{image1}Devin Harris and Dylan Page were Players of the Year in their respective conferences and head the first annual OnMilwaukee.com State Sports Buzz All State Collegiate Hoops Team.
Joining these three players on the first team are UW's Mike Wilkinson, a second-team All Big Ten choice, and Marquette's Scott Merritt and Travis Diener.
Making the second team are Brandon Morris of UW-Green Bay, Steve Novak of Marquette, Rich Melzer of UW-River Falls and Ed McCants and Joah Tucker of UWM.
Harris gets the edge as Player of the Year over Page because he played in the tougher conference. Harris averaged 20.9 points per game, second in the Big Ten, and was sixth in assists at 3.9 per game.
A Tosa East grad, Harris combined athletic ability with good court sense. The main question now will become whether he will remain at Wisconsin or declare himself eligible for the NBA draft.
Page, a senior forward-center, led the Panthers in scoring and has a shot at becoming the first UWM player to make it to the NBA. He will be dogged, however, by a missed layup in the 2003 NCAA tournament that cost the Panthers a win over Notre Dame and a poor Horizon League championship game this year.
Wilkinson, a junior forward, averaged 13.9 points a game in the Big Ten. Merritt was the Golden Eagles' top big man, but never reached the heights predicted for him.
Diener, a junior guard, was Marquette's floor leader. Many thought he should have been picked that conference's Player of the Year. He is as tough a competitor as you can find on the basketball floor.
Morris, McCants and Tucker all made the Horizon League Newcomers Team. McCants, a junior guard, also made first team all conference. Morris, another junior guard, made second team.
Novak came on strong for Marquette as the season went on and has a deadly outside shot. Melzer, a senior forward, was picked the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year for the second straight season after leading River Falls to its first conference title in more than 60 years. He led the conference in scoring at more than 26 points per game and averaged more than eight rebounds per game. Melzer has been invited to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a tourney for seniors who have outside shots at making it to the NBA. That's why he's on this team despite playing for a Division III school.
While Harris gets Player of the Year, give Coach of the Year to UW's Bo Ryan. Under his leadership, the Badgers posted the best record of the four state Division I teams and ended up the only team to earn an at-large bid to the Big Dance. He gets the nod over UWM's Bruce Pearl.
Anytime you pick an All Star team of any kind there will be disputes. If you don't agree with these picks, or just want to comment in general, post your opinions in the commentaries at the end of this column or on the Local Teams Message Board.
March Madness Update
The UW Badgers got screwed with a No. 6 seed, but received a break when they were assigned to the Bradley Center for the first round of the NCAA this weekend. It amounts to a home game for the Badgers.
Marquette looked good in the first round of the NIT. This writer was traveling to Arizona when UWM faced Rice in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday night, but will post results on Thursday at the end of this column. Of course, most local fans hope we eventually see a matchup between the Golden Eagles and Panthers.
In women's basketball, Marquette will play Old Dominion Sunday in a NCAA game at Durham, N.C. UW-Green Bay will play Houston Saturday in a NCAA game at Santa Barbara, Calif.
The Brew Crew Review
The Brewers have continued to play good baseball this spring. They have been hitting beyond expectations, with contributions from some players who are not assured of a spot in the lineup.
Bill Hall might be the best example. Hall, once considered the Brewers' top prospect, could be aced out as shortstop with the acquisition of Craig Counsell and will likely lost that position long range to J.J. Hardy. He won't get much time at second base with Junior Spivey and Keith Ginter there. Maybe the outfield is beckoning, but he hasn't really played there.
If Hall keeps hitting, the Brewers will have to find a place for him or deal him. Check out more on Hall and the Brewers, direct from spring training in Arizona, in the next two columns.
The Name Game
Jolene Anderson of Port Wing South Shore scored 46 points and had 28 rebounds in a semifinal game of the girls' state championships. She finished the season with a state record 958 points ... The Brewers trimmed their spring training roster on Tuesday by releasing pitcher Mike Crudale and sending seven players to their minor league camp. ... The Brewers optioned pitcher Pedro Liriano and outfielders Dave Krynzel and Corey Hart to their Triple A Indianapolis roster. Also, infielder Rickie Weeks was optioned to Double A. The Brewers also returned pitcher Jason Childers and infielders Prince Fielder and Enrique Cruz to their minor league camp.
Beyond Milwaukee Sports
UW-La Crosse won its fourth straight NCAA Division III indoor track championship...The girls' state basketball champs are: Division 2 -- Oshkosh West (21-5), Division 2 -- Luxemburg-Casco (26-0), Division 3 -- Ozaukee (26-0) and Division 4 -- Racine Prairie (22-3). The boys are on tap this coming weekend.
Hot Tix
The slumping Bucks start a tough West Coast swing Saturday in Phoenix. They play the Lakers on Sunday.
The Wave plays Dallas at 6 p.m. Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Admirals are on the road for the weekend.
Otherwise, the sports buzz will be created at the NCAA tourney at the BC and at the boys' state basketball tourney at the Kohl Center in Madison.
