Preview for the 608 Basketball Tournament Friday/Saturday

The fifth annual 608 Basketball Tournament is set for Friday and Saturday at Madison College with eight boys' basketball teams taking part in the event.

The schedule includes four schools playing twice in a bracketed format, and four other squads playing just once in Showcase Games.

Here is the schedule for this year's event:

Friday, December 19
At Madison College
6:30 p.m. -- Appleton North (3-0) vs. Oregon (2-1)
8:00 p.m. -- Madison La Follette (4-2) vs. Yorkville Christian, Ill. (4-2)

Saturday, December 20
At Madison College
1:30 p.m. -- Freedom (5-0) vs. Stoughton (2-1)
3:00 p.m. -- Consolation Game pitting Friday's losing teams
4:30 p.m. -- Championship Game pitting Friday's winning teams
6:00 p.m. -- Slinger (4-1) vs. Mount Horeb (4-1)

Some standout players in the event include:

Grant Hardy Grant Hardy 6'4" | SF/SG Appleton North | 2026 State WI , 6-4, Sr., G/F, Appleton North (Committed to Winona State)
Nathan Ramus Nathan Ramus 6'2" | PG/SG Appleton North | 2026 State WI , 6-2, Sr., G, Appleton North (Committed to Northern Michigan)
Will Sweeney Will Sweeney 5'10" | PG Appleton North | 2026 State WI , 5-10, Sr., G, Appleton North
Ben Zdzieblowski Ben Zdzieblowski 6'6" | PF Appleton North | 2026 State WI , 6-6, Sr., F, Appleton North (Committed to Lakeland)
Matt Rosplochowski Matt Rosplochowski 6'1" | SG/PG Appleton North | 2028 State WI , 6-1, Soph., Appleton North
Brady Hook Brady Hook 6'2" | CG Oregon | 2026 WI , 6-2, Sr., Oregon
Brayden Hermsdorf Brayden Hermsdorf 6'6" | PF Oregon | 2026 WI , 6-6, Sr., Oregon
Koby Diaz Koby Diaz 6'4" | SF/PF Oregon | 2028 WI , 6-4, Soph., F, Oregon
Reese Jordan Reese Jordan 6'2" | PG/CG Madison La Follette | 2027 State WI , 6-2, Jr., Madison La Follette
Thian Riak Thian Riak 6'5" | SF Madison La Follette | 2026 State WI , 6-5, Sr., Madison La Follette
Origin Prewitt Origin Prewitt 6'0" | CG Madison La Follette | 2027 State WI , 6-0, Jr., Madison La Follette
Jayden Riley Jayden Riley 5'10" | PG Oswego | 2026 WI , 6-1, Sr., Yorkville Christian (Committed to SIU - Edwardsville)
Jacob Hibner Jacob Hibner 6'3" | SG Stoughton | 2026 State WI , 6-3, Sr., G, Stoughton (Committed to Minnesota-Duluth)
Jaren Vale Jaren Vale 6'2" | PG Stoughton | 2027 State WI , 6-2, Jr., G, Stoughton
Donovan Davis Donovan Davis 6'8" | PF Freedom | 2027 State #26 Nation WI , 6-8, Jr., F, Freedom
Kaden Vandenberg Kaden Vandenberg 6'1" | CG Freedom | 2027 State WI , 6-1, Jr., G, Freedom
Josh Manchester Josh Manchester 6'4" | SG Mount Horeb | 2026 State WI , 6-4, Sr., G, Mount Horeb
Joey Kohnen Joey Kohnen 6'5" | SG/SF Slinger | 2028 State WI , 6-5, Soph., G, Slinger
Jack Kohnen Jack Kohnen 6'6" | SF Slinger | 2027 State #52 Nation WI , 6-6, Jr., F, Slinger

Some things to look for in each game:

Appleton North vs. Oregon -- It's a busy week for No. 4-ranked Appleton North as the Lightning have four games with Fox Valley Association outings with Kaukauna Tuesday and Kimberly Thursday before playing two games at the 608 Tournament. The Lightning boast an experienced squad led by three four-year players in Nathan Ramus Nathan Ramus 6'2" | PG/SG Appleton North | 2026 State WI (6-2), Grant Hardy Grant Hardy 6'4" | SF/SG Appleton North | 2026 State WI (6-4) and Will Sweeney Will Sweeney 5'10" | PG Appleton North | 2026 State WI (5-10). In addition, sophomore Matt Rosplochowski Matt Rosplochowski 6'1" | SG/PG Appleton North | 2028 State WI (6-1) and senior Ben Zbzieblowski (6-6) played major minutes for coach Chris Kellett a year ago. Oregon has a league outing at Beaver Dam on Tuesday and will be looking for big production from a pair of seniors in Brayden Hermsdorf Brayden Hermsdorf 6'6" | PF Oregon | 2026 WI (6-6) and Brady Hook Brady Hook 6'2" | CG Oregon | 2026 WI (6-2).

Madison La Follette vs. Yorkville Christian -- Madison La Follette is 4-2 heading into a Big Eight game with Middleton on Wednesday. The Lancers have a potent lineup with four players all capable of getting double figures on any given night in senior Thian Riak Thian Riak 6'5" | SF Madison La Follette | 2026 State WI (6-5), juniors Reese Jordan Reese Jordan 6'2" | PG/CG Madison La Follette | 2027 State WI (6-2) and Oregin Prewitt (6-0), and sophomore CJ Costello CJ Costello 6'0" | SG/PG Madison La Follette | 2028 State WI (6-0). Madison La Follette loves to play an up-tempo style and will put some big points on the scoreboard. Yorkville Christian, also 4-2 entering a game Tuesday, is led by a NCAA Division I recruit in senior guard Jayden Riley Jayden Riley 5'10" | PG Oswego | 2026 WI (6-1), who has committed to SIU-Edwardsville.

Freedom vs. Stoughton -- Freedom's dominating big man, junior Donovan Davis Donovan Davis 6'8" | PF Freedom | 2027 State #26 Nation WI , is averaging 24.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the undefeated Irish, who are currently ranked No. 3 in the WBCA/Prep Hoops Division 3 state-wide poll. Davis owns multiple NCAA Division I scholarship offers, including Iowa State, Marquette and Wisconsin. He has some talented teammates around him, including junior guard Kaden Vandenberg Kaden Vandenberg 6'1" | CG Freedom | 2027 State WI (6-1), who went off for 27 points and seven rebounds in Freedom's 18-point win over Lake Mills. Stoughton is not ranked among Division 2 squads, but the Vikings have some firepower of their own, led by Minnesota-Duluth recruit Jacob Hibner Jacob Hibner 6'3" | SG Stoughton | 2026 State WI (6-3), a strong wing player who can score off the bounce and from outside the three-point arc. Junior Jaren Vale Jaren Vale 6'2" | PG Stoughton | 2027 State WI (6-2) does an excellent job of running the offense and providing strong perimeter defense for Stoughton.

Mount Horeb vs. Slinger -- Lots of star power in this confrontation with prolific scoring guard Josh Manchester Josh Manchester 6'4" | SG Mount Horeb | 2026 State WI (6-4) of Mount Horeb going up against the talented brother combination of sophomore Joey Kohnen Joey Kohnen 6'5" | SG/SF Slinger | 2028 State WI (6-5) and junior Jack Kohnen Jack Kohnen 6'6" | SF Slinger | 2027 State #52 Nation WI (6-6) of Slinger. Manchester recently surpassed 2,000 career points and went for a career-best 58 points in an 82-80 overtime loss to Sauk Prairie last Friday. He gets plenty of help from junior Alex Chapman Alex Chapman 6'5" | SG/SF Mount Horeb | 2027 State WI (6-5) and senior Hayden Anderson Hayden Anderson 6'6" | PF Mount Horeb | 2026 State WI (6-6), among others. Joey and Jack Kohnen Jack Kohnen 6'6" | SF Slinger | 2027 State #52 Nation WI both have multiple NCAA Division I scholarship offers, including Iowa State, Nebraska and Wisconsin. Jack is a versatile forward with good passing ability while Joey can roam the perimeter and use his size and athleticism to elevate for outside jump shots. The supporting cast at Slinger also is very good with Brett Palm Brett Palm 5'11" | CG Slinger | 2026 State WI (5-11), Bryson Fogle Bryson Fogle 6'1" | SG/PG Slinger | 2026 State WI (6-1) and Colton Matz (6-4) joining the Kohnen brothers as returning starters from a 24-3 squad.

For ticket information and a history of the 608 Tournament, please visit https://madisoncollegerecreation.com/feature/60EightBasketball