Thursday Night Across the State: Top Performer from Each Division
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Thursday game day always brings excitement in the great state of Wisconsin, and we saw a ton of great action across all divisions last night. Here are the best performers from each division following Thursday night’s massive slate of games:…
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Continue ReadingThursday game day always brings excitement in the great state of Wisconsin, and we saw a ton of great action across all divisions last night. Here are the best performers from each division following Thursday night’s massive slate of games:
Division 1: Demetria Prewitt Demetria Prewitt 5'7" | PG Madison La Follette | 2022 State WI | La Follette | Guard/Wing/Forward | Class of 2022 | #15 Overall Prospect
Prewitt’s game against Janesville-Craig propelled La Follette firmly back into the Big 8 title mix, placing the Lancers in a tie for second place with the aforementioned JC and Middleton. Her 27 points led all scorers, with her prowess in the paint being on full display. Though there were bouts where Prewitt seemed content to swing the ball along the perimeter hoping to find the seams between the Cougar’s 2-3 zone, when it came time to attack in transition, no one could stop Prewitt from getting to the basket. Her change of direction going full speed is a deadly weapon, especially considering the lack of size on the Craig roster. She routinely weaved through defenders on the break and found herself getting clean looks at the rim.
In half-court sets, Prewitt didn’t find her rhythm until the second half, where she began to relentlessly attack off the dribble. Her shiftiness 15-feet and in, along with her explosiveness along the perimeter, led to nine free-throw attempts in the second half alone, of which she made seven. And to cap off the night, Prewitt bodied up Craig’s interior defenders to rebound her own miss and get the putback to hit the game-winner. In a game that could have crucial implications down the road in the Big 8 title race, Prewitt made a statement about La Follette’s intentions.
Division 2: Teagan Mallegni Teagan Mallegni 6'1" | SF McFarland | 2024 State WI | McFarland | Wing | Class of 2024 | #2 Overall Prospect
In a game where both teams combined for under 75 points, Mallegni still somehow managed to score 26 and dominate in the half-court against Big Foot. She got her jumper going early, hitting three threes from the left side corner before starting to use fakes and right-to-left crossovers to get good midrange looks. Mallegni opened the game by scoring 16 of McFarland’s 18 points and was the only consistent offensive option for the Spartans. Eventually, Big Foot started throwing double, triple, and–at times–quadruple-teams against Mallegni to slow her down. In these situations, Mallegni demonstrated keen vision and above-average playmaking, an encouraging sign of growth for the elite scorer.
And on the defensive end, Mallegnis flashed how impactful she could be. She opened the game with a block and two contested shots on back-to-back possessions while imposing her will in McFarland’s full-court press. Another standout performance for the Spartan’s ace as they get the win to improve to 6-2 in the Rock Valley.
Division 3: Jayden Nortier | Clinton | Wing/Forward | Class of 2023 | Unranked
Long-story-short: Nortier went for 36 of 14/19 shooting and was unstoppable going downhill against East Troy. Her relentlessness in transition and chemistry alongside guard Elli Teubert led to a myriad of easy looks at the cup. Her decisiveness on the catch and ability to change direction on the break made her all the more challenging to guard. Nortier’s contact absorption also defined her offensive outburst, using the physicality of others against them–sometimes as a stabilizer in the air and other times using spins and semi-Euro steps to avoid interior defenders.
Defensively, her anticipation and quickness at the top of Clinton’s 2-3 zone were smothering while fostering easy transition opportunities. She also demonstrated her defensive versatility, playing on the wings of the 2-3 as well as at the top of the zone. The combination of strength and speed created a defensive intensity that was contagious, with her teammates matching that intensity in what was a very strong defensive effort. Clinton moves to .500 in conference play.
Division 4: Abbie Dix Abbie Dix 5'11" | PF Brodhead | 2023 WI | Brodhead | Forward | Class of 2023 | #24 Overall Prospect
Let’s continue the Rock Valley appreciation. Dix went for 22 points and 14 boards against Jefferson, helping Brodhead stay undefeated in conference play while keeping the #2 team at bay. In what was a slower contest overall, Dix dominated the half-court with her physicality and touch on the inside. The junior forward opened the game with two offensive rebounds and a put-back, setting the tone for the Cardinals in a blowout win. But despite her dominance on the glass, what most impressed me was her patience in the post. Working hard to get good position on the low block, Dix used a series of drop-steps and half-spins to get easy looks down low. Her ability to seal the post in transition added more easy looks to her tally. Another exceptional game on the glass and in the post for Brodhead’s frontcourt stud.
Division 5: Orria Wood Orria Wood 5'4" | PG Wild Rose | 2022 State WI | Wild Rose | Guard | Class of 2022 | Unranked
Well, no one can accuse Wild Rose of playing with their food against Tri-County. The Wildcats scored 60 points in the first half alone while relenting none to their opposition. And Wood’s two-way play became a huge factor in that result. Her on-ball defense and instinct on the help side led to four steals and three fastbreak opportunities. She complimented the defensive intensity of fellow teammate Laney Havlovitz Laney Havlovitz 5'5" | PG Wild Rose | 2023 State WI with her anticipation in the passing lanes while making sure not to over-cheat. And while a massive part of Wild Rose’s victory was on the back of their transition play, Wood was just as effective in half-court sets. She consistently filled in gaps along the perimeter, swinging the ball until WR found open looks often in the form of a Wood three-point bomb or cut to the basket. The senior notched a season-high 33 points in the 74 point win, keeping the Wildcats undefeated in Central Wisconsin-South play.