Big East-South Preview
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Going from conference to conference and looking through each team and their returners is a fun way to prepare for the high school season. Today, we’re taking a peak at the Big East-South and Big 8. Both of those conferences…
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Continue ReadingGoing from conference to conference and looking through each team and their returners is a fun way to prepare for the high school season. Today, we’re taking a peak at the Big East-South and Big 8. Both of those conferences have a clear favorite with aspirations to make a deep postseason run, so let’s talk about it, starting with the Big East-South.
Oostburg
Led by the Ketterhagen twins, Ady and Riley, the Flying Dutchmen opened their careers at Oostburg’s new state-of-the-art gym and did not disappoint. In their first season at the new gym, Oostburg finished the season with a 24-3 record and a perfect 19-0 run through the Big East-South. Ady was the player of the year in the conference averaging 17/6/4 on excellent shooting splits. Riley was a unanimous first-team all-conference performer averaging 14/4/3.6. Another crucial returner is 5-11 senior Brynn Wisse. The forward was a second-team all-conference performer a season ago and averaged 12/7. She’ll provide a presence in the paint this season. Look for this team to get up and down the floor and be one of the better offenses in small-school basketball.
Sheboygan Lutheran
In all honesty, last year’s Crusader group was good enough to win a regional title but played in the most challenging sub-sectional in the state, and it wasn’t even close. However, this group was more than competitive throughout the season. Junior guard Addy Verhagen Addy Verhagen 5'4" | PG Sheboygan Lutheran | 2025 State WI is one of the most creative lead guards you’ll find in the state, and she excels playing with kids who cut to the basket because she’ll find them routinely. She’s a playmaker and someone her coach will want with the ball with games on the line. 5-11 junior wing Taylor Brigham Taylor Brigham 5'11" | SG Sheboygan Lutheran | 2025 WI brings plenty of versatility to this group with her threat to shoot from the perimeter and her effort crashing the glass. Senior forward Faith Pape is another integral returning piece. Pape’s ability to rebound outside of her area, contest shots around the rim, and be a presence that defenses have to respect opens up opportunities for her guards and wings to attack.
Cedar Grove-Belgium
The Rockets are losing their one all-conference performer, Alexis Bahr, from last season’s group that finished with a tie for third place. Last season was the first winning season for the Rockets program since Covid, and positive momentum. Although Alexis Bahr has graduated, Cedar Grove-Belgium does return their next four leading scorers. Having Tara Schmitz, Katelyn Morris, Olivia Bahr, and Sophie Beightol back will give them plenty of confidence going into next season and continue to push the program forward.
Random Lake
The Big East-South sent two teams to sectionals last season, their champion Oostburg and Random Lake. The overall success of the Rams isn’t new. The program has consistently hovered around a .500 record each season since the 2017-18 campaign, and last season ended at 15-12, with a Regional Championship. Although the Abby Borchart half of her duo with Halle Van Horn is gone, I’m sure the Rams like their chances to continue competing with Van Horn. I’m also willing to bet she’ll get the best of everyone around her.
Ozaukee
Overall, the Warriors had a rough season in the conference, playing against two teams who went to sectionals and three who were good enough to play in the second week of the postseason. Ozaukee only loses Evelynn Geis from last season’s rotation and keeps everyone else, including two double-digit scorers, Caitlin Weyker, and Natalie Miller. Although this group was an afterthought last season, this Warriors group should be more competitive.
Kohler
The Blue Bombers are a group looking to rebuild after their two leading scorers last season.
Sheboygan Christian
It’s not often that a team who finished at the bottom of the conference has an all-conference performer, but the Eagles had that in Maria Zylstra. She’ll return for her senior season this upcoming campaign.
My Predictions
- Oostburg
- Sheboygan Lutheran
- Random Lake
- Cedar Grove-Belgium
- Ozaukee
- Kohler
- Sheboygan Christian