Boys Basketball Bracket Breakdown - Division 2 - Sections 1-2
With boys basketball playoffs starting on Tuesday, let’s take a look at the teams competing with the dream of bringing the Gold Ball back home at the end of the tournament. We’ll take a look at every team in the tournament, their ranking according to us at Zaleski Sports, and a key player to watch for each team.
*Stats Courtesy of Wissports*
*Team Records Courtesy of the WIAA*
*Zaleski Sports Rankings are from the complete regular season, including week after Bracket Release*
Section 1 (Final at Marshfield)
Sectional A: (Semi at Wausau East)
(1) Wausau East Lumberjacks (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 14 – 3rd in Wisconsin Valley
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Merrill/Ashland
Player to Watch: #3 Jesse Napgezek, Jr (17.7 PPG, 4.8 Rebounds, 2.2 Steals)
(2) River Falls Wildcats (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 16 – 3rd in Big Rivers
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Lakeland/Menomonie
Player to Watch: #24 Joey Butz, Sr (21.1 PPG – 1,051 Career Points)
(3) New Richmond Tigers (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 15 – 4th in Big Rivers
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Medford/Antigo
Player to Watch: #10 Reis Hidde, Sr (18.4 PPG, 3.7 Rebounds)
(4) Rice Lake Warriors (14-10) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 34 – 6th in Big Rivers
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Rhinelander/Hayward
Player to Watch: #10 Zach Orr, Jr (19 PPG, 4 Rebounds, 3.2 Assists – 1,032 Career Points)
(5) Rhinelander Hodags (15-9) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 35 – Great Northern Co-Champion
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Hayward
Player to Watch: #24 Will Gretzinger, Sr (15.7 PPG, 2.6 Assists)
(6) Medford Raiders (11-13) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 53 – 3rd in Great Northern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Antigo
Player to Watch: #1 Tanner Hraby, Sr (22.6 PPG, 5.2 Rebounds, 2.4 Steals – 1,303 Career Points)
(7) Lakeland Thunderbirds (11-13) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 54 – 4th in Great Northern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Menomonie
Player to Watch: #1 Danny Gahler, Sr (13.7 PPG)
(8) Merrill Bluejays (7-17) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 64 – 7th in Wisconsin Valley
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Ashland
Player to Watch: #2 Carter Baade, Sr (14.3 PPG, 3.5 Rebounds)
(9) Ashland Oredockers (8-15) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 61 – 6th in Heart O’North
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Merrill
Player to Watch: #21 Antoine Carter, Sr (10.7 PPG, 7.4 Rebounds)
(10) Menomonie Mustangs (7-17) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 68 – 7th in Big Rivers
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Lakeland
Player to Watch: #1 Isaac Ellison, Jr (18.6 PPG, 9.7 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists)
(11) Antigo Red Robins (7-17) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 85 – 5th in Great Northern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Medford
Player to Watch: #5 Gus Schuessler, Jr (10.7 PPG, 3.1 Rebounds)
(12) Hayward Hurricanes (5-19) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 80 – 8th in Heart O’North
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Rhinelander
Player to Watch: #22 Nathan Harrison, Sr (11.9 PPG, 1.8 Steals)
Sectional B: (Semi at La Crosse Logan)
(1) West Salem Panthers (21-3) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 3 – Coulee Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Shawano/La Crosse Logan
Player to Watch: #1 Tamarrein Henderson, Sr (18.6 PPG, 5.6 Rebounds, 3.6 Assists – 1,010 Career Points)
(2) Fox Valley Lutheran Foxes (22-2) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 7 – North Eastern Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of La Crosse Central/Sparta
Player to Watch: #5 Adam Loberger, Sr (21.7 PPG, 8.5 Rebounds – 1,194 Career Points)
(3) Mosinee Indians (20-4) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 8 – Great Northern Co-Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Seymour/Tomah
Player to Watch: #11 Keagen Jirschele, Sr (19.9 PPG, 6 Assists, 3.3 Steals – 1,183 Career Points)
(4) Onalaska Hilltoppers (18-6) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 13 – Mississippi Valley Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs New London
Player to Watch: #14 Evan Anderson, Sr (24 PPG, 6 Rebounds – 1,873 Career Points)
(5) New London Bulldogs (15-8) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 28 – T-2nd in Bay
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Onalaska
Player to Watch: #14 Joseph Daly, So (15.5 PPG, 6.9 Rebounds)
(6) Seymour Thunder (15-9) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 29 – 4th in Bay
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Tomah
Player to Watch: #23 Kyler Marks, So (17.8 PPG, 12 Rebounds)
(7) La Crosse Central Riverhawks (13-11) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 38 – 2nd in Mississippi Valley
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Sparta
Player to Watch: #22 Henry Meyer, Sr (20.3 PPG)
(8) Shawano Hawks (8-16) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 71 – 6th in Bay
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs La Crosse Logan
Player to Watch: #2 Logan Sipple, Jr (20 PPG, 5.1 Rebounds)
(9) La Crosse Logan Rangers (7-17) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 78 – 5th in Mississippi Valley
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Shawano
Player to Watch: #15 Jacob Hackbarth, Jr (14.3 PPG)
(10) Sparta Spartans (4-20) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 74 – 7th in Mississippi Valley
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at La Crosse Central
Player to Watch: #52 Gavin Rhead, Jr (17.6 PPG)
(11) Tomah Timberwolves (5-19) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 86 – 6th in Mississippi Valley
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Seymour
Player to Watch: #22 Quinn Gerke, Fr (18.3 PPG, 4.2 Rebounds)
Section 2 (Final at Whitefish Bay)
Sectional A: (Semi at Ashwaubenon)
(1) Ashwaubenon Jaguars (20-4) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 9 – 2nd in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Marinette/West Bend East
Player to Watch: #4 Drew Tomashek, Sr (18.9 PPG, 3.1 Rebounds, 5.3 Assists)
(2) Plymouth Panthers (19-5) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 17 – East Central Co-Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Menasha/Green Bay West
Player to Watch: #4 Kayden Schultz, So (19.2 PPG, 5.2 Rebounds, 4.1 Assists)
(3) West De Pere Phantoms (16-8) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 19 – T-2nd in Bay
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Notre Dame/Luxemburg-Casco
Player to Watch: #1 Bryce Borowicz, Jr (16.9 PPG)
(4) West Bend West Spartans (12-12) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 45 – T-5th in North Shore
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Pulaski/Green Bay Southwest
Player to Watch: #2 Carson Bauer, Jr (16.8 PPG, 8 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists)
(5) Pulaski Red Raiders (13-11) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 46 – T-4th in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Green Bay Southwest
Player to Watch: #4 Colin Schultz, Jr (18.5 PPG, 4.6 Rebounds)
(6) Notre Dame Tritons (9-15) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 57 – 8th in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Luxemburg-Casco
Player to Watch: #30 Adam Guyette, Jr (16.5 PPG, 5 Rebounds)
(7) Menasha Bluejays (9-15) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 75 – 5th in Bay
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Green Bay West
Player to Watch: #2 Josiah Hibbler, Jr (10.6 PPG, 4.8 Rebounds)
(8) Marinette Marines (4-20) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 84 – 8th in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs West Bend East
Player to Watch: #1 Sam Sommerfeldt, Sr (16.6 PPG, 4.3 Rebounds, 3.4 Assists – 1,111 Career Points)
(9) West Bend East Suns (1-23) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 79 – 10th in North Shore
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Marinette
Player to Watch: #14 Blake Twito, Sr (16.4 PPG, 8.4 Rebounds, 2.4 Steals)
(10) Green Bay West Wildcats (5-19) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 90 – 7th in Bay
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Menasha
Player to Watch: #1 Sam Hemery, Jr (19.4 PPG, 4.4 Rebounds, 2.4 Steals)
(11) Luxemburg-Casco Spartans (3-21) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 89 – T-9th in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Notre Dame
Player to Watch: #1 JD Glampe, Jr (8.4 PPG)
(12) Green Bay Southwest Fighting Trojans (1-23) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 92 – 10th in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Pulaski
Player to Watch: #23 James Smith, Sr (11.9 PPG, 4.9 Rebounds)
Sectional B: (Semi at Brown Deer)
(1) Nicolet Knights (20-4) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 6 – North Shore Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Milwaukee Madison/Milwaukee Arts
Player to Watch: #25 Davion Hannah, Jr (19 PPG, 8.6 Rebounds, 3.1 Steals – 1,374 Career Points)
(2) Cedarburg Bulldogs (16-8) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 18 – 3rd in North Shore
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Obama SCTE/Port Washington
Player to Watch: #11 Logan Zahour, Jr (20.9 PPG, 7.1 Rebounds – 982 Career Points)
(3) Milwaukee Vincent Vikings (14-10) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 41 – T-3rd in Milwaukee City-Blue
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Whitefish Bay/Shorewood
Player to Watch: #3 Derreon Bowling-Kidd, Jr (12.2 PPG, 7.1 Rebounds)
(4) Grafton Black Hawks (11-13) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 44 – T-7th in North Shore
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Slinger
Player to Watch: #12 Michael McNabb, Jr., Sr (28.2 PPG, 8.3 Rebounds, 2.6 Steals – 2,077 Career Points)
(5) Slinger Owls (12-12) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 48 – T-5th in North Shore
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Grafton
Player to Watch: #3 Jack Kohnen, Fr (18.5 PPG, 12.3 Rebounds, 3.6 Assists)
(6) Whitefish Bay Blue Dukes (11-13) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 51 – T-7th in North Shore
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Shorewood
Player to Watch: #3 Marcus Webb, So (16.8 PPG, 3.2 Assists, 2.2 Steals)
(7) Obama SCTE Cougars (8-10) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 58 – 4th in Milwaukee City-White
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Port Washington
Player to Watch: #4 Demius Johnson, So
(8) Milwaukee Madison Knights (6-12) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 73 – 5th in Milwaukee City-White
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Milwaukee Arts
Player to Watch: #2 Jerome Walker, Sr
(9) Milwaukee Arts Crimson Stars (6-15) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 83 – 7th in Milwaukee City-White
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Milwaukee Madison
Player to Watch: #11 TC Young-Williams, Jr (6.5 PPG, 7.6 Rebounds)
(10) Port Washington Pirates (6-18) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 76 – 9th in North Shore
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Obama SCTE
Player to Watch: #4 Cal Loose, So (15.3 PPG, 3.2 Rebounds)
(11) Shorewood Greyhounds (4-19) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 81 – 6th in Woodland-East
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Whitefish Bay
Player to Watch: #4 Jake Sherman, So (15.7 PPG)