Marshall Williams of Milwaukee Vincent and Reece Gaines of Madison West are not only the top two rated boys basketball prospects in the state, but two of the top unsigned seniors in the country.
Both are being recruited on a national level with the spring signing period two months away.
"Among unsigned players, they're among the top 12 in the country, regardless of position," said Bob Gibbons, a national recruiting analyst in North Carolina.
Among all high school seniors, Gibbons ranks Williams, a 6-foot-5 combination forward-guard, 31st and Gaines, a 6-6 guard, 44th.
Julian Swartz, a 6-6 forward at Waukesha South, is ranked 67th by Gibbons. Swartz signed with the University of Wisconsin in the fall.
While it's not a particularly deep year for talent in Wisconsin, it's unusual for the state to have three players ranked that high on a national level.
"It's a banner year to have arguably three top 50 players and certainly three top 75 in one state and particularly Wisconsin," said Gibbons. "You've had your share of good players over the years. But you've got some cream that has risen to the top."
In addition to Swartz, four other seniors also signed early with Division I schools: Dave Mader, a 6-11 center at Appleton East, with Wisconsin; Ben Grunst, a 6-11 center at Milwaukee Marquette, with Butler; and Larry House, a 6-5 forward at Milwaukee Bay View, and Brian Evans, a 6-6 forward at Milwaukee Hamilton, with Grambling.
In addition, Alan Persinger, a 6-7 forward at Kenosha Tremper, has made an oral commitment to play at Montana State. And two other forwards from Milwaukee Vincent, 6-5 James Wright and 6-7 Terry Sanders, are being heavily recruited by mid-level Division I schools, although they may wind up at a junior college or prep school.
With eight players set to go Division I, plus Wright and Sanders, there is some depth to the class, but it drops off quickly. The class also isn't as strong as it figured to be a year ago.
Caron Butler, a 6-6 forward from Racine Park, was denied an extra year of eligibility by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and enrolled at Maine Central Institute, a prep school. No doubt, Butler would have been a top 50 player, too, if he would have met the academic requirements. But he will spend another year at Maine Central.
At one time, it also appeared that the senior class might produce two formidable Big Ten centers: Mader and 6-10 Brian Weber of Oak Creek.
While Mader might still blossom at Wisconsin, he hasn't been a dominant high school player. Weber, who made an oral commitment to Northwestern before his junior year and then had the offer rescinded, was suspended this year from his high school team.
"I don't think this class compares to 1990 when you had Damon Key, (Robb) Logterman, Kevin Rankin and Jim McIlvaine, and some others," said Mark Miller, who publishes the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Recruiting News. "I think that was the best class in the 1990s.
"Brian Weber was a tragedy. He threw away his whole career. And I think the Badger coaches thought at one time that Mader might be a top 50 kid. (Dick) Bennett still stands behind him, but he hasn't done it at the high school level."
The class also might produce some blue-chip players down the road. Several talented seniors are expected to go the junior college route for academic reasons.
A good example is Simonique Carter, a 6-3 guard at Milwaukee Custer.
"The kid has ability right up there with the big three: Marshall, Reece and Julian," said Curtis Weathers, a local Amateur Athletic Union coach who runs an open gym for college recruiters in the fall. "He can dominate a game. The kid is athletic."
Next year's class won't offer the quality of this year's class and maybe not even the numbers.
"You have those years when it's down," said Marty McGlothan, a local AAU coach who runs a post-season tournament for college recruiters. "I'd say anywhere from three to five will go Division I period. But the sophomore class is loaded."
Among juniors, the closest thing to a blue-chip prospect, at this point, is 6-9 forward Scott Merritt of Wauwatosa East.
"I don't think Duke and those type of schools will be in on him," said Miller. "I think Marquette and Wisconsin would like to have him. But he's not in the class of Swartz or Marshall (Williams)."
Merritt also is drawing interest from Illinois, Ohio State and Utah, according to George Haas, his high school coach.
Kyle Grusczynski, a 6-7 combination forward-guard at Seymour; Lewis Monroe, a 6-3 guard at Madison West; and Mike Southall, a 6-10 forward-center at West Salem, have attracted interest from Marquette and Wisconsin, according to their high school coaches.
Weathers said he thought the most talented junior in the state might be Deonte Moses, a 6-4 small forward at Milwaukee Bay View.
"Moses plays hard all the time," said Weathers. "He's fearless. Once he steps out and scores from 15 to 18 that's going to put him at another level."
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