might have a wait a year or so before suiting up for the Lions' varsity unit, but he'll likely find himself on that squad sooner than later.     Robinson was a high energy performer for Team 8 in Appleton as he rebounded very well on both ends of the court while also making the extra pass to his teammates. The left-handed wing prospect is long and lanky so he'll need to add some weight and muscle, but his feel for the game and his ability to impact a contest with his length, rebounding and hustle are all very impressive.     A key part of a loaded 2029 class at Martin Luther, Williams was another key player for the very good Team 8 squad. He was able to fun the floor, grab some rebounds and earn his way to the foul line for his squad. He teams with [player_tooltip player_id='2371541' first='Semaj' last='Pruitt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2918896' first='Rmani' last='Watson'] in the freshman class for first-year Martin Luther coach Demonte Bynum, and figures to have a shot at earning some varsity minutes as a ninth grader due to his mobility, athleticism and versatility.     A couple of things stood out about Abernathy. No. 1, his size and length. At 6-foot-3 and with long arms, Abernathy can develop into a defensive demon. No. 2, his ability to run up and down the floor, often beating opponents on rim runs to the basket. And No. 3, he competitive nature, particularly on defense. As he continues to fill out and hone his ball skills, Abernathy figures to be a key player for coach Marcus Jackson at Milwaukee Lutheran over the next several seasons.     It's hard to stand out when you are in the same backcourt as ultra talented players like [player_tooltip player_id='2401344' first='Jackson' last='Fischer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2436991' first='Drew' last='Lenz'], but LeSage nonetheless made a name for himself in Appleton. Hailing from the solid program at Somerset and the very competitive Middle Border Conference, LeSage staked his claim as one of the better young players in that eight-team conference. His confidence on the court and his ball handling, passing and shooting skills allowed him to compete at a high level against some quality competition.     A good all-around athlete who also excels in baseball and distance running, Connemara fit in well with Team 8 in that he moved the ball, played good defense and helped out on the glass. He often deferred to his teammates in terms of scoring, but he is more than capable of putting the ball in the basket in transition and in the half court. Nicolet is loaded at the guard spots for the varsity team in 2025-26, but Connemara could emerge as one of the Knights' backcourt prospects of the future with continued work on his game.