La Crosse Summer League: Week 1 Standouts

Tuesday night marked the start of the La Crosse Summer League, which featured play across thirteen courts at La Crosse Central High School, La Crosse Logan High School, and Viterbo University. Thirty-one schools were represented in a total of sixty-five games, from varsity level through eighth grade. Teams traveling the furthest to participate in week one were Decorah (IA), Rochester John Marshall (MN), and Mauston (WI). I was able to catch plenty of action at both La Crosse Central and Viterbo during the course of the evening and noted the following players and their performances.    Brone, who now plays with the [program_tooltip program_id='2076033' first='Wisconsin' last='Playmakers'] 2026 UA Rise squad on the Prep Hoops Circuit as well as others, continues to impress. The junior guard has moved into the primary leadership role for G-E-T this season and I saw him actively and positively coaching some teammates who are experiencing their first varsity action. A true "floor general", Mason has a very high basketball IQ to go along with quickness and exceptional athleticism. He anticipates well and jumps passing lanes to create opportunities for his team. He is a strong ballhandler who can pull up from distance, deliver a crisp pass or take it to the hole depending on the situation.     One of just a few seniors on the Aquinas roster for 2024-25, Bahr looks to have a prominent role in the plans for the upcoming season. He posted a solid stat line as a junior for the Blugolds, averaging 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3 assists per game and I would anticipate those numbers moving upward when the winter season commences. A left-hander, Trey has a nice-looking shot from three and uses his solid build to finish strong through contact. He did a little bit of everything in the game I watched, running the point, grabbing steals and converting, crafty interior passing, and some nice post moves to leverage his strength.     To begin, I want to state that North Crawford played some of the most balanced, team-oriented basketball I have seen in quite some time. I took notes on six players throughout the course of the game I watched, each contributing to the success of the team in multiple ways. Don't be surprised if you see more of their players in my posts as we go forward.   In this particular game, it was Emler who stood out the most. He has the hops to rebound and finish over opponents, despite his 5'11 stature. It did not surprise me to learn that he led his team in rebounding last season with 7.2 per game. He also uses his quickness to get around opponents and can convert in traffic as well. Carter does a nice job using his body to keep the ball high and away from defenders on his takes. Defensively, he jumped passes and was generally a pest to whomever he was guarding.     Hit four triples in a succession and you will get a write-up on Prep Hoops. That's exactly what Maddux did. While those were his only twelve points of the game, coming early in the second half, that sort of performance bodes well for the incoming sophomore and the young Westby team. Fencl showed some leadership qualities in directing his teammates on the defensive end and was solid on that end of the court overall. I look forward to seeing Maddux progress with the Norse in the coming years.     Hehli returns as one of the team leaders on a West Salem team that has reached the WIAA State Tournament in Madison in each of the past three years. He is on pace to eclipse the 1000-point scoring threshold within the first half of the upcoming high school season. Based on past performance, he'll get there by scoring at all three levels; deep threes, pull-up midrange jumpers, and hesitation and spin moves before attacking the basket. But Kyle's game isn't limited to scoring. He will penetrate and kick or make the dump-off pass if it's there. A team-first player, last season he averaged nearly four assists per game. He is light on his feet and uses that ability to be a tenacious defender who creates turnovers and accumulates steals. While standing only 6'0", Hehli is also an asset to his team on the glass, as he positions well for rebounds and fights for 50/50 balls.     I've had the opportunity to see Cael progress off and on over the past few seasons and there is a lot of promise in what I've witnessed. For many tall youngsters, it takes time for coordination and athletic ability to come along and with Cael's uncommon height, he is no exception. But those elements are most certainly showing up now. He has become a much more fluid athlete who looks very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He uses his height to his advantage and is fundamentally sound in keeping the ball high, although he will back down a defender utilizing his dribble, if he feels the opportunity is there. He moves well from the high to low post and has developed a nice touch to around 12 feet, including a soft turnaround in the lane. He will need to continue to build strength and add mass to his slender frame, but that appears to be coming along as well.

Tuesday night marked the start of the La Crosse Summer League, which featured play across thirteen courts at La Crosse Central High School, La Crosse Logan High School, and Viterbo University. Thirty-one schools were represented in a total of sixty-five games, from varsity level through eighth grade. Teams traveling the furthest to participate in week one were Decorah (IA), Rochester John Marshall (MN), and Mauston (WI). I was able to catch plenty of action at both La Crosse Central and Viterbo during the course of the evening and noted the following players and their performances.