Boys Basketball Preseason All-State: Division 4, Class of 2027

(listed alphabetically)

When talking about the extremely talented junior class in the state, that conversation starts with Johnson. The 6-6 wing oozes with talent on both ends of the floor. He’s a game changer with the ball in his hand, whether that’s attacking the rim, working his way in the mid-range, or knocking down shots from deep. Johnson also excels in creating for his teammates and high pointing rebounds. One of the top players in the nation in the Class of 2027, Johnson recently gave a commitment to Gonzaga.

Jones holds a handful of Division 1 scholarship offers going into his junior season with Dominican. The 6-3 guard is the most talented of a very talented Knight team that will battle in a tough Metro Classic conference and for a deep run in the Division 4 playoffs. Jones averaged 18.4 points per game a season ago going up against highly talented individuals and teams each night. He can knock shots down from deep and is a legitimate three-level scorer.

Robbins may be the biggest riser in the Class of 2027 as he’s impressed over the club season and even though he broke out a season ago, will likely come onto more radars at the state level during his junior campaign. Robbins is a 6-7 wing that plays well above the rim and is a nightmare to stop from getting there. He recently picked up his first Division 1 offer from Western Michigan. Robbins and teammate Korz Loken are a pair of twin towers at Iola that are going to be nightmares for opposing defenses all year.

Wesenberg was the top scorer as a sophomore for the state runner-up Bears a season ago. He’s a smooth lefty that can score it at all three levels of the court. Wesenberg is a score first guard that when hot, is hard to contain. He’s done a great job of working at his game over the past few seasons, improving not just upon his skillset, but his understanding of the pacing and flow of the game.

Just this past week Zuberbuhler was playing quarterback and accounting for four touchdowns as Darlington won a state football championship. On the hardwood, he’s one of the top returning scorers in the junior class having averaged 19.9 points a year ago. He’s well built, has a good understanding of the game, and plays with the poise fitting of a quarterback on the basketball court. A stacked Redbirds team, led by Zuberbuhler and co., have eyes set on a second state appearance in as many sport seasons.

Ahlensdorf got to showcase his ability on the grandest stage last season, competing with his Hawks in the state tournament. The 6-5 forward has great poise and understanding of spacing at his age. Defensively he’s shown instincts well beyond his years, where he collects blocks at a high rate due to his timing and positioning in the help side. Last season he had a bit of a breakout. This season Ahlensdorf is poised for a bigger step forward.

Gulseth is a pure scorer. Plain and simple, he can shoot it from deep with the best in the state, and plays with a controlled pace that he uses opposing players closeouts to his advantage. On top of that, the 6-2 shooting guard battles on the defensive side of things. He’s willing to defend 94 feet and with his horizontal quickness, he can turn ball handlers while working them down the court. Gulseth and Jets are state contenders this season.

Higgins was the top scoring threat for Marshall as a sophomore a season ago and that role will only increase as a junior after the gradation loss from last year. The 6-0 combo guard is smooth with the ball in his hands and is most comfortable off the attack or playing in the mid-post where he has a lethal turnaround and mid-range. His perimeter game is improving, as are his maturity and leadership qualities.

Perry plays poised and in control on the basketball court, never seeming to get sped up with the ball in his hand. He lures defenders to sleep, but then flashes a quick first step that allows him to gain leverage on his way to the rim. As a sophomore Perry averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game playing in the ultra-competitive Metro Classic. He’s back as part of a nucleus of Hawks that are still young, but have the experience of a state tournament run under their belts.

It felt like before last season, Schmidgall was almost like a baby giraffe on the court with so much untapped potential. Long time head coach Rick Storlie helped Schmidgall become the force that he was and has continued to grow into. He’s 6-7 with plenty of athleticism and runs the court extremely well. As a sophomore Schimdgall averaged 16.7 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. He’s efficient in and around the paint and defensively was one of the better players in Division 4 in sending shots back, having tallied 86 total blocks.

Honorable Mentions: Caleb Arcand, Clear Lake; Mohammad Badwan, Salam; Ryde Ehley, Living Word Lutheran; Devin Jerome, Pardeeville; Nolan Julseth, New Glarus; Keegan Kell, Lomira; Deegan Kircher, Crandon; Korz Loken, Iola-Scandinavia; Carter Moesch, Bonduel; Kolton Peters, Coleman; Caleb Rombach, Grantsburg; Mason Staudinger, Valders