Cedarburg looks to come back strong

A look at the rosters and the stat books provides more than enough information to say that Brookfield Central and Milwaukee Washington, two of the state’s top boys basketball teams this year, have a chance for big seasons next year.

Arrowhead and Destiny, two other state tournament qualifiers from the area, will graduate a large portion of their rotations.

Cedarburg’s status lies between those two ends of the spectrum.

The Bulldogs, who lost to La Crosse Central in the Division 2 state final Saturday, will return guard John Diener, a junior who had a record-setting performance at state. Matt Barber, a 6foot-7 forward with a nice touch from the outside, also will be a senior.

The team must replace four-year starters Jordan Johnson, Jared Short and Clayton Van Tassel, but coach Tom Diener’s expectations are high.

“I only prefer to play five to seven guys. I like the continuity of playing together,” he said. “We got some guys who will be back next year. I think we’re going to be good.”

That tight bench limited in-game opportunities for some of the team’s upand-coming players, but Victor Novy is a 6-7 sophomore forward with potential. Hunter Lewis is a 6-5 junior forward who is also in a position to have more of an impact next season.

John Diener’s return should make those transitions easier. The DePaul recruit scored a Division 2 tournament record 71 points at state and a single-game all-division record 46 in the semifinals. He shot 51% overall (23 of 45) and 59% (10 of 17) from three-point range.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think he’d score 46 points. I just can’t even believe that,” Tom Diener said about his son. “He’s a great player. There is no doubt about it. I think he proved himself, opening a lot of people’s eyes to how good he really, truly is.”

Here is a look at other area teams to watch next season.

Brookfield East (1112): Brookfield Central won’t have to look far for some top competition in the Greater Metro. East finished fourth in the league with a 7-7 record in coach Joe Rux’s first season. The squad will miss leading scorer Jake Graf (17.8 ppg) but return firstteam all-league performer Patrick Cartier (16.8 ppg) and almost every other key player.

Brown Deer (18-6): The Falcons will have a different look without senior guards Damon Jackson and Jalen Greenlee, but junior forward Jay Gentry (18.7) will be back to lead a team that always seems to find a way to be a factor late in the season.

Franklin (18-7): The Sabers will try to build on this season’s regional championship and second-place finish in the Southeast Conference with the return of junior forward Max Alba (18.6 ppg) and sophomore guard Jacob Vonder well (9.2 ppg).

Living Word Lutheran (11-12): This isn’t a proclamation that the Timberwolves will be the favorite in the Midwest Classic. That distinction will fall to Brookfield Academy and Messmer. Lutheran, however, could be a team that racks up some victories in the league next season. Junior forward Jacob Bolwerk (16.9 ppg) is the top player for a team that didn’t have a senior among its top eight scorers.

Menomonee Falls (17-8): The Indians advanced to the sectional in Steve Showalter’s first season. The squad will miss a productive senior class, but Showalter used a lot of players, giving them experience that could prove beneficial next season.

Metro Classic: Given the volume of talent that will be in the league next season, it is simpler to mention all the schools here. Defending league champions Martin Luther (22-4) and Racine Prairie (21-4) lose none of their top players and will again have the potential for deep playoff runs.

Dominican (14-11) will have to replace some key seniors, but junior guard Gacoby Jones (14.5 ppg) is a first-team all-conference player and freshman Abe Scruggs is a rising talent. The top four scorers for Racine St. Catherine’s (15-8) should be back, a group led by allleague selections sophomores Quinn Cafferty (17.3 ppg) and Azarien Stephens (11.9 ppg).

Milwaukee Hamilton (14-9): The Wildcats will miss all-City forward Equan Ards (24.8 ppg), but Keontae White (20.6 ppg), Carlos Ramsey (14.2 ppg) and Marquise Barry (10.2) give the team plenty of firepower to compete in the City.

Muskego (20-5): After back-to-back Classic 8 titles in 2015 and ’16, the Warriors finished second in the league in a supposed rebuilding year. Next year, sophomore guard A.J. Makinen and sophomore forward Stu Vent, two first-team allconference picks, will give the Warriors a strong foundation on which to build.

Nicolet (14-11): The Knights will graduate leading scorer Jayden Hardy and 6-7 forward Isaiah Glidden, but the core of a balanced team that improved over the course of the season will be back.

Pewaukee (21-4): The Pirates must replace three all-conference seniors but will have a strong foundation with the 1-2 punch of forward Grant Basile (13.6 ppg) and sharp-shooting guard Jack Gohlke (12.7 ppg), both juniors.

Racine Park (9-11): The Panthers were light on senior experience this season and perhaps that hurt a roster with a lot of talent. All the team’s top scorers are back next season, a group that includes Division I prospect Nobal Days (7.4 ppg).

Whitnall (16-7): The Falcons will miss Winona State recruit Kevion Taylor (17.8 ppg), but the core of the team, which will be led by Wisconsin recruit Tyler Herro, will return in search of a second straight Woodland East title.