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Girls Basketball Alumni Round-up: November 28th

11/28/2018, 7:00pm CST
By Colton Wilson

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 Tuesdays.

Alumni Update

The talent of girls basketball in the state of Wisconsin is absolutely incredible at the prep level. High level division 1 recruits are a norm and many others go on to play at the division 2 and 3 levels as well. The girls basketball alumni round-up will aim to spotlight the many athletes who are putting together impressive careers at the next level.

Last season Arike Ogunbowale took the college basketball season by storm. In back to back games, the DSHA graduate hit buzzer beating shots to lead Notre Dame to a National Championship and some much deserved notoriety. This season, the 2015 Miss Basketball in the State of Wisconsin, is averaging 24.5 points per game for the Irish and has topped the 30-point mark twice already. She is well on her way to surpass the 2,000 point mark in her college career.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has many in-state alumni scattered throughout the conference’s schools. Claire Radtke has been playing extremely well early on for Lake Superior State. Claire, a New Berlin West alum, is averaging over ten points and five rebounds a game and was named the GLIAC-North Player of the Week in week two for her hot start.

The Horizon League is another conference that has many Badger State recruits highlighting the box scores. Cleveland State freshman Savanna Crockett is averaging over a double double early on this season as she is tallying 11.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. The Milwaukee Vincent alum already has four double doubles and was named the week three Horizon Freshman of the Week.

UW-Green Bay has been a mid-major power in girls basketball for quite a while now and a lot of that is due to the in-state recruits that play there. Kimberly High School’s Frankie Wurtz leads the Phoenix in scoring this season, averaging 12 points while adding on 5.2 rebounds a game. Wurtz was named the Horizon League Player of the Week in week 2.

Jessica Kelliher has had an absolutely phenomenal first three seasons at division 2 Lewis College. She has continued to dominate in her senior season as she is averaging 23.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. The former Waukesha North standout recently crossed the 2,000 point career mark and has also become Lewis College’s all-time leading scorer. To go along with those records, Jessica has been named the Great Lakes Valley Player of the Week twice already.

Another player who will pass the 2,000 point career mark this season is former South Shore great Megan Gustafson. Last season’s scoring leader in all of division 1 basketball has continued her tear at Iowa. She is averaging over 23 points and 12 rebounds per game for the Hawkeyes. She recently collected her 1,000th career rebound. Megan has also been named the Big Ten Player of the Week all three weeks to begin the season.

Like many conferences seem to do, the WIAC has talent from Wisconsin High Schools all over the conference.

Kyncaide Diedrich, formerly of Athens High School, is putting together a great start to the season for UW-Stout as she is averaging 14.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. She was just named the WIAC Player of the Week for her play last week. Teammate Bailey Diersen (Fox Valley Lutheran) leads Stout in scoring at 16.4 points while adding on 4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Marshall High School’s Kelsey Bakken has been a double double machine for UW-Eau Claire in the early parts of the season. Through four games, Bakken has three double doubles and is averaging 13.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

Marquette University has a trio of 1,000 point scorers in their collegiate careers that had played high school basketball in the state of Wisconsin. Amana Wilborn (Milwaukee Riverside), Natisha Niedeman (Green Bay Southwest), and Allazia Blockton (Dominican) are all again averaging double digit point totals on the season. Blockton, who was the Big East Player of the Year last season was named the Big East Player of the Week in week one of the season.

Speaking of 1,000 point scorers, Brielle Greenleaf just passed the 1,000 point milestone in her collegiate career at Illinois College. The former Evansville standout was a 2017-18 Midwest Conference first team athlete and is off to a hot start this season, averaging 16.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Another Midwest Conference team, St. Norbert College, has a trio of in-state alumni averaging double digit points early on. Macie Zurfluh (Assumption), Sarah Neumann (Franklin), and Sarah Ratajczyk (Reedsburg) are all averaging over ten points a game for St. Norbert.

Iona College’s Morgan Rachu is contributing greatly early on in the season. The Marathon graduate is averaging over 16.5 points and 5.6 rebounds to begin her junior year.

Former Cameron High School standout Chloe Wanink is lighting up the scoreboard for Wofford College this season. Wanink is averaging over 18 points and 5 rebounds a game, including two 30-point performances to begin the season. Chloe was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week back in week 2.

There are many and more girls that should and will be highlighted as the season goes along. The talent of girls basketball players at the collegiate level from the state of Wisconsin is astronomical. The players mentioned in this week’s edition are just a sample of the talent around the country. Look for more standout performances, milestones set, and records broke in the coming weeks of the girls basketball alumni round-up.

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