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 Thursday, January 8 through Friday, January 10.
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.
Thursday, January 8
We are spoiled to have this non-conference game on a January Thursday as two ranked teams are poised to do battle in the central part of the state. Oostburg’s Cade Dirkse is back after missing a few games, which is a huge difference for the Flying Dutchmen. Lomira is undefeated, challenged, and very balanced. Both teams are contenders to make deep playoff pushes and this game will only better prepare each squad for that.
Both of these squads are looking to finish the season atop the Middle Border standings and are off to great starts to the 2025-26 season. Prescott is led by Kobe Russell, a North Dakota State football recruit and strong and skilled guard. Graysen Becker is a skilled junior for Altoona that is averaging over 27.3 points per game and holds offers from a few Division 1 and 2 colleges.
This is the marquee matchup in the southeast part of the state and will serve as the double-bill headliner on Thursday night as far as top games. Two of the best seniors in the state have done battle for three years prior and will square off for the penultimate matchup on Thursday night. Beloit Memorial’s Amare Hereford averages 38.8 points per game and is one of the top unsigned seniors in the state. Caden Gustafson averages 23.4 points for Waterford and is headed to Northern Michigan next season. First place in the Southern Lakes is up for grabs in this one.
Others to Watch
Friday, January 9
North has been rolling this season, only falling to De Pere in mid-December. Bay Port is coming off a challenging loss to Notre Dame on Tuesday and looking to get back in the win column in the FRCC. Both teams are hopeful contenders in the league and a loss here puts that team one step further from that goal.
The North Shore is loaded this year with quality teams, and this is a matchup between two of those squads. Hartford’s lone loss on the year came to Slinger, which the Orioles held a halftime lead. Sam Richter and Alex Kuepper have been the catalyst for Hartford, while Whitefish Bay has a formidable trio in Colin Julien, Jack Broderson, and Mace Miskel.
One of the better mid-sized school rivalries in the state, these cross-town rivals put on thrillers year after year in the Capitol-North conference. It’s the first league game for both and gives the winner a leg up at the beginning of the season. Wes Rahn is a force inside for the Warriors while Lake Mills is more balanced in its rotation.
Postponed from Tuesday, the winner of this game will sit alone atop the Wisconsin Valley standings. For Marshfield, it’s been over two years since they’ve fallen in league play, having won 28 straight games, with the last loss coming to Stevens Point on February 14 of 2023. The Tigers have size that have led them in 2025-26, while SPASH does have Jackson Bouressa, but is more guard dominant.
These two squads were a part of the East Central before it disbanded. They are now rivals within the newly formed Glacier Trails. Vying for position in the standings is up for grabs in this one as Plymouth is 3-0 and tied atop the league with Port Washington, while Kettle Moraine Lutheran is 2-1. Plymouth’s Kayden Schultz is coming off a 50-point outburst in a win earlier in the week and is one of the top scorers in the state through early January.
Both of these squads are coming off a loss earlier in the week and looking to get back on track. In a North Shore conference where five of the seven league teams have just one conference loss, this game is important in that regard. On top of that, both squads are loaded with talent, as there will be a handful of Division 1 recruits on the floor at one time.
A battle in the Greater Metro between two top-ten teams is exactly what we are getting on Thursday night. Both of these squads are efficient on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball and match up well across the board. Keeping pace atop the league standings is paramount for both squads with the goal of a Greater Metro league title. Both also are prime picks to make noise come late February and March in the playoffs.
Others to Watch
Saturday, January 10
Another week, another big matchup in the Metro Classic. Dominican is rolling, coming off a thrilling win over New Berlin West on Wednesday. Zeak Jones has been nearly un-guardable for the Knights, while Racine Lutheran continues to challenge opponents on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
These two squads have been ranked throughout the season in Division 1 and are giving us a very good non-conference matchup to take in before the Packer game on Saturday night. Michael Rogers and Oliver Belot are the sharpshooting duo with the Highlanders, while Noah Maniscalco has led a balanced Redbirds squad.
Both of these squads have reloaded from last season and are an example of a fruitful program. Waunakee is solid, fundamental, and well-coached, something the Warriors have been for years. Verona has a duo in Owen Ayite-Atayi and Will Stremlow that have stepped into bigger roles and are excelling as playmakers for the Wildcats.
Others to Watch
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].