Boys Basketball Bracket Breakdown - Division 1 - 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 SPASH)
Sectional A: (Semi at Eau Claire North and Appleton East)
(1) Marshfield Tigers (22-2) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 1 – Wisconsin Valley Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Wisconsin Rapids/Chippewa Falls
Player to Watch: #5 Brooks Hinson, Jr (17.5 PPG, 4.5 Rebounds – 1,065 Career Points)
(2) SPASH Panthers (21-3) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 6 – 2nd in Wisconsin Valley
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Holmen/Appleton West
Player to Watch: #10 Grant Chandonais, Jr (16.1 PPG, 6 Rebounds, 3.1 Assists)
(3) Superior Spartans (18-6) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 9 – Lake Superior
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Hortonville
Player to Watch: #2 Tresean Sanigar, Sr (21.4 PPG)
(4) Eau Claire Memorial Old Abes (18-6) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 18 – Big Rivers Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Appleton East
Player to Watch: #11 Wesley Mboga, Jr (13.9 PPG, 6.1 Rebounds)
(5) Kaukauna Galloping Ghosts (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 19 – 3rd in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Wausau West
Player to Watch: #15 Jon O’Neill, Sr (14.2 PPG, 11.5 Rebounds, 2.9 Assists)
(6) Neenah Rockets (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 12 – 2nd in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Eau Claire North
Player to Watch: #12 Brady Corso, Sr (21.5 PPG, 5.1 Rebounds, 4.2 Assists – 1,272 Career Points)
(7) Hudson Raiders (16-8) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 20 – 2nd in Big Rivers
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs D.C. Everest
Player to Watch: #11 Tyler Lessard, Jr (13.2 PPG, 4.8 Rebounds, 3.2 Assists)
(8) Appleton North Lightning (16-8) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 24 – T-4th in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Kimberly
Player to Watch: #1 Will Sweeney, So (13.8 PPG, 3.5 Rebounds, 2.3 Assists)
(9) Kimberly Papermakers (16-8) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 21 – T-4th in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Appleton North
Player to Watch: #11 Thomas Meyers, Sr (14.6 PPG, 5.4 Rebounds, 2.8 Assists)
(10) D.C. Everest Evergreens (11-13) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 30 – T-4th in Wisconsin Valley
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Hudson
Player to Watch: #21 Cohen Priebe, Jr (16.5 PPG, 2.3 Assists – 975 Career Points)
(11) Eau Claire North Huskies (12-12) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 32 – 5th in Big Rivers
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Neenah
Player to Watch: #24 Andrew Rocksvold, Sr (17.9 PPG, 7.4 Rebounds)
(12) Wausau West Warriors (15-9) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 27 – T-4th in Wisconsin Valley
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Kaukauna
Player to Watch: #11 Brett Butalla, Sr (15.4 PPG, 3.5 Assists)
(13) Appleton East Patriots (10-14) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 37 – 8th in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Eau Claire Memorial
Player to Watch: #2 Joey LaChapell, Sr (26.3 PPG, 4 Rebounds, 5.5 Assists – 1,422 Career Points)
(14) Hortonville Polar Bears (14-10) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 36 – 7th in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Superior
Player to Watch: #3 Ethan Joling, So (16.5 PPG, 4.1 Rebounds, 2.8 Assists)
(15) Holmen Vikings (12-12) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 45 – 3rd in Mississippi Valley
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Appleton West
Player to Watch: #1 Alex Bergert, So (12.3 PPG, 2 Assists)
(16) Wisconsin Rapids Red Raiders (8-16) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 54 – 6th in Wisconsin Valley
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Chippewa Falls
Player to Watch: #1 Sean Roenius, Jr (16.2 PPG, 2.7 Assists)
(17) Chippewa Falls Cardinals (3-21) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 56 – 8th in Big Rivers
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Wisconsin Rapids
Player to Watch: #1 Easton Bobb, Sr (17.3 PPG, 2 Assists)
(18) Appleton West Terrors (1-23) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 67 – 10th in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Holmen
Player to Watch: #10 Parrion Peace, So (11 PPG, 3 Rebounds)
Section 2 (Final at Oshkosh North)
Sectional A: (Semi at Sheboygan South and Green Bay Preble)
(1) De Pere Cardinals (23-1) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 2 – Fox River Classic Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs winner of Green Bay Preble/Green Bay East
Player to Watch: #4 Zach Kinziger, Jr (19.4 PPG, 5.5 Rebounds, 3.8 Assists – 1,156 Career Points)
(2) Arrowhead Warhawks (22-2) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 3 – Classic Eight Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Oshkosh West
Player to Watch: #14 Bennett Basich, Sr (19.8 PPG, 6.4 Rebounds, 4 Assists – 1,371 Career Points)
(3) Oshkosh North Spartans (19-5) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 7 – Fox Valley Association Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Menomonee Falls
Player to Watch: #2 Zay Mitchell, Jr (25.5 PPG, 8.6 Rebounds, 3.2 Assists – 1,761 Career Points)
(4) Homestead Highlanders (18-6) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 14 – 2nd in North Shore
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Manitowoc Lincoln
Player to Watch: #5 Tim Franks, Sr (28 PPG, 8.1 Rebounds – 1,850 Career Points)
(5) Hamilton Chargers (19-5) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 13 – T-3rd in Greater Metro
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Sheboygan South
Player to Watch: #1 Aidan Konop, Sr (20.2 PPG, 6.1 Rebounds, 3.9 Assists – 942 Career Points)
(6) Germantown Warhawks (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 15 – 2nd in Greater Metro
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Hartford
Player to Watch: #13 Cahlil Jones, So (13.4 PPG, 4.2 Rebounds, 3.4 Assists)
(7) Sheboygan North Golden Raiders (13-11) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 31 – 3rd in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Bay Port
Player to Watch: #5 Cale Buboltz, Jr (16.7 PPG)
(8) Oconomowoc Raccoons (14-10) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 29 – 4th in Classic Eight
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 vs Fond du Lac
Player to Watch: #0 Lukas Hoffman, Sr (17.6 PPG, 4.8 Rebounds)
(9) Fond du Lac Cardinals (11-13) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 39 – T-6th in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Oconomowoc
Player to Watch: #20 Rocky Barfknecht, Sr (11.9 PPG, 4.8 Rebounds, 3 Assists)
(10) Bay Port Pirates (10-14) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 48 – T-4th in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Sheboygan North
Player to Watch: #33 Blake Buchinger, Sr (13.6 PPG, 3.2 Assists)
(11) Hartford Orioles (12-12) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 43 – 4th in North Shore
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Germantown
Player to Watch: #2 Zach Herrmann, Sr (17.7 PPG, 3 Assists – 1,154 Career Points)
(12) Sheboygan South Redwings (12-11) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 50 – T-4th in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Hamilton
Player to Watch: #21 Matt Leonhard, Sr (13.8 PPG)
(13) Manitowoc Lincoln Ships (12-12) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 49 – T-4th in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Homestead
Player to Watch: #5 Eddie Bolchen, Jr (16.6 PPG, 4.3 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists)
(14) Menomonee Falls Phoenix (9-14) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 55 – 7th in Greater Metro
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Oshkosh North
Player to Watch: #11 Peyton Johnson, Sr (10.4 PPG)
(15) Oshkosh West Wildcats (6-18) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 60 – 9th in Fox Valley Association
Opening matchup: Friday 3/1 at Arrowhead
Player to Watch: #4 Dylan Taylor, Sr (13.8 PPG, 3.3 Rebounds, 4.5 Assists)
(16) Green Bay Preble Hornets (5-19) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 64 – 9th in Fox River Classic
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 vs Green Bay East
Player to Watch: #33 Jack Thorpe, Sr (13 PPG, 7 Rebounds)
(17) Green Bay East Red Devils (0-24) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 69 – 8th in Bay
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/27 at Green Bay Preble
Player to Watch: #1 Quincy Shields, So (13.8 PPG, 7.9 Rebounds)