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In-depth profiles for participating teams in 2014 Border Battle

01/09/2014, 10:30am CST
By Mark Miller

WISCONSIN TEAMS

Pacelli Cardinals (Stevens Point)
Coach:
Brad Rutta, 7th year
Top Players: Issac Elliott (6-1, Sr., 17.1 ppg), Tyus Groos (5-8, Sr., 6.7 ppg), Jake Feltz (6-6, Sr., 8.8 ppg), Brett O'Sullivan (6-4, Sr., 15.8 ppg), Colin Jamison (6-2, Jr., 6.7 ppg), James Gollon (6-5, Jr., injured, expected back for Border Battle).
2013-14 Record: 10-2 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Pacelli is one of the top teams in the Central Wisconsin 8 Conference ... The Cardinals went 15-9 a year ago and return all five starters from that club in Gollon, Elliott, Groos, Feltz and O'Sullivan ... Gollon's older brother, Jake, is a senior playing at NCAA Division I Mercer ... O'Sullivan is averaging a double-double for Pacelli this season. 
Coach's Comments: "Experience, senior leadership, athleticism and depth are among our strengths. Consistency and toughness are question marks."

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Waupun Warriors
Coach: Dan Domask, 6th year
Top Players: Mason Domask (6-3, Jr., 25.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Arik Tavs (6-3, Sr., 4.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg), Jordan Bille (6-4, Soph., 5.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), Jordan McGinnis (5-11, Soph., 6.6 ppg), Jack VandeZande (6-8, Jr., 2.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg), T.J. Gaubatz (5-9, Jr., 3.6 ppg), Brandon Wolford (6-4, Jr., 6.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg).
2013-14 Record: 7-5 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Domask is one of the top juniors in Wisconsin and is receiving recruiting attention from NCAA Division I and II schools ... The Warriors finished 18-6 last season and return a pair of starters in Domask and Schmitt ... Waupun is one of the top teams in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference.
Coach's Comments: "Chemistry, coachability and size are our strengths. Overall scoring punch and speed are concerns."

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Pius XI Popes (Milwaukee)
Coach:
Joel Claassen, 28th year
Top Players: Donovan Jackson (6-2, Sr., 18.6 ppg), Levi Bradley (6-7, Jr., 20.0 ppg), Brendan Bullock (6-1, Sr., 7.0 ppg), Demetrian Carr (5-6, Jr., 4.8 ppg), Arrion Dixon (5-10, Jr., 4.2 ppg).
2013-14 Record: 9-4 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Jackson and Bradley are receiving recruiting interest from NCAA Division I and II schools and form a dynamic duo for longtime Pius XI coach Joel Claassen, who is in his 10th year as boys' coach at the school after spending many years as the girls' coach at Pius XI ... Jackson scored a career-high 34 points in Pius XI's season-opening victory over South Milwaukee ... The Popes compete in the highly competitive Western Division of the Woodland Conference.
Coach's Comments: "Transition offense and depth figure to be our main strengths."

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Stevens Point
Coach:
Scott Anderson, 5th year
Top Players: Trevor Anderson (6-2, Soph., 19.6 ppg), Sam Hauser (6-5, Soph., 15.5 ppg), George Diekelman (6-2, Sr., 12.4 ppg), Jon Barnes (5-10, Sr., 5.2 ppg), Sean Van Helden (6-3, Sr., 4.1 ppg), Kirien Sprecher-Katzmarek (6-2, Sr., 4.0 ppg), Andrew Ruzek (6-6, Jr., 2.8 ppg).
2013-14 Record: 13-1 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Anderson and Hauser are ranked among the top players in Wisconsin in the class of 2016 and both are receiving recruiting interest from NCAA Division I schools ... Anderson's father and coach, Scott Anderson, was an outstanding player at Auburndale and UW-Stevens Point while Hauser's father, Dave, was a stellar player at Oshkosh West and Minnesota-Duluth ... Ruzek is considered a high-major football prospect. 
Coach's Comments: "Shooting and scoring are strengths along with experience, togetherness and ball security. We need to remain healthy and continue to develop our low-block scoring."

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Seymour Thunder
Coach:
Jon Murphy, 27th year
Top Players: Sandy Cohen (6-6, Sr., 18.3 ppg), Dakota Oskey (6-4, Sr., 18.4 ppg), Casey Jefson (6-0, Sr., 7.1 ppg), Alex Buchholtz (6-6, Jr., 8.0 ppg), John Powless (5-11, Sr., 4.5 ppg), Brayden Wilinski (6-4, Soph., 9.3 ppg).
2013-14 Record: 11-1 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Cohen is ranked among the top 100 players nationally by most recruiting services and has signed a national letter of intent to play at Marquette University ... Oskey, also an outstanding quarterback in football, will play college basketball at St. Norbert College in De Pere ... Murphy won his 500th game at Seymour last season.
Coach's Comments: "Experience and depth are strength along with Cohen and Oskey, who are both three-year starters. Our point-guard play and post play must continue to improve."

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Kaukauna Ghosts
Coach:
Mike Schalow, 19th year
Top Players: Kyle Schalow (6-2, Sr., 9.0 ppg), Trent Nytes (6-4, Sr., 13.7 ppg), Carter Belling (6-0, Jr., 9.6 ppg), Derek Hansen (6-0, Jr., 5.3 ppg), Cole Hake (6-6, Sr., 5.3 ppg), Alec Smasal (6-5, Sr., 4.4 ppg), Nic Patterson (6-2, Jr., 6.6 ppg).
2013-14 Record: 8-5 (Through games of Jan. 19)
Notes: Kyle Schalow is the son of coach Mike Schalow and the younger brother of Bemidji State senior Jake Schalow ... Kaukauna lost to Onalaska in the WIAA Division 2 state-title game in 2012 ... Nytes won the Division 1 state high jump title last spring by clearing 6-4 ... Belling has a DI scholarship offer from Kennesaw State.
Coach's Comments: "Team speed is our primary strength while overall size and rebounding are concerns."

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MINNESOTA TEAMS

Rockford Rockets
Coach:
Michael Tauber
Top Players: Brock Deering (6-5, Sr.), Nick Tully (5-11, Sr.), Joe Agre (6-2, Sr.), Brody Harstad (6-0, Sr.), Brendon Schumacher (6-0, Sr.), Tom Traen (5-11, Soph.), Ben Zilmer (6-6, Jr.).
2013-14 Record: 9-6 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Brock Deering and Nick Tully could become Rockford's sixth and seventh 1,000-point scorers since 2005, provided they stay healthy and produce at a high level this year. 
Scouting Report: Fresh off a 14-13 season, Rockford returns its top three scorers in Brock Deering, Nick Tully and Brendan Schumacher. "Deering and Tully will be three-year starters and Schumacher is a workhorse," Tauber said. "We will be challenged because we lost five players who played in the post position for us last year so that will be tough to replace as well as our starting point guard. We will need to replace the quality leaders we graduated and see some new leaders step up to fill in for us. We should be quite athletic and an improved scoring team."

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Byron Bears
Coach:
Kerry Linbo, 30th year
Top Players: Buster Meyer (5-9, Sr.), Tyler Coble (6-3, Sr.), Evan Richardson (6-4, Sr.), Joe Smith (6-1, Sr.).
2013-14 Record: 13-4 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Kerry Linbo has a career record of 441-266 in 29 years of coaching.
Scouting Report: Byron is coming off its first-ever state-tournament appearance. But it won't be easy to keep the run going with the graduation losses the Bears suffered. "We look to be competitive in our conference and the section," Linbo said. He listed the teams strengths as quickness and shooting while knowing the Bears must work on rebounding and gaining experience.

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Simley Spartans
Coach:
Ben Bushaw
Top Players: Sam Stensgard (6-2, Jr.), Jack Stensgard (6-0, Soph.), Alex Anderson (6-4, Jr.), Mark Della Vedova (6-9, Sr.).
2013-14 Record: 11-5 (Through Jan. 21)
Notes: Brothers Sam and Jack Stensgard will be a tough shooting tandem for Simley ... Jack Stensgard scored 37 points in a single game last year as a freshman, just three away from the school record. That total included 10 three pointers.
Scouting Report: With many younger players returning with varsity experience, the Simley Spartans will be much improved on last year's 12-15 record.

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Lakeville North Panthers
Coach:
John Oxton
Top Players: J.P. Macura (6-4, Sr.), Bronson Bruneau (6-5, Sr.), Connor Flack (6-4, Jr.), Alex Reiland (6-0, Sr.), Drew Stewart (6-1, Soph.).
2013-14 Record: 13-3 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Macura signed a letter of intent to play at Xavier University in Cincinnati last November ... Bruneau earned a Congressional Gold Award for volunteering in hospitals in Minnesota ... Macura averaged 25.5 ppg as a junior and is averaging 31.8 ppg as a senior ... Macura scored 51 points in a 97-94 3OT victory over Rosemount, Minn., on Jan. 17.
Scouting Report: Lakeville North looks to be competitive in the South Suburban Conference as well as Section 1AAAA, something that has become an annual tradition under Oxton ... The Panthers are one of Minnesota's premier programs and have qualified for the past two Class AAAA State Tournaments.

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Blake Bears
Coach:
Sean Kruger, 2nd year
Top Players: JR Bascom (6-7, Sr.), John Veil (6-0, Sr.), John Augustine (6-2, Sr.), Johnny Curran (6-0, Sr.).
2013-14 Record: 7-8 (Through Jan. 21)
Notes: Blake coach Sean Kruger put up a 22-8 record in his first season at the helm of the Bears ... John Veil has given his verbal commitment to NCAA Division III power St. Thomas.
Scouting Report: Blake had a great run in its first season under Kruger, reaching the state tournament for the first time in school history and winning 22 games. With the return of some of those key players, Kruger and company could make it two in a row.

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Centennial Cougars
Coach:
Brandon Mortenson
Top Players: Kevin Grow (6-7, Sr.), Tyler Peterson (6-2, Soph.), Clayton Byrd (6-1, Sr.), Mike Major (6-0, Sr.).
2013-14 Record: 9-8 (Through games of Jan. 21)
Notes: Kevin Grow has competed in the state cross country meet each of the last two years.
Scouting Report: Centennial returns just three veterans in seniors Kevin Grow and Clayton Byrd, along with sophomore Tyler Peterson. Coach Brandon Mortenson knows he'll need contributions from newcomers to improve on last year's 13-15 record. "We will need some juniors to step up and take hold of our open spots in the rotation in order to compete in our conference and section," Mortenson said.


​At Kaukauna High School
January 25, 2014

11:00 a.m. -- Stevens Point Pacelli (WI) vs. Rockford (MN)

12:45 p.m. -- Waupun (WI) vs. Byron (MN)

2:30 p.m. -- Milwaukee Pius XI (WI) vs. Simley (MN)

4:15 p.m. -- Stevens Point (WI) vs. Lakeville North (MN)

6:00 p.m. -- Seymour (WI) vs. Blake (MN)

7:45 p.m. -- Kaukauna (WI) vs. Centennial (MN)

Tag(s): Border Battle