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Boys Hoops: Biggest winners in updated WIAA sectional assignments

05/05/2020, 4:15pm CDT
By Mark Miller

Twenty-two high school boys' basketball programs in Wisconsin will compete in new divisions once the WIAA playoffs get underway in Divisions 1-2-3-4-5 on March 2, 2021. That number is down from 27 a year ago.  

By division, here are the number of schools slated to compete with a link to the actual assignments:

Division 1: 68
Division 2: 89
Division 3: 101
Division 4: 101
Division 5: 128
Total: 487

Below are a few prominent programs that could make an impact in their new divisions:

DIVISION 2

Milwaukee Bradley Tech (Enrollment 1,033)

Coach Rishon Haralson went with a young lineup in 2019-20 and the Trojans went 7-16 overall and 4-8 in the Milwaukee City Conference. But things definitely are looking up for the southside school next winter as six key players return, led by talented class of 2022 forward Learic Davis (6-7), who averaged 14.9 points and 6.4 rebounds as a sophomore on the way to earning first-team all-league recognition. Also returning are seniors Ken Norton (6-2), Ledarius Jackson (5-9), Franciollo Jones (6-3), James Macon (6-0) and Germani Dangerfield (6-0). Norton averaged 10.2 ppg and 5.0 rpg as a junior while Jackson and Jones each contributed 7.5 ppg in 2019-20.

Milwaukee South (Enrollment 809)
Coming off a strong season in which Milwaukee South finished 14-9 overall and 7-5 in the Milwaukee City Conference, the Cardinals move from Division 1 to Division 2 with a pair of two-year varsity performers leading the way. Coach Ty Moseler has won more than 200 games during his long tenure at South and welcomes the return of second-team all-league performer Antwon Logan (6-3), who averaged 10.7 points per game as a junior. Logan is a talented forward while senior Edwin Rivera-Basista (5-8) handles much of the ball-handling duties for the Cardinals. Milwaukee South has been placed in what figures to be the state's toughest Division 2 sectional (#4), but the Cardinals might be poised to make a bit of a playoff run behind Logan and Rivera-Basista.

DIVISION 3

Catholic Memorial (Enrollment 589)

Competing in a Division 1 league with the likes of Arrowhead, Kettle Moraine, Mukwonago, Muskego, Oconomowoc and Waukesha West, among others, figures to pay off for the Crusaders, who advanced to the Division 2 sectional semifinals last March with upset regional wins over Milwaukee Bay View and Pewaukee. Coach Jeremy McGlothlin will lose the majority of his roster to graduation, but he does bring back three players who gained valuable experience in senior guard Anthony Gross (5-8), sophomore sharpshooter Braden McGlothlin (5-10) and sophomore forward Bennett McCormick (6-2). Newcomers from a JV1 squad that went 16-6 also figure to contend for playing time. 

DIVISION 4

Marshall (Enrollment 314)

Coach Dan Denniston guided the Cardinals to a 16-7 record heading into their Division 3 playoff game at Edgerton two months ago. Edgerton held Marshall to 11 points in the first half and left no doubt about who had the better team as the Crimson Tide posted a 61-37 triumph. Marshall slips down to Division 4 in 2020-21 with a lineup that features four returning starters, including all-Capitol South Conference performers Craig Ward (6-1) and Reid Truschinski (6-5). Ward averaged 17.2 points and 5.2 rebounds while Truschinski contributed 12.0 ppg and 4.3 rpg. Also back are juniors-to-be Cole Denniston (5-10) and Bryce Frank (5-7). 

DIVISION 5

Lourdes Academy (Enrollment 162)

Led by the return of guard Preston Ruedinger, the Knights could be a definite title threat in Division 5 after finishing second in the state in Division 4 two years ago and advancing to the Division 4 sectional semifinals in 2019-20. Ruedinger, a three-year starter and third-team all-state selection by the Associated Press, is a 6-foot-2 guard who averaged 27.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a junior. Joining Ruedinger as returning starters for coach Dennis Ruedinger are seniors Josh Bauer (6-0) and Jack McKellips (5-11). Seniors Jack Huizenga (5-10) and Nathan Slagter (6-4) also figure to play key roles. 

Reedsville (Enrollment 179)
Like Catholic Memorial in Division 3, Reedsville benefits from playing a regular-season schedule that includes many larger schools. A member of the Northern Division of the Big East Conference, Reedsville went just 8-15 a year ago, but coach Vince Denor welcomes back the majority of his lineup. Junior Brennan Dvoracheck (6-3) is a talented guard who averaged 18.0 points and 12.5 rebounds and led the Panthers with 16 points in their Division 4 playoff loss to Random Lake two months ago. Senior Johnathan Timm (6-2) contributed 12.2 ppg and 7.4 rpg while underclassmen Zach Dvoracheck (5-8) added 6.1 ppg and Owen Behnke (5-5) contributed 5.5 ppg.

Here are the divisional changes for the 2019-20 WIAA playoffs:

New Division 1 Schools (Enrollment range: 1,200 and above)

Wauwatosa East
(Enrollment: 1,206, previous D2)

New Division 2 Schools (Enrollment range: 600 to 1,199)

Milwaukee Bradley Tech
(Enrollment: 1,033, previous D1)

Milwaukee South
(Enrollment: 809, previous D1)

West Bend West
(Enrollment: 1,170, previous D1)

Whitewater
(Enrollment: 613, previous D3)

New Division 3 Schools (Enrollment: 317 to 599)

Brookfield Academy
(Enrollment: 329, previous D4)

Catholic Memorial
(Enrollment: 589, previous D2)

Marinette
(Enrollment: 594, previous D2)

Milwaukee North
(Enrollment: 384, previous D2)

Messmer
(Enrollment: 532, previous D2)

Stanley-Boyd
(Enrollment: 317, previous D4)

New Division 4 Schools (Enrollment: 191 to 315)

Cashton
(Enrollment: 196, previous D5)

Gibraltar
(Enrollment: 191, previous D5)

Marshall
(Enrollment: 314, previous D3)

Milwaukee Collegiate Academy
(Enrollment: 297, previous D3)

Plum City/Elmwood
(Enrollment: 193, previous D5)

Poynette
(Enrollment: 315, previous D3)

Salam
(Enrollment: 200, previous D5)

New Division 5 Schools (Enrollment: 19 to 190)

Lourdes Academy
(Enrollment: 162, previous D4)

Milwaukee Lifelong Learning
(Enrollment: 184, previous D4)

Pacelli
(Enrollment: 177, previous D4)

Reedsville
(Enrollment: 179, previous D4)

Sectional Changes

Division 1

None

Division 2
Waukesha West from Sectional 3 to Sectional 4
Whitefish Bay from Sectional 3 to Sectional 4

Division 3
Lake Mills from Sectional 4 to Sectional 3
Lakeside Lutheran from Sectional 4 to Sectional 3

Division 4
Horicon from Sectional 4 to Sectional 2
Palmyra-Eagle from Sectional 3 to Sectional 4
Williams Bay from Sectional 3 to Sectional 4

Division 5
Columbus Catholic from Sectional 2 to Sectional 3
Loyal from Sectional 2 to Sectional 3
Oneida Nation from Sectional 4 to Sectional 2
Prentice from Sectional 1 to Sectional 2
Valley Christian from Sectional 4 to Sectional 1

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 by clicking here.

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