The Wauwatosa East boys went 1-1 in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Tournament and it is easier to figure out a Rubik's Cube than the Red Raiders rotation.

"Yeah, it a perfect world that would be great," he said after the win over Pius XI on Saturday. "But we are still trying to find out who to start, who to play together. We have a lot of talent but no one is really stepping up."

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Most of the Brookfield and Wauwatosa High School basketball teams will be playing their final conference games of the year this week before taking some time off for Christmas and then returning for some holiday tournaments or some individual non-conference games.

Here's some early thoughts on the teams I cover.

WAUWATOSA

Boys

Wauwatosa East has been writing a similiar script like last season, but when a team goes 26-1, it's the bottom line that counts. Larry Bradley, Jr. may be in uniform by next Friday's game against Pius XI once the legal guardian paperwork is done and with that addition, I really don't see anyone in the Greater Metro Conference giving the Red Raiders a run for their money. They were possibly more talented than last year's team without the 6-3 Bradley.

Wauwatosa West should be fun to watch this year this season with coach Mike Landisch's penetrate and kickback offense. This suits Ray Sterling, Jr. Bendell Lee and Sam Krenzien well, while Andy Minkley, more of a setup shooter, will get the hang of it. Barry Ballinger's play underneath will also be a key to the Trojans' success. It will also be interesting to see how the four suspended players fit in when they return soon.

Girls

Someone keep Tosa East coach Rob Hamill away from high places and sharp knifes. His girls have lost three games by a total of five points and have played better than their record indicates. Hannah Weinberg-Kinsey has recently been lighting up the net and that is something the Red Raiders need, a second scorer to go along with Margaret Panter.

The surprise team of the city might be Tosa West. Coach Mike Pietrowiak recently got scrappy Molly Boyle back and Jesse Zeisse will be back soon. The inside play of Ashley Ballinger will also be a key for the Trojans this season. Jackie Glaser, who was under the weather in a recent game, and Andrea Kwak have played well in the early going, among others.

BROOKFIELD

Boys

Mike Gosz, Hamilton Athletic Director, won't be getting a Christmas card from Brookfield East coach Andy Farley this year. The Spartans have opened up with Brookfield Central, Wauwatosa East and Marquette, all on the road. Daniel Patton is leading the way for the Spartans, is one of the top outside shooters I have seen this season. C.J. Gregg is a talented big man and Devonte Harper has done a good job of running the offense.

It's early yet, but coach Mark Adams has to be pleased with the Lancers quick start. Seven players are scoring between 5.0 and 7.0 points per game as Central has shown early season balance. Kevin Hynes, filling big shoes at point guard, and John Winius has hit some huge shots so far this season. Adams not only has a freshman on his team for the first time, but 6-4 Seth Mortag is STARTING on top of it.

Girls

My story in this week's paper goes into more detail on the defending champion Lady Lancers talented team this year. Joana Bielefeld and Erin Lueder do a great job of leading this team, but their suporting cast has improved. 6-1 Jesse Thomas, 5-10 sophomore Valarie Agnello, 5-9 Maggie Mattiacci and 5-8 Kate Sandstrom have all had key roles in Central's fast start. And coach Dan Wandrey has put in a devasting 1-3-1 zone defense this season.

If coach Tara Schmitt can get all her best players healthy or eligible, the Lady Spartans could be a force again. Marley Blood has been out with a high angle sprain and a few other players have had some athletic code and grade problems, but others have stepped up. One of the most aggressive players I have seen so far is Kennedy Curtis, who has helped East's inside game in Blood's absence.

Hope to see some of you at the Holiday Tournaments the next two weeks.

Be a Hit and Have a Ball.

The WIAA heard Wauwatosa East's appeal on sophomore transfer student Larry Bradley today and will make the announcement of their decision sometime next week.

To quickly summarize, Bradley, whose parents still live in Milwaukee, moved in with his uncle Marshall Williams, who lives in Wauwatosa. Bradley, a 6-3 guard, started for Milwaukee Vincent last season and averaged 7.3 points per game. He is considered one of the top sophomores in Wisconsin.

The WIAA denied a transferred waiver application in November. Tosa East appealed and pincipal Nick Hughes and athletic director Linda Vitrano traveled to Stevens Point for the hearing Friday. 

I was told the decision has been made, but the announcement is not until next week. Hello?  Takes that long to write a press release?

I have no inside information, of course, but I don't have a good feeling on this one.

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Seth Mortag, a 6-4 freshman forward, is not only the first freshman to make the varsity for veteran coach Mark Adams, but he is also starting for the Lancers. Mortag played on a summer AAU team coach by former Milwaukee Bucks guard Mo Williams. He scored 10 points in his first varsity game, a double OT win over South Milwaukee.

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Daniel Patton has stepped up for the Spartans, as the Brookfield East guard scored 25 points in the first two games, including 16 in the opener. He is a good outside shooter for coach Andy Farley's gang.

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Brookfield East and West Allis Central, usually the teams to beat in the Greater Metro Conference wrestling race, hooked up in the first dual of the conference season. The Spartans won 36-27 behind pins by Andy Wanta, Zach Sines and Joe Wahhab. East coach Bud Sines must be smiling.

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The school rivalries busted out early this season. Tosa West girls slipped by Tosa East, 33-31, in a thriller Tuesday night at West. The Tosa East boys travel to Tosa West Saturday night and then the Brookfield East boys and girls travel to Central for a twinbill on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. (girls) and 7:30 p.m. (guys).

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That's it for now. Look for more blogs coming at you more often now that the winter season is underway.

Be a Hit and Have a Ball!

On back-to-back nights last week, I saw something that really disappointed me. And it had nothing to do with what happened on the basketball court.

Before I say anything, I want to say on the record that I think the Brookfield Central and Wauwatosa East basketball fans are among the best fans that I have had the chance to watch the past six years. Their outfits are creative and their enthusiasm is contagious. Maybe that's why I was disappointed, because the Lancer and Red Raider fans have set high standards in my eyes.

First of all, last Wednesday, the Tosa East boys team hosted Menomonee Falls in a game which was moved from Tuesday because of the cold weather. I couldn't believe what I saw. Not only was it one of the smallest crowds that I have ever been a apart of at a Tosa East boys basketball game, but one of the quietest. I actually counted 61 students in the student section.

It couldn't have been the competition, because Menomonee Falls has the ability to beat anyone in the Greater Metro Conference. In fact, the Indians led the Red Raiders at half-time the first time they played. It took a curious foul call in the final seconds to give Tosa East a chance to win the game in regulation this time around.

I know it wasn't just me, because a high-profile Tosa East official made the comment to me afterwards, "Maybe we're not the place to be any more." 

The next night, I attended the Brookfield East-Brookfield Central girls-boys doubleheader at Central. The stands were not even half full for the girls game, an important GMC battle between the unbeaten Lady Lancers and the desperate Lady Spartans, who needed and got, a huge 39-35 victory.

With two minutes - TWO minutes - left in the game, like clockwork, the color-coded blue and white Central students paraded into the gym as a group. Hello?  Where were you people for the first game? A game which was much more entertaining and more meaningful in the GMC race than the nightcap would be.

With all the cold weather and the re-scheduling of games last week, I'm going to give the students the benefit of the doubt based on their past history.

Or maybe, just maybe, they were home studying.

Agree or disagree with me, but feel free to leave a comment.

And always remember to be a hit and have a ball.

If you have seen the Brookfield East girls' offense lying around somewhere, please give basketball coach Tara Schmitt a call.

The Lady Spartans, who were sitting pretty in the Greater Metro Conference race just a week ago with a 4-1 record, have dropped two straight games to West Allis schools, scoring 28 and 35 points in losses to Central and Hale. Tuesday night they have a huge game with first-place Brookfield Central.

What makes East's loss to Hale particularly galling, it snapped a 21-game GMC losing streak for the Huskies, going back to Feb. 10, 2006. Trailing, 36-33, with seconds remaining, Schmitt called time-out, hoping to get a game-tying 3-point attempt from Ashley Yttre. Schmitt also had a back-up plan if Yttre was covered, tossing the ball inside instead and then hoping for a kickback out for another 3-point try.

Yttre was covered, the ball went inside, and instead of kicking the ball back out, the player tossed in a two-point bucket as time expired.

Please keep all sharp instruments away from Schmitt.

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Brookfield Central's Cory Degner, who scored 53 points in wins over Marquette (23) and Menomonee Falls (30), has impressed Tosa East coach Tim Arndorfer.

"If I had to vote for the conference's player of the year - and not take one of my players - I would think it would have to be Cory Degner right now. He does everything for that team."

Forced to play point guard to start the year, Degner runs the offense, hits 3-pointers, drives to the basket, hits free throws and comes through whenever the Lancers need a big bucket. He even finds time to play defense.

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Speaking of the Red Raiders, Tosa East has beaten the last three opponents by 32, 24 and 29 points, using a good defense to get easy offensive points.

But coach Tim Arndorfer and his staff - looking down the road against Brookfield Central and West Allis Hale, as well as to the post-season because the Red Raiders play in the sectional from hell - keep focusing on the half-court offense. Against good teams, Tosa East is going to have to be disciplined enough to score half-court points as well.

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If you know Tosa West girls basketball coach Mike Pietrowiak, he could win a game 50-0 and still find something wrong. But I thought I saw a hint of a smile the other day after the Trojans won their third straight game and fourth in six tries.

Pietrowiak plays only two seniors - Ellen Coleman and Anastasia Williams - a lot of minutes and relies on three sophomores and two juniors most of the time. If the Trojans continue to improve, Pietrowiak will have to work on that smiley face more often.

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Agree or disagree, don't be afraid to let me know.

Until later in the week, remember to always be a hit and have a ball.