WI State Tournament: Saturday's Standouts

Some standouts from action Saturday at the annual Prep Hoops Wisconsin State Tournament held at the OAW Indoor Sports Complex in New Berlin.    Stodola helped [program_tooltip program_id='3502082' first='Team' last='Compete'] rally for a 58-53 victory over Club 52 after his club trailed by nine points at halftime. The strong and skilled wing made some big three-point shots to spark the comeback victory. He also was able to use his size and aggressiveness with the ball in his hands to get to the basket to score or earn trips to the foul line. Stodola, who averaged 3.9 ppg and 2.1 rpg as a sophomore at Dodgeville, finished the contest with 13 points.     Running into a brick wall is never any fun, but a few members of the Club 52 squad experienced such an encounter when they drove the lane and ran into Freeman. The massive 6-foot-4 post player takes up space and positions himself well on defense, making it an adventure for opponents looking to get to the basket. On the other end, Freeman is outstanding at catching and finishing through contact. He has a soft touch around the basket and rarely has the ball stripped away due to his strength. Freeman finished with 16 points to top [program_tooltip program_id='3502082' first='Team' last='Compete'] in its win over Club 52.     Showcasing his ability to play either guard position, Graceffa put up 18 points for Club 52 in its narrow loss to [program_tooltip program_id='3502082' first='Team' last='Compete']. He used his stop-and-go dribble to get around defenders for short jump shots while also making a couple of shots from outside the three-point arc. In addition, Graceffa used his speed and ball-handling skill to get to the basket and finish off the glass or with a floater. Graceffa played on the varsity squad at Cedarburg as a sophomore and averaged 4.0 ppg. He figures to be a mainstay in the Bulldogs' lineup the next two seasons.     Walsh is an active player who was on the floor when MTXE rallied in the second half to reduce an 11-point halftime deficit down to two points at one point before losing 44-38 to [program_tooltip program_id='2852049' first='Foundation' last='Athletics'] South. Walsh got into passing lanes, ran the floor, finished in transition, knocked down a three and put good pressure on the ball with his mobility and aggressiveness. His contributions to his team go beyond just the stat sheet as his hustle, decision making and length make him a valuable teammate.     Mobile and a constant scoring threat both inside and outside, Koskinen had 11 points in the low-scoring game against [program_tooltip program_id='2852049' first='Foundation' last='Athletics'] South. He was able to use his length and quick jumping ability to score off the glass in the paint while also extending the defense with his three-point shooting skill. Koskinen runs the floor well, challenges shots near the basket with his shot blocking/altering skills and can finish above the rim in transition. He'll need strength to succeed more often in the physical Classic Eight Conference, but Mukwonago has a versatile forward with plenty of pop to his game to utilize the next two seasons.     An athlete with strength, bounce, skill and the desire to be really good. That pretty much sums up Parks, who was outstanding for [program_tooltip program_id='2852049' first='Foundation' last='Athletics'] South in wins over MTXE Premier and [program_tooltip program_id='2076031' first='Wisconsin' last='Hoops Select'] on Saturday. He scored the winning basket off an offensive rebound in the closing seconds of [program_tooltip program_id='2852049' first='Foundation' last='Athletics']' 59-58 win over [program_tooltip program_id='2076031' first='Wisconsin' last='Hoops Select'] in the quarterfinal round of the championship bracket. Parks finished the game with 20 points, which included a massive one-handed flush. Parks started for Middleton as a sophomore and averaged 13.7 points while shooting 57 percent from the floor.     Hook knocked down some three-point shots, got to the basket with his quickness and also played some strong defense in helping [program_tooltip program_id='2852049' first='Foundation' last='Athletics'] South to a pair of wins on Saturday. His ball handling, vocal leadership and relentless activity on both ends of the court were instrumental in the success his team achieved in New Berlin.     Schram used his physical nature and shooting/driving skills to score 13 points in helping [program_tooltip program_id='2852049' first='Foundation' last='Athletics'] South past MTXE Premier. He hit three triples and also scored twice in the lane. Schram also did a nice job of moving the ball, battling on the glass and defending, both on the perimeter and in the paint. Schram played on the JV1 team at Middleton as a sophomore and looks to get a spot with the Cardinals' varsity team in 2026-27.     Coming of a strong high school season where he earned honorable mention all-Southwest Wisconsin Activities League recognition, Patterson turned in a very strong showing for [program_tooltip program_id='2076031' first='Wisconsin' last='Hoops Select'] in its 59-58 loss to [program_tooltip program_id='2852049' first='Foundation' last='Athletics'] South. Patterson finished the contest with 15 points and that total included two made shots from three-point range and a sweet two-handed dunk. Patterson averaged 7.9 points and 4.0 rebounds as a sophomore for Mineral Point and has the look of a player who figures to get only better with more strength and maturity.     After watching how hard Board competes, it's easy to understand how he earned first-team all-Scenic Bluffs Conference laurels as a sophomore. This tough-minded, physically strong and highly instinctual combination guard made play after play for [program_tooltip program_id='2076031' first='Wisconsin' last='Hoops Select'] in its one-point loss to [program_tooltip program_id='2852049' first='Foundation' last='Athletics'] South. Board finished with 14 points, two three-point baskets, several assists and a large number of rebounds as he put his fingerprints all over the game for his squad.     DeFranco was as impressive as any other player who competed in the Prep Hoops Wisconsin State Tournament on Saturday. Although small, DeFranco used his physical strength, quickness, skill and fearless nature to score a game-best 26 points in an 82-74 loss to [program_tooltip program_id='2110787' first='Sixers' last='Elite'] in the quarterfinal round of the 17U championship bracket. DeFranco made four three-point baskets, all four of his foul shots and used the glass well on drives to the basket to score his lofty point total. A second-team all-league player in the Classic Eight as a junior, look for DeFranco to have another huge season for the Warriors in 2026-27.     In clutch time when the game is on the line, you'll want clutch players on the court. Servais is all of that for both La Crosse Central and the [program_tooltip program_id='2110787' first='Sixers' last='Elite']. On Saturday, Servais buried six straight foul shots in the final two minutes to help the [program_tooltip program_id='2110787' first='Sixers' last='Elite'] advance to the semifinals of the 17U championship bracket. He finished the game with a rather modest 10 points, but his decision making, physical and mental toughness, and experience in protecting a lead were important factors in the [program_tooltip program_id='2110787' first='Sixers' last='Elite'] win over [program_tooltip program_id='2076501' first='Chapman' last='Basketball Academy'] South.     Do not let Bartels spot up from three-point range. Repeat. Do not let Bartels spot up from three-point range. If you do, he will make you pay. On Friday night, Bartels buried five triples and scored 21 points in a win over [program_tooltip program_id='2076027' first='Wisconsin' last='Blizzard'] - Welson. Saturday, Bartels swished four triples and scored 23 points in a win over [program_tooltip program_id='2076501' first='Chapman' last='Basketball Academy'] South. He is wired to score and does so with great efficiency from deep, but he also scores by using his size and strength to muscle his way to the basket and foul line.

Some standouts from action Saturday at the annual Prep Hoops Wisconsin State Tournament held at the OAW Indoor Sports Complex in New Berlin.