BASKETBALL

8 Wisconsin high school basketball stars aiming for Division I colleges

Scott Venci
Green Bay Press-Gazette
Waupun junior Marcus Domask already has received a scholarship offer from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and is attracting interest from other Division I programs.

Marcus Domask has a big decision to make about his future.

The 6-foot-3 guard-forward entering his junior season for the Waupun boys basketball team has caught the eye of NCAA Division I college coaches and already has a scholarship offer from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

But while some high school players might want to commit early to take some pressure off entering the season, Domask isn’t feeling that way.

This is just the start.

“As of now, it’s not too big of a deal to me,” he said. “Later on in my senior year, I could understand the pressure building up and I could definitely feel that. But right now, I guess I don’t feel the pressure too much.”

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA tournament brackets, scores, schedules, teams and more.

RELATED:Waupun's Domask gets season off to strong start

Domask is one of dozens of boys and girls basketball players from around the state fielding interest from colleges as their high school seasons get underway. Some know the right school from the start, while others take as much time as possible.

It might be easier because Domask is used to being in the spotlight. He led Waupun to a 27-1 record and the WIAA Division 3 state title as a freshman in 2016 when he averaged 16.8 points per game.

He scored a game-high 21 points in a state semifinal against Prairie du Chien and followed with a team-high 15 points in the state title game against Appleton Xavier.

He was even better as a sophomore last season, averaging 20.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

Along with the offer from UWGB, schools such as UW-Milwaukee, Drake and Northern Iowa have expressed interest. About a dozen mid-major colleges routinely have been in contact.

The recruiting process has gone in waves for Domask. The week before Thanksgiving was a busy one. He received several text messages while in the middle of classes, including ones from schools he had never talked to. Yet, there also are weeks when he doesn’t hear from anybody.

All of it could be a distraction if he let it become one.

“I try not to think about it too much,” Domask said. “When I’m on the court, I got to prove as much as anyone else does. I just try to keep that in the back of my mind when I’m actually playing on the court.”

It also has helped that his older brother, Mason, went through the recruiting process and now plays at Division II Winona State. He saw how Mason waited closer to the end and how he got a bit stressed because of it, and it might be a lesson he takes to heart.

Domask is intrigued by UWGB and liked the coaching staff when he took an unofficial visit to the school. But he also wants to see what other offers he can get so that he has options. There is no timetable to make a decision, although a year from now there is a good chance he will know where he’s going.

“I think Marcus has a good head on his shoulders,” said Waupun coach Dan Domask, who is Marcus’ father. “He knows it’s not just about points. Because of his feel for the game and his understanding, he almost can put himself in the mind of the people evaluating him.

“He knows that if he’s getting better and helping his team win, that automatically shows well.”

Domask is one of several boys and girls basketball players from the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin areas who have a chance to play Division I.

Here are just a few:

Hunter Plamann, Appleton Xavier

Appleton Xavier's Hunter Plamann works his way to the basket during a game against Appleton East High School at the Big Apple Classic last week.

The 6-1 senior guard was a second-team all-state pick by the Associated Press last season after leading the Hawks to a 28-0 record and the Division 3 state title.

Plamann scored a game-high 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting in the championship game against Prescott, one game after he had 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting in a semifinal win over Ripon.

RELATED:Hunter Plamann points Xavier to state championship

Eight of the other nine players who were named first- or second-team all-state last season already are either playing DI basketball or have committed to a DI program. The other one, former Racine Case star Koreem Ozier, is attending a one-year prep school and likely will go DI.

Plamann has received DII offers from Minnesota-Duluth, Bemidji State, UW-Parkside and Palm Beach Atlantic. He has received interest from DI schools but has not gotten an offer yet.

“Hunter is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands,” Xavier coach Matthew Klarner said. “He attacks the rim so hard and has the ability to create his own shot. But his unselfishness and willingness to make plays for his teammates is what makes him truly special.”

Trey Zastrow, Manitowoc Lutheran

He’s only a sophomore, but if the 6-foot lefty guard continues to develop, he should earn some offers.  

Zastrow averaged 17.1 points as a freshman and was an all-conference pick in the Big East. He had 79 3-pointers and shot 41 percent from beyond the arc.

Zastrow plays AAU ball for the Wisconsin Playground Warriors, a team ranked No. 2 in the country this past season.

RELATED:Manitowoc, Sheboygan basketball seasons about to heat up

He also has the pedigree. His older brother, Nate, is a former standout at Manitowoc Lincoln who set school records in career points and assists before graduating in 2009. Nate played at North Dakota State University.

“What makes him special is his range is well beyond the 3 with a really good pull-up jump shot. Makes it difficult at times to guard him,” said Manitowoc Lutheran coach Gordy Zastrow, who is Trey’s father and who played at Carthage College. “Like his brother, he makes people around him better.”

Jaddan Simmons, Green Bay Southwest

The 5-8 sophomore point guard is a lock to go DI, it’s just a matter of where. She already has been offered by schools such as UWGB, UWM and Toledo.

Simmons was a first-team all-conference pick in the Fox River Classic as a freshman after averaging 15.4 points, 3.5 assists and 3.7 steals.

She has started this season averaging 24.5 points in the first two games, including a 29-point outing against Seymour on Nov. 21 in which she shot 9-for-13 overall and 3-for-5 from 3-point range.

RELATED:Southwest's Jaddan Simmons thriving in recruiting spotlight

“Jaddan’s athleticism and competitiveness make her a special player on both ends of the floor,” Southwest coach Erin Barkley said. “Offensively, she can create opportunities for not only herself to score but also her teammates. Defensively, she gets after it, which leads to more chances for her to score.

“Jaddan is the type of kid who is always looking for opportunities to get into the gym to improve her game. As only a sophomore, her ability to lead others has improved tremendously.”

Emma Erickson, Appleton North

Appleton North's Emma Erickson is only a sophomore, but she already has interest from UWGB and UWM.

The 6-1 sophomore forward-center is a highly intelligent player who ranks first academically in her class. She has improved since her freshman season for the Division I state-champion Lightning.

Erickson, who is in a reserve role early in her career, should be able to play either forward spot in college and already has received interest from UWGB and UWM.

RELATED:Appleton North’s depth key in state title run

“Emma is a versatile player who has the ability to play inside or outside,” Appleton North coach Joe Russom said. “She is poised, mature and has a great basketball IQ. Emma is simply smooth. Everything just looks easy for her and people forget she is only a sophomore. She would start on any FVA or FRCC team and may for us at some point.”  

Erickson’s skills are not in question. The coaching staff now just wants to see her develop the ability to take over a game, which is something that likely will come as she gets older and gains more experience.

Kendall Renard, Green Bay Preble

Besides Simmons, the 6-3 Renard is the most highly recruited player in the Green Bay area for the 2020 class. She has attracted interest from several mid-majors and recently took a visit to South Dakota.

Renard put up 14 points and nine rebounds in a win over West De Pere on Nov. 21 and has helped the Hornets to a 2-0 start.

RELATED:Preble names Jim Doell girls basketball coach

“Kendall is a skilled power forward-center who is still developing as a player,” said Cordero Barkley, who coaches Renard in AAU with the Purple Aces. “She is one of the best 3-point shooters in the state at her position. She will get coached this year under (Preble coach) Jim Doell, who will really help her game grow.”

Callie Genke, Freedom

The freshman guard barely has started her high school career and already is being courted by high majors. The 5-11 Genke can play in the Atlantic Coast Conference if she wants after being offered a scholarship by Louisville this summer.

She also has offers from schools such as Wisconsin, Marquette and UWGB.

"Callie has that special knack for making good things happen when she's on the court," said Nic Levy, the founder of the Wisconsin Flight Elite AAU team. "What makes her special is her attitude and passion for the game. Day in and day out, she refuses to be outworked. When she’s not doing her schoolwork, she’s most likely in the gym, weight room or watching film. She’s a student of the game and understands the importance of bringing her energy and positive attitude to the court for every workout, game and practice."

RELATED:All-USA Fox Valley prep basketball rankings

Kadie Deaton, Wausau West

Wausau West's Kadie Deaton already has five offers from Division I schools.

The 5-11 junior point guard averaged 12 points, 4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 3 steals as a sophomore and ranked second in the Wisconsin Valley in assists per game. She performed well against some of the top players in the country this summer in AAU while playing for Team Wisconsin.

Deaton already has received several Division I offers, including St. Louis, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Omaha, Eastern Illinois and Northern Colorado.

RELATED:Weinkauf named West girls basketball coach

“Kadie is high-energy, high-motor player,” said Kara Noll, the program director for Team Wisconsin. “Kadie plays extremely hard and is extremely competitive. When you add in her length, quickness and athleticism, Kadie has the potential for a very successful career at the NCAA Division I level.”