2025s Who’ve Added Winning Qualities to Their Programs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The last four articles I'll have for the month will be about kids I haven't talked about enough and who have played outstanding basketball so far. First, I'll talk about kids in the 2025 class today and close with the 2026s tomorrow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='767277' first='Olivia' last='Neis']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I talked about Neis recently, but there is much to admire about her role at Oregon. She's their answer to talented wing scorers in the Badger Conference, and she's answered every question asked of her this season. She's an athletic and physical 5-9 wing who does an excellent job doing all the little things on the defensive end. She gets around screens, stays in front of her assignment, and contests shots without fouling. If Oregon is a team that can hang with teams like Arrowhead and Verona, they're going to rely on Neis defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='767279' first='Laci' last='Lindsey']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whenever I've seen Lindsey, I've also thought she was taller than 5-9, but she has a longer wingspan than 5-9. That length allows her to shoot over almost any guard that ends up defending her, and she's been making shots at a high rate for Mineral Point this season. Lindsey is also a disciplined defender. She's also one of the most versatile defenders in southwest Wisconsin. Lindsey's athletic enough to place pressure on guards on the perimeter can play at the top of a press, and possesses the length to contest shots in the paint and cause shot alterations. She's a kid who'll be an intriguing prospect this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='520097' first='Hallie' last='Koltz']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crusaders have a deep roster this season. Koltz is a perfect example of that depth. She could start at most schools in the state, but at Catholic Memorial, she's a super-sub. Koltz is the first kid off the bench for them and can slot into any spot on the floor one through four. She also adds shooting to any lineup she's in, which adds to their starting five in [player_tooltip player_id='533059' first='Kelly' last='Boinski'], [player_tooltip player_id='337024' first='Olivia' last='Conway'], and [player_tooltip player_id='842222' first='Sami' last='Sarner']. She's a selfless kid and has embraced her role within this group. That overall buy-in from everyone at Catholic Memorial has them undefeated heading into the holidays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='333100' first='Kennedy' last='Retherford']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One type of player I love is kids who could've played significant minutes as a freshman but had to wait for their time to get prominent minutes. Retherford is that kind of player to a tee. She's a high-level shooter and has gotten much better at moving away from the ball since I first saw her in the summer between her first and second seasons. Looking at her in her junior season, she's become a starter, a reliable shot-maker, and one of the better rebounders for Pewaukee. She's a tough kid who's developed into a winning player for the Pirates as they push for a State Title in Division 2 before being bumped up to Division 1 next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->