skip navigation

WSN15: Boys Basketball Top Teams #14 -- 2004 Catholic Memorial Crusaders

02/16/2018, 12:30pm CST
By Mark Miller

The WSN15 series will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of WisSports.net by looking back at the top players, teams, and moments of the past 15 years (2003-2017). 

The WSN15 boys' basketball series continues with the Top 15 Teams of the WSN Era.

Classic Eight Conference champions with a 13-1 record. 

Non-league victories over Dominican, Milwaukee Vincent, Wisconsin Lutheran and Oconomowoc, among others. 

Regional wins over Milwaukee Juneau and New Berlin Eisenhower along with sectional triumphs over Racine St. Catherine's and Milwaukee Lutheran.

A 26-point victory over Holmen in the 2004 WIAA Division 2 State Tournament semifinals. 

And a remarkable victory in the state-title game over a storied Seymour program that came into the contest with a 24-1 record.

Those are some of the attributes of the 2003-04 Catholic Memorial boys' basketball team under the guidance of coach John Burns.

All five starters went on to play college basketball while also combining to play 159 out of a possible 160 minutes in the Crusaders' state-title game against Seymour. 

Indeed, this was an "Iron Five" collection of superb basketball players who ran roughshod over the rugged competition in the Classic Eight.

Trailing 31-24 at intermission and facing several eight-point deficits in the third period against Seymour, Catholic Memorial rallied in the fourth quarter on the strength of the three-point shot. 

Junior Griffin LaDew (6-1), who went on to become the all-time leading scorer at NCAA Division III Cornell College in Iowa, made three triples in the final period, including his famous game winner from the right baseline that sailed through the air and hoop as the final horn sounded, giving the Crusaders a pulsating 58-55 victory.

The triumph capped a 25-1 season and the Iron Five of LaDew, senior point guard Rob Hanley (6-3), senior wing guard Chris Fehrenbach (6-3), senior forward Billy Kolinske (6-5) and senior forward Dan Beyer (6-6) walked off the Kohl Center floor that memorable Saturday afternoon in March with one of the most memorable victories in recent WIAA history.

In addition to LaDew's strong collegiate career at Cornell, Hanley played as a walkon at Marquette, Fehrenbach played at UW-La Crosse, Kolinski played at UW-Whitewater and Beyer played at UW-Eau Claire.

The Crusaders also won the Division 2 state championship in 2010 with T.J. Bray, Mike Neary and Derek Schell leading the way.

But the 2003-04 squad featured so much balance, so much length and so much skill, that is rates as one of the Top 15 teams in the WisSports.net Era, even if it did lack depth.   

WSN15 Top Moments Countdown:

#15 - Tiny Benton bucked the odds to win 2009 Division 4 state title
#14 - Catholic Memorial's 'Iron Five' led to 2004 Division 2 state championship
#13 - Coming Soon...
#12 - Coming Soon...
#11 - Coming Soon...
#10 - Coming Soon...
#9 - Coming Soon...
#8 - Coming Soon...
#7 - Coming Soon...
#6 - Coming Soon...
#5 - Coming Soon...
#4 - Coming Soon...
#3 - Coming Soon...
#2 - Coming Soon...
#1 - Coming Soon...

For the latest and most up to date boys' basketball news and recruiting information, follow Mark on Twitter @wisbbyearbook. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Mark at wbnews@yahoo.com.

Tag(s): News Archive  BBB News  Mark Miller  WSN15