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In-depth previews for teams participating in the 2019 Wisconsin vs. Illinois Border Battle

01/14/2019, 11:45am CST
By Mark Miller

 

 

 

 

 

 

All games for the 2nd annual Wisconsin vs. Illinois Border Battle will be streamed live at .... 

https://www.ballertv.com/events/wisconsin-illinois-border-battle


Quinton Stafford

2019 WISCONSIN VS. ILLINOIS BORDER BATTLE
Saturday, February 9, 2019
At The Prairie School, Racine, Wis.


11:00 A.M. Game (Updated 2/3/2019)

The Prairie School Hawks
Coach:
 Jason Atanasoff, 8th year
Enrollment: 272
Top Players: Isaiah Hoyt (6-0, Soph., 12.2 ppg, 3.8 apg), Quinton Stafford (6-0, Sr., 9.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg), Jack Polzin (6-2, Sr., 9.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg), Antuan Nesbitt (6-3, Soph., 14.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg), Jacob Fallico (5-9, Soph., 7.5 ppg), Kody Krekling (6-3, Soph., 3.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg).
2018-19 Record: 8-6 (Through Feb. 4)
Notes: The Hawks lost all five starters from last year's club that went 21-5 and won the Metro Classic Conference championship ... JC Butler is now playing at UC-Irvine, Troy Mikaelian is playing at Lawrence University and Logan Krekling is playing at St. Norbert College ... Sophomore Antuan Nesbitt is ranked as one of the top class of 2021 prospects in Wisconsin by WisSports.net.   
Coach's Comments: "Guard play and outside shooting are strengths while lack of experience, size, rebounding and interior presence are concerns."

Liberty Eagles
Coach: Greg Altmix, 5th year
Enrollment: 183
Top Players: Jordan Neisen (6-2, Jr.), Landon Obert (6-2, Jr.), Nolton Klingele (6-0, Soph.), Ryan Hedrick (6-1, Soph.).
2018-19 Record: 10-12 (Through games of Feb. 3)
Notes: Liberty High School is located 78 miles west of Springfield, Ill., and is a member of the West Central Conference ... Liberty has a very young team with no seniors on the varsity roster along with four juniors, two sophomores and seven freshmen.

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Marcus Domask

12:30 P.M. Game 

Waupun Warriors
Coach:
 Dan Domask, 11th year
Enrollment: 553
Top Players: Marcus Domask (6-6, Sr., 28.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg), Trevor VandeZande (6-0, Sr., 8.5 ppg, 2.9 apg), Reece Homan (6-4, Sr., 7.3 ppg), Quintin Winterfeldt (6-4, Sr., 11.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Connor Kamphuis (6-3, Sr., 4.0 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 14-1 (Through Feb. 3)
Notes: The Warriors won the WIAA Division 3 State championship in 2016 when Northern Kentucky recruit Marcus Domask was a freshman ... Domask is the son of head coach, Dan Domask, and the all-time leading scorer in Waupun history ... Quintin Winterfeldt is a transfer from Fond du Lac who has signed to play with NCAA Division II Minnesota-Crookston ... Domask, Trevor VandeZande and Reece Homan are returning starters from last year's club that went 24-2 and shared the East Central Confernece title with Kettle Moraine Lutheran.   
Coach's Comments: "Experience, knowledge, depth and determination are among our strengths. Chemistry and Fortnite are among our concerns."

Chicago Providence-St. Mel Knights
Coach: Tim Ervin
Enrollment: 155
Top Players: Taeyon Neal (6-9, Sr.), Deion Jackson (6-3, Sr.), Tim Ervin Jr. (5-6, Sr.), Eric Jordan (6-2, Sr.), Jason Mason (6-5, Sr.), Tyriel Nelson (6-2, Sr.), Samuel Herenton (6-3, Jr.).
2018-19 Record: 19-5 (Through games of Feb. 3)
Notes: The Knights compete in the White Division of the Chicago Catholic League ... Neal signed with NCAA Division I Illinois-Chicago last November ... Providence-St. Mel won the Quincy Thanksgiving Tournament with victories over Waukegan and Quincy ...  Providence-St. Mel has been ranked among the top 25 teams in the Chicago area by the Chicago Sun Times for most of the season.

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Ben Probst

2:00 P.M. Game 

Madison La Follette
Coach:
 Curtrel Robinson, 5th year
Enrollment: 1,572
Top Players: Donneil Gray (5-5, Sr., 14.6 ppg, 3.3 apg), Ben Probst (6-1, Jr., 15.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Troy Reeves (5-11, Sr., 16.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg), Isaiah Stewart (6-1, Jr., 10.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Derek Gray (6-0, Jr., 7.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg).
2018-19 Record: 13-4 (Through Feb. 6)
Notes: The Lancers finished 19-6 last season and return four starters in Donneil Gray, Reeves, Stewart and Probst ... Gray earned first-team all-league honors as a junior in the Big Eight Conference ... Probst is a three-year varsity performer for Madison La Follette.   
Coach's Comments: "Experience at the guard positions is a strength along with athleticism, the ability to score and the ability to defend. We lack size."

Niles North Vikings
Coach: Glenn Olson
Enrollment: 2,059
Top Players: Aquan Smart (6-2, Jr.), Myles Davis (5-10, Sr.), Omar Policape (6-2, Sr.), Jalen Butler (6-5, Soph.).
2018-19 Record: 18-7 (Through games of Feb. 4)
Notes: The Vikings compete in one of the most competitive conferences in the Chicago area in the Central Suburban South ... Smart started as a sophomore last season while Butler saw action off the bench for coach Glenn Olson.

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3:30 P.M. Game 

Racine Case
Coach:
 Jacob Berce, 2nd year
Enrollment: 1,800
Top Players: Jakobe Thompson (6-0, Soph., 20.3 ppg), Terryon Brumby (6-0, Frosh., 13.8 ppg), Cody Sardin (6-4, Sr., 6.7 ppg), JayVian Farr (5-10, Jr., 5.6 ppg), Mylin Duffie (5-11, Sr., 5.9 ppg), Jonathan Rankins (6-0, Jr., 6.3 ppg), Logan Schmidtmann (6-0, Jr., 4.4 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 10-5 (Through Feb. 4)
Notes: The Eagles have an experienced yet young squad led by one of the state's top sophomores, guard Jakobe Thompson ... Case is coming a 10-13 season, but has evolved into one of the better teams in the Southeast Conference under second-year coach Jacob Berce.   
Coach's Comments: "Quickness, guard play, athleticism and depth are all strengths. Lack of overall size is our top concern."

New Trier Trevians
Coach: Scott Fricke
Enrollment: 3,925
Top Players: Ciaran Brayboy (6-9, Sr.), Spencer Boehm (6-8, Sr.), Noah Osher (6-0, Sr.), Sam Silverstein (6-5, Sr.), John Carragher (6-3, Jr.).
2018-19 Record: 21-3 (Through games of Feb. 3)
Notes: The Trevians compete in the Central Suburban South Conference along with Niles North ... Brayboy has committed to NCAA Division I Harvard to play basketball ... Boehm has committed to NCAA Division III Washington University in St. Louis.

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Tanner Resch

5:00 P.M. Game 

Sussex Hamilton Chargers
Coach:
 Andy Cerroni, 18th year
Enrollment: 1,434
Top Players: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (6-9, Soph., 17.9 ppg), JT Hoytink (6-1, Jr., 7.1 ppg), Carson Smith (6-1, Jr., 10.9 ppg), Lucas Finnessy (6-4, Jr., 7.0 ppg), Tanner Resch (5-11, Soph., 9.7 ppg), Ty Ellingson (6-5, Sr., 8.7 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 12-3 (Through Feb. 4)
Notes: Veteran coach Andy Cerroni boasts one of nation's top high school players in Baldwin, who is ranked No. 1 nationally in the class of 2021 by 247Sports ... Baldwin is the son of UW-Milwaukee coach Pat Baldwin and was enrolled at Loyola Academy before the family moved to Milwaukee after Baldwin got the job at Milwaukee in the spring of 2017 ... Sussex Hamilton finished 17-10 a year ago and qualified for the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament.   
Coach's Comments: "Experience, perimeter play and toughness are strengths. Rebounding and experience off the bench are concerns."

Loyola Academy Ramblers
Coach: Tom Livatino
Enrollment: 2,009
Top Players: Jordan Kwiecinski (6-7, Jr.), Bennett Kwiecinski (6-7, Jr.), Connor Barrett (6-4, Sr.), Kyle WIlson (6-6, Soph.).
2018-19 Record: 17-8 (Through games of Feb. 3)
Notes: The Ramblers compete in the Chicago Catholic League and are members of the Blue Division ... Juniors Jordan and Bennett Kwiecinski are both ranked among the top 25 juniors in the state of Illinois.

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Donovan Ivory

6:30 P.M. Game 

Kaukauna Ghosts
Coach:
 Michael Schalow, 24th year
Enrollment: 1,165
Top Players: Keaton Ferris (5-11, Jr., 15.0 ppg), Donovan Ivory (6-5, Sr., 20.3 ppg), Logan Jedwabny (6-2, Jr., 18.1 ppg), Jacob Newhouse (6-5, Jr., 10.7 ppg), Brayden Ivory (6-1, Sr., 9.7 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 13-4 (Through Feb. 4)
Notes: Ferris and Donovan Ivory are returning starters from Kaukauna's team that went 25-3 and won the WIAA Division 2 state title last season ... Donovan Ivory signed a NCAA Division II letter of intent to play at Minnesota-Duluth while his brother, Brayden, plans to play at Division III UW-Superior.    
Coach's Comments: "Offensive tempo, offensive spacing, attitude and confidence are strengths. Defense and free-throw shooting are concerns."

Marian Catholic Spartans
Coach: Mike Taylor
Enrollment: 1,004
Top Players: Ahron Ulis (6-1, Jr.), Chris White (6-7, Sr.), Elijah Jones (6-5, Jr.), Joe Green (6-0, Jr.).
2018-19 Record: 22-3 (Through games of Feb. 3)
Notes: The Spartans boast one of the top juniors in Illinois in point guard Ahron Ulis, whose older brother, Tyler, played at Kentucky ... The Spartans compete in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.

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Logan Morrow

8:00 P.M. Game 

Neenah Rockets
Coach:
 Lee Rabas, 4th year
Enrollment: 2,077
Top Players: Logan Morrow (6-5, Sr., 12.5 ppg), Max Klesmit (6-3, Jr., 22.7 ppg), Jake Hablewitz (5-11, Sr., 9.5 ppg), Sam Dietrich (6-1, Sr., 6.5 ppg), Ethan Parker (6-3, Sr., 5.5 ppg), Grayson Schroeder (6-0, Sr., 3.6 ppg), Jacob Dietz (6-2, Soph., 4.2 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 11-6 (Through Feb. 4)
Notes: Neenah is among the top teams in the highly competitive Fox Valley Association ... Morrow and Klesmit are returning regulars from last year's squad that finished 12-12 ... Sophomore Grant Flory was lost for the season with an injury, but is ranked among the top 2021 players in the state.   
Coach's Comments: "Perimeter play, depth and competition for playing time are strong suits. Rebounding, defense, post play, team play on offense and taking care of the ball are among our questions."

Deerfield Warriors
Coach: Dan McKendrick
Enrollment: 1,622
Top Players: Brandon Lieb (6-9, Jr.), Ara Emerzian (6-1, Sr.), Jackson Kenyon (6-7, Sr.).
2018-19 Record: 15-9 (Through games of Feb. 3)
Notes: The Warriors compete in the Central Suburban North Conference ... Lieb is ranked among the top 50 players in Illinois in the 2020 class.

Tag(s): Border Battle  Wisconsin vs Illinois