Way-Too-Early Season Preview: Thompson
Matt Bigelow
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Thompson has been one of the top programs in Class B for years. The Tommies won 19 games and advanced to the Region 2 final last year, losing to eventual state runner-up Grafton. Armed with an elite defense and an all-state lead guard, the Tommies figure to be one of the top teams in the state next winter. </span>
<strong>Go-To Player: Kenzie Hughes</strong>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Hughes is a multi-year all-state selection and might be the best two-way perimeter player in the state. She’s undersized, but terrific on the defensive end of the floor, spearheading an elite defensive group while carrying the load on the offensive end. She averaged 21 points, five rebounds and nearly four assists as a junior, nearly doubling her scoring average from her sophomore season. She’s capable of taking over a game and she’ll have the ball in her hands with a ton of responsibility as a senior. </span>
<strong>Breakout Candidate: Libby Koerber</strong>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">The Tommies are graduating a couple of key starters including two of their top perimeter players. That means there will be a big chunk of minutes available and Grafton’s junior class has a number of potential options. Koerber saw spot rotation minutes last year and the kind of length and quickness that should allow her to contribute even more as an upperclassman. </span>
<strong>Question: Can They Get Enough Scoring After Hughes?</strong>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Thompson is going to grind out wins because of a strong defense and Hughes controlling games. But when the Tommies run into good teams, or if Hughes is struggling and they need the complementary players to make shots, do they have enough firepower? </span>
<strong>Season Outlook</strong>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Thompson is going to go into next year ranked in the top-10 with the expectations of contending in Region 2. Grafton will be the favorite and Midway/Minto will be very good, but the Tommies have arguably the most talented individual player in Hughes, solid frontcourt pieces including Jade Welke and Madeline Stefonowicz and a really promising young core including Olivia Dick and [player_tooltip player_id="14177" first="Bailey" last="Munson"].</span>
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