Great Talent above Highway 8

Martin Crownhart January 27, 2026 @ 02:52 PM

There is a lot of great basketball being played in Northern Wisconsin! This week I will be highlighting a handful of those standout players located above Highway 8.   [player_tooltip player_id='533077' first='Adaline' last='Sheplee']-Rice Lake   The University of Wisconsin commit, one of the best players in not only Division 2, but in all of Wisconsin, is having a fantastic finish to her storied career! Averaging 27.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.5 steals, and just under a block per game, the 6-3 Sheplee, the state's #2 prospect (#32 nationally), is on the cusp of 2,000 career points and has a chance to hit that mark by the end of the regular season as she has helped the Warriors to a 14-2 record and a good shot to get back to the Resch Center in March.   [player_tooltip player_id='1278345' first='Quinn' last='Schenkenberg']-Shell Lake   It is hard to find a more dominant paint presence, in all of the state, then the 6-2 Schenkenberg. There is a reason why she seemingly has a Prep Hoops article with her name in it almost every week! 17.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.7 blocks. The Lakeland conference Player of the year, in Volleyball, just may be adding another POY award, in just her sophomore season, as she has the Lakers sitting at 12-3 heading into February.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267665' first='Kalli' last='Nelson']-Solon Springs   The 5-5 freshman has had a great start to her career putting up 21.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 8.4 apg, 5.5 spg while shooting almost 50% from the floor. The team-first lead guard has shown great patience, and awareness, while being asked to handle the main ballhandling duties. Her 8.4 assists per game is tops in the state and she has shown flashes of the high ceiling that scouts have been raving about.   [player_tooltip player_id='915001' first='Jillian' last='Kunert']-Northwestern   After a sophomore season, cut short by an injury, the 6-1 Kunert has shown, that when healthy, she is one of the more talented "bigs" in the state and one of the more disruptive defensive players in the paint. Also a very talented volleyball player, Kunert's line of 17.3 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.2 spg, and 5.6 bpg while providing valuable leadership to her younger teammates has the Tigers at 9-3. Unfortunately, due to an injury, she is going to miss the rest of her junior season however I know she will be back stronger than ever and I look forward to her return next season!   Lizzy Long-Tomahawk   The Hatchets, winners of 12 games last season, are sitting at 9-7 and that is due large in part to Lizzy Long. A team-first point guard, who herself has had to battle through injuries, Long improved from a freshman season where she averaged a respectable 6 points per game. One of the best defenders, in the state, the 5-7 long is averaging a ridiculous 7.3 steals per game to go along with 9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1 block per game.

There is a lot of great basketball being played in Northern Wisconsin! This week I will be highlighting a handful of those standout players located above Highway 8.