Observations From Day 1 Sundrop Shootout

• N.E.W. Lutheran played  great man to man defense leading to a win against Drummond
• Peshtigo was very cold from beyond the arc in a loss against Luxemburg-Casco
• Aaron Moesch had a very impressive game for Green Bay Southwest in a win against Hortonville
• Hamilton handled the pressure of Waunakee very well; very intense game
• Grafton had a lead on Seymour, but faltered late; Scott Tyler with a strong game for Grafton
• Slinger had a bad first quarter, but heated up in second quarter en route to a win against Shawano
• Deonte Burton had 37 for Milwaukee Vincent in an overtime loss to De Pere; De Pere played great team basketball 

Final Score: 

GB NEW Lutheran Blazers-45  Drummond Lumberjacks-41  See preview

Luxemburg Casco-40  Peshtigo Bulldogs-35  See preview

Green Bay Southwest-62  Hortonville-54  See preview

Sussex Hamilton-53  Waunakee-48  See preview

Seymour-45  Grafton-37  See preview

Slinger-50  Shawano-37  See preview

De Pere-83  Milwaukee Vincent-76 (OT)  See preview

De Pere vs. Milwaukee Vincent Preview

Tomorrow at approximately 8:30pm in the finale of the day, the 9 ranked team in Division 1 De Pere Redbirds will take on the 3 ranked team in Division 1 Milwaukee Vincent Vikings. De Pere comes into this game with a record of 5-1, with their only loss coming at the hands of Appleton West. The Redbirds have a couple of college recruits, as leading scorer Brevin Pritzl, with an average of 16.7 points per game, is only a sophmore and has already received numerous scholarship offers. Adam Beyer, the second leading scorer, is averaging 14.3 points per game, and will be playing college basketball next season at Augustana College, a Divison II school in South Dakota.Vincent comes into this game with a perfect record of 7-0. They are led by the best player in the state, Deonte Burton, who is averaging 18.4 points a game and 10.4 rebounds a game for first year coach Marquis Hines. Burton has given a commitment to Buzz Williams to play basketball next season at Marquette. He can drive to the rim, absorb the contact, and make his foul shots. He also gives amazing effort and energy to a team that already has beaten Marquette recruit Duane Wilson and Dominican this season. Hines came over from Homestead to be the new coach at Vincent. This should be a classic as two heavyweights go at it. Vincent should play with great effort, energy, and passion and come out with a very convincing win.

Slinger vs. Shawano Preview

Tomorrow at approximately 7pm, the Slinger Owls will take on the Shawano Hawks. Slinger comes into this game with a record of 8*-1, with their only loss coming at the hands of Pewaukee, a 2 point loss. They are coached by Al Schieve, who has won 297 games in his long high school basketball coaching career. Their leading scorer, Derek Merkes, is averaging 12.2 points per game. Nathan Roethle is averaging 11.4 points a game. The Owls have multiple scorers that are capable of lighting up the scoreboard each and every night. Shawano comes into this game with a record of 2-6 on the season, but are steadily improving under the direction of coach Thadd Cornell. They two have a pair of scorers averaging in double figures. Will Cox, a 2 year varsity performer, is leading the team with an average of 15 points per game. His ability to shoot the mid range game and beyond the arc are going to be key if the Hawks will come out with the win. Zack Sousek is second on the team with an average of 11.8 points per game. Shawano will play inspired in this one, but Slinger's depth should win the game for them in this one.



*Note* Slinger does not have the result of their game against Beaver Dam on December 20, but I think they won so they are either 7-1/8-1 (I have them at 8-1 because I think they won that game.)

Seymour vs. Grafton Preview

Tomorrow at approximately 5:30pm, the 5 ranked team in Division 2 Seymour Thunder will take on the Grafton Black Hawks. Seymour is 8-1 on the season, and their only blemish was against Division 1 Green Bay Southwest. They are led by Dakota Oskey, a terrific junior that earned all league honors last season. He is averaging 17.6 points per game. Oskey was also the quarterback for the football team this past fall. His backcourt mate, Sandy Cohen, is a smooth all-around player that is averaging 15.8 points per game, and both will be playing college basketball in a couple years. Grafton is struggling through a 3-6 season, but also play in one of the best conferences in the entire state, the North Shore. They have a Division 1 college recruit in Scotty Tyler, who has made a commitment to play college basketball at Idaho State next season. He is their leading scorer, averaging 14.8 points per contest. He is ranked 16 best in the state by Mark Miller of the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook. "(Tyler) can make shots from behind the 3 point arc as well as find open teammates with his outstanding passing skills." Grafton has a new coach, Bob Maronde, who led the girls' basketball team to state championships in 2007 and 2009. He takes over for Kevin McKenna, who took the coaching job at league rival Homestead. Expect this one to be close, but Seymour should come out with a win.

Sussex Hamilton vs. Waunakee Preview

Tomorrow at approximately 3:15 pm, the 6 ranked team in Division 1 Sussex Hamilton Chargers will take on the 4 ranked team in Divison 2 Waunakee Warriors. Hamilton comes into this game having won their first 8 games to open the season. Junior guard Brady Ellingson, a physical 2 guard, can drive to the rim to get to the free throw line. He is leading the team coached by Andy Cerroni with an average of 24 points per game. Guard Tony Gumina is second on the team with an average of 9.6 points per game. Coach Cerroni's son is Kam Cerroni, a Hamilton alum who is a reserve guard for the Green Bay men's basketball team. Waunakee is coached by Dana McKenzie, and are 5-1 on the season. Their only loss was to Division 1 Madison East, 79-77. They are led by guard Will Decorah, who is averaging 17 points per game. Guard Will Kruser was a reserve last year on varsity, but is in the starting lineup this year thanks to the losses the Warriors suffered off of last year's squad. He is averaging 14.6 points per game. This is one of the best games of the day, and I think Hamilton will come away with a very close victory.

Hortonville vs. Green Bay Southwest Preview

Tomorrow at approximately 1:45pm, the Hortonville Polar Bears will take on the Green Bay Southwest Trojans. Hortonville is coming off of a difficult 60-52 loss at home against Bay Conference rival West De Pere. They are 4-4 with losses against Division 1 and 2 schools. Hortonville has a new coach in Matt Hintz, who was previously the coach for conference rival New London. They lost 4 starters from last years 14-10 team, and the only returning starter is Jake Bamke. He is a small point guard that is averaging a team best 15. 1 points per game. Southwest comes into this game having lost their last game, a 60-56 defeat at the hands of FRCC rival Bay Port. The Trojans are now 4-3 and will try to stay above .500 on Thursday. Southwest is led by a balanced attack, but Aaron Moesch is the leading scorer with an average of 17.4 points per game. A lengthy forward, Moesch is a tough defender that can block shots and turn them into offense. He also has a very good face-up game that can hit the jumper or find the open shot. Jasen Baranowski is a combo guard that can beat you off the dribble and has terrific long range ability. These teams met last season at the Kress Center, with Hortonville coming out with a narrow win. Don't expect the same result this season, as Southwest should come out with a win.

Peshtigo vs. Luxemburg-Casco Preview

Tomorrow at approximately Noon, the Peshtigo Bulldogs will take on the Luxemburg-Casco Spartans. Peshtigo comes into this game after coming away with a hard-fought 62-47 win over conference rival Wausaukee, and improved to 8-0 on the season. Point guard Jordan Berth leads the team with an average of 17 points per game. He is a tough guard that can drive the lane and get to the rim. Forward Zach Neumann is a powerful player that is averaging 11.8 points per game for coach Ryan Spaulding. Neumann is a terrific long-range shooter that has improved his inside game while on varsity. Casco is going through an up and down season at 3-6, but also play in a tough conference in the Bay Conference. Their last game was a blowout, a 93-48 win against the Oconto Falls Panthers. Point guard Caleb Willems, who was also the quarterback for the varsity football team this past fall, is a physically and mentally tough guard that can explode to the rim, and also a good passer that can find open teammates while in the lane. He is averaging 11 points a game. Coach Kyle Thayse says that he is the only player who saw considerable time on varsity last season, so youth is a big concern for this team. Expect the better team to come out with a win here, so I expect Peshtigo to win this one easily.

Drummond vs. Green Bay NEW Lutheran Preview

Tomorrow morning at 10:30, the 4 ranked Drummond Lumberjacks will take on 2 ranked Green Bay NEW Lutheran Blazers at the Kress Center on the UWGB campus in  the opener of the Shawano Tournament.  Drummond advanced to the state semi-finals last season behind the play of Ben Best, who is averaging 17.6 points per game. He is deadly from mid-range, but can also post you up and will draw contact, and will knock down foul shot. Andrew McKinney, a bruising 6-6 center, is great at drawing contact and getting to the line. NEW comes into this game having won their first ten games of the season, including winning the Redwing Holiday Tournament over Thanksgiving break at Sheboygan South High School. The Blazers are led by conference player of the year last season Travis Voigt, who is averaging 14.1 points per game this season. He impacts the game in so many different ways, from his ability to beat you off the dribble and his improved range from long distance. Dakota Zinser, a talented transfer from Green Bay Preble, is averaging 11.9 points per game. If you give him any room, he will knock down the jumpshot and beat you from long range. This is one of the best games of the 2 day tournament, and I think NEW will come away with a close win.

Brooklyn Nets at Milwaukee Bucks Game Preview

Tonight at 7pm the 14-13 Brooklyn Nets visit the 14-12 Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bank Bradley Center. Brooklyn comes into this game having just lost yesterday at home against the Boston Celtics, 93-76. They have lost 9 of their last 12 after starting the season out very strong. The Nets have been getting a combined team effort each game this season between Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Gerald Wallace. Milwaukee is coming off of a 94-82 loss at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They also have a very balanced scoring attack led by their point guard, Brandon Jennings, and his backcourt mate, Monte Ellis. I expect this to be a close game as both teams try to snap losing streaks, but Milwaukee at home will get the win.

NBA Christmas Day Nuggets vs. Clippers Preview

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Tonight at 9:30 on ESPN the 15-13 Denver Nuggets visit the Staples Center to take on the 21-6 Los Angeles Clippers and Lob City. The Nuggets come into LA having won their last game on Saturday night against the Charlotte Bobcats, 110-88 in Denver. They are led by guard Danilo Gallinari, who is averaging 15.6 points a game this season  for coach George Karl. The white-hot Clippers come into this game having won a whopping 13 straight games, with their last loss coming on November 26. They are led by forward Blake Griffin, who is putting up 18.3 points per game, and 8.9 rebounds a game. He is also second in leading the league in dunks, with 71 dunks this season. The league leader in dunks, JaVale McGee, is a reserve center for the Nuggets. Don't expect the winning streak to end for LA now, as they should come out with an easy win tonight to run their win streak to 14.

NBA Christmas Day Rockets vs. Bulls Preview

Tonight on ESPN at 7pm, the 14-12 Houston Rockets visit the 15-11 Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Rockets are coming off of an impressive 25 point win at home against one of the best teams in the West, the Memphis Grizzlies. Houston will be coming to Chicago for the one and only time this season, but they met in Houston back in November, when the Rockets escaped with a 93-89 win. They are led by guard James Harden, who is averaging 25.6 points a game this season, his first since being traded from Oklahoma City on October 27. Chicago is doing very well without their MVP point guard, Derrick Rose, who is recovering from a torn ACL in the playoffs last April.They are coming off of a disappointing 92-75 loss at the Atlanta Hawks. They are led by guard Luol Deng, who is averaging 17.8 points per game. Despite the way that Chicago is playing without their leader, I still expect Houston's duo of James Harden and Jeremy Lin to play up to expectations, and to take this Christmas Day matchup over the Chicago Bulls.

Packer Game Review

The Green Bay Packers absolutely took it to the Tennessee Titans with a 55-7 blowout at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 3 touchdowns while completing 27 of 38 passes for 342 yards. The Packers also got their running game going, as Rodgers ran for a touchdown as well. Ryan Grant had 20 carries for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns, while DuJuan Harris rushed for 29 yards on 8 carries and also found the end zone once. Green Bay's rushing touchdown totals went up from 5 touchdowns to 9 touchdowns. Tennessee had as bad of a game as you could have, being outscored 55-0 before scoring a  garbage touchdown with 1:39 left in the game. Quarterback Jake Locker completed 13 of 30 passes for 140 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. One of the premier rushers in the game, Chris Johnson, was bottled up for just 28 yards on 11 carries for no touchdowns. Locker threw the only touchdown of the game for the Titans to leading receiver Kenny Britt, who had 2 catches for 41 yards and a touchdown. James Jones led the Green Bay with 7 catches for 100 yards and his league-leading 13th receiving touchdown of the year, his only receiving touchdown of the game. The Packers finish up their regular season next week in Minnesota, as they try to sweep the season series with the Vikings. Tennessee finishes their season up home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

NFL Sunday

Really looking forward to three NFL football games today, all with playoff implications.
Noon- Tennessee Titans (5-9) vs. Green Bay Packers (10-4) The Titans are led by quarterback Jake Locker, who has battled through an up and down season, but looking to finish strong against a banged up Packers defense, which has had their troubles all season. Green Bay is led by  quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is looking to add on to his 32 touchdowns on the year. I expect this to be closer than most people think, but I expect Green Bay to come out with a win, 30-24.

3:15- Chicago Bears (8-6) vs. Arizona Cardinals (5-9) Chicago enters the desert having lost three straight, and are now one loss away from being eliminated from playoff contention. Jay Cutler tries to improve on his 17 touchdowns and 14 picks on the year, and if the Bears are going to win this game, he needs to be more decisive with his throws. Arizona is already eliminated from playoff contention, but tries to build momentum as this is the final home game for the Cardinals this season. After having quarterback controversy throughout this season, Ryan Lindley will get yet another start for the Cardinals in this one. Don't sleep on the Cardinals, as I am expecting them to knock the Bears out of the playoffs in this one. Cardinals, 27-17.

7:20- San Francisco 49ers (10-3-1) vs. Seattle Seahawks (9-5) This is by far the best game of the day, as the NFC West leading Niners can clinch a division championship with a win. It will not be easy of course, as they take on rookie quarterback Russel Wilson and the 'Hawks with the 12th Man up in the Northwest. Seattle can clinch a playoff berth with a win, and in order for that to happen, Marshawn Lynch will need to be in his "Beast Mode" against this very talented 49ers defense led by middle linebacker Patrick Willis. San Francisco is led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has thrown 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions since taking over midseason for Alex Smith, the former number 1 pick in 2005. The homefield advantage for Seattle gives them an edge, and I think Seattle will clinch a playoff spot with this win. Seahawks 14-13.

R+L Carriers Bowl

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The R+L Carries Bowl between the East Carolina Pirates and the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns was a high scoring affair. I thought the way that the Cajuns started strong, were tested by the high octane offense of ECU, and then came back for a 43-34 win was very impressive. ULL was going back and forth between the incumbent quarterback, Terrence Broadway, and the challenger Blaine Gautier.