State of the Class of 2027
We’ve gone through the classes of 2024-2026, and today, we’ll recap and preview the newcomers this season. There is optimism that this group could become another class at the level of the 2024s and 2026s, but only time will tell…
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Continue ReadingWe’ve gone through the classes of 2024-2026, and today, we’ll recap and preview the newcomers this season. There is optimism that this group could become another class at the level of the 2024s and 2026s, but only time will tell on that one. Today, we’ll touch on what to expect from some of these kids and what some have accomplished heading into high school.
Future of the Fox Valley
Over the summer, I get out and see as many teams as possible. I’ve talked about how talented the Fox Valley Association is from top to bottom, and with the 2027s entering the fold, it’s not changing.
Kimberly’s Class
Last season, the Papermakers had their fair share of growing pains while playing in a new system under a new coach. Overall, that group was relatively young, with kids like Katelyn McGinnis, Raegan Krueger, Alix Kilpatrick, Bentley Drout, and Emily Urban, among others. Now, Kimberly is likely getting two of the top 2027s in the state in Ava Van Vonderan and Haylie Dulas. Those two, along with Kennedy Ebben, were a part of one of the most successful feeder programs in the state. Those three entering the fold make them a real threat in the conference and beyond.
The Rest of the FVA
Looking past the influx of talent at Kimberly, the rest of the conference is also adding talent. One of the names that will pop up more over the next three seasons is Awut Alic. Alic’s athleticism alters the course of games in AAU settings. She’ll pop a ton athletically as a freshman, but I’ll be curious to see how she handles the attention of defenses from other FVA teams.
If you can believe it, another Peppler is at Hortonville, and she may be the most effective of the bunch. She has as much poise as a veteran of pro basketball. Nothing seems to fluster her. I’m not sure how her role offensively will manifest itself over the season, but she’s a kid who will provide value on the floor with her creativity and responsibility with the ball in her hands. As a freshman, she raises the ceiling of what the Polar Bears could be at the end of the season.
I could talk at length about other kids, but I’ll keep it brief to get to some other kids throughout the state.
The guard talent coming into the FVA is strong. Looking at kids like Avery Werfal Avery Werfal 5'9" | CG Appleton North | 2027 State WI and Ella Sweeney, I see kids who can shape what the middle of the conference can look like for teams who’ve finished all over the place in the past few years. Their poise and experience playing up in the EYBL will pay dividends for them.
Prospects From Remote Parts of the State
The 2027 class has produced some kids that we’ll be tracking the next four years from places that aren’t known as traditional hotbeds for talent, like the Fox Valley or Milwaukee suburbs.
A perfect example is Aubryn Clark, who’ll play her high school ball for the Hodags of Rhinelander in North Central Wisconsin. Clark played up for the Purple Aces over the summer and looked like one of the most physical guards in the 15U Divisions. There were games she took over with her ability to get downhill and play through contact. Yes, Clark’s a strong guard who can handle the physicality of high-level basketball against older kids, but I’d say her game revolves around her quickness and handle. She can beat kids off the dribble to create shots for herself and make great reads off where the help comes from to create open shots for her teammates. Clark drew the attention of schools through Elite Camps and AAU tournaments. She’s the real deal.
Coming off a surprise conference title last season, the Panthers have a new look. Wisconsin basketball legend Janel McCarville is the new head coach at her alma mater, and they’re adding one of the most exciting wings in the 2027 class, Jada Seubert. The 5-9 lefty has a smooth offensive game that’ll improve over time, and I believe she could become one of the premier defenders in Central Wisconsin. I loved watching her at various events this offseason, and she’ll be a significant piece of the Panther puzzle.
Rice Lake has produced a fair bit of talent over the past decade, from a D2 National Player of the Year in Brooke Olson to the Sheplee sisters in Eliana and Adaline, who’ll play Division 1 basketball. Now they have Addison Schmidt. She’s a 6-1 post kid who did a solid job with Team Wisconsin over the summer and showed her vertical and lateral athleticism with the Warriors Sectional Champion Volleyball team.
Staying in the Big Rivers, Hudson has had a handful of classes come through and have been successful. They have some talented seniors still, but the addition of Olivia LaBlanc adds to their identity. They love to score in the paint, and so does LaBlanc. She’s coming in with a lot of pedigree, winning a Minnesota State AAU Championship with her Minnesota Fury 14U team last summer.
A Look Around the Capitol
Most of the population comes from the southern part of our state, so it stands to reason that there will be a fair bit of talent produced in the Milwaukee and Madison areas, and it’s true.
The kid I’m most intrigued by, from a guard’s perspective, is Anna Miller. Miller plays in Madison at Edgewood and could become a premier lead guard in the Badger the second she steps on the floor. Her ability to create some magic with the ball in her hands while not turning it over will make her one of the most effective guards in Wisconsin. She has a lot of composure and makes teams who frantically press her pay for allowing easy reads once she gets over half-court. I firmly believe she’s one of the ten best lead guards in Wisconsin right now, even as a freshman.
Waunakee has had some scholarship-level players come through over the past few years, like Ashley Sawicki and Lauren Meudt. Now, they’re adding Tessa Bryan to the mix. The up-tempo style of lead guard that Bryan is makes defenses uncomfortable whenever she has the ball, and she sprints at set defensive units every minute she’s on the floor. Everything is a transition opportunity for her, and it creates a unique style of basketball that people will enjoy because it’s uniquely her, and taking her away from that style makes the offense she plays in worse. Waunakee did play aggressively in a summer event, and I expect them to continue playing in Tessa Bryan’s version of transition basketball as much as possible.
The Madison area also boasts one of the top wing/forwards in the 2027 class, Avalyn Albrecht. She’s a 6-1 or 6-2 athlete who loves to run the floor. Her ability to change games by playing hard is elite. I also love her skill on the perimeter. She’s not perfect out there, but she shows flashes of being an elite two-way wing in her class. She can attack off the dribble, cut, and shoot and is among the most underrated passers on short rolls I’ve seen in my two-plus years of writing. There’s plenty to be excited about at Poynette.
The final kid I want to highlight in the Madison area is Kennedi Harden. You won’t find many kids who can create off the dribble as well as she can, but I love her confidence when she gets a chance to get by someone one-on-one. She’s quick and creative, and she thrives in situations where defenses are scrambling because her mind allows her to make things work that most kids can’t comprehend. There’s a chance Vel Phillips Memorial could be competitive in the Big Eight, but like I’ve said, it’ll depend on how Avery Blue and Harden coexist in the Spartan backcourt.
Whitefish Bay
Before we get to the Milwaukee suburbs, I feel Whitefish Bay needs its section.
The trio of Carrington Balthasar, Rowan Counsell, and Madeline Volpe are too talented to keep off the floor. In my eyes, that’ll create some wild and fun lineup possibilities for four or even five lead guard lineups, including Sage Miskel. In Pewaukee’s fall league, I’ve had fun watching that team play fast and free-flowing basketball. In the NBA, there are teams considered as “League-Pass Teams.” Those teams are traditionally fun to watch, unique and can score points in bunches. On this day, October 30th, 2023, I deem the Whitefish Bay Blue Dukes the Wisconsin High School Girls’ Basketball Stream Team of the 2023-24 season.
Suburban Milwaukee Talent Stays Strong
Whitefish Bay fits into this mold, but we already highlighted them, so let’s start with another North Shore team.
Over the next two seasons, the Hartford Orioles have a chance to be a State Title contender. They have the kid that can power them through challenging games in Makena Christian, but the two classes that came in after her could be perfect fits alongside her. Taressa Hennes has the athleticism to defend some of the talented wings that the Orioles may come across, Bella Klages is a high-level glue kid who does a bit of everything, and Rita Kuepper will be able to let Makena operate off the ball and take a breather or two when she’s on the floor. If things break right for them, they could take a significant step forward.
Sometimes, the rich get richer, and that’s been the Arrowhead Warhawks the last few years. They added the best 2026 class in the state last season, and they’re adding a talented 2027 in Sidney Zehner this season. Adding Zehner to that backcourt is adding insult to injury to everyone else in the Classic 8. She brings another creative presence in that backcourt, and she’ll be able to learn behind kids who’ve been through this gauntlet before. Due to the talent within that program, I’m not sure what to expect from her this season. There may be games where she plays a significant role in a win, and others she may not, and that’s ok. Zehner will be one of the top guards in this class, and her playing at Arrowhead gives them the best backcourt in Wisconsin, in my opinion, and that says a lot, considering what teams like Hortonville will roll out.
The final kid I want to touch on is Josie Piurkowski. She played AAU ball with all the Whitefish Bay guards, and she plays the same way as they do, but she’s about three to four inches taller than most of those girls. She brings some versatility to the floor that the others can’t, which makes her an intriguing athlete heading into the season. She’s a chameleon of a player. No matter where you put her on the floor, the role you give her, or the teammates you put on the floor with her, she’ll find a way to make things work. On any given day, Piurkowsi can score 20, dish out eight assists, record a double-double with rebounds, or defend some of the top kids in the GMC. I’m excited about what she can become.