At a press conference at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday, the Milwaukee Bucks and Bound Wisconsin hosted coaches from 12 participating teams in the 2027 Deer District Prep Showcase. This year’s event will once again feature six games, to be held Saturday, January 2nd, 2027. Following the press conference, coaches were treated to tours of the Marquette mens basketball and Milwaukee Bucks locker rooms.
Fiserv Forum and Bound Wisconsin will host the second annual Deer District Prep Showcase on Saturday, Jan. 2, featuring 12 high school boys basketball teams from across the state.
General admission tickets are $20 and valid for all matchups, which includes in-and-out priveleges. Fans can purchase a courtside seat for one game for $50, or all six games for $75. Tickets are on sale now at www.fiservforum.com. This year there will also be a special high school student ticket available for $10, at the door only.
Deer District Prep Showcase Schedule:
11 a.m. – Altoona vs. Kenosha St. Joseph
12:45 p.m. – Aquinas vs. Darlington
2:30 p.m. – DeForest vs. Hartford
4:15 p.m. – Beaver Dam vs. Onalaska
6 p.m. – McFarland vs. Nicolet
7:45 p.m. – Bay Port vs. Homestead
"Over the past two years, the Deer District Prep Showcase has delivered incredible moments and highlighted the tremendous talent across Wisconsin high school basketball," said Travis Wilson, Bound Wisconsin Manager. "We're excited to build on that momentum with another outstanding lineup of teams and players. Competing at Fiserv Forum is a special opportunity for these student-athletes, and we're looking forward to another memorable day of basketball."
"One of the things that makes Fiserv Forum special is the opportunity to bring basketball fans together at every level of the game," said Michael Belot, Milwaukee Bucks Senior Vice President of Business Operations & Chief Real Estate Development Officer. "The Deer District Prep Showcase gives young athletes from across Wisconsin the chance to experience playing on an NBA court, creating memories that will last well beyond the final buzzer. We're proud to continue building this tradition alongside Bound Wisconsin and welcome these teams, their families and fans to Milwaukee."
The Matchups
Altoona vs. Kenosha St. Joseph 11:00 AM
Altoona enters off an 18-win season a year ago, and has one of the best backcourt duos in the state in seniors Graysen Becker and Owen Gunderson, who each averaged better than 20 points per game last season. St. Joseph has a strong group coming back and is expected to be a contender in the Metro Classic. Leading the way is 20-point per game scorer Christopher Kenesie, who is committed to Northern Iowa for football.
Aquinas vs. Darlington 12:45 PM
Aquinas captured the 2025 Division 4 state title and won 20 games last year. The Blugolds can turn to Mississippi Valley Conference Player of the Year Calvin Bahr, who averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds per game. Darlington has an outstanding group of athletes that are pushing the school to success in not only hoops but football as well. Air Force football commit Zeke Zuberbuhler leads a strong group of returnees that will have the Redbirds as favorites in a tough Southwest Activities League.
DeForest vs. Hartford 2:30 PM
DeForest should be an improved team this year behind a nice group of seniors that combines with talented underclassmen Jayden Doedens and Ben Pritzl, who is one of the top sophomores in the state. Juniors Tyler Kowal and Gavin McRoberts are returning double-digit scorers. Hartford won 18 games a year ago under head coach Chris Smith, and while the Orioles lose leading scorer Sam Richter, they do bring back double-figure scorers Alex Kuepper and Ethan Webb.
Beaver Dam vs. Onalaska 4:15 PM
Beaver Dam shared the Badger-Large title last season and has three starters back, including fast-rising D1 junior prospect Ben Wittnebel, plus seniors Isaiah Yuenger and Jaxon Ladron. Onalaska is one of the most consistent programs in the state over the last couple decades, and is coming off a Mississippi Valley Conference title and 21-win season.
McFarland vs. Nicolet 6:00 PM
McFarland claimed a co-conference title in the Badger-Small, and wouldn’t stop there, advancing to the Division 2 state tournament. The Spartans figure to be one of the top teams in D2 once again behind the return of Colorado State recruit Eli Krueger plus talented point guard Garrett Crull. Nicolet has averaged more than 20 wins per season over the last decade. The Knights will turn to Edward Bullock for a big senior season after he averaged 10 points per game last year.
Bay Port vs. Homestead 7:45 PM
It is a big-time Division 1 matchup to end the day between Bay Port and Homestead. Bay Port has one of the most improved seniors in the state in big man JT Meyer, who recently received a D1 offer. Homestead can score with anyone, bringing back talented seniors Oliver Belot and Michael Rogers, Jr., who can fill it up from deep.
About Bound Wisconsin
Bound Wisconsin is the new home for high school sports in Wisconsin, with unparalleled high school sports news and information, including stats, standings, schedules, rosters, and stats leaders for teams around the state as well as expert analysis through original content such as player rankings, conference and season previews, in-depth playoff breakdowns, and much more. Bound is an all-in-one Athletics Management System (AMS) designed specifically to help high school athletic administrators lead more and manage less. The platform is developed by former athletic administrators and coaches to streamline processes like scheduling, ticketing, registration, facility management, communication, and 15+ other tasks in one place. Trusted nationwide, Bound helps athletic administrators simplify operations, save time, and efficiently manage their day-to-day.
About Deer District
Deer District is Milwaukee’s newest neighborhood and is redefining the city’s downtown. Anchored by the world-class Fiserv Forum, a preeminent sports and entertainment venue and home to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, the 30-acre Deer District is Milwaukee’s premier location for people to live, work and play, and is a hub for the city’s vibrant future. A year-round destination, Deer District features a myriad of dining and entertainment options in addition to Fiserv Forum, including The Deer Garden presented by Michelob ULTRA, Landmark Credit Union Live, Explorium Distilled, Tom’s Watch Bar, Drink Wisconsinbly Pub, Fat Tuesday, The New Fashioned and Insomnia Cookies. Deer District also features a large plaza which serves as an ideal setting to enjoy live music, festivals, outdoor movies, fitness classes and other events. Additionally, Deer District includes GATHER at Deer District, the Bucks’ state-of-the-art training center, the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Science Center, the 550 Ultra Lofts apartment building, Signature Dentistry, and The Trade Milwaukee, a 200-plus room Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, which are located directly across from Fiserv Forum. Future developments for Deer District include an AC Hotel by Marriott, a five-story mixed-use development in partnership with J. Jeffers Co., and further commercial, office space, and real estate. For more information on Deer District, visit DeerDistrict.com.
About Fiserv Forum
Fiserv Forum is a preeminent sports and entertainment arena in downtown Milwaukee that opened on Aug. 26, 2018. Designed by Populous, Eppstein Uhen Architects and HNTB, the venue offers incomparable sightlines, customer service, technology and amenities. Fiserv Forum includes 17,341 seats for basketball, 15,178 for hockey and up to 18,000 for concerts, with 34 luxury suites and three clubs. The world-class arena is home to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette University’s men’s basketball team and was selected to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention and the 2024 Republican National Convention. Fiserv Forum hosts a diverse variety of year-round events, including major concerts, family shows and other sports and entertainment events. Fiserv Forum is the anchor of the surrounding 30-acre Deer District neighborhood, which is Milwaukee’s premier location for people to live, work and play. In 2025, Fiserv Forum was awarded LEED Platinum Certification for sustainability performance. Founding Partners for Fiserv Forum include Fiserv, BMO, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls, ULINE, Potawatomi Hotel and Casino and Beechwood Sales and Service / Anheuser-Busch. For more information, please visit www.fiservforum.com.
