Boys Basketball Preseason All-State: Division 2, Class of 2028

(listed alphabetically)

Doedens had half of his sophomore season derailed by injury last year but still came away from the season averaging 15.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, earning honorable mention All-Badger Large honors. The 6-0 lead guard is back and healthy and ready to lead. Doedens create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates with the ball in his hands and is a legitimate three-level scorer. Defensively his instincts lead to deflections, steals, and ultimately transition points.

Kohnen is one of the top players in the state in the junior class and holds numerous Division 1 offers already. He’s a 6-5 wing that does everything on a basketball court and usually does it well. As a sophomore for the state runner-up Owls he averaged 15.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 47% from the floor. He was an All-State selection as a sophomore. Kohnen’s eight Division 1 offers include Gonzaga, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Slinger is a preseason favorite in Division 2 this season and Joey, despite having a great year last year, is primed for an even bigger impact.

Kowal earned first team All-Mississippi Valley conference honors after leading the Hilltoppers at 16.7 points per game as a sophomore in the tough conference on the western side of the state. The son of former head coach Craig Kowal, Tyler effects the game in every aspect with his work ethic, skillset, and IQ on the floor. Kowal has the ability to score 40 points in a game and effect it that way but in the same breath, score ten and be equally effective. He competes on the defensive end on top of all his offensive skills.

Blink and you’ll miss Miskel on the court. The 5-11 point guard is lightning quick on the court and is the epitome of a point guard. He averaged 12.4 points and 5.0 assists for the state champion Blue Dukes as a sophomore and likely steps into an even larger role with the graduation of Marcus Webb. Miskel plays with great instincts on the defensive side, as proof by the 55 steals in 30 games played. On top of all of this, Miskel excels on the gridiron as the top playmaker in the Whitefish Bay offense.

Wittnebel has taken huge strides season after season and is considered one of the top juniors in the state because of it. At 6-6 he’s continually growing into his frame and adding weight, which has only elevated his game play on the court. Wittnebel can score at all three levels and is a matchup nightmare for smaller guards, which he can utilize his mid-post game, or larger bigs, which he can get by. After a strong club season, he holds a trio of Division 1 offers from Green Bay, Northern Illinois, and Southern Utah.

Grice is limited at times playing for Homestead with both Michael Rogers Jr. and Oliver Belot ahead of him in terms of shouldering the weight for scoring the ball. That does not take away whatsoever from how talented he is. At 6-4 he adds size on the perimeter for Coach Crider. Grice is well put together at his size and uses that strength and base to finish around the rim and defend multiple positions.

Kowske is poised for a breakout season with Eisenhower after playing a support role as both a freshman and sophomore. A season ago he averaged 4.3 points and 2.1 rebounds. Will, the son of former Wisconsin Badger Andy Kowske, will step into a much bigger role with the Lions after the top six scorers graduated. Kowske’s game has developed year after year and his overall skillset continues to grow beyond his ability to score near the rim.

Larkin came off the bench for Brookfield Central a season ago, but played major minutes for one of the better Division 2 programs in the state. He averaged 4.8 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 61% from three. At 6-4, Larkin can play either guard position and score in a number of different ways in the the half court. I’d expect to see Larkin have a major impact for the Lancers over the next two seasons.

McRoberts was an all-league player at the smaller school Melrose-Mindoro as a freshman but transferred to Onalaska before his sophomore season. As a sophomore he showed he can compete at the higher level, averaging 11.6 points per game and being named to the All-Mississippi Valley conference second-team. He’s a good combination of size (6-2) and skill and is the son of a coach, which shows in his IQ on the floor. McRoberts plays with patience and poise, which help in his ability to get to his spot to score the ball.

Munson pairs with classmate Vincent Kendall to give Burlington a very solid junior duo back this season to lead the way. Munson stands at 6-4 and does a great job of using his body when getting to his scoring spots. The lefty forward can score in inside with his patience and footwork, but is plenty capable of taking defenders off the dribble or burying shots from beyond the arc. Munson averaged 9.6 points and 5.2 rebounds and plays the game of basketball with a relentless motor.

With the graduation of Tyler Evenson, Still is likely to step into a much bigger role with Waukesha West this upcoming season. As a sophomore, he averaged 10.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while earning honorable mention All-Classic Eight honors. Still had a nearly 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and plays the game with poise and vision, willing to create scoring opportunities for his teammates around him.

Williams is a two-year varsity starter and comes into his junior year having already scored over 675 points. Last season he averaged 16.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game and earned Woodl-West second-team all-conference honors. Williams thrives near the rim where he collects rebounds at an alarming rate, deters would-be scorers with his instincts to block shots, and rises above the rim to dunk over defenders.

Honorable Mentions: Lincoln Benish, Reedsburg; Thomas Check, La Crosse Logan; Devin Dassow, Medford; Brayden Fischer, McFarland; Max Grady, Milton; Tyler Johnson, Union Grove; Vincent Kendall, Burlington; Cohen Kendhammer, Holmen; Carter Klopcic, Fort Atkinson; Matthew Lojeski Jr, Waterford; Braun Meyer, Sauk Prairie; Daschel Stallings, Elkhorn; Jaylen Trotter, Homestead;