State Tournament Preview: Division 1

<p><strong>MADISON -- </strong> A look ahead to the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament, which will tip-off on Friday from the Kohl Center...</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h5><strong>1. NEENAH (27-1, 17-1)</strong></h5> <p><strong>Key Wins</strong>: Kimberly (3), Pewaukee, Brookfield Central, Appleton East, Middleton, Eau Claire Memorial</p> <p><strong>Losses</strong>: Appleton East</p> <p><strong>Conference Finish:</strong> 1st in the Fox Valley Association</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Projected Starters</b></p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="865837" first="Chevalier" last="Emery Jr"]. (18.4 ppg, 4.5 apg) 6-0 Sr.</p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="1203253" first="Brady" last="Corso"] (9.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg) 6-0 So.</p> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id="1244880" first="Eli" last="Schmidt"] (6.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg) 6-5 Sr.</p> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id="950099" first="Carter" last="Thomas"] (15.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) 6-5 Sr.</p> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id="988975" first="J.J." last="Paider"] (11.5 ppg, 10-.7 rpg)  6-7 Sr.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Why Neenah?</strong></p> <p>A mixture of seniors and a bruising, athletic frontcourt. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/02/Emery.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1136928" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/02/Emery-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a></p> <p>He won’t win it in all likelihood, but Emery has a great case for Mr. Basketball. The Merrimack commit just won’t let his team die, hitting a number of game-winning/game-changing shots this season.  You also factor in that Neenah is without sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="963148" first="Cal" last="Klesmit"], who would have been first or second on the team in scoring, Emery’s senior leadership becomes even more special. </p> <p>The Rockets can also overwhelm teams at times with the frontcourt trio of Paider, Smith, and Thomas, who can all score, facilitate, and handle the ball on the perimeter. That versatility translates to the defensive end of the floor as well where they can switch and defend multiple positions.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h5><strong>4. RACINE CASE  (22-6, 12-2)</strong></h5> <p><strong>Key Wins: </strong>Westosha Central, Waukesha South</p> <p><strong>Losses:   </strong>Franklin (2), Whitnall, Wisconsin Lutheran, Brookfield Central, Verona</p> <p><strong>Conference Finish:  </strong>T-1st Southeast</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Projected Starters</b></p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="865835" first="Terryon" last="Brumby"] (18.6 ppg, 5.0 apg)  6-1 Sr.</p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="1206235" first="Termarion" last="Brumby"] (8.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg) 6-2 So.</p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="1289236" first="Adrian" last="Kobe Bryant"] (15.4 ppg, 3.5 apg) 6-1 Sr.</p> <p>F Cameron Werner  (6.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) 6-7 Jr.</p> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id="865834" first="Amari" last="Jedkins"] (17.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg) 6-8 Sr.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Why Racine Case? <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/01/Terryon.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1371716" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/01/Terryon-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a></strong></p> <p>Guard play. Not taking anything away from Jedkins, who’s a special talent, but the Eagles have three downhill attacking guards who can live in the paint. The Brumby brothers and  Bryant combine for roughly 57 percent of the team’s scoring and 66 percent of the assists for Case. After a shaky start, the Eagles have since won 13 of their last 14 games with the lone loss coming by two points to Franklin, a defeat they’ve since avenged in the playoffs by 16 points.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h5><strong>2. MENOMONEE FALLS (25-3, 14-2)</strong></h5> <p><strong>Key Wins: </strong> Brookfield Central, Whitnall, Waukesha South, Kimberly, Madison La Follette, De Pere</p> <p><strong>Losses: </strong> Pewaukee, Brookfield Central</p> <p><strong>Conference Finish: </strong>1st in Greater Metro</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Projected Starters</strong></p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="1129756" first="Seth" last="Trimble"] (26.8 ppg, 5.0 apg) 6-3 Sr.</p> <p>G Evan Redding (6.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg) 6-0 Sr.</p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="801135" first="Steven" last="Clay"] (19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg) 6-5 Sr.</p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="1012673" first="Cole" last="Sciortino"] (5.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg) 6-3 Jr.</p> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id="801159" first="Greg" last="Kemp"] (5.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg) 6-6  Sr.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Why Menomonee Falls?<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Steven-Clay.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1110237" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Steven-Clay-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a></strong></p> <p>Clay and Trimble are the best 1-2 punch in the state. This backcourt can absolutely explode and take over offensively. While [player_tooltip player_id="865843" first="Grant" last="Martin"] suffered a leg injury in the sectional finals,  the duo combined for 53 points to help push the Phoenix past De Pere. Clay and Trimble won’t get a gold ball on their own, but both are virtually unguardable 1-on-1 at this level. Trimble, a North Carolina commit, has turned it up to a different level over the second half of the season and cemented himself as the frontrunner for Mr. Basketball.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h5><strong>3. BROOKFIELD CENTRAL (23-5, 13-3)</strong></h5> <p><strong>Key Wins:  </strong> Racine Case, Menomonee Falls, Middleton (2), Sun Prairie</p> <p><strong>Losses: </strong> Wauwatosa West, Wisconsin Lutheran, Menomonee Falls, Neenah, Brookfield East</p> <p><strong>Conference Finish: </strong> 2nd in Greater Metro </p> <p><strong>Projected Starters</strong></p> <p>G [player_tooltip player_id="1023255" first="Drew" last="Edmond"] (5.9 ppg, 4.7 apg) 6-1 Jr.</p> <p>G Robert Bloom (2.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg) 6-3 Sr.</p> <p>G <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/andrew-rohde/">Andrew  Rohde</a> (28.5 ppg, 7.4 apg) 6-7 Sr.</p> <p>F Bennett Murray (8.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg) 6-4 Sr.</p> <p>F [player_tooltip player_id="1142131" first="Jack" last="Daugherty"] (13.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) 6-8 So.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Why Brookfield Central?<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/Daugherty.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1388446" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/Daugherty-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a></strong></p> <p>Rohde is putting  Mr. Basketball-type numbers in his own regard. In what was supposed to be somewhat of a down year for the Lancers, Rohde has kept Central  among the cream of the crop teams in Division 1, leading the teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. The Lancers aren't overly deep, but when they get good production from Daugherty, a budding top 10 prospect in the 2024 class, they can compete with just about anyone. In fact, Central is 16-1 this season when Daugherty scores in double figures, with the lone loss coming to top seed Neenah.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h5><strong>PREDICTIONS</strong></h5> <p><strong>Semifinals</strong></p> <p>Neenah over Racine Case</p> <p>Menomonee Falls over Brookfield Central</p> <p><strong>State Championship</strong></p> <p>Neenah over Menomonee Falls</p>