Levi Nienhaus-Borchert, Kimberly
So, let's talk about the upcoming sectional semi-final games on Thursday. I think the 40 teams remaining across five divisions are extremely talented and unique each in their own ways and I honestly could see 30-35 teams hoisting a gold ball next Saturday. Let's take a brief look at each of the divisions. First, in Division 1, Hamilton is the clear favorite after the season they've had. I think they will have no trouble with Homestead on Thursday and a matchup against either Brookfield East or Central could be interesting, but I think the Chargers will be in good shape especially after Gage Malensek has been removed from Central's team after being charged with drug possession. In sectional 1, Kimberly appears to be the favorite but a potential matchup with fellow FVA member Appleton West could be a great game. West has a UW-Oshkosh recruit in Will Mahoney who is averaging over 21 points per game. The Papermakers counter with fellow Oshkosh recruit Levi Nienhaus-Borchert who puts up 18 points and 12 rebounds per game. I may be extremely biased towards the Titans, but they have one heck of a recruiting class coming in next year (and don't forget about the Sweet Sixteen run this upcoming weekend)! I also look for Waukesha West to be a contender for the gold ball. With the one and two seeds in sectional 3 falling over the weekend in Madison East and Racine Park the path to Madison becomes much clearer for La Follette and Sun Prairie.
Jalen Johnson, Nicolet
Division 2 features the best player in the state, and probably the best team regardless of division in Jalen Johnson and the Nicolet Knights. Johnson, his brother Kobe, and Jamari Sibley have led the Knights to a 23-1 record and are looking to hoist the gold ball for the first time. Kaukauna, the defending state champions, scored 95 against Pulaski on Saturday and now face Green Bay Southwest in a marquee matchup. Southwest can shoot lights out led by Owen and Lucas Stieber, the grandsons of Dick Bennett, but I look for UMD recruit Donovan Ivory, Logan Jedwabny, and sharpshooter Keaton Ferris to lead the Ghosts to a colossal sectional final at Watertown against Nicolet on Saturday. La Crosse Central and Milwaukee Washington are the clear second and third best teams in the division. Both have relatively clear paths to Madison, although do not overlook Onalaska playing against Central on Thursday and a potential sectional final with Merrill, led by former Kaukauna star Jake Schalow and another talented Oshkosh recruit in Quinn Steckbauer. Don't sleep on Westosha Central either - Jaeden Zackery is a finalist for the top point guard in the state and had his coming out party in the Kohl Center last year. Also, Westosha handed Waukesha West one of its three losses on the year.
Marcus Domask, Waupun
I'm going to be very honest with you: it's Waupun followed by everybody else in Division 3 this year. Northern Kentucky recruit Mason Domask, Crookston recruit Quintin Winterfeldt, and Trevor VandeZande have led the Warriors to a 23-1 record and look primed to capture their second state championship in four years. Martin Luther, led by Traquan Carrington, a finalist for best point guard in the state, look to be the biggest challenger, but a huge matchup awaits the Spartans on Thursday against conference rival Racine St. Catherine's. With Prescott being upset by St. Croix Central on Saturday, I look for undefeated Stratford and Northwestern to battle for the sectional title on Saturday with Stratford prevailing. Sectional 2 is a bit of a scramble, as Southern Door went down to Valders, and we have a Freedom/Wrightstown clash up in Oconto Falls on Thursday. Denmark, led by Zane Short and his 20 points per game, are having their best season in years and will be a tough test for whoever emerges from the North Eastern contest up in O-Falls.
Chombi Lambert, Roncalli
As usual, Division 4 is loaded with talent, and leading the charge is the defending champs in Roncalli. Chombi Lambert, Ian Behringer, and Matt LeVene lead an extremely talented and undefeated team that I watched beat the brakes off of Catholic Memorial at the WBY Shootout in December. Should they not reach Madison, look for Howards Grove on Thursday or Milwaukee Academy of Science on Saturday to have enough of a post presence to dethrone them. Sectional 3 is extremely top heavy, and Fennimore and New Glarus emerged from the top grouping that included five of the best SWAL schools. Parkview and Belleville may be just happy to be in a sectional final - Parkview's regional title was the first for the school since 1968 - and I look for New Glarus led by Jaden Kreklow to finally break through to the state tournament. Osseo-Fairchild has been on a mission all year and I think they will emerge from sectional 1. Logan Mulhern has taken home Cloverbelt-West Player of the Year honors two years in a row and look for his 20+ points per game to carry the Thunder to Madison. Sectional 2 is a matchup of Auburndale and Marathon part 3 on Thursday, and the winner of that meets the winner of two one-loss teams in Lourdes and Iola-Scandinavia that promises to be an incredible matchup in Crivitz. Personally, I see Lourdes winning the sectional but it is truly anyone's game.
Jacob Ognacevic, Sheboygan Lutheran
Division 5 has always been closer to me than others since it is my personal division, and it may be as talented this year as I have seen since I started following high school basketball in 2007. I'm just going to say it - the winner of Blair-Taylor and Bangor on Thursday, both one-loss teams, will win sectional 3. Shullsburg and Southwestern are nice stories but won't have enough to knock off the two at the top. Sectional 2 is my personal sectional and... stop me if you've heard this before... Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran is back as a double digit-loss team. But this year's sectional matchup isn't against a lower M&O team. It's against Gibraltar, a fellow Packerland member that defeated the Blazers in December. Perennial powers Columbus Catholic and Almond-Bancroft match up at Wausau East on Thursday. The two met last year in the same game with Columbus prevailing, but that was without Cade Lamb. Will the senior sharpshooter have enough to knock off the Dons? I look for Columbus Catholic to emerge and go to Madison. Sectional 1 features McDonnel Central, another regular at the Kohl Center, but Athens, Luck, and Birchwood are all newbies to the sectional stage from the last few years. Birchwood's point guard Matthew Marcinske pumps in 24 a game and can shoot it from anywhere. However, Luck has more size and overall better guard play. Look for McDonnel and Luck to play Saturday with the Macks of McDonnel once again making the trek to Madison. Finally, sectional 4 features the best player in the division in Sheboygan Lutheran's Jacob Ognacevic, who averages 31 points and 16 rebounds per game. He is receiving interest from Green Bay and rightfully so, as he can take over a game in a multitude of ways. Remember Randolph? They are back as an undefeated team and could meet Lutheran in a sectional final. The Rockets are a great throwback and a great story but I think Sheboygan Lutheran will just be too much, led by Ognacevic.
Thanks for reading once again, and look for my state picks next week!
