Things to Watch in 2024 in Each Division

Coming out of the Christmas break, let's go over some things to watch for the rest of the way in each division.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Division 1</h2>   How Much of a Threat is Oregon?   The Panthers have been competitive the past few seasons, even winning a Regional Title on the road at Sun Prairie West last season. In 2024, the question will become, are they a top-five team in D1, which, according to the coaches poll, they are. If you were to ask me, the answer is no, but that's what the postseason is for.   How Good is Verona?   The Wildcats are a group that has accumulated an 11-0 record but only have one win against a team expected to play past the first weekend of the postseason in D1. They have kids who've been a part of a deep postseason run before and ranked at No. 1 in the coaches poll. However, to make it to Green Bay, they'll need to beat the team that ended their season a year ago in Arrowhead.   What to Make of Sectional 2   There are seven teams in this group I could see winning this sectional. Nothing has changed outside of Kaukauna's sustaining injury issues again, which may hamper their larger goals. However, Germantown, DSHA, De Pere, Kimberly, Menomonee Falls, Brookfield East, Hartford, and Homestead have shown flashes of being a team that could win this thing in March.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Division 2</h2>   Notre Dame's Seeding   Computer-based seeding gets a bad rap, mainly because it isn't the conventional way of thinking. Last season, people thought KM should've been the No. 1 seed at state, and others were confused about their team's seeding in their sectionals, and so on. However, Notre Dame will be in a weird spot seeding-wise. Four of their six non-conference games are against out-of-state opponents, which will level out to make those games look like average teams when they're not. The FRCC hasn't looked deep this season, so prepare for something that looks weird in February.   Can a Third Team Spoil the Party?   Regardless of seeding, most assume the Tritons and Pewaukee will play each other at state in either round, which will determine who the champion will be at the end. However, a few teams are knocking on the door. Teams like Monona Grove's tight-knit group that plays for each other, McFarland still has one of the biggest x-factors in [player_tooltip player_id='209586' first='Teagan' last='Mallegni'], Menomonie, who played Notre Dame well two years ago, and Pius, who has one of the best backcourts in the state all have a punchers chance at this thing. That's not mentioning groups like Tosa East or Wisconsin Lutheran who've shown bright flashes.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Division 3</h2>   How Dangerous is Catholic Memorial?   On Thursday, we'll learn a lot about the Crusaders. They'll host Arrowhead in a matchup of the last two unbeaten Classic 8 teams. I don't think anyone around the conference expects the Crusaders to win, but they're on a roll. They just haven't seen a team like Arrowhead yet.   The Parody in D3 Among, at the Top   All the teams at the top of D3 have things that make them elite and drawbacks that can cause problems at the state. Most teams are thin, which happens in D3, but the perimeter play at Waupun, depth at CMH, guards at Edgewood, shooting at Kettle Moraine Lutheran, and other teams with an elite skillset. D3 will be fun.   Can Anyone out West Make Noise in Green Bay?   Altoona, Elk Mound, and new to D3 Aquinas all have the potential to make something happen at the state tournament. Ferris State commit [player_tooltip player_id='266981' first='Alyssa' last='Wirth'] has size that nobody can match in the state. [player_tooltip player_id='448260' first='Ellie' last='Schiszik'] has been an excellent scorer at Elk Mound, and Aquinas is as athletic as any team with [player_tooltip player_id='533058' first='Samantha' last='Davis'] on their roster. Maybe this is the year a team from out west can make some noise at state.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Division 4</h2>   Who Else Can Win D4 Outside of the Top Two?   No team has the high-end talent that Racine Prairie has, and nobody has the depth that Laconia does, so that makes things difficult for the likes of McDonell, St. Mary Catholic, and Fall Creek. However, one team I feel has the tools to upset the assumed hierarchy.   Is Cuba City Better Than What People Think?   While nobody was looking, the Cubans nearly upset Arrowhead in the Waunakee Holiday tournament, and it feels like that's not the feeling people have. That game was even with three minutes left, and keep in mind Cuba City is a small school playing one of the best teams in the state, and they belonged on the floor with them. Even with Arrowhead's elite talent, don't forget [player_tooltip player_id='374234' first='Olivia' last='Olson'] was the best player on the floor that night, finishing with 26pts-12rebs-5asts-4stls.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Division 5</h2>   The Unknown Nature of D5   Now that we don't have the powerhouses of Randolph in 21-22 and McDonell in 22-23, everything is up in the air, and that's a good thing. A team like Turtle Lake can make a run like Lourdes Academy, Assumption, Albany/Monticello, and Argyle/Pecatonica are good enough to beat one another. If you love small-school basketball, D5 is for you this season.

Coming out of the Christmas break, let's go over some things to watch for the rest of the way in each division.