Wildcat boys team ranked first entering 2020-2021 season

Despite entering the 2020-21 season ranked first in Division Five in state polls, the Blair-Taylor boys basketball team knows that little is promised by such a distinction.

The Wildcats ended their 2019-20 season with a 62-61 thriller of a win over Bangor in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division Five Sectional Semifinal, but the COVID-19 shutdown of winter sports cut their state title chase short. Head coach Randy Storlie, entering his 40th season at the helm, said the memory of what could have been has lingered in the mind of each returning player and coach.

“We are so ready to get back on the hardwood floor after what happened to us last year,” Storlie said. “Our guys had worked so hard last year to make their dream come true and play in the state tournament, and then to have it just stopped was so hard on all of us.”

B-T returns three starters in Matt Waldera, Kyle Steien and Alec Reismann, but will be looking to replace their third leading scorer Issac Nerby (13.2 points per game) and second-leading rebounder Logan Smith (8.0 rebounds per game).

“Those two guys did so many good things for us, and were so much fun to be around,” Storlie said of Nerby and Smith. “I really miss all of our guys from last year.”

Fellow graduated seniors Nick Shepherd and Kaleb Smith were also valuable contributors off the bench during the Wildcats’ 24-2 season including postseason play. All three returning starters averaged double-digit scoring, led by Steien (16.4 points per game) and Waldera (15.3 PPG), who each made the Dairyland Conference All-Conference team. Reismann (10.2 PPG) also was distinguished as an honorable mention.

Storlie acknowledged that while each of these returning seniors will provide needed leadership, there are still holes to fill. Among those he expects to see increased playing time are the trio of Tyler Thompson, Kyle Obieglo and Cain Fremstad. Rounding out the bench will be Jared Swanson, Matt Brandenburg, Garrison Armitage, Daniel Lambright, Aiden Huseboe and Evan Nehring.

Storlie said the recent success has forged a strong bond among returning players, one that he hopes will translate into success worthy of their preseason ranking.

“We have a strong nucleus of returning players and nice kids. I believe one of our strong points will be our positive team chemistry,” Storlie said. “All these guys like to play and have fun and will do what is best for the success of the team. They are a great bunch of guys.”

B-T is scheduled to tip off the season this coming Tuesday at Eleva-Strum, with their home opener the following Friday against Whitehall.