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With much warmer temperatures expected for the weekend, the annual John Chekouras Classic is set to tip off at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at Homestead High School with Milwaukee Golda Meir taking on Beloit Turner.

Six additional games will be played at Homestead in honor of John Chekouas, a former highly successful coach at Homestead who passed away in 2006. Chekouras won 229 games while losing 147 in 17 seasons as the head coach at Homestead and was heavily involved in basketball in the state as an active member of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. 

Following are brief previews of each game:

11:00 a.m. Game
Milwaukee Golda Meir (9-5) vs. Beloit Turner (8-5)
Golda Meir is the top team in the Milwaukee City Blue Division and features four players currently averaging in double figures with senior Brandon Harmon (6-6) leading the way at 14.8 ppg followed by senior Mario Williams (6-6) at 13.9 ppg, senior Daune Rodgers (6-4) at 12.4 ppg and senior Marvin Jones III (6-0) at 10.2 ppg. Additional key players for coach Charles Jordan include junior Matthew Wade (6-0), who is averaging 7.2 ppg, and senior Max Boston (6-2), who is averaging 6.9 ppg. Beloit Turner competes in the Rock Valley Conference and is led by junior guard Jordan Majeed (5-11), who is averaging 19.4 ppg. Majeed scored 43 points in a recent victory over McFarland. Other key players for the Trojans of coach Ken Watkins include senior Steve Dillard (6-4), who is averaging 12.1 ppg and junior D.J. Wash (5-10), who is averaging 7.5 ppg. 

12:30 p.m. Game
Lake Country Lutheran (10-2) vs. Sturgeon Bay (8-6)
Lake Country Lutheran is off to a terrific start under coach Mark Newman and is led by brothers Bryce and Luke Haertle. Senior Bryce Haertle (6-1) leads the Lightning in scoring at 24.0 ppg and recently became the all-time leading scorer in Lake Country Lutheran history. Luke Haertle (6-0) is one of the top freshmen in Wisconsin and is averaging 14.7 ppg. Junior Joey Bratz (6-3) contributes 11.6 ppg while junior Zech Hans (5-11) adding 7.7 ppg. Sturgeon Bay is a member of the Packerland Conference and recently registered an impressive non-league victory over Appleton Xavier, which won the 2017 WIAA Division 3 state title. The Clippers of veteran coach Jim Benesh are led by senior forward Carson Talbert (6-7), who is averaging 18.1 ppg. Senior guard Mitchell Jackson (6-3) adds 12.9 ppg while junior Jake Schneider (5-11) contributes 12.2 ppg. 

2:00 p.m. Game
Stoughton (8-7) vs. Grafton (8-6)
Two teams that are highly competitive within their own conferences square off in the third game of the Chekouras Classic. Stoughton competes in the Badger South Conference and coach Nolan Weber has some talented players to work with in 2018-19. Junior Adam Hobson (6-3) is the top player for the Vikings as he tops the club in scoring at 17.5 ppg. Sophomore Cael McGee (6-0) has battled some injuries this season, but is still averaging 10.6 ppg. Junior Jack Nelson (6-7) adds 9.6 ppg and senior Drew Anderson (6-2) contributes 9.5 ppg. Grafton coach Damon Jones also has a talented, young roster. Junior guard Alex Huibregtse (6-3) leads the way for the Blackhawks at 20.4 ppg. Senior Jaden Polock (6-2) and sophomore JP Benzschawel (6-7) each average 10.6 ppg, while talented sophomore Bryson Clague (6-2) adds 9.0 ppg.  

3:30 p.m. Game
Milwaukee Vincent (8-7) vs. Racine Park (8-3)
Milwaukee Vincent surprised a lot of people last week when it upset Milwaukee City Conference powerhouse Milwaukee Washington 65-55 behind double-figure scoring from four players -- sophomore Carnell Stevens (6-0) reached his season average of 14 points, sophomore Dajon Malone (6-0) added 12, senior Calvin Walker Jr. (6-3) contributed 11 and senior Lemeir Roby (6-4) pitched in 11. Coach Ravonte Dantzler's squad has played exceptionally well of late and is a threat to win the City Conference championship. Speaking of conference titles, Racine Park is the favorite to win the Southeast Conference crown as coach Jim Betker's line-up is loaded with talent. Seniors Larry Canady (6-3) and Nobal Days (6-9) rank among the top players in the state in the 2019 class. Canady is averaging a team-best 18.5 ppg while Days, who has signed with NCAA Division I Tulane, contributes 10.5 ppg and 10.1 rpg. Senior Zyiere Carey (6-0) is also a double-figure scorer at 12.9 ppg.

5:00 p.m. Game
Milwaukee Academy of Science (6-8) vs. Monroe (7-7)
Don't let the records of these two teams fool you. They can both play and each squad possesses plenty of promising young talent. Few teams in the state have played a tougher schedule than Milwauikee Academy of Science, which has played all season without junior forward Darius Hannah (6-9) due to an injury. Coach Agape Keys' squad is led by one of the state's best 2020 prospects in guard Kaleim Taylor (6-3), who leads the club in scoring at 22.3 ppg. Three additional underclassmen have played well for MAS, including sophomore Donald McHenry (6-0), who is averaging 19.6 ppg, freshman Armani Jones (5-8), who is averaging 16.9 ppg, and junior Amani Glosson (6-5), who is averaging 9.4 ppg. Monroe is a member of the Badger South Conference and is led by physical senior forward Kade King (6-6), who tops his club in scoring at 14.5 ppg. Promising sophomore wing Cade Meyer (6-8) contributes 11.8 ppg followed by senior Nick Schumacher (6-1) at 10.1 ppg and senior Michael Lange (6-4) at 7.0 ppg. Freshmen Carson Leuzinger (6-0) and JT Seagreaves (6-5) also play key roles for the Cheesemakers of coach Brian Bassett.

6:30 p.m. Game
DeForest (11-3) vs. Milwaukee Marquette (8-6)
DeForest boasts one of the better unsigned class of 2019 prospects in Wisconsin in versatile 6-foot-6 wing Austin Westra, who is averaging 17.9 ppg. The Norskies compete in the Badger North Conference and coach Craig Weisbrod also is getting big-time production from talented junior guard Trey Schroeder (6-0), who is scoring 12.4 ppg. Additional key players for DeForest include senior Jack Bogan (6-5), who is averaging 8.1 ppg, and senior Cody Riggs (6-3), who is averaging 7.6 ppg. Weisbrod's son, 5-foot-10 freshman Max Weisbrod (5-10), contributes 5.6 ppg. Marquette competes in the best conference in the state this season in the Greater Metro, which also includes Sussex Hamilton, Brookfield East and Brookfield Central, among others. The Hilltoppers boast a pair of big-time scorers in senior sharpshooter Joey Platz (6-4), who is averaging 17.6 ppg, and junior forward Aiden Flynn (6-5), who also is averaging 17.6 ppg. Senior point guard Braeden Brown (6-3) pitches in 9.4 ppg while also playing strong perimeter defense for coach Casey Kowalewski. 

8:00 p.m. Game
Pewaukee (13-3) vs. Homestead (12-2)
Two of the better teams in the Milwaukee metro area square off in the final game of the Chekouras Classic. Pewaukee is among the top teams in the Western Division of the Woodland Conference and first-year coach David Burkemper boasts a balanced line-up with five players averaging between 13.0 ppg and 7.2 ppg. Senior BJ Wallace (6-6) leads the way for the Pirates by averaging 13.0 ppg followed by senior Ben Miller (6-2) at 9.2 ppg and freshman Josh Terrian (6-3) at 7.9 ppg. Homestead plays in the North Shore Conference and coach Sean Crider relies heavily on two outstanding backcourt players in senior Ryan Waddell (6-2), who is averaging 19.4 ppg, and junior Declan Ciurlik (6-3), who contributes 16.9 ppg. Senior forward Michael Kennedy (6-5) adds 8.8 ppg while senior Jacob Kleiman (6-0) pitches in 9.2 ppg.

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