Midwest Player's Classic in La Crosse on January 14 once again features incredible team and individual talent

Now in it's seventh year, the Midwest Player's Classic, fueled by Muscle Milk, held at the La Crosse Center on Saturday, January 14th continues to grow, and once again features an incredible mix of team and individual talent from around the Midwest.

WisSports.net is happy to officially join the event as a statewide media sponsor, and we will have coverage leading up to and throughout the event. American Family Insurance is also a state championship level partner.

Featuring seven games and 14 teams in a single-day format, it is a great opportunity to see outstanding teams and players in a single setting. Last year's event featured a pair of teams, Stevens Point and Kaukauna, who would go on to win state championships, while six more would make the state tournament in their state.

Tickets will be sold at the door on the day of the event, with no pre-sale of tickets. All tickets are general admission seating and are good for all seven games of the event. Adult tickets are $10, Students are $5, and under age five is free. Floor seats are reserved for the corporate sponsors of the event. You must have a hand stamped to re-enter.

2017 Midwest Player's Classic Schedule

10:00am (Girls) Bangor Cardinals vs. Aquinas Blugolds
11:35am Rushford-Peterson Trojans vs. La Crosse Logan Rangers
1:10pm Onalaska Hilltoppers vs. Minnehaha Academy Redhawks
2:55pm WI Rapids Assumption Royals vs. Aquinas Blugolds
4:40pm Wauwatosa West Trojans vs. Caledonia Warriors
6:25pm Milwaukee Riverside Tigers vs. Woodbury Royals
8:15pm Waunakee Warriors vs. La Crosse Central Red Raiders

The day begins with a #1 vs. #1 girls hoops showdown between D4 top-ranked Aquinas and Division 5's top-ranked team in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll Bangor. Rushford-Peterson (MN) is a traditional boys basketball contender in Minnesota (and a state runner-up in football this fall) and the Trojans will face off with La Crosse Logan in the second game, set to tip at 11:35 am.

Onalaska is highly regarded once again this year, and they'll have their hands full with an extremely talented Minnehaha Academy (MN) squad that features what some consider the top freshman player in the country in Jalen Suggs. Minnehana also has a pair of other Division 1 prospects. Assumption faces Aquinas in the 2:55 pm game.

Future collegiate teammates will square off in the 4:40 pm game between Wauwatosa West and Caledonia (MN). West senior Alou Dillon is committed to South Dakota State, as is Caledonia junior Owen King, who guided the Warriors to a second straight football title in the fall. It will be the first time the future teammates meet in person.

Milwaukee Riverside, with senior Iowa State commit Terrance Lewis, will face off with Woodbury (MN) at 6:25 pm, with returning Division 2 state tournament teams Waunakee and La Crosse Central meeting in the night cap at 8:15 pm.

Waunakee junior Mitch Listau has four Division 1 offers, including UW-Milwaukee, while classmate Mason Steffen has also drawn D1 and D2 interest. La Crosse Central senior Kobe King is ranked in the top 100 nationally and has signed with Wisconsin, while fellow senior Bailey Kale has several D2 offers. Freshman twins Jonathan and Jordan Davis are among the top 2020 prospects in the state as well for the Red Raiders.

2016 Midwest Player's Classic Results

2016 Game Results: January 16, 2016
Aquinas Lady Blugolds 49 Central Lady Raiders 41
St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders 69 Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks 57
Caledonia Warriors 83 DeForest Norskies 45
Rushford-Peterson 43 Aquinas Blugolds 22
Maple Grove Crimson 75 Milwaukee Riverside Tigers 61
Stevens Point Panthers 89 Champlin Park Rebels 73
Kaukauna Galloping Ghosts 80 La Crosse Central Red Raiders 65

For all past results, please click here.

State Champions from 2016 Field: Stevens Point (WI D1), Kaukauna (WI D2)

State Tourney teams from 2016 Field: Maple Grove (MN 4A), Aquinas (WI D4), Caledonia (MN 2A), La Crosse Central (WI D2), St. Croix Lutheran (MN 2A), Waverly-Shell Rock (IA 3A)