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2016 Boys All-Area
When it comes to basketball southwest Wisconsin has more than its share of top teams, coaches and players.
In our coverage area, Iowa-Grant took top honors in the SWAL with a perfect season and got to the Division 4 Regional finals.
Barneveld won the Six Rivers East and made it all the way to the state tournament in Division 5 before losing in the semifinals, 37-35 to Catholic Central.
Pecatonica and Dodgeville finished in the upper division in the Six Rivers East and the SWC.
The area has three Players of the Year in AJ Hendrickson of Pecatonica in the Six Rivers East, Iowa-Grant's Isaac Anderson in the SWAL and Dodgeville's Trent Jones in the SWC. All three have scored over 1000 points with Hendrickson having another year to tack on to his total.
Highland's JR Linscheid also passed the 1000 point mark this season and also has another year for the Cardinals.
So, picking an all-area team has its challenges.
On first team and the 2015-16 Dodgeville Chronicle All-Area Player of the Year is 6-4 Iowa-Grant senior Isaac Anderson.
Isaac has announced he will play collegiately at Lakeland College, Sheboygan.
Isaac was the Player of the Year in the SWAL and has been a first team all-conference selection for three seasons. This year he led the Panthers to a 14-0 record and the SWAL title. He averaged 21 points per game, nine rebounds and almost two steals.
He has also been named first team all-state by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association in Division 4.
While his individual play is outstanding his dedication to team play is even better.
"Isaac is the consummate teammate who always puts the success of the team above everything else," says his coach, Toby Tripalin. "His ability to score inside and out, share the basketball and be a game-changer on the defensive end makes him a strong candidate for Player of the Year."
Others on first team are:
Brayden Johnson, 6-0 senior, Iowa-Grant.
Brayden was selected first team all-SWAL this season and helped the Panthers to the league title as their playmaker. He averaged 17 points per game, dished out four assists and had close to two steals.
"He is the most competitive kid I have come across in my years of coaching," said Toby Tripalin. "All year when we were down in a game or when we needed a big basket, time and again Brayden rose to the occasion. He is an incredible young man."
Collin Price, 6-2, senior, Iowa-Grant.
Collin is going to try and play at UW-Platteville next year. He was a first team all-SWAL choice this season on the 14-0 Panther squad.
"Collin is the hardest worker I have ever coached," says Tripalin. "I asked him to be a leader and he exceeded expectations. He led in practice, morning weight lifting sessions and with summer league. He has been very valuable to the program and he has become both a quality player and a quality young man."
Trent Jones, 6-3, senior, Dodgeville
Trent has been a three year starter for the Dodgers and passed the 1000 point mark this season. He has plans to further his basketball career at Ripon College,
Trent was first team SWC this season and helped the Dodgers to a 7-3 record for second place behind Prairie du Chien. The Prairie Blackhawks made it the state tournament in Division 3.
Trent was named honorable mention all-state by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association in Division 3.
Jordan Larson, 6-3, senior, Dodgeville
Jordan was a two year starter for the Dodgers and often had to defend bigger players where he held his own. He was a consistent shooter from both inside and outside this season and added punch to the Dodgeville offense. He was named first team SWC this season.
Jordan plans to play baseball at UW-Platteville.
Matthew Myers, 6-0, junior, Barneveld
Matthew has been a starter since his freshman year and has already passed the 1000 point mark. He has been at point guard from the start of his career and is credited with having a good head for basketball on the floor.
Matthew helped the Golden Eagles win the Six Rivers East with a 18.6 points per game average. He led in assists and averaged three rebounds a game. He also led them through the WIAA Division 5 Regionals and Sectionals. The Eagles achieved a berth in the D5 state tournament where they came up two points short, 37-35 to Catholic Central.
Matthew has also been honored by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association as he was selected first team Division 5.
Mike Zouski, 6-2, junior, Barneveld
Mike was a first team Six Rivers East choice and was the second leading scorer for the Eagles with an 11.5 average. He was also a top rebounder with six per game.
Zouski has tremendous jumping ability and plays bigger than his 6-2 size. He is also a tough defender.
John Ross Linscheid, 5-11, junior, Highland
A starter since his freshman year JR was honorable mention Six Rivers West in 2013-14, second team in 2-14-15 and first team this season.  He is the point guard for the Cardinals and led the conference in scoring with a 25.9 and was 13th in the state. This was the second year JR led the SRW in total points.
A prolific scorer, he had a four game run of 36 against Benton, 30 against Belmont, 45 against Wisconsin Heights and 41 vs Ithaca.
He also led the SRW in field goals made (196), free throws made (92), three pointers made (71) and was second in steals with 66.
JR led the Cardinals in rebounds with a 4.6 per game average.
AJ Hendrickson, 6-5, junior, Pecatonica
AJ is a guard/forward for the Vikings and has been a first team Six Rivers East pick his freshman, sophomore and junior year. He was also the SRE co-player of the year with Albany's Tyler Dahl.
He led the Vikings to a second place finish behind Barneveld in the SRE and an overall 18-6 record.
AJ averaged 24 points per game, 9.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.2 steals. He led the team in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks.
"AJ is an elite scorer with range and an uncanny ability to finish at the rim,"said his coach, Matt Fink. "Hands down he is one of the most explosive players in the area."
Derek Wedige, 6-2, junior, guard, River Valley
Derek was second team SWC. He led the Blackhawks in scoring with 230 points and also in three pointers with 41 of 107 for a 38% shooting percentage.
Chance Wendhausen, 6-1, sophomore, Mineral Point
Chance is the lone sophomore on the All-Area first team. He led the Pointers in scoring this season with 402 points and a 16.8 per game average. He also led in assists with 84, steals with 39 and free throw percentage (74%).
Chance was first team all-SWAL.
"Chance had a real good year for us and put in a lot of extra time. He got better every day," said coach Dan Burreson.
Jack Warrick, 6-5, junior, Mineral Point
Jack was also first team SWAL choice. He led the Pointers in rebounds with 291, field goal percentage as he made 68% of his shots and also led in blocks with 75. He had 13 double doubles this season.
"Jack had an outstanding season and we are expecting bigger things from him next year," said coach Dan Burreson.
SECOND TEAM ALL-AREA
Barneveld--Lucas Evans, 6-4, junior; Bryce Arneson, 6-2, senior
River Valley--Hunter Schwingle, 6-0, senior; Kurt Schaller, 6-4, junior; Tanner Gruber, 6-8, senior; Mason Horton, 5-11, junior.
Dodgeville--Isaac Nagel, 6-1, junior; Bryce Prochaska, 6-6, sophomore; Jordan Olson, 6-2, senior.
Iowa-Grant--Caleb Hill, 6-1, junior; Sawyer Stuckey, 5-11, senior.
Pecatonica-Kole Kent, 6-3, junior
HONORABLE MENTION
Mineral Point--Dylan Mac-Gilvra, 6-1, senior
Pecatonica--Dalton James, 6-3, senior; Logan Green, 6-0, junior; Brooks Chandler, 5-10, senior.
Highland--Nate Michek, 6-1, senior
Co-Coaches of the Year
Jim Myers, Barneveld
Toby Tripalin, Iowa-Grant