Boys Basketball Alumni Round-up: November 27th

Many high school basketball standouts in Wisconsin go on to big things at the college level and in the pros, and this is our spot to recognize those athletes each week and help you keep up with what is going down on some of your favorite players from the past. If you have alumni news, please send it to Colton Wilson by 6 p.m. on Mondays.

Alumni Update

As Thanksgiving has come and gone and we recover from our food comas, the high school basketball season can finally begin to get its legs underneath it and charge ahead. The same can be said for college basketball.

Chris Knight was an all-around great player during his time at Madison Memorial. He has improved upon his game at the college level at Dartmouth University. The 2016-17 WSN Defensive Award recipient is averaging over 15 points and 6 rebounds a game for the Ivy League school this season.

Hayden Baughman was a two-time all-state selection while attending McDonell Central High School and was a big scoring threat throughout that time. In Concordia St. Paul’s 85-60 win over Georgian Court, Hayden had 21 points off of three pointers, as he went 7 of 13 from beyond the arc.

In other Northern Sun play, Winona State saw all of its Badger State recruits that played, score in its 104-62 win over Saint Mary’s. Kevion Taylor (Whitnall), Mason Domask (Waupun), Alec Rosner (Kimberly), Caleb Wagner (Muskego) and Nick Klug (Burlington) combined for over half of the teams points.

Division 1 Southwest Athletic Conference had many players show out this past week.

Terrance Banyard, formerly of Destiny, scored 12 points and hauled in an incredible 22 rebounds in Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s 115-107 triple overtime win over Cal Baptist on Friday.

Dallas Polk-Hilliard transferred from South Dakota State to Grambling this past offseason and it has paid dividends for the Messmer High School graduate. He posted back-to-back double doubles this past week. In a 99-58 win over Champion Christian College, Dallas had 20 points and 10 rebounds. He followed that up with a 10 point, 10 rebound performance in a 74-68 win over Niagara.

Polk-Hilliard wasn’t the only player to post back-to-back double doubles in the SWAC. Chris Howell of Milwaukee King began the week by notching 13 pints and 12 rebounds in Jackson State’s 75-60 loss to Sam Houston State. Howell then added 17 points and 11 rebounds in an 81-68 victory over Chicago State.

Jay Gentry had an offensive outburst as Wheeling Jesuit lost to Glenville State 117-113. The former Brown Deer High School standout had a game high 36 points and 4 assists in the losing effort.

Matthew Kirmse has been an absolute offensive terror for Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) in the early parts of this season. The Port Washington graduate is averaging 21 points and 4 rebounds a game while netting over four three-pointers a game. He has already been named the NACC Player of the League twice in the early parts of the season.

Many other NACC teams are littered with Badger State alumni throughout their rosters.

Collin Kennedy, a Luther High School alumn, has been one of the better players in the NACC the past three seasons for Wisconsin Lutheran. Kennedy has accumulated over 1,500 career points through his first three seasons and is averaging 20.8 points and 8 rebounds a game early on this year. Teammates Caleb Goldstein (Fond du Lac), Andrew Bruggink (Brookfield Central), and Mack Knueppel (Kettle Moraine Lutheran) are all averaging over 10 points a game as well.

Madison Edgewood College has started the year off slow with a 0-3 start, but are getting great contributions from alumni. Jake Negus of Janesville Craig is averaging over 19 points and 4 rebounds a game for the Eagles. Ben Seefeld (Arrowhead) is also averaging double digit points while Sy Staver (Mineral Point) is averaging 7 points and 3 assists.

Former La Crosse Central grad, and the 2017 Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin, Kobe King may be beginning to find his shooting stroke for the Wisconsin Badgers early on this season. In the Badger’s 78-58 win over Oklahoma in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis, King had 14 points off the bench.

Isaiah Johnson has been nothing short of spectacular early on for division 2 Northern Michigan. In an 89-74 win over Ohio Dominican, the Whitefish Bay alumn had 24 points and 6 rebounds. He followed that up with another 20 point performance in an 80-68 win over Hillsdale. Isaiah shot 15 for 20 (75%) in those two games. He was named the GLIAC-North Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks.

Iowa State was aided to an 87-57 win over San Diego State at the Maui Invitational behind a couple of alumni. Terrance Lewis, formerly of Milwaukee Riverside, came off the bench and had 16 points for the Cyclones. Oshkosh North’s Tyrese Haliburton was one point and two rebounds away from recording his first collegiate career double-double.

Cal Shultz of Muskego, and Trent Jones of Dodgeville combined for over 60 points in Ripon College’s 85-69 win over Wisconsin Lutheran. The duo shot a combined 20 of 30 (67%) from the field as they each eclipsed the 30-point mark.

A week after crossing the 1,000 point mark in his collegiate career, Levi Bradley set another milestone. The Pius XI grad shot a perfect 13 of 13 from the field en route to 30 points as Northern Illinois beat Oakland 92-72.