Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook

Observations from the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Summer Tournament held in Plymouth over the weekend:

Pools A-B

Final Standings

Pool A – Plymouth 4-0, Kimberly 3-1, Marshfield 2-2, Madison Edgewood 1-3, Sheboygan South 0-4.

Pool B – Milwaukee South Division 3-1, Bay Port 3-1, Brookfield Central 2-2, Appleton West 1-3, Oak Creek 1-3.

Pool A vs. Pool B Championship Game – Milwaukee South Division 43, Plymouth 35.

Most Valuable Player

Jhiante Ellis, 5-9, PG, Sr., Milwaukee South Division
Ellis is the top returning scorer (7.3 ppg) for a South Division program that finished 16-8 under coach Ty Moseler last season. A physically strong and explosive lead guard, Ellis was able to repeatedly beat defenders off the dribble and either get all the way to the basket or pull up for a short jump shot. He scored 19 points in South’s Pools A-B championship victory over Plymouth.

All-Tournament Team (In alphabetical order)

Stephen Hodgson, 6-3, F, Sr., Bay Port
An athletic and strong wing player, Hodgson used his quickness and jumping ability to finish around and over defenders in the lane. His athleticism and aggressiveness also allows him to play strong man-to-man defense.

Parker Kastelic, 5-8, PG, Sr., Plymouth
Kastelic used his quickness and shot-making ability to help the Panthers roll through pool play with a 4-0 record. Kastelic may share point-guard duties or even play alongside emerging junior Owen Henricksen, giving coach Jason Duff a pair of point-guards in his lineup.

Konor Kulas, 6-6, F, Sr., Kimberly
Kulas almost appeared taller than a did a week earlier in Kaukauna. He is definitely growing, both physically and as a basketball player. Kulas took defenders off the dribble and finished on either side of the rim with his length and athleticism. He is poised for a breakout season for the Papermakers.

Shawn Luckette, 6-1, F, Sr., Milwaukee South Division
Luckette is one of those South Division athletes who plays a lot bigger than his height. He was a demon on both backboards for South and was able to convert almost all of his offensive put-backs. He was huge in South’s 48-41 victory over Bay Port, scoring a team-high 17 points.

Jackson Moran, 6-4, F, Jr., Madison Edgewood
Moran, who figures to be a key frontline player for the Crusaders in 2011-12, was extremely active on the glass and led Edgewood in scoring with 45 points in four games.

Kollin Neils, 6-1, WG, Soph., Plymouth
Neils is a very good all-around athletes and a skilled basketball player. He was able to keep the Panthers in the game against Milwaukee South Division by scoring in transition, from beyond the arc and from the foul line, finishing with a team-high 18 points.

Will Plucker, 6-1, WG, Sr., Kimberly
Once Plucker dropped a few shots, his confidence grew and so did his aggressiveness. He made big shots in a 33-32 victory over Marshfield and in a 37-36 loss to Plymouth.

Ryan Tachick, 6-5, WF, Sr., Bay Port
Tachick is an extremely versatile forward who can score facing the basket from the perimeter or inside with his size and strength. He had 19 points in a victory over Appleton West.

Donte Tidmore, 5-6, PG/WG, Sr., Milwaukee South Division
A three-year varsity letter winner for South Division, Tidmore is not a big scorer, but he nonetheless impacts the game in a very positive manner. He moves the ball on offense, applies tremendous ball pressure on defense and generally makes the right basketball play almost every time down the court.

Luke Zuiker, 6-2, WG, Soph., Marshfield
Zuiker averaged 12.0 points per game while helping the Tigers to a 2-2 record. He was able to score from downtown, off the dribble and from the foul line. He is extremely skilled, quick and athletic, and is definitely a player to watch in Wisconsin’s class of 2014.

Team Champion

Milwaukee South Division
Those who follow the Milwaukee City Conference closely know that Ty Moseler always gets the most out of his talent. That’s because Moseler demands his kids play strong man-to-man defense while also sharing the ball and working for a good shot on offense. The Cardinals almost always lack size, but they more they make up for it with their athleticism, quickness and tenaciousness. Ellis, Tidmore, Luckette and senior Cameron Pennington form a solid nucleus for South Division in 2011-12.

Notes

Senior Cameron Pennington (6-1) was the top perimeter shooting threat for South Division. He finished with three-point baskets made in each of the Cardinals’ victories … Plymouth played without returning junior guard Cory Unger, who sat out with an injury … Marshfield senior Ben Satter (6-3) gives coach Craig Michaelis a physical inside presence. He had a very good weekend for Marshfield and finished with 23 points in a 49-47 loss to Plymouth … Madison Edgewood senior Austin Arians (6-5) did not participate in the event. He instead competed for the Wisconsin Swing in a travel-team event in Las Vegas … Senior forward Mike Schroeder (6-3) was the top player for Sheboygan South. He made perimeter jump shots all weekend for coach Tim Schultz … Senior point guard Joey Calawerts (5-9) did an outstanding job of running the offense and making three-point shots for Bay Port … Oak Creek junior Terrence Garner (6-3) was outstanding in the Knights’ 32-29 upset of South Division. He finished with a game-high 13 points in the contest … Brookfield Central played without seniors Seth Mortag (6-4) and Nick Olson (6-7), along with sophomore Riley LaChance (6-1), but got solid contributions from senior forward Matt Lauritzen (6-4) … A very young, but rather deep Appleton West squad was led by junior wing Jake Verhagen (6-4) and sophomore forward Matt Reader (6-4).

Pools E-F

Final Standings

Pool E – Lake Mills 4-0, Oostburg 3-1, Kiel 2-2, Royall 1-3, Algoma 0-4.

Pool F – Mishicot 3-1, St. Thomas More 3-1, Ozaukee 3-1, Oconto 1-3, North Fond du Lac 0-4.

Pool E vs. Pool F Championship Game – Lake Mills 54, Mishicot 39.

Most Valuable Player

Dylan Cayo, 6-5, PF, Sr., Lake Mills
Cayo enters his senior season as a two-year varsity letter winner for the L-Cats. A hard-working and physical inside player, Cayo uses good footwork and physical strength to at times over power opponents in the lane. He has developed a nice mid-range shot to go along with his moves to the basket. Averaged 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game as a junior while helping Lake Mills to an 18-5 record.

All-Tournament Team (In alphabetical order)

David Esswein, 5-10, G, Sr., Kiel
Esswein is the most experienced player returning for a Kiel program that went 20-4 last season, but lost all five starters to graduation. Esswein turned in several strong performances for coach Jamie Arenz, including a 18-point effort in a victory over Royall.

Colten Haack, 6-3, WF, Soph., Mishicot
Coach Justin Bestor has a good one to work with over the next three years as Haack showed the ability to score in a variety of ways. He knocked down outside jump shots, took the ball to the basket off the dribble and posted-up in the lane. A skilled and long wing forward, Haack has a very promising future.

Eric Hartnett, 6-6, PF, Sr., Ozaukee
A three-year varsity player who has made strides in his game each season, Hartnett used his size and physical strength to score in the lane and off of offensive rebounds for the Warriors.

Tyrone Lewis, 6-1, WG, Jr., St. Thomas More
The son of Milwaukee Riverside coach Tyrone (Rock) Lewis, Tyrone Lewis is a quick, strong wing player who finishes at the basket while also making mid-range jump shots. His ability to elevate over defenders and get to the basket figures to be a key ingredient in St. Thomas More’s recipe for success next season.

Chad McFarlene, 6-0, WG, Jr., Lake Mills
McFarlene and senior Tanner Hogeboom (6-4) provide excellent scoring options for the L-Cats beyond Cayo and Turner Moen. McFarlene scored in double figures in the majority of games at the WBY Tournament for Lake Mills, using his quickness to get to the basket and the foul line.

Turner Moen, 6-1, PG, Soph., Lake Mills
A solid lead guard as a freshman when he earned second-team all-league honors, Moen runs the show for Lake Mills and does an excellent job of finding his teammates and taking advantage of his own scoring opportunities. He averaged 9.5 points and 5.0 assists per contest as a freshman and those numbers figure to go up next season as he continues to progress as a player.

Ryan Peterson, 6-1, F, Sr., Mishicot
Peterson is one of five returning starters for a Mishicot program that went 4-14 in the tough Olympian Conference and 5-18 overall last season. He averaged just 4.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a junior, but played well and scored at a good clip for the Indians in the WBY Tournament.

Brad Prinsen, 5-10, WG, Sr., Oostburg
A physically strong and mobile wing player, Prinsen uses his quickness and strength to beat defenders off the dribble and get into the lane for mid-range jump shots. He was also very active on the glass on both ends of the court.

Alex Stecker, 5-6, PG, Sr., Oostburg
One of the premier point guards in all of Wisconsin, Stecker knows how to get his teammates involved while also finding opportunities to score himself. He was outstanding all weekend for the Flying Dutchmen, who played without promising 6-8 junior Josiah VerVelde.

Daymeann Stewart, 5-10, PG, Soph., St. Thomas More
Stewart has a very promising future as he sees the court exceptionally well, pushes the ball with excellent speed and can make shots. He was outstanding in leading the Cavaliers to a 39-27 victory over Ozaukee.

Team Champion

Lake Mills
Cale Vogel has built the Lake Mills program into a consistent winner during his five years at the school. The L-Cats won 18 games last season and return four starters, including Cayo, Moen, McFarlene and junior Boomer Chwala. Lake Mills plays strong team defense, has some good depth off the bench and has a pair of ‘go-to’ players in Cayo and Moen. Though Lodi is the overwhelming pick to win the Northern Division of the Capitol Conference in 2011-12, look for Lake Mills to again be in the hunt for the title.

Notes

St. Thomas More played without standout senior Trevor Wattawa, but the Cavaliers got solid performances from a number of seniors in Justin Shervey (6-4), Derek Trader (6-0), Nick Reid (6-0) and Jonathan Star (6-1) … Junior Stephen Street (6-6) and senior Patrick Kroening (6-1) played well for Ozaukee … Senior Tyler Konz (5-10) was making perimeter shots at a high clip for Kiel … Royall played without junior standout Sam Murphy (6-4), but got solid performances from junior Nate Scheeter (5-11) and senior Gabe Ness (6-2) … Algoma’s Travis Kostichka (6-4) tossed in 17 points in a 47-46 loss to Kiel … Junior guard Trent Mehlberg (6-0) had a couple of strong showings for Algoma … North Fond du Lac finds itself in a complete rebuilding mode after losing seven of its top eight players to graduation. Sophomore Colton Krupp (5-10) is the most experienced varsity player for the Orioles.

Pools G-H

Final Standings

Pool G – Burlington Catholic Central 4-0, St. Mary Central 2-2, Montello 2-2, Cedar Grove 1-3, Dodgeland 1-3.

Pool H – Mineral Point 4-0, Random Lake 3-1, Iowa-Grant 2-2, Barneveld 1-3, Kohler 0-4.

Pool G vs. Pool H Championship Game – Mineral Point 42, Burlington Catholic Central 33.

Most Valuable Player

Dakota Poad, 5-10, WG, Sr., Mineral Point
A two-year varsity letter winner for coach Dan Burreson at Mineral Point, Poad was at times unstoppable at the WBY Tournament. He scored 28 points and made four three-point baskets in a 54-42 victory over Iowa-Grant and had 27 points and six triples in a 61-45 triumph over Barneveld. If given space, Poad can made opponents pay with his deadly perimeter shooting stroke.

All-Tournament Team (In alphabetical order)

T.J. Anderson, 6-1, WG, Soph., Iowa-Grant
Anderson light up the scoreboard from beyond the three-point arc for coach Toby Tripalin. He finished his four games with 12 made three-point shots, including five in a loss to Random Lake.

Colin Foote, 6-3, F, Sr., Burlington Catholic Central
Foote has outstanding length and he used it well to score in the lane for the Hilltoppers. Once he gains a bit more strength and confidence, Foote can become a force in the paint for Catholic Central in the tough Southern Division of the Midwest Classic Conference.

Braden Foss, 6-2, WF, Sr., Montello
Foss was the most dependable scorer for the Hilltoppers, who were highly competitive throughout the WBY Tournament. He finished with 15 points in a victory over Cedar Grove and had 18 in a close loss to St. Mary Central.

Sawyer Lee, 6-1, WF, Sr., Barneveld
Lee was outstanding in taking the ball to the basket. He somehow managed to avoid charging into defenders and was able to finish over bigger opponents. He also stepped outside and made some perimeter jump shots while also getting to the foul line.

Justin Lunde, 6-1, WG, Sr., Random Lake
Lunde did an excellent job of providing a perimeter scoring threat for the Rams in their victories over Kohler, Iowa-Grant and Barneveld. He knocked down several three-point baskets in each game and figures to be one of the primary scorers for Random Lake in 2011-12.

Evan Rathke, 6-3, F, Sr., Random Lake
Rathke finished in double scoring figures for the Rams in each of their four games. He scored on drives to the hoop and from the perimeter. He was also very effective in getting to the foul line for coach Steve Murphy.

Travis Steffes, 6-5, PF, Sr., Mineral Point
Steffes saved his best performance for when it was needed most as he scored 10 second-half points and 13 overall to lead the Pointers to a come-from-behind victory over Catholic Central in the Pools G-H championship game. Steffes gives the Pointers good size in the post and is active in the lane on both ends of the court.

Richard Vanden Branden, 6-0, WG, Jr., St. Mary Central
Vanden Branden was on fire from beyond the three-point arc as he finished his four contests with 14 made triples. He had five three-point baskets in a 39-34 loss to Catholic Central and figures to be the main scoring threat for coach Mark Ziebell next season.

Abel Wagner, 6-2, WF, Sr., Burlington Catholic Central
Wagner is one of the most experienced returning players for coach Eric Henderson and he played like a veteran in the WBY Tournament. He made perimeter shots, took defenders off the dribble and defended with a purpose while helping the Hilltoppers to a 4-1 record.

Ryan Zittel, 6-4, PF, Sr., Kohler
Zittel was a bright spot for Kohler as he was able to score in a variety of ways for coach Ken Roeder. He was especially effective at the high post as he either put the ball on the floor and got to the basket or dropped in some mid-range jump shots.

Team Champion

Mineral Point
Coming out of the highly competitive Southwest Wisconsin Activities League (SWAL), Mineral Point was impressive in pool play while defeating Random Lake, Iowa-Grant, Barneveld and Kohler. The Pointers then overcame a 20-8 halftime deficit to record a 42-33 victory over Burlington Catholic Central in the Pools G-H title game. Mineral Point won 16 games last season and returns a pair of starters in Poad and Steffes. The depth and competitiveness of the Pointers was evident throughout the event as they got solid contributions from a number of reserves.

Notes

Mineral Point coach Dan Burreson enters his 17th year as head coach at the school needing just four victories to reach 200 for his career … Freshmen Sy Staver (5-10) and Alec Schmitz (5-10) each received substantial playing time for Mineral Point and performed well against varsity competition … Freshman Spencer Wilker (6-0) knocked down five three-point baskets to propel Catholic Central to a 47-34 victory over Cedar Grove … Sophomore Jeremy Whitish (6-0) showed competed with poise and skill as the point guard for Barneveld … Barnveld senior forward Sam Nechkash (6-5), who averaged 12.2 points per game for coach Shawn Sullivan last season, did not participate in the event … Cedar Grove was a bit shorthanded all weekend, but the Rockets got some solid performances from sophomore R.J. Lemmermann (6-5) … Dodgeland junior Kendel Foch (6-0) turned in some strong showings for coach Bill Otte.