Strolling through the Wisconsin prep hoops alphabet

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Time once again to stroll through the Wisconsin high school basketball alphabet as it pertains to the 2025-26 season. Some comments and storylines for each of the 26 letters in the alphabet follows...<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Appleton -- </strong>Appleton schools have won just two WIAA state championships since Appleton High split into Appleton East and Appleton West in the late 1960s. Appleton West won the Class A crown in 1970 while Xavier captured the Division 3 title in 2017. That's not a lot of titles for one of the state's biggest cities. It could change this winter, though, as upstart Appleton North figures to be in the mix in Division 1 with both Fox Valley Lutheran and Xavier fielding strong teams as well. Appleton East and Appleton West figure to be competitive, but not contenders this time around on the state level.<br><br><strong>Broeske, Jake </strong>-- Any time any player sustains a severe injury, you tend to root harder for that player to have success when he returns to the court. Such is the case with Broeske, a 6-foot-10 senior who missed most of last season and all spring and summer while recovering from an injury. He is back playing for a very good Lomira squad and hopes his strong play for the Lions this winter will land him some scholarship opportunities in the spring. Broeske averaged 21.5 points and 12.8 rebounds prior to his injury last season.<br><br><strong>Collins, Steve </strong>-- There are rumors this could be the last season for long-time Madison Memorial coach Steve Collins. If that proves to be true, Collins likely will go out on a high note as his squad this winter is experienced, versatile and physical. They are projected as a top 10 team in Division I and the team to beat in the Big Eight Conference. Collins entered the year with 492 victories and in all likelihood will join the exclusive 500-win club. That alone is a major milestone, but, so too, are his three WIAA state championships at the westside Madison school.<br><br><strong>Darlington </strong>-- Of the eight teams that won state WIAA football championships this past fall, Darlington might have the best chance at a double/double by winning a state hoops crown as well. The Redbirds compete at the Division 4 level and are loaded with standout players, all of whom played huge roles on the gridiron as well. That group includes seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2045300' first='Broker' last='Buschor'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3019634' first='Cagyn' last='Paisley'], juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2505508' first='Zeke' last='Zuberbuhler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2509473' first='Dante' last='Glendenning'], and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2369903' first='Ryder' last='Fitzsimons']. Coach Tom Uppena's squad is favored to win a league title and be a force once the playoffs roll around in March.<br><br><strong>Education </strong>-- To date, high school sports has avoided, for the most part, the glut of greed and non-loyalty that has taken over much of college sports at the NCAA Division I level. In its purest form, high school athletics should be about navigating setbacks, developing leadership skills and forming friendships and memories that help advance a teenager's physical, emotional and intellectual growth. Let's hope it stays that way well into the future.<br><br><strong>Fox Valley Lutheran </strong>-- With the largest enrollment in the school's 70-plus years of existence and a beautiful campus on Appleton's north side, Fox Valley Lutheran has emerged as the third largest Lutheran high school in Wisconsin with 833 students, behind only Milwaukee Lutheran (913) and Wisconsin Lutheran (38). The Foxes moved from the North Eastern to the Bay this school year, and coach Tommy Stelter has a team capable of contending for the league title. FVL is a school on the rise and one capable of becoming a power in the Bay in the years to come.<br><br><strong>Gray Jr., Yusef</strong> -- Destined to be a basketball player almost from birth, Gray has emerged as one of the elite players in the state's 2026 class. The son of former Milwaukee Vincent star Yusef Gray Sr., [player_tooltip player_id='2045256' first='Yusef' last='Gray Jr.'] is a defensive-minded backcourt court player who also loves to use his 6-foot-5 size and length to get to the basket to score or pass off to a cutting teammate. Gray is headed to Iowa State next fall and fits the mold of tough-minded, team players that Milwaukee native and Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger loves to recruit.<br><br><strong>Hereford, Amare</strong> -- A shifty point guard with excellent ball-handling skills, quickness of the bounce and the confidence to soar over defenders is always fun to watch. That pretty much sums up the game for Hereford, one of the state's best uncommitted class of 2026 prospects. The 6-foot-2 senior from Beloit Memorial came into the season with 1,480 career points after averaging 26.1 ppg as a junior. He is fun to watch because of his acrobatic moves to the hoop and ability to finish over taller defenders. He also gets into a stance and plays with energy on the defensive end of the court. Hereford is a player fans will want to watch during the 2025-26 season.<br><br><strong>Iola-Scandinavia </strong>-- One of the state's top Division 4 teams, the Thunderbirds of Iola-Scandinavia look to make another big splash this winter as coach Sam Bertsch welcomes back five starters from an 18-6 squad. Top-end college football recruit [player_tooltip player_id='2542526' first='Korz' last='Loken'] (6-5) and Division I basketball prospect [player_tooltip player_id='2352817' first='Alex' last='Robbins'] (6-7) give the Thunderbirds and imposing frontline. Betsch also has a talented backcourt with [player_tooltip player_id='1859310' first='RJ' last='Opperman'], [player_tooltip player_id='2829307' first='Jaric' last='Thulien'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3004507' first='Charlie' last='Tappa'] all expected to play key roles. Sixth-man Landon Fuhs (6-5) also is back for the team favored to win the Central Wisconsin East championship.<br><br><strong>Juneau, Milwaukee </strong>-- 2003-04. That's the last time a boys' basketball team from the Milwaukee City Conference won a state basketball championship. Jim Gosz's squad from Milwaukee King beat Steve Collins' team from Madison Memorial 75-58 win the WIAA Division 1 state title in March of 2004. Other teams from Milwaukee, obviously, have since won state championships. But no other City Conference team has hoisted a Gold Ball since the Dupree Fletcher-led squad in 2003-04. That nasty streak could end this winter as Milwaukee Juneau is among the favorites to win the Division 4 state title. Led by Gonzaga recruit [player_tooltip player_id='2194315' first='Dooney' last='Johnson'], the Pioneers are the class of the City Conference and hope thir strong play and talent carries over into a deep March run.<br><br><strong>Klaner, Matt </strong>-- Now in his 15th season as the varsity coach at Xavier in Appleton, Klarner began the campaign with 298 wins, He wasted little time in reaching 300 as the Hawks beat Mosinee and Green Bay West early in the year. Klarner won more games in his first 14 seasons than any other coach in WIAA history. Xavier won 20 games for the ninth time in 11 seasons last year as guard [player_tooltip player_id='2434543' first='Logan' last='Ramczyk'] earned co-Player of the Year honors in the Bay Conference as just a sophomore. Klarner's teams play an up-tempo style that features early shots, lots of three-point attempts and lots of cuts to the basket. His team in 2016-17 went 28-0 and won the Division 3 state championship.<br><br><strong>Liggon, Caleb &amp; Ezra </strong>-- There is no shortage of excellent brother combinations in the state with Jack and [player_tooltip player_id='2398448' first='Joey' last='Kohnen'] of Slinger and Kager and [player_tooltip player_id='2613959' first='Kinston' last='Knueppel'] of Wisconsin Lutheran immediately springing into mind. But Ezra and [player_tooltip player_id='1561947' first='Caleb' last='Liggon'] of Madison Memorial belong right near the top when discussing the top brother combos in Wisconsin. Ezra (6-5) earned first-team all-Big Eight honors as a junior while Caleb (6-5) was a second-team pick. Both outstanding athletes who bring plenty of versatility to the court, Ezra and Caleb have both committed to playing college basketball at Bradley.<br><br><strong>Manchester, Josh </strong>-- Basketball fans who enjoy watching players put up points while doing so against quality competition should do themselves a favor and check out Manchester, a 6-foot-4 senior shooting star for the Vikings of Mount Horeb. A four-year varsity player for coach Todd Nesheim, Manchester averaged 30.8 ppg as a junior. His shooting range extends well beyond the arc and his quick hands on defense almost always creates issues for opponents trying to not turn the ball over. Green Bay, East Tennessee State and Northern Illinois have offered scholarships to Manchester, who will make his collegiate decision following his senior season.<br><strong><br>North Crawford </strong>-- Away from the spotlights of metro areas like Milwaukee, the Fox Valley and Madison, North Crawford coach Chris Wettstein has slowly and earnestly built a strong Division 5 program in tiny Soldiers Grove. Not an easy task when your school has less than 140 students. But give Wettstein credit. He has spent more than a decade working with the basketball-playing youth in the district and his dedication is paying off. North Crawford went 25-3 a year ago and brings back three starters in [player_tooltip player_id='2424246' first='Cullen' last='Jacobus'], [player_tooltip player_id='2634881' first='Landen' last='Blaha'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2914986' first='Zack' last='Bender']. Top reserves [player_tooltip player_id='3021469' first='Sawyer' last='Stluka'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3021467' first='Gavin' last='Tamling'] also return and depth arrives from a 19-3 JV1 team. Wettstein, who learned the game as a high school player at Roncalli competing for then Jets-coach Joe Rux, has the state's top-ranked D5 team entering the season.<br><br><strong>Ott, Bryce </strong>-- One of the truly elite multi-sport standouts in the state, Oshkosh North senior [player_tooltip player_id='1973116' first='Bryce' last='Ott'] weighed scholarship offers for football and basketball before opting to attend Minnesota State Mankato for basketball. The 6-foot-7 wing is a versatile player who can defend different positions with his length and mobility while also scoring from the perimeter and near the basket. As a junior, Ott averaged 13.2 points and 6.0 rebounds while helping Oshkosh North to a 19-10 record and a spot in the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament. Ott and senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2784342' first='Jackson' last='Anderson'] are returning starters for the Spartans, who have won 136 games and a state championship under Brad Weber.<br><br><strong>Passing </strong>-- You hear it a few times almost every game … “nice pass!” Sadly, passing the ball to an open teammate for a good look at the hoop is somewhat unexpected in this age of drive-and-kick and beat you defender to the basket off the dribble. Still when a player makes that sweet dime, fans almost in unison applaud with the “nice pass” comment. Hitting one of your teammates in stride with a laser pass that leads to a layup remains a beautiful thing in basketball. Kind of like a player rounding the bases for a triple in baseball. To be sure, collegiate coaches notice the simple pass more than the average fan, and even making the correct pass isn't always something every player does well, given the style of play so many teams utilize these days. So next time you see a great pass, think of players from a bygone era like Tiny Archibald or Rick Barry.<br><br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2371688' first='Quinn' last='Gerke']</strong> -- A marksman from Tomah, Gerke is a slender but deadly 6-foot-2 junior wing prospect who averaged 20.6 points and 5.2 rebounds as a sophomore for coach Jeff Brieske and the Timberwolves. His ability to fill up the basket from outside the three-point arc resulted in him earning first-team all-Mississippi Valley laurels as a sophomore. He helped Tomah to a 9-17 record by averaging 20.6 ppg and 6.2 rpg. Gerke shot 41 percent from three-point range in 2024-25 and surpassed 1,000 career points early in his junior season. Gerke is one of three double-figure scorers back for Tomah along with senior Mike Zastoupil and [player_tooltip player_id='2508299' first='Owen' last='Laudon'].<br><br><strong>Racine St. Catherine's </strong>-- The Angels have five starters returning from a year ago when they finished 21-5. Led by University of Minnesota football recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1959723' first='LaMont' last='Hamilton'], St. Catherine's looks to compete with city-rival Racine Lutheran and Dominican for the Metro Classic championship. Hamilton averaged 30.4 points as a junior and began his senior season with 1,638 career points. His quickness and electric scoring ability are huge assets for coach Ryan Thompson. Also returning for the Angels are senior starters EJ Vinson, [player_tooltip player_id='2432733' first='Antoine' last='Ozier'], [player_tooltip player_id='2399573' first='Richard' last='Watson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2739730' first='A.C.' last='Ward'].<br><br><strong>Storlie, Rick </strong>-- It's been three seasons since coach Rick Storlie's Fall Creek Crickets have won the title in the Western Cloverbelt Conference. The streak of non-league titles for this proud program could very well end this winter as all five starters return from a unit that won 18 games a year ago. In addition, Storlie's guidance should be a major plus as the veteran mentor begins his 27th year at the school needing just 13 wins to reach 400 for his career. It's still a bit behind his brother, Randy, who has won over 600 games at Blair-Taylor, but it's a mighty milestone nonetheless. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='3019936' first='Cullen' last='Kramer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3019937' first='Corbin' last='Sell'] along with juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2405803' first='Jackson' last='Tangley'], [player_tooltip player_id='3019927' first='Josh' last='Wright'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2391346' first='Miles' last='Schmidgall'] form a strong nucleus at Fall Creek, which will battle Stanley-Boyd, Regis, Elk Mound and McDonell Central Catholic, among others, for the Western Cloverbelt crown.<br><br><strong>Tigerton</strong> -- Can a school of a mere 62 students win a state championship? Tigerton will attempt to do just that this winter and don't count the Tigers out as it relates to hoisting the Gold Ball at the WIAA Division 5 level. Coach Dan Hoffa has a veteran team led by a talented big man. A really big man. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2382317' first='James' last='Brady'] and his 6-foot-10 size, not to mention his 20.3 ppg and 10.9 rpg averages as a sophomore, will be difficult for any team at the Division 5 level to guard. He has slimmed down from a year ago and now is running the court at a good level. And Tigerton has more than just Brady in its arsenal. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2947704' first='Sam' last='Anheuser'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2947705' first='Caleb' last='Dahlstrom'] joined Brady in the Tigers' starting rotation last season, helping the club to a 24-2 record and the championship of the Central Wisconsin North Conference. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2947706' first='Gavin' last='Kielblock'], [player_tooltip player_id='3022559' first='Brody' last='Miller'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3022561' first='Tanner' last='Dent'] also figure to play important roles for Tigerton, which opened the season with convincing wins over both Green Bay NEW Lutheran and Manawa.<br><br><strong>Unfortunate</strong> -- The days of looking forward to seeing all the boxscores and game stories from your area in your daily newspaper, unfortunately, are long gone. The coverage local papers gave to high school sports from the 1920s through 2010 or so was nothing short of outstanding. But the internet and other factors led to the gutting of newsrooms across the country and sports departments were not spared. High school sports coverage, save for a few papers here and there, became an easy casulty for newspaper administrators looking to cut costs. So finding boxscores in the Wisconsin State Journal, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Appleton Post-Crescent and others became a thing of the past. And now, with no less than four internet platforms in Wisconsin attempting to gain stats, schedules, rosters and more from high schools across the state, the coverage is spread out and not always easy to find. One thing for sure, though. Prep Hoops Wisconsin will cover high school basketball in Wisconsin 12 months a year, unlike most sites that drop off their coverage dramatically once the season ends.<br><br><strong>Verona </strong>-- While many school districts across the state are dealing with fewer numbers and, at some places, alarming enrollment data, Verona is headed in the other direction. With a new high school opened just a few years ago and a growing economy and population, Verona is a thriving, both as a community and as a school system. For the 2025-26 school year, no less than 1,856 students are enrolled at Verona High School, firmly establishing the Wildcats as one of the bigger schools in Wisconsin. On the basketball court, coach Curtrel Robinson's crew went 20-7 last season, but lost all five starters to graduation. Still, there is plenty of depth and talent remaining, led by emerging junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2505503' first='Will' last='Stremlow']. Seniors Owen Ayite-Atayi, [player_tooltip player_id='2381701' first='Eli' last='Andres'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2993117' first='Maddox' last='Boado'] along with sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2618890' first='Terrin' last='Jackson'] also figure to play key roles for the Wildcats.<br><br><strong>Wisconsin Lutheran </strong>-- Following in the footsteps of recent juggernaut teams at Madison Memorial, Germantown and Stevens Point, Wisconsin Lutheran has emerged as the premier program in the state. Winning 58 of 60 games and WIAA Division 1 and Division 2 state championships over the past two seasons, the Vikings have become the standard other programs strive to become in our state. Of course, much of Wisconsin Lutheran's success in the past was due to the presence of Kon Knueppel, the 2024 Mr. Basketball-award winner who went on to play one year at Duke and now is with the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA. But many others have also played huge roles in the Vikings' success. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1552512' first='Zavier' last='Zens'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2140949' first='Kager' last='Knueppel'] are the stars of this year's squad and both will try to help the Vikings to their third straight state title come March.<br><strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2848254' first='Xander' last='Klein']</strong> -- One of the more talented returning players for a Wausau East program that advanced to the WIAA Division 2 State Tournament in 2024-25, Klein figures to take on a much bigger role for coach Dan Garrett after coming off the bench as a sophomore last winter. A 6-foot-2 wing prospect, Klein can play either guard position and has a penchant for finding open teammates with his accurate passing skills. Along with seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2574631' first='Robbie' last='Angiulli'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2854577' first='Miles' last='Casey'], Klein figures to be one of the elite players for the Lumberjacks.<br><br><strong>Youngbauer, William </strong>-- One of the better shooters and scorers in the Dairyland Conference, Youngbauer is coming off a sophomore season where he averaged 12.0 points and 4.2 rebounds for coach Tyler Petersen at Whitehall. The 5-foot-11 backcourt ace was the leading scorer for The Norse with 26 points and seven three-point baskets in an early season victory over Alma/Pepin. Competing in the Large Schools Division of the Dairyland, Whitehall looks to compete for the league title behind the strong play of Youngbauer.<br><br><strong>Zavatchin, JJ </strong>-- A player who competes with a non-stop motor, Zavatchin recently became the all-time leading scorer in the history of the storied program at Oostburg. A home-schooled student who lives in the Oostburg district and thus is eligible to play for the Flying Dutchmen under WIAA rules, the 6-foot-3 Zavatchin recently surpassed Bob Hilbelink, who scored 1,694 points at Oostburg from 1954-57. Zavatchin likely will eclipse 2,000 career points and hopes to lead Oostburg back to the WIAA State Tournament for the first time since 2011 before going on to play college basketball at NCAA Division III Bethel University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->