Preseason Predictions: Division 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2023-24 WIAA boy's basketball season on the horizon, Prep Hoops Wisconsin reveals our preseason predictions in Division 2...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SECTIONAL 1 (MARSHFIELD)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Semifinals:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Onalaska over West Salem</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>River Falls over Medford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Winner:</strong> River Falls</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats were 15-10 last season, but play in a conference dominated with Division 1 schools. They now reload and look like the deepest team in this sectional. River Falls has a little bit of everything too. A relatively young group in 2022-23, the Wildcats return three of their top four scorers, including senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1434194' first='Joey' last='Butz'] (15.9 ppg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1434194"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65411e2feb49b"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SECTIONAL 2 (Whitefish Bay)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Semifinals:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ashwaubenon over West De Pere</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nicolet over Grafton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Winner:</strong> Nicolet</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Knights are seeking back-to-back trips to Madison and likely have a chip on their shoulder after putting eventual champion, Pewaukee, on the ropes in the semifinals. Nicolet has a 'big 3' in junior [player_tooltip player_id='1390443' first='Davion' last='Hannah'] (19.9 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='1598239' first='David' last='Bolden'] (12.1 ppg), and Rashad Davis (10.6 ppg). This group was led by underclassmen in 2022-23 and still went 24-5. Look for the Knights to make a big step forward this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1781157"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65411e2feb502"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SECTIONAL 3 (Watertown)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Semifinals:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pewaukee over Wauwatosa West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stoughton over Mount Horeb</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Winner:</strong> Pewaukee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nebraska commit [player_tooltip player_id='1089682' first='Nick' last='Janowski'] (23.2 ppg) and Pewaukee are in search of a four-peat. The Pirates have won each of the last three Division 2 state titles. While they'll have to move on without Milan Momcilovic, now at Iowa State, Pewaukee has a couple of players who will break out this winter, including [player_tooltip player_id='1815635' first='Isaiah' last='Robinson'] (6.7 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='1412882' first='Luka' last='Momcilovic'] (8.4 ppg), and [player_tooltip player_id='1544787' first='Karson' last='Osterman'] (6.5 ppg). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1089682"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65411e2feb550"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SECTIONAL 4 (Burlington)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Semifinals:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wisconsin Lutheran over Whitnall</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Greendale over Milwaukee Bradley Tech</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Winner:</strong> Wisconsin Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's been a long-awaited journey for the Vikings, who no longer have to go through Pewaukee to get to state. Hard to see them squandering that opportunity. Wisco has some big losses to overcome, including three of their top four scorers, but as long as [player_tooltip player_id='1142123' first='Kon' last='II Knueppel'], a Duke commit, is around, they're still one of the premier teams in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1142123"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65411e2feb59b"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">STATE TOURNAMENT</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nicolet over River Falls</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pewaukee over Wisconsin Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Champion: </strong>Nicolet</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a good case for Pewaukee to four-peat, and this probably only adds fuel to their fire, but I look at that semifinal matchup last season -- Nicolet should have won that game. The difference was Milan Momcilovic, who took over late when the Pirates were on the ropes. A young Nicolet team really handled themselves well in the bright lights of the Kohl Center. When it comes to rematches, I like the team that lost the first one. There's added motivation you can't prepare for. With [player_tooltip player_id='1887322' first='Matthew' last='McKay'] (7.4 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id='1731870' first='Damon' last='Landrum Jr.'] (4.2 ppg), I think the Knights are a little deeper and match up with the Pirates really well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1598239"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65411e2feb5ed"} /-->