Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook

Observations from the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Summer Tournament held at Viterbo University in La Crosse June 7-8:

Pools A-B

Final Standings

Pool A – Eau Claire Memorial 3-1, Fall Creek 2-2, La Crosse Central 2-2, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 2-2, Ripon 1-3.

Pool B – Mineral Point 4-0, Onalaska 2-2, West Salem 2-2, Blair-Taylor 1-3, Menomonie 1-3.

Pool A vs. Pool B Championship Game: Eau Claire Memorial 57, Mineral Point 51.

Most Valuable Player

Matt Anderson, 6-6, Sr., WF, Fall Creek
An athletic wing player with excellent size and skill, Anderson played very well all weekend for Fall Creek. He averaged 15.7 points per game while playing against some outstanding competition. Anderson drilled eight three-point shots while helping the Crickets to a 2-2 record in Pool A. He was able to rebound at a high clip, push the ball in transition, make mid-range jump shots and defend with his length. A returning first-team all-league player in the Western Division of the Cloverbelt Conference, Anderson scored 15 points and had 11 rebounds in Fall Creek's 47-36 victory over Pool A-B champion Eau Claire Memorial.

All-Tournament Team (In alphabetical order)

Isaac Appleby, 6-2, Jr., PG, Eau Claire Memorial
Appleby isn't a big scorer, but he is a capable shooter who is more concerned with getting his teammate open looks and defending on the perimeter. His length, lateral quickness and stamina kept opposing backcourt scorers in check as the Old Abes won four of five games, including the Pools A-B title. Appleby did an excellent job of not turning the ball over and running the Memorial offense from his point-guard position.

Kobe King, 6-2, Soph., WG, La Crosse Central
King could emerge as one of the elite prospects in Wisconsin in the class of 2017 over the next 12 months. His length, athleticism, skill and feel for the game are outstanding. He has grown an inch or two since the end of the high school season and has also added strength thanks to his willingness to get into the weight room. King showed the ability to make long-distance shots while also exploding to the basket for layups. The son of former Wake Forest star Chris King, Kobe King is an athletic wing guard with an extremely promising future.

Luke Loewe, 6-2, Soph., PG, Ripon
Loewe was a bit up-and-down for the Tigers, who were competitive in all four games but managed just one victory at Viterbo. Loewe has very good size and skill, and can get to the basket almost at will. He scored 26 points in a victory over Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau and used his quick first step to earn 11 attempts from the foul line, making 10. Ranked No. 3 among class of 2017 prospects in Wisconsin by WisSports.net, Loewe recently picked up a NCAA Division I scholarship offer from IUPUI. With continued refinement of his skills and additional strength, Loewe figures to receive more scholarship offers over the next 24 months.

Turner Poad, 5-11, Sr., WG, Mineral Point
Poad isn't going to overwhelm opponents with his size, but his strength and skill are definitely top rate. He teams with Sy Staver to give the Pointers a lethal backcourt, both from perimeter-shooting and drive-to-the-basket perspectives. Poad averaged 10.3 ppg for a 24-1 squad last season and is a returning first-team all-league performer. 

Gianni Rossato, 6-7, Sr., WF, Eau Claire Memorial
Relentless in his approach to the game,, Rossato is a high-energy skilled forward who can face the basket and make perimeter shots or use his size to back down opponents and score in the lane. He averaged 13.0 ppg for a balanced Memorial squad that went 4-1 at Viterbo. The son of former Memorial and UW-Eau Claire standout Guy Rossato, Gianni runs the floor, defends and rebounds. He gives maximum effort on both ends of the court and is a definite player to watch in the Big Rivers Conference next winter.

Lucas Scherr, 6-4, Jr., F, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
Scherr scored in double figures in each of the four games G-E-T played, leading the Red Hawks to a 2-2 record. His physical strength and athleticism are difficult to contain, especially around the basket. He did an excellent job of attacking the offensive glass and averaged 10.6 ppg while also earning multiple trips to the foul line.

Sy Staver, 6-1, Sr., PG, Mineral Point
A two-time first-team all-league pick in the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League, Staver is a big-shot maker for coach Dan Burreson. He can drop three-point shots in the blink of an eye if given an opening, but he is also very good at penetrating to the basket and creating for himself and his teammates. Staver helped Mineral Point to a 24-1 record last winter and his ability to make clutch plays will undoubtedly be a strength for the Pointers again in 2014-15.

Braden Walbeck, 6-1, Sr., PG, Fall Creek
Tough-as-nails point guard who makes play after play for the Crickets. Can finish through contact, connect from three-point range, get to the basket off the dribble with his physical strength and make the extra pass to an open teammate. A returning first-team all-conference pick in the Western Cloverbelt, Walbeck and Anderson form a dynamic duo for veteran Fall Creek coach Rick Storlie.

Baily Williams, 6-2, Sr., PG, West Salem
A four-year varsity performer for West Salem, Williams has done an outstanding job of adding physical strength to his game. He has always been able to get into the lane, but now he's able to overpower opponents and finish at the rim with his size and strength. He skill-work on the perimeter remains strong, though he appears more comfortable driving to the basket than taking the three-point jump shot. Williams is a scoring point guard who can put up numbers in a hurry.

Jalen Zubrich, 5-8, PG, Soph., Onalaska
Zubrich has size 14 shoes so future growth is anticipated. His competitiveness, toughness, skill and leadership are already mature. A pass-first point guard who plays both ends of the court with equal energy, Zubrich runs the show for a very young but talented Onalaska squad. His ability to explode to the basket and find open teammates is impressive as is his mental toughness.

Team Champion
 
Eau Claire Memorial
The Old Abes appear primed to give four-time defending champion Rice Lake a run for its money in the Big Rivers Conference next season. Coach Greg Van Grunsven returns three players who earned all-league recognition in Ben Everhart (6-2), Giann Rossato (6-7) and Isaac Appleby (6-2). In addition, senior David Schnack (6-7) is a three-year varsity performer who can score from the perimeter and in the paint. Appleby and Everhart give the Old Abes an experienced, talented and tough backcourt while Rossato and Schnack compliment each other in the post. Depth appears to be a strength as well for Eau Claire Memorial, which finished 12-11 a year ago.
 
Notes
Look for Mineral Point and Cuba City to battle it out for the title in the SWAL as well as for the Division 4 Baraboo Sectional crown next season. The Pointers went 24-1 a year ago, losing to Cuba City in a sectional semifinal after defeating the Cubans twice during league play. In addition to the excellent backcourt combination of Poad and Staver, Mineral Point boasts a solid frontline with both Alec Schmitz (6-1) and Tarek Oellerich (6-3) expected to play key roles ... Kobe King might get more accolades, but La Crosse Central sophomore Baily Kale (6-0) is an outstanding class of 2017 prospect in his own right. Kale did a superb job of running the show for a very young Central squad that played without senior forward Jerred Ambrose (6-5) due to a conflict with baseball ... Ripon senior Riley Haas (6-3) played both games for the Tigers on Saturday, but missed Sunday due to a family conflict. He showed the ability to play inside and outside, while making good decisions with the ball. Ripon's Bennett Vander Plas (6-6) failed to reach double scoring figures in any of the Tigers' games, but his size and basketball IQ were evident throughout ... Ripon picked up a talented transfer in Eddie Muench (5-9), who started last season as a freshman for an Oshkosh Lourdes squad that went 25-1. Known as a long-distance shooter, Muench finished with seven three-point baskets in the four games for the Tigers ... G-E-T is once again the team to beat in the Coulee Conference. Coach Mark Wagner returns a talented cast, led by Scherr, junior Nick Wagner (6-2) and senior Carl Huhn (6-1). Both Nick Wagner and Huhn are excellent three-point shooters who can also score in other ways ... Sophomore Tyler Hughes (6-1) had some big scoring games for Onalaska, netting a game-high 21 in a 49-46 victory over West Salem ... Menomonie junior Nate Stanley (6-4) and seniors Hayden Swartz (6-4) and Brett Lindberg (5-9) played well for the Mustangs. Stanley is an athletic and skilled wing prospect who missed Sunday's two games with a prior commitment while Swartz used his size and mobility to score in transition and in the lane. Lindberg is a long-distance sniper who finished with eight three-point baskets in four games, including five in a 39-31 loss to Blair-Taylor ... Speaking of Blair-Taylor, look for the Wildcats to open the 2014-15 season as the No. 1-ranked team in Division 5. Coach Randy Storlie has a talented roster once again, led by senior point guard Brett Ladsten, who missed Saturday's games but played well on Sunday in a victory over Menomonie and a double OT loss to Mineral Point. Lincoln transfer Kolton Flick (6-3) and junior forward Dillon Zinn (6-5) also played well for Blair-Taylor.