The 2024 WBCA Fall Basketball Showcase took place this past Saturday, September 28th at JustAGame Fieldhouse in the Wisconsin Dells. Over 90 boys basketball players competed on ten different teams throughout the day.
The full day consisted of skill session work in the morning, a dunk contest, and a presentation from legendary coach Jack Bennett.
From there, the teams competed in 20-minute running clock games, a team three-point contest, and ended with a handful of three-minute overtime games.
If you'd like to see the full results and top scorers, click the link below.
Listed alphabetically
Bessen displayed one of the better work ethics on Saturday, seemingly not taking a play off during the entirety of the day. The 6-2 guard knocked down a handful of shots from deep, including three in one game. Bessen has a great feel for the game with the ball in his hands as well, making smart decisions while in transition. As a junior, he averaged 13.4 points and 4.1 rebounds for North.
Clausen is a versatile scorer as he flashed the ability to attack downhill and hit shots from the outside. At 6-5, he's bulky and is a matchup nightmare for smaller wings. Clausen knocked down a handful of shots from the perimeter as he showed off his silky left-handed stroke. When he got to the lane, Clausen displayed the vision to kick it to open shooters/slashers on his team.
Flees flashed some major athletic ability during the day. One of the two finalists for the dunk contest, his spring is undeniable. At 6'1" he is a downhill attacker that uses his speed and strength to get by defenders. Flees was also one of the better defenders during the day, using that strength to guard wings that were taller than him. Neenah lost quite a few players to graduation from last year's state tournament team, and Flees appears poised to step into a bigger role for Coach Rabas.
Glaus was the top scorer on his team over the four games, including 14 points in the final game of the day. He's listed at 6-3, three inches taller than what he was last year when he averaged 20.6 points per game for Plum City/Elmwood. Glaus displayed great lateral quickness throughout the day, getting to the rim through crowded lanes and finishing in a multitude of ways.
Jewell showed the ability to handle primary ball-handling duties throughout the day, as he was extremely efficient with the ball in his hand. Though he didn't display a large amount of moves, his ability to gain leverage at the point of attack allowed Jewell to get in to the lane and finish at the rim. The 6-2 wing was one of the better and most willing defenders on the day as well, constantly dogging his opponent with ball pressure.
Marvelli is a dog, plain and simple. A little undersized at the wing at 6'2", he plays with an intensity that allows him to compete with the bigger guards in the conference. Marvelli was one of the better defenders throughout the day and will have an expanded role in his senior year with Arrowhead.
Miggins is what you want in a point guard; calm, cool, selfless. At times, too selfless, the 5-10 guard set his teammates up constantly throughout the day in transition and after he had penetrated the lane with the dribble. The tough lefty guards with a purpose and displayed an improved jump shot, making a three-level scoring threat. Miggins will be the catalyst for new head coach TJ Zweifel's constant full court pressure defense.
Priebe knows how to play winning basketball. Saturday he flashed as an above average decision maker while scoring at all three levels when necessary. A true lead guard, Priebe can take over a game with his scoring ability while also locking down defensively. He uses his strength to get on defenders hips and make consistently correct decisions once faced with help side defense.
Rodefeld showed an ever growing game during the day at the JAG. He scored from inside and out, and displayed some excellent court vision, especially in the half court where he got two feet into the lane, drew defenders, and found open teammates. With eight seniors, including the top three scorers, gone to graduation from last year's Monona Grove squad, I'd expect Rodefeld's to drastically increase.
Rogowski is a scorer, having scored the third most amount of points during the four games. His first step is extremely quick that allows him gain the advantage on defenders en route to the rim. Never afraid to shoot, Rogowski scored at all three levels despite being a tad undersized at 6-0. He averaged 18.6 points per game last season and with the continued skill improvement to match the athleticism, will be tough to guard in the CWC-East this upcoming year.
Schuessler showed a high motor throughout the day at the WBCA Showcase, seemingly never running out of gas. He scored in double figures in both of the final two games, getting to the rim when other players/defenders seemed to be slowing down. Schuessler hit down six shots from the arc, as he showed an improved shooting touch and shot selection.
Every time Schurk takes the floor, there's a good chance he's going to finish above the rim and get a reaction from the crowd. His bounce is undeniable, and he finishes above and around the rim at a very high rate. Schurk has improved his mid-range game and is able to defend outside of his position due his athletic ability. He's a two-time first-team all-CWC selection and son of head coach John Schurk. Camden's recently picked up his first offer from Lakeland University and with an improving shot, should see more offers roll in.
Selk plays with a lot of composure and you can tell he's a coaches kid. At 6-3, Selk was one of the higher IQ players during the day, scoring at all three levels and using his brain and solid frame to get to his spot. He averaged 11 points per game as a junior and has put on good weight since the end of school ball.
Steffensmeier showed he can score in a handful of ways on Saturday. At 6-7, he's extremely long and very athletic. He finished around the rim with a few dunks throughout the day and also showed the ability to step out and hit shots. Steffensmeier showed the ability to play in the pick and roll, with the ball in his hand, and with his back to the basket, displaying a very versatile tool belt. He also was extremely vocal in supporting his teammates and talking on defense.
Thomas is a 6-7 forward and played extremely well throughout the day at the WBCA Showcase. He's a smooth lefty with great touch for his size from inside and out. Thomas stepped beyond the arc more than once and knocked down shots from deep while also displaying good footwork around the rim. He'll pose as a matchup problem for smaller athletes down low and has a smooth stroke from beyond the arc to force the larger players to defend further from the rim.
Listed alphabetically
Barkus showed a step forward in his game from last year on Saturday as he scored in double figures in two of the four contests he played in. He made shots from the perimeter while also collecting fouls around the rim as he attacked with the dribble. Barkus did not see much action as a sophomore on the varsity squad, but showed the ability to score at all three levels Saturday.
There is no doubt who the top shooter was during the day at the WBCA Basketball Showcase. Feck knocked down 11 three-point shots throughout the day and scored the second most points over the four game series. He consistently stepped out five to six feet behind the three-point line and buried shots with ease. During his sophomore campaign, he made 49 of 96 (51%)three-point attempts. Feck has added strength to his frame which allowed him to score in the mid range and at the rim as well. The next step for the sharpshooter is continually adding ball handling and shot creation to what is one of the better pure shots in the entire state.
Hermsen continues to grow his game and his frame, shooting up to 6-5 over the offseason. His biggest bread and butter is his midrange game, where he uses his length to finish in traffic with a soft shooting touch. With added strength, Hermsen will be a real matchup problem in the Southwest Wisconsin Conference, as he possesses an above average skillset with the ball in his hands, allowing him to score off the dribble in a number of ways.
James is crafty with the ball in his hands and though only 6-0, has the quickness to get buy defenders. Where he really shines is in the open court. James led the break for his team constantly throughout the day, pushing the issue on the defense in transition, and then making the correct decision in space. With the loss of Michael McNabb to graduation and Juan Guerrero Hernandez to transfer, James will step into a much more prominent scorer role under his father, head coach Damon James, this season.
Schlaefer is having one heck of an offseason, competing well on the AAU circuit as well as standing out at the showcases he's attended. It was no different Saturday at the WBCA Fall Showcase. Schlaefer is a three-level scorer that has one of the higher motors I saw Saturday. He's incredibly quick, blows by defenders, and then can finish at the rim in a plethora of ways. It's obvious Schlaefer works hard on his game, as his shot and ball handling were both improved since I had seen him in June.
Schultz is primed for an improved role with Neenah during his junior campaign after averaging 3.8 points as a sophomore. The 6-0 guard scored at all three levels on Saturday, knocking down five triples in the four games and scoring at the rim; drawing a couple of and-ones in the process.
Traeder was one of the best shooters in the entire state last season, making 51 three-pointers in 24 games at a 47% clip. It appears he's spent the offseason working on adding strength to his game as the junior was impressive on Saturday. Traeder displayed an aggressive, downhill attack, using that new frame to get close to the rim where he finished through traffic consistently. With an expanded skillset and improved physique, Traeder will be a handful in the Capitol-North for one of the better teams in the area in Lodi.
At 6-6, it's no surprise Wagner was a force in the Lakeland-West conference last season averaging over 15 points, seven rebounds, and nearly two blocks per game. Saturday, he showed a soft shooting touch from beyond the arc, which coincides with the fact that he made 60 three-point attempts last year while shooting 34% from beyond the arc. Wagner isn't quite comfortable with the ball in his hands in the open court, but his presence is felt wit his physicality.
Listed alphabetically
Saturday may have been a preview for what the Grafton basketball season will look like with Battles and DJ James in the backcourt. Though undersized at 6-0, Battles is very strong and exceptionally quick with the ball in his hands. He displayed great vision in the open court, leading the break as well as leaking out and scoring when given the opportunity. Battles also battled defensively, locking down ball handlers with the combination of lateral quickness and strength. Like James, I'd expect Battles role to grow tremendously as a sophomore for the Grafton squad, and Saturday showed he's up for the opportunity.
The game never seemed to be too fast for Chapman during the WBCA Fall Showcase. The 6-3 guard played under control and poised for someone who has played just one year of varsity ball. Chapman can score in a variety of ways, including the ability to spread the court with his range from deep. Building off a solid club season, Chapman should see his role increase for Mount Horeb in his sophomore season.
Cook was one of the better scorers from this class in attendance at the WBCA Showcase. As a freshman last year for New Berlin West, the 6-0 guard averaged 16.2 points per game in the tough Woodland-West conference, including a 27-point performance against Division 2 state champ Wisconsin Lutheran. Cook displayed a plus shooting stroke from the arc but also found different ways to score around the rim and through bigger defenders.
Miggins can turn it on and when he does, he's a tough matchup with the ball in his hands. Though just 6-0, he is lengthy and he uses that to his advantage. Miggins is skilled with the ball in his hands and was most impressive playing off of two feet. Multiple times throughout the day, he showed great patience and advanced footwork around the rim to get defenders in the air and finish with a step through. Miggins midrange game is a big plus for him as well as he showed a soft shooting touch and used that length to finish beyond the outstretched arms of would-be blockers.
Rademaker is a problem on the basketball court. At 6-9, he's grown two inches from the beginning of last year's basketball season. Rademaker is an extremely crafty and skilled lefty who is best with his back to the backcourt. Don't let that fool you though, he stepped outside and knocked down a handful of shots from mid range and beyond the arc, leading to his event high, 43 points scored. Rademaker's patience and footwork down low make for an absolute matchup nightmare. What's more, as just a sophomore, there may be a few more inches of growth left in his frame.
Rombach was one of the top scorers in the sophomore class at the WBCA Fall Showcase. His effort and tenacity going after loose balls allowed him scoring opportunities that others did not take. Rombach averaged nine points per game as a freshman on varsity for Grantsburg last season and with an added scoring skillset, should see those numbers improve.
Wesenberg displayed a prowess for scoring on Saturday, having had the highest scoring game of the day with 16 points in one of the contests. Always looking to attack and fins his shot, the 6-3 wing made shots from deep and in the midrange. Consistency was at times an issue for the sophomore, but he showed flashes of being a high volume scorer. Bonduel returns a four of its top five scorers, including Wesenberg, from last year's 26-win team and will be a team to watch in Division 4.
Listed alphabetically
Conway was a bit undersized on Saturday competing against mostly upperclassmen, but that did not deter the 6-0 freshman from being aggressive. Serving as the fifth scorer on his team, Conway displayed good tangibles defensively while also picking and choosing when to be aggressive on the offensive end. He hit tough shots in the midrange and finished around the rim with bigger defenders on his hip.
Lurvey was the top scorer out the freshman class at the WBCA Fall Showcase. At 6-0, his frame would suggest he's got more growing to do. Lurvey hit a handful of shots from beyond the arc. Though an unconventional follow through, his shot was pure as he stepped into shot after shot, only missing long or short throughout the day. The continued development of that shot and his ball handling abilities will make Lurvey a tough guard in the Northern Lakes conference over the next four seasons.
Thank you to Lee Rabas and the WBCA and Jeremy Davis with JustAGame for allowing us coverage of this event.
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