Across the State: Underrated Underclassmen
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The future of Wisconsin hoops is in good hands. Young bucks across the state I have shown the ability to carry their weight and then some on the hardwood. Whether it be through monstrous defensive efforts, stupifying offensive displays, or…
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Continue ReadingThe future of Wisconsin hoops is in good hands. Young bucks across the state I have shown the ability to carry their weight and then some on the hardwood. Whether it be through monstrous defensive efforts, stupifying offensive displays, or wisdom beyond their years, here are some underrated underclassmen that I wanted to highlight as the future of their programs:
Lucy Leininger — Germantown — Class of 2024 — Forward — Unranked
Leininger’s defensive presence this season has been one of the most underrated aspects of Germantown’s success. At 5’10″ her length, fundamentals, and quickness is as fun to watch defensively as KK Arnold KK Arnold 5'10" | PG Germantown | 2023 State #8 Nation WI is to watch offensively. And though other players her size would struggle to defend guards, she excels. She presses intensely and when beat, uses her arms to disrupt the rhythm of the ballhandler and recover. Leininger’s also shown the ability to cover an incredible amount of space in a short time–stopping the ball on a fastbreak and then recovering to the basket to protect the rim. Her defensive versatility and future growth are a major plus for years to come for Germantown.
Leininger also flashes physicality and touch around the basket on the offensive end. When she catches the ball on the move, she doesn’t fumble around. You can see the confidence to attack the basket without looking out of control. Her strength down low allows her to absorb contact and finish at inconvenient angles, and here-and-there she’ll show off some nifty footwork for an up-and-under finish. The next steps for Leininger are developing range extending to the three-point line on a more consistent basis and initiating for herself offensively.
Clara Shea — Menomonee Falls — Class of 2025 — Guard/Forward — Unranked
When I saw that Shea was a freshman, I refreshed my screen and rubbed my eyes about 15 teams. She’s the leading scorer for 4-1 Menomonee Falls and has posted two 20-point games and a 30-piece in that span. She’s an extremely versatile offensive weapon that demands multiple bodies in order to slow her down. With a clean shooting stroke and an aggressive mentality, when she gets going she’s as good as any scorer in the state. But what doesn’t get enough attention is that she doesn’t need to break down the defense by being ball dominant, though she has shown the ability to create for herself. She does a ton of work before she gets the ball, setting up her left foot immediately facing the basket once she gets to her position. This lets her get straight into her shooting motion, such that if a defender is a half-step too late to rotate or gives her airspace she’s launching a 22 footer in your grill.
With Shea, what immediately stands out is the shooting and three-level scoring. But what could easily get lost in the mix is her defensive anticipation. You won’t find her blocking shots, but she’s shown a ton of discipline around the perimeter. Her feet are always moving, and her eyes are locating man-and-ball. And once she does get a hand in the passing lane, her straight-line speed for a freshman has been debilitating for fastbreak defenses. As she gains more varsity experience and time in the weight room she’ll be able to body up guards more explosive than her–one of the bigger qualms about her game–but if this is her starting point the state of Wisconsin should be on notice.
Brynn Kirch Brynn Kirch 5'6" | PG McFarland | 2024 State WI — McFarland — Class of 2024 — Guard — #60 Overall Prospect
Kirch’s basketball IQ stands out immediately. She isn’t bothered by physical defenders, and often uses their physicality as a way to create open shots for herself. With quick bursts of speed and tight footwork, Kirch can turn a defender riding her hip into a spin-move towards the cup, and easy points for McFarland. She embodies two of the most important goals of the sport: create space and take space. There’s very little wasted movement when she’s attacking offensively.
And defensively, she has a certain savviness that translates to the next level. When operating as the weakside defender in a trapping situation, she knows to zone off the weak side and cheats towards the paint. This results in easy steals and acts as a form of paint defense that guards rarely involve themselves with. Just a sophomore, she still needs to gain strength and demonstrate a more consistent outside shot, but McFarland has themselves another extremely talented player in their 2024 class.
Lindsey Schadewalt Lindsey Schadewalt 5'10" | SG New Glarus | 2024 State WI — New Glarus — Class of 2024 — Guard/Wing — #50 Overall Prospect
Usually, when a player is described as moving in slow-motion, it’s not a positive assessment of their game. In Schadewalt’s case, she makes defenders look silly. She has one of the most efficient shooting motions I’ve evaluated, which lets her effortlessly shoot from distance. This completely opens up her shot profile. She can take jab-step or side-step threes with accuracy because she doesn’t have to worry about power. Even on the fastbreak, she doesn’t rush. With a surprisingly tight handle, she’s utilized in-and-out dribbles, hesitations, and snatch-backs to create space in transition. Schadewalt has also demonstrated an increased ability to play off of high-ball screens and create for herself and others as a result. Her unique style of play is a ton of fun to watch and is translatable across a variety of offensive schemes.
On the other end of the court, she’s shown bits and pieces of the defender she could be but needs to stay active for longer stretches of time to maximize her potential. She’s witty enough to poke the ball free, catch a lackadaisical ball-handler off guard, or occasionally play the passing lanes. But to take that next step she’ll have to put more energy into the defensive end. This isn’t to say that Schadewalt is getting scorched by her matchup, she’s a very capable defender both on and off the ball. But with potential as high as hers, this is the one area where she can take a massive step forward.