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).
We begin our WSN15 boys' basketball series with the Top 15 Moments of the WSN Era.
It took a mere four seconds for senior guard Zak Showalter of Germantown to set the tone.
Playing against Madison Memorial in a WIAA Division 1 state semifinal game at the Kohl Center in Madison in 2012, Showalter received a pass from teammate Josh Mongan off the opening tip and went in for a rousing one-handed dunk that gave Germantown the lead for good at 2-0.
Germantown methodically built its lead throughout the contest and went on to cruise to an 81-43 victory over the defending state champions.
A day later, the Warhawks defeated Milwaukee King 72-69 behind 22 points from Showalter and 19 from Luke Fischer to win the state-title game and cap a memorable 28-0 campaign.
The triumph over Milwaukee King was the first of three straight Division 1 state crowns for the often dominant Warhawks, who put together a state-record 69-game winning streak from 2011-2014.
Head coach Steve Showalter, Zak father's and a former standout player in his own right at Baraboo and UW-Platteville, was the architect behind the Warhawks' success. He used relentless full-court pressure defense to create turnovers and easy baskets for his players, who often played with an edge that opponents simply could not match.
Zak Showalter, who went on to a very productive career at the University of Wisconsin, finished the game against Madison Memorial with 22 points, nine assists and three steals.
But it was his opening dunk that most remember today.
To say it got the crowd at the Kohl Center on its feet would be an understatement as the noise generated from Showalter's fabulous dunk remains one of the loudest in Kohl Center history and in many ways signaled the beginning of the Germantown dynasty.
Video of the play courtesy of the WIAA and NFHS Network can be found below.
WSN15 Top Moments Countdown:
#15 - Catholic Memorial's Bray fills out stat sheet
#14 - Madison Memorial outlasts De Pere in 3 OTs to win 2011 Division 1 title
#13 - Jesperson erupts in 4th period to help Merrill upend Waunakee
#12 - LaDew drills three-pointer in closing seconds to give CMH title
#11 - St. Catherine's dominant in winning 5 state titles in 6 years
#10 - Randolph wins fourth straight state title behind Tillema
#9 - WIAA votes to add fifth division to state tournament
#8 - Madison Memorial, Seymour rule sectional final games
#7 - Bennett unlikely hero as Dominican completes five peat
#6 - Showalter's dunk signals start of Germantown dynasty
#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