Each week we are going to preview the best matchups, storylines, etc twice a week for the entirety of the boys basketball season. Monday we will preview the games played Monday-Wednesday, then on Wednesday we'll preview Thursday-Saturday's slate.
See below the best matchups for Monday, January 12 through Wednesday, January 14.
Don't forget to use the hashtag #wisbb when talking about any Wisconsin high school basketball stories, scores, and big performances this season.
Click the links for the games and see the preview of each game with a tale of the tape in terms of numbers, stat comparison, and other info on Bound.
Follow Colton on ‘X’ for more basketball content throughout the year.
Monday, January 12
Kewaunee has been rolling this year, going 8-0 through the first two months, winning games by a margin of 25 points per game. Brillion sits atop the Eastern Wisconsin standings at 6-0 in the league and is coming off back-to-back wins over Roncalli and Kiel. Junior Colton Larsen is having a breakout year with the Lions, averaging 19.4 points and 6.8 rebounds. Kewaunee is a very balanced group with three players averaging over 14 points per game and another three averaging over five.
These two squads were North Shore conference foes a year ago, but Port Washington is now in the newly formed Glacier Trails. The Pirates are playing extremely well right now, coming off a week where they took down North Shore favorite Slinger in a thriller. Chris Smith and Hartford have two losses on the year, both in conference, and both in close contests. Sam Richter and Alex Kuepper are two of the leaders both in scoring and playmaking for the Orioles.
The two top contenders in the Big East-South will square off for the first of two times on Tuesday night in a ranked, high stakes game in the northeast side of the state. Both squads well coached, have some really good playmakers at the top of the rotation, and are real contenders within their divisions to make a deep playoff run. Brennen Hackbarth has taken another step forward for the Crusaders, while sophomore McCoy Michael has stepped into a big role. For Oostburg the senior duo of Jamiszon Zavatchin and Cade Dirkse form one of the best one-two punches for any Division 3 school.
Others to Watch
Tuesday, January 13
This cross-town rival is one of the best rivalries we have in the state in boys hoops. Almost annually, both programs are contenders in the Greater Metro and are led by great coaches in Dan Wandrey and Joe Rux. The Lancers are the lone team in the conference without a loss in league play. If they get the win on Tuesday night, they’ll have built a two game cushion in the standings over the next three squads. For East, a win evens it at the top.
A great ranked non-con matchup on the western side of the state makes this one a must watch on Tuesday night. Regis senior Blake Risler is scoring at a blazing pace, averaging 30.0 points per game for the Ramblers. For G-E-T, sophomore Talon Fabian is breaking out while senior Mason Brone is one of the better point guards in 2026.
This is one of two top matchups in the FRCC on Tuesday night as Sheboygan North is looking to get back in the win column after losing to Bay Port last Friday. After starting out the year 1-3, Notre Dame has rallied off six straight wins and won via blowout and tight contests. Five teams have either one or two losses in the conference currently, which is going to be one of the better contested league crowns down the stretch.
The second of the important FRCC league games features these two squads. Bay Port has gone 2-2 in its last four games with wins over Pulaski and Sheboygan North and lossess to Notre Dame and De Pere. The Pirates are trying to break that pattern with a win Tuesday. The Phantoms have four straight wins including single possession victories over Germantown and De Pere.
The basketball community is spoiled with this matchup on a random Tuesday in January, featuring two of the top three ranked teams in Division 1. Wisco has looked all the juggernaut of the best team in the state this year while Arrowhead has been extremely impressive, only falling to a Slinger squad by 2. The individual talent is off the charts in this one, as is the team skill. Wisco will have a size advantage on the Warhawks, but the trio of Trey Resch, Theo Toepel, and Blake Basich can light it up from deep.
Two of the top contenders for a Big Eight conference crown will do battle for the first time on Tuesday night. These are the only two squads left in the conference without a loss in league play, so sole possession of the top is up for grabs. Come late February, these are likely to be two of the teams contending for a league crown and playoff positioning.
This is the first game of a gauntlet week for the Trojans of North Crawford, as they play Kickapoo on Thursday and head to the Midwest Players Classic for a game with Melrose-Mindoro on Friday. Both of these squads are well coached. The Trojans are deep, play with a lot of pace, and have a handful of players that can go off on any night. Aiden Keleher and Carsen Splinter are both averaging 20-plus points a game for Southwestern, and hae been the catalysts for the Wildcats through the first portion of the season.
Others to Watch
Wednesday, January 14
An added game to the schedule, this is a treat on a Wednesday night that is a light. Science has played a grueling schedule with some of the top teams in the state. Beloit is coming off its first loss of the year last week to Waterford. Purple Knights senior Amare Hereford is the top scorer in the state, averaging 37.1 points per game and is nearly impossible to contain. That’s got to be priority number one for the Novas in this one.
Colton Wilson serves a contributor and member of Bound Wisconsin. Wilson has worked in high school sports for 10 years, covering the state of Wisconsin in various sports. He has had roles in content creation, boys basketball coverage, director of events, and data management. Wilson is a graduate of Richland Center High School where he will currently serves as the Varsity Reserve boys basketball coach, entering his eleventh year coaching at the high school level. Wilson also has officiated basketball and organized youth tournaments for multiple years. You can follow him on Twitter at @ColtonWilson23 or reach him at [email protected].