Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook

Observations from the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Summer Tournament held in Burlington July 9-10:

Pools A-B

Final Standings

Pool A – The Prairie School 4-0, Milwaukee Bradley Tech 3-1, Badger 2-2, Kenosha Bradford 1-3, Milwaukee Messmer 0-4.

Pool B – Milwaukee Destiny 3-1, East Troy 3-1, South Milwaukee 2-2, Burlington 1-3, Kenosha Indian Trail 1-3.

Pool A vs. Pool B Championship Game: Destiny 52, The Prairie School 49, OT.

Most Valuable Player

Romaine Robinson, 5-8, Sr., G, Destiny
Exceptionally fast backcourt player who attacks the basket and gets to the foul line. Robinson is also a very good perimeter shooter. He made eight three-point shots and scored 32 points in a victory over Burlington. Robinson also made clutch free throws in the overtime triumph over The Prairie School. As a junior, Robinson averaged 12.8 ppg for a very deep and talented Destiny squad and figures to again be one of the leaders for coach Branden Joseph and the Eagles in 2016-17.

All-Tournament Team (In alphabetical order)

Jonathan Ciriacks, 6-4, Sr., WF, East Troy
A strong perimeter player with size and the ability to knock down three-point shots, Ciriacks tied Polkowski for the scoring lead for the Trojans in Burlington as each player finished with 45 points. Ciriacks' ability to take taller players out on the perimeter opens things up for his teammates to drive to the basket.

Andrew Curtis, 5-10, Sr., G, Kenosha Indian Trail
Playing alongside talented seniors Josh Washburn (Minnesota-Duluth) and Deryk Ruple (Carroll) a year ago, Curtis figures to emerge as one of the top backcourt performer for coach Al Anderson in 2016-17. Curtis was very aggressive off the dribble and with his long-range shots in Burlington and led the Hawks in scoring with 57 points in four games.

Mason DuMez, 5-11, Sr., G, Badger
A physically and mentally tough combination guard who can push the ball in transition, make three-point shots and get into the lane off the bounce, DuMez turned in one strong performance after another in Burlington. He had six three-point baskets and 22 points in a 51-44 loss to Bradley Tech, and five triples and 16 points in a 43-40 win over Messmer.

Ben Golon, 5-11, Jr., G, Burlington
With Nick Klug, Brock Halbach and Luke Gieger all missing most of the WBY Tournament due to prior commitments, Golon took it upon himself to help the Demons remain competitive, even with a depleted roster. The aggressive and physically strong backcourt performer scored in double figures in each game and drilled five three-point shots in a loss to Destiny.

Kenryon Gouveia, 5-11, Jr., PG, Messmer
Gouveia averaged 7.0 ppg as a sophomore for the Bishops and showed in Burlington that he has elevated his game heading into his junior season. Gouvia is a very good ball handling and passer who can also score. He had 22 points in a four-point loss to Bradley Tech and 16 in a two-point loss to The Prairie School.

Logan Krekling, 6-2, Jr., PG, The Prairie School
A skilled point guard with very good size and passing ability, Krekling is able to dribble into the heart of a defense and then use his size and vision to locate his open teammates. A capable scorer with an improved jump shot, Krekling is also a solid defender who can smother smaller guards with his height and length.

Zach Markland, 6-5, Sr., F, Destiny
Rangy, athletic wing player who can guard perimeter players due to his lateral quickness and length. Markland is extremely active on the glass and got several put-back hoops for the Eagles in their triumph over The Prairie School. Markland isn't a huge scorer -- he averaged 6.9 ppg as a junior -- but his ability to defend and rebound are huge assets for Destiny.

Troy Mikaelian, 6-0, Jr., WG, The Prairie School
Like Krekling, Mikaelian is a two-year varsity performer entering his junior season. One of the state's top three-point shooters who has made 120 triples in his prep career, Mikaelian has done an excellent job in the past 12 months of diversifying his game as he is able to get around defenders who crowd him on the perimeter and score in the lane.

Demonte Nelson, 5-8, Jr., G, Kenosha Bradford
After averaging 20.0 ppg as a sophomore for the Red Devils, Nelson continued his prolific scoring in Burlington, netting 22, 20, 16 and 22 while helping a young team to a 1-3 record. Nelson is quick with the ball, can pop in three-point shots and loves to create for himself off the dribble.

Lawrence Turner, 6-3, Sr., F, South Milwaukee
Turner used his aggressiveness and physical strength to get into the head of the defense and create scoring chances for himself and his teammates. He got to the foul line a lot for the Rockets and delivered by averaging a team-high 11.3 ppg over the four games in Burlington.

Kendall Wallace, 6-1, Jr., G, Milwaukee Bradley Tech
Wallace was the top scorer for the Trojans in Burlington, netting 55 points in four games for an average of 13.8 ppg. Wallace finished with 12 three-point baskets in the tournament, including five in a 53-49 victory over Messmer en route to scoring a game-high 21 points.

Team Champion
 
Destiny
Destiny may not be known as a basketball powerhouse outside the Milwaukee area, but that is about to change. The Eagles are absolutely loaded and figure to create state-wide noise in 2016-17 as one of the top WIAA Division 4 teams in Wisconsin. Coach Branden Joseph returns seven key players from a club that went 18-4 and lost to eventual state champion Dominican in the sectional semifinals. With Dominican moving up to Division 3, Destiny is the pre-season favorite to win the Sectional 4 title in Division 4. Robinson and Markland were outstanding in Burlington, but the Eagles also received strong performances from senior forward Terrence Banyard (6-6), junior guard Diovonte Caldwell (6-0), senior guard Cameron Posey (6-2). Destiny went 5-0 in Burlington playing without perhaps its best player as senior Sarion McGee (6-8) was playing in a grassroots event and did not attend. 

Notes
The Prairie School lost to Destiny in a Division 4 regional final a year ago and hopes to get another shot at the Eagles in the playoffs come next March. Though the Hawks lost in overtime to Destiny in the Pools A-B title game, there is little doubt Prairie has the talent and basketball IQ to have a big 2016-17 campaign. Krekling and Mikaelian are key returning players for coach Jason Atanasoff along with junior J.C. Butler (6-4), senior Mitchel Krekling (6-2), senior Matthew Coffman (5-11), junior Buddy Ladwig (5-11) and juniors Branden Osiecki (6-4) and Teddy May (6-3). Butler and Ladwig competed in a club event on Saturday, but both were able to play in the title game against Destiny. Butler has improved his perimeter shot and has grown, making him one of the top class of 2018 prospects in Wisconsin. Prairie plays solid defense, has very good depth and appears primed to make a strong run at Dominican and Kenosha St. Joseph for the title in the Metro Classic Conference ... Milwaukee Bradley Tech has a new coach in Rishon Haralson, who replaced Anthony Houston. Haralson guided the Trojans to a 3-1 record and some solid play from Wallace along with seniors Christopher Debose (6-2), C.J. White (5-9) and Jamous Powell (5-10) ... Messmer figures to battle Brookfield Academy for the top spot in the Midwest Classic Conference despite finishing 0-4 in Burlington. Coach Ken Klatkiewicz boasts two of the top players in the league in Gouveia and senior forward Kendrick McGahee (6-3), who was outstanding Saturday before sitting out Sunday's contests due to family commitments. In addition to Gouveia and McGahee, junior Ajani Sprewer (6-2) and sophomore Jalen Brown-Morrow (6-0) also performed well at times for the Bishops ... Nelson is the lone returning starter for coach Greg Leech at Kenosha Bradford. Several young players from a JV squad that went 17-5 performed well at times over the weekend, including juniors Arrie Parkinson (5-10) and Zach Borden (5-10) ... Badger figures to once again field one of the more competitive teams in the Southern Lakes Conference. Coach Forrest Larson boasts an all-league caliber performer in DuMez, a solid long-range shooter in senior guard Ian Schirtzinger (5-10) and a physical forward in senior Nathan Gibson (6-1) ... Kenosha Indian Trail returns a couple of proven backcourt players in Curtis and senior Evan Newman (6-1) along with an experienced junior in Brandt Brown (6-4), who brushed aside a recent injury to play very well in Burlington ... Talented junior guard Nick Klug (6-0) was fantastic in Burlington's 55-51 victory over Kenosha Indian Trail, scoring 28 points with a variety of jump shots, three-point baskets and drives to the basket. One of the top class of 2018 prospects in Wisconsin, Klug missed the final three games the Demons played in order to play with the Wisconsin Swing in the NY2LA event in Mequon, but his presence in the Demons' lineup gives coach Steve Berezowitz a 'go-to' player on the offensive end of the court. Golon and senior Liam Safar (6-4) both performed well in all four games for Burlington ... First-year South Milwaukee coach Chad Donahue watched the Rockets finish 2-2 behind some strong play from Turner, junior lead guard Nate Sielaff (6-1) and senior wing guard Austin Konczal (6-1). Sielaff saw considerable playing time as a sophomore and has the size and skill to make things happen on offense ... East Troy finished 3-1 behind consistent play from Ciriacks, Polkowski, junior guard Jared Brehm (5-8), junior forward Logan Mitchell (6-3) and junior forward Nick Bourdo (6-6). The Trojans once again will be a formidable force in the Northern Division of the Rock Valley Conference under coach Darryl Rayfield.

Pools C-D

Final Standings

Pool C – Mineral Point 4-0, Wilmot 3-1, Brookfield Academy 2-2, Cudahy 1-3, Shoreland Lutheran 0-4.

Pool D – Union Grove 4-0, Catholic Central 2-2, Living Word Lutheran 2-2, Neillsville 2-2, Iowa-Grant 0-4.

Pool C vs. Pool D Championship Game: Mineral Point 52, Union Grove 49, 2OT.

Most Valuable Player

Chance Wendhausen, 6-2, Jr., G, Mineral Point
In addition to drilling the game-winning three-point shot in the second overtime of the Pools C-D title game against Union Grove, Wendhausen finished with 19 points in a 55-45 win over Cudahy, 16 points in a 54-49 win over Wilmot, 18 points in a 50-48 victory over Brookfield Academy, and nine points in a 50-32 win over Shoreland Lutheran. Wendhausen averaged 16.8 ppg as a sophomore for the Pointers, and he continues to make strides in his game, adding weight and strength to his long frame while maintaining his ability to get to the basket and draw fouls while also knocking down three-point shots.

All-Tournament Team (In alphabetical order)

Jacob Bolwerk, 6-1, Jr., WG, Living Word Lutheran
A scoring wing guard with the ability to pump in long-range shots or beat defenders off the bounce, Bolwerk averaged 19.0 ppg as a sophomore at Living Word Lutheran and put up some big numbers in Burlington. He had 35 points and seven three-point baskets against Catholic Central and was the main scoring threat on each possession for the Timberwolves.

Jeremy Bruton, 6-1, Jr., WG, Wilmot
Bruton teams with classmate Latrell Glass to form a fantastic backcourt combination for Wilmot. A physically strong player with a good feel for the game, Bruton hit perimeter jump shots and also finished off drives with layups. He averaged 14.3 ppg over the four games in Burlington and made 11 three-point shots.

Aidan Clarey, 6-1, Frosh, G, Brookfield Academy
The third of coach Pat Clarey's sons to play at Brookfield Academy, Aidan Clarey shot the ball well from the perimeter, particularly on Sunday when the Knights dropped a pair of two-point games. He had seven triples and 21 points in a 59-57 setback to Wilmot and six threes and 22 points in a 50-48 loss to Mineral Point. Following in the footsteps of older brothers Sean (Michigan Tech) and Ryan (Whitewater), Aidan Clarey figures to be a nightmare for opposing coaches in the Midwest Classic Conference the next four seasons.

Latrell Glass, 5-11, Jr., G, Wilmot
A very skilled and smart combination guard who performed well in each game for coach Jake Erbentraut and the Panthers, Glass is coming off a season in which he averaged 12.4 ppg. He averaged 18.5 ppg in four games at Burlington and made eight three-point shots while also consistently earning trips to the foul line.

Riley Hale, 6-1, Jr., WG, Union Grove
An athletic player with a vastly improved perimeter jump shot, Hale averaged 8.8 ppg as a sophomore for Union Grove and had a couple of huge scoring outputs in Burlington. He scored 18 points in a three-point victory over Neillsville and had a team-high 15 points in the title-game loss to Mineral Point. 

Darren Jozefiak, 6-2, Sr., F, Cudahy
Jozefiak is a skilled wing player who scored at a high level for coach Nick Conrad in Burlington. He had 25 points and five three-point baskets in a 42-32 victory over Shoreland Lutheran and averaged 12.5 ppg for the Packers. 

Isaac Lindsey, 6-1, Frosh., G, Mineral Point
Mineral Point coach Dan Burreson is all smiles when he thinks about the fact he'll have Lindsey in his lineup over the next four seasons. A skilled, intelligent and remarkably advanced combination guard, Lindsey scored in double figures in all five games for the Pointers. He had 16 three-point baskets over the course of the tournament, including seven in a triumph over Shoreland Lutheran. Lindsey has a very promising future and, without question, is one of the top class of 2020 prospects in Wisconsin.

Jack Pettit, 6-0, Jr., PG, Union Grove
Pettit has grown substantially, both as a player and physically, over the past two seasons. The son of Union Grove coach Dave Pettit, Jack Pettit is listed at 6-foot-0 and it appears he could very well stretch out another couple of inches. He has good shooting range, but appears most comfortable attacking a defense off the dribble and finding open teammates on the wing. He puts a lot of pressure on defenders because of his ability to get to the basket.

Aaron Rueber, 5-10, Sr., PG, Catholic Central
A returning regular for a Catholic Central program that lost to McDonell Central in the WIAA Division 5 state-title game last March, Rueber does a good job of keeping his head up and pushing the ball in transition while also making sure to get his teammates organized in the half-court setting. A good on-the-ball defender with a high basketball IQ, Rueber is not a big scoring threat, but his presence in the lineup is absolutely vital for the Hilltoppers.

Adam Schmidt, 6-0, Sr., G, Neillsville
Schmidt was consistent in Burlington as he scored in double figures in three of four games for first-year coach Mike Gaier while ending with eight points in another game. The physically strong and aggressive backcourt performer averaged 7.5 ppg as a junior and shot the ball well from outside the three-point arc in the WBY Tournament.

Team Champion
 
Mineral Point
The Pointers finished second in the WIAA Division 4 State Tournament in 2015 and then went 11-13 last season. Look for Mineral Point to again emerge as one of the top teams in the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League along with Darlington and Cuba City in 2016-17. Wendhausen and Lindsey form a dynamic backcourt duo, one that ranks among the best in the state. Both guards have very good size and skill, and both can also use spin moves to free themselves from defenders off the dribble. In the post, the Pointers got solid production in Burlington from senior forward Jack Warrick (6-6), who averaged 13.1 ppg as a junior. Senior forward Lance Steffes (6-1) also performed well while helping Mineral Point to a 5-0 record. 

Notes
Union Grove coach Dave Pettit returns four experienced players and all four had their moments in Burlington. Jack Pettit and Riley Hale made the All-Tournament team while seniors Matt Nelson (6-2) and Jake Hansen (6-1) also performed well for the Broncos ... Wilmot lost by five points to Mineral Point while also rattling off victories over Brookfield Academy, Shoreland Lutheran and Cudahy. In the Panthers' 59-57 win over Brookfield Academy, senior Tony Stewart (6-2) finished with nine points while senior Darren Rita (5-10) added seven. The production of Stewart and Rita will be huge for Wilmot as opponents key in on slowing down Glass and Bruton ... Brookfield Academy is coming off another highly successful season as coach Pat Clarey led the Knights to a 20-5 record. Replacing four starters will not be easy, but senior center Alex Setzer (6-10), who played well in two wins on Saturday, and senior wing Zach Kron (6-3), who showed excellent shooting range, form a solid nucleus along with a couple of junior guards in Jack Cahalane (5-9) and Daniel Halquist (6-1). The addition of talented freshmen Aidan Clarey (6-1) and Jon Weber (6-6) along with Tenor transfer Marco Humphrey (6-0) figures to put the Knights near the top of the league once again. Weber, by the way, is the son of former Kettle Moraine and University of Wisconsin forward J.J. Weber ... Catholic Central played without two of its best players as junior Frank Koehnke (6-2) was playing club baseball and junior John Pum (6-0) was out with a shoulder injury. In addition to Rueber, Catholic Central got some solid play from senior forward Cole Pankau (6-2) ... Bolwerk is a threat to score on almost every possession for Living Word Lutheran, but coach Joshua Steffen is searching for additional scorers to take some of the defensive pressure off his star player. Junior Gideon Cain (6-4) was a bit hobbled in Burlington due to a recent ankle injury, but he did average 9.3 ppg as a sophomore. Junior Patrick Cassidy (5-10) had 10 points and two triples in a win over Iowa-Grant and could emerge as the No. 3 scorer for the Timberwolves ... Neillsville picked up a talented transfer from Shawano in Isaac Bryan, a 6-foot-3 senior forward who had 18 points in a victory over Iowa-Grant and 1`6 in a triumph over Living Word Lutheran ... Jozefiak received solid support from a pair of his Cudahy teammates as seniors Derrick Brooks (6-2) and Mykael Ignaszak (5-10) each performed well ... Finding enough offense might be a problem for coach Paul Strutz at Shoreland Lutheran, which finished 0-4. Seniors Ryan Sinsky (6-3) and Collin Doerflinger (6-1) showed flashes of becoming dependable scorers for the Pacers as did junior Jayke Giese (6-3).