Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin - Kohl Center
The Badgers are Famous for Defense, But Need to Start Scoring
Wisconsin Badger basketball has been synonymous with one thing. Losing. The Badgers have been the laughingstock of the Big 10 for gosh we can’t even remember when they weren’t. But believe it nor back in the day Wisconsin had not one but two legendary coaches that led the team to success. How much you ask well they actually won a national title back in the day. Of course this was when they still played with peach baskets but who’s counting? Walter ‘Doc’ Meanwell put the Badgers on the map and then one of his best players Harold ‘Bud’ Foster led them to glory. Boy did they love their ‘original’ nicknames back then. Of course that was then and this is now and the Badgers have not even got close to anything resembling contention since that magnificent season. It was beyond time for a change and those crazy liberals up in Madison finally decided to move forward for the upcoming year and are bringing in a new coach. Yep, Bud Foster retired (er) and Bo Ryan is the new leader of the Badgers. These Wisco people are proud and they did not go beyond their borders for their new coach. Ryan is a legend in Wisconsin-Plattesville as he led them to some national titles by doing it the old-fashioned way. Ryan lives and breathes defense (his teams annually held teams under 50 points a game on average) and he will bring that mentality to Madison. Of course the entire state run basketball programs are famous for defense so Ryan is just the next progression of that but one thing is for sure, nobody is going to be beating the Badgers by 50 points especially if you can’t score over 80. Then again that would mean these guys would have to break 30 and as of right now with this roster that might be easier said than done.
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Coach: Bo Ryan
Returning Players
Players | Pos | Year | Height | Weight | HS | State |
Danny Jones | F | So | 6'6 | 245.0 | Rockford | IL |
Claude Gregory | F | So | 6'8 | 205.0 | Washington | DC |
Kim Hughes | C | Jr | 6'11 | 225.0 | Freeport | IL |
Wes Matthews | G | Jr | 6'1 | 170.0 | Bridgeport | CN |
Gene Englund | C-F | Sr | 6'5 | 205.0 | Kenosha | WI |
Don Rehfeldt | C-F | Sr | 6'6 | 210.0 | Chicago | IL |
Ab Nicholas | G | Sr | 6'3 | 180.0 | Rockford | IL |
Cory Blackwell | G-F | So | 6'6 | 210.0 | Chicago | IL |
Trent Jackson | G | So | 6'1 | 190.0 | Bolingbrook | IL |
Bobby Cook | G | Sr | 5'10 | 155.0 | Harvard | IL |
Glen Selbo | G-F | Sr | 6'3 | 190.0 | LaCrosse | WI |
John Kotz | F | Sr | 6'3 | 190.0 | Rhinelander | WI |
Joe Franklin | F | Sr | 6'5 | 200.0 | Madison | WI |
Al Henry | C-F | Sr | 6'9 | 190.0 | Memphis | TN |
Dick Cable | G-F | Sr | 6'1 | 175.0 | Stevens Point | WI |
Clarence Sherrod | G | Jr | 6'2 | 170.0 | Milwaukee | WI |
Dale Koehler | F | Jr | 6'8 | 230.0 | Kewaunee | WI |
Top Incoming Players
Pos | Yr | Ht | Wt | HS City | State | |
Michael Finley | F-G | Fr | 6'7 | 215 | Maywood | IL |
Rashard Griffith | C | Fr | 6'11 | 275 | Chicago | IL |
Tracy Webster | G | Fr | 6'0 | 185 | Harvey | IL |
Alando Tucker | F | Fr | 6'6 | 205 | Lockport | IL |
Devin Harris | G | Fr | 6'3 | 185 | Wauwatosa | WI |
Kirk Penney | G | Fr | 6'5 | 220 | Auckland | New Zealand |
Mike Wilkinson | F | Fr | 6'8 | 240 | Mazomanie | WI |
Jordan Taylor | G | Fr | 6'1 | 195 | Bloomington | MN |
Patrick Tompkins | C-F | Fr | 6'6 | 245 | Waukeegan | IL |
Brian Butch | C | Fr | 6'11 | 235 | Appleton | WI |
Paul Grant | C | Fr | 7'0 | 245 | Birmingham | MI |
Jon Leuer | F | Fr | 6'10 | 228 | Orono | MC |
Schedule
Central Michigan | 1 |
@Pitt | 2 |
So Illinois | 3 |
@Wisconsin-GB | 4 |
Marquette | 4 |
Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 5 |
@Purdue | 5 |
@Illinois | 6 |
@Michigan State | 6 |
@Nebraska | 7 |
@Northwestern | 7 |
Ohio State | 8 |
@Michigan | 8 |
Purdue | 9 |
Penn State | 9 |
Iowa | 10 |
Kentucky | 10 |
@Penn State | 11 |
@Indiana | 11 |
@Butler | 12 |
@Minnesota | 13 |
@Iowa | 13 |
Illinois | 14 |
Indiana | 14 |
Northwestern | 15 |
Michigan State | 15 |
@SMU | 16 |
Minnesota | 16 |
The Wisconsin Badgers have been in a dark place in the tough Big Ten Conference
There are a few Badgers left who harken back to those glory days though whether or not Ryan keeps them around for more than the obligatory roster spot is anybody’s business. Center has been a platoon between Senior stalwarts Don Rehfeldt and Gene Englund and junior Kim Hughes for the last two years with fellow senior Al Henry trying to break into the rotation at either the five or the four and not having much luck. Englund from up the road in Kenosha was the MVP of the team that won the national title and Rehfeldt (damn that dude sounds scary) has been the best offensive option down low the past few years. Rehfeldt was the first recruit the Badgers ever got from Chicago and started a pipeline that has benefitted this program immensely. Rehfeldt led the team in scoring and rebounding two years ago but dropped to 4th in both categories last year. He will be the starter at least at the beginning of the year but that is tentative at best. Neither is big enough to hand with the behemoths down in the paint and would probably be better suited as fours but the best player on the team is an undersized power forward himself. Both can score a little and are decent on the boards but trying to cover a seven footer when you are six five (Englund) or even six six (Rehfeldt) catches up with you no matter how much you TRY. Both of these guys are fully aware that Ryan has brought in a slew of seven footers including the biggest recruit the team has ever had (in both size and talent) from Chicago of course but these guys are not going to just give up their jobs without a fight. Henry is from Memphis has not played much but is bigger and more athletic any of his fellow classmates. Henry goes 6’9 190 and can score and board but has only played in 26 games so far. Henry is defensive minded and can block a shot so Ryan might give him more of a look but he better fill out that frame if he is going to hang down low with big men of the Big 10. Hughes, on the other hand at least has some of the girth to bang in the paint. The big lefty is 6’11 225 and can and will take up some space. He can block a shot and may even score once in a while but don’t count on him for too much offense. Hughes does many other things that make him valuable to a team besides scoring and he even has a twin brother with similar skills. Kerry Hughes is also 6’11 225 pounds though most of his time so far has been spent on the JV. These twins are here to defend, rebound and set screens in that order. Any offense is icing on the cake. Ryan was not immune to looking for someone who could hang physically with a JBC or a Thompson and as aforementioned he has brought in some talented seven footers. The best hope is highly recruited Freshman Rashard Griffith who chose the Badgers surprisingly over the Fightin’ Illini (Recruiting specialist Stu Jackson landed this big fella and many others from Chicago where he has connections all the way up to the Pros). Griffith in reality is only 6’11 but goes a muscular 275 was part of the dynamic Twin Towers in Chicago with an even bigger Thomas Hamilton who is actually 7’2. They dominated the prep leagues and Griffith was the star and number one college center recruit until he got outplayed in an all-star game by Rasheed Wallace. Still, Ryan was ecstatic about bringing in this gifted big man and has more waiting in the wings as the Badgers are going to battle down low with something more than 6’6 guys with heart from now on.
Senior John Kotz was the MVP of the tourney on the fateful run and is ultra-popular in Madison. He has held onto his starting job for the last three years but like his glory sidekicks he has been a bit overmatched in the mighty Big 10. Kotz goes 6’3 and 190 and can score but on a team that prides itself on defense (and with Ryan that is going to be amped up to 11) his ability to guard the athletic wings of today is limited. It would be a miracle if he lasts through the season as a starter and almost as much of one if he is even in the rotation but the Badger fans will not easily forget the ‘Rhinelander Highlander’ not the title he helped bring to Madison. There are plenty of guys who will be jockeying for minutes once Kotz the inevitable happens including Seniors Ken Siebel (a heck of a corner shooter who is 6’4), Ray Patterson (a gamer who really understands how the game is played but is only 6’2) and junior Scott Roth (a smooth stroking lefty with size at 6’8) but the betting money is going on freshman Michael Finley. This 6’7 stud from Maywood Illinois was a huge get for Jackson and gives the Badgers the kind of size and athleticism on the wing they have long wanted to compete with the new breed of studs in the Big 10. Those days of sweet shooting 6’3 wings full of hustle and moxy are long gone in this league and it is time the Badgers catch up.
Junior Wes Matthews will be the starting point guard and might be the most talented player coming back. Matthews is a great distributor but also a solid scorer. Wild Wild Wes from Bridgeport Connecticut has been stellar since he arrived and gives the Badgers the kind of quickness and overall skills they have never had in the past in the back court. Matthews goes 6’1 170 and had a terrific sophomore year and if this team is going to move out of the basement of the Big 10 he will be a primary reason. Matthews did beat out some of the old school studs but a few of them are still hanging around looking to contribute. Seniors Glen Selbo (when he is not playing baseball, Paul Cloyd, Dick Cable, Dick Miller, Ab Nicholas and especially Bobby Cook are all hoping Ryan gives them a chance to play. Nicholas has been a primary scorer in the past and Cable and Selbo have both started at different times and will battle for minutes on the wings. Cook has been a starter until last year in the backcourt. He still played much but got beaten out by Matthews and looks to be in the running again for quality minutes due to his ability to score, pass and defend but most people around here think these upperclassmen are going to be replaced by some of Ryan’s recruits. The returning starter at the two is junior Clarence Sherrod who can really light it up. Sherrod is a 6’2 skinny (170) kid from Milwaukee who can flat jump. He has ridiculous handles as well and if he was a bit more consistent with his shot might lead this team in scoring this year. He gets to the hoop with ease but you would like a kid a little bigger (and thicker) to be taking all of that punishment in the key. He will be challenged though for playing time by sophomore Cory Blackwell who at 6’6 (he also got minutes at the three) gives Ryan the kind of size he wants on the wings. That should be a nice battle in camp and will almost assuredly carryover to the season but you never know if Ryan even sticks with either of them as he has recruited many wings including going outside the country. Two other sophomores are in the mix after stellar JV years. Trent Jackson and Rick Olson are similar players who can score and dish. Jackson has the bigger upside as he is a better passer. This kid hails from Bolingbrook Illinois and was friends with the great Ben Wilson who got shot in a store during their senior year. Wilson was the # 1 recruit in the country and a Chicago legend and Jackson has said the tragedy has motivated him to live every day as if it is his last. He is a gamer and a leader and I would not count him out in challenging for minutes this year. Olson is a hometown kid and another combo guard who is tough as nails but has a tougher row to hoe if he is going to play. The fans do love him though.
Senior Joe Franklin is a bit undersized for a post but man can he play. Franklin is listed as a liberal 6’5 and goes 200 and was raised in Madison. Franklin’s family moved up from Birmingham Alabama when he was 5 and there is no truth to the rumor that is the person Charles M. Schultz based his character off. Franklin seems to have no problem due to his athleticism and toughness banging down low with the brutes of the Big 10 and the catcalls that come from some of the Red State (Indiana anyone) fans have never bothered him. Franklin led the team in scoring and rebounding by a large margin and looks to be the starting four once again. Franklin seems better suited as a three but he does not really have the ball handling skills or quickness for that so he will be a four or get moved down the totem pole. And he definitely has some more ‘classic’ sized power forwards waiting to take his place. Sophomore Claude Gregory got most of the rest of the minutes at power forward last year. Gregory is a strong low post player on the roster and is the favorite to win the four spot but does have challengers. Gregory is 6’8 205 and is solid on both ends and really boards well. ‘Little Stretch’ has size and toughness from growing up on the streets of DC and playing at the great Coolidge High. He followed his big brother James ‘Big Stretch’ Gregory to the Coldlands and though his brother got sent home for academic and other reasons Claude decided to stay. Good Choice for himself and the team. By far his best attribute is that he matched up well with the superb power forwards of the Big Ten. He may not be as dynamic as some of the fours in this conference but he is solid. Sophomore Danny Jones got some minutes down low but is not a great defender and for a wide body does not board well. The ‘Rockman’ from Rockford Illinois (another Chicago area recruit) can score though and does not take a bad shot. Jones looks like he was made of bricks and is as strong as they come getting position on the blocks and producing easy buckets but for the life of me I do not understand why he is not a better board man. Jones can play a bit of three as his height suggest 6’6 and can hit an open J but is better suited at the four with the strongest 245 pounds in Madison. Junior Dale Koehler is almost the perfect size and demeanor for a power forward. This Kewaunee Kid goes a rugged 6’8 230 pounds and is not afraid to run through a brick wall even if he is named Danny Jones. His battles with Jones in practice have been epic but so far he has not got on the court much though he was the muscle on the team for the JV last year. He is 4th in line right now but this kid has more skill than he looks like and could push for minutes at some point this year especially with Franklin’s lack of height. Senior Walt Lautenbach is also in the mix at forward but he is even smaller than Franklin at 6’2 and if last year was an indication he will be lucky to make the team! He is a part of a long gone past in Madison and this year will be all about building a future behind Ryan and his defensive ways so all of these guys we have mentioned are in jeopardy of losing jobs if the new kids Bo and Stu Jackson have brought in are ready for the Big Ten.
The Wisconsin Badgers have been in a dark place in the tough Big Ten Conference for quite some time. Stuck in the basement since an incredible Cinderella run a few years back (and that was Quite a few years ago) the Badgers have been the laughingstock of the league for far too long. The liberal leaning administration wanted changed and they have brought in D-3 Wisconsin legend Bo Ryan to make that change. One thing Ryan made quite clear early on. Bo Knows basketball. He knows how to teach basketball. And these Badgers are going to play the best defense in the conference. Now how many wins and how far up the standings this team can go will be determined on how quick the old and new guys assimilate to Bo’s ways. And more importantly if Bo has brought in the kind of size and athleticism this program has lacked forever. McDonald’s All-American is a great start and there are rumors Jackson has made the Chicago area his own personal recruiting venue with several more kids traveling up that pipeline. That is a good start for sure but Ryan knows these kids have got to learn to play together and the carryovers have got to accept the new style and their new roles. If all that comes into place the Badgers might shock the pundits of the Big Ten. And finish 9th!