Here are 3 top WIAA Divisions 3 and 4 boys state storylines: including a second 'first' appearance

The WIAA boys state basketball tournament begins Thursday at the Kohl Center in Madison with Division 3 and Division 4 state semifinals games. Semifinals continue Friday with Divisions 5, 2 and 1, before championships Saturday beginning with Division 5.

The Milwaukee area will have eight teams competing across four divisions at state, including one each in Divisions 3 and 4. Here are three storylines to follow in the matchups involving D3 and D4 area teams.

St. Thomas More making 'first' state appearance after court ruling

No. 1 seed St. Thomas More will play its second WIAA state tournament game at the Kohl Center in Thursday's D3 state semifinal against No. 4 Prescott (21-6), but in the eyes of the WIAA, it will be the program's first state appearance.

A December 2022 dismissal of a restraining order that had previously allowed the Cavaliers to complete a 2022 state tournament run vacated the appearance in WIAA records.

The issue stems from a fight that occurred during the final minute of an 82-52 regional semifinal win by STM over Fuller Collegiate Academy in the 2022 postseason. WIAA and National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules dictate that any player who leaves the bench during a fight is ejected and ineligible for the following game as well. STM was told at the time that the entire roster was ejected, and then-head coach John Hoch initially elected to forfeit rather than play junior varsity players in the regional final. The district filed a restraining order against the WIAA's ruling, which a Milwaukee County circuit court judge ruled in favor of to allow STM to continue its season. The Cavaliers went on to qualify for the WIAA state tournament, losing 70-43 to Lake Country Lutheran in the state semifinals.

Hearings continued into summer 2022 according to court records, with the WIAA seeking dismissal of the injunction and STM seeking dismissal of the action as moot with the tournament already concluded. The court ruled in favor of the WIAA to dismiss the injunction in December 2022, giving the WIAA legal authority to vacate STM's state tournament appearance.

Seniors Sekou Konneh, Amari McCottry and Evan Oleson are the only three players remaining from the 2021-22 team; three senior starters who will be leading the program's second chance at a "first" impression at the Kohl Center.

More: St. Thomas More gets revenge on Milwaukee Academy of Science in boys sectional rematch

McCottry makes late case for Mr. Basketball

Of the six finalists chosen for the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association's Mr. Basketball Award, three remain in contention for WIAA state titles entering Thursday's semifinal: Wisconsin Lutheran's Kon Knueppel, Pewaukee's Nick Janowski and STM's McCottry.

In the Cavalier senior's final high school postseason, McCottry has shown why he holds NCAA DI offers. He has registered at least a double-double in all four postseason games, including a triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in a 95-71 sectional final vanquishing of fellow Mr. Basketball finalist Dupree Fletcher Jr. and Carmen Northwest.

McCottry has seen a slight drop in scoring average from 23.4 points per game as a junior to 22.7 entering the state tournament as a senior, but he is more than making up for it with well-rounded performances each night. His rebounds per game (8.7) and assists per game (5.3) are both career highs, and his steal totals in the postseason have shown he can raise his defensive level of play in the biggest moments. He may not have the total résumé of Knueppel or Janowski, but McCottry is playing every bit on their level of late.

Eric Kenesie looks to build on historic 2023 state tournament

The individual performance of the 2023 WIAA boys state basketball tournament was undoubtedly a D4 record-setting scoring night for Kenosha St. Joseph guard Eric Kenesie.

The then-junior shot the lights out with a 15-of-21 night from the field, 16-of-19 from the line and 5-of-6 from three to score a D4 record 51 points. The first 50-point game in the history of the WIAA state tournament led the No. 4 seed Lancers to an 83-72 state semifinal victory over No. 1 St. Mary.

Once again the No. 4 seed, the 2023-2024 Lancers (19-9) will be looking to knock off another top seed, Marathon (27-1), to advance to the D4 state title game for the second consecutive season. The senior has averaged 23.2 points per game in the postseason as he looks to lead KSJ back to the D4 state title game.

Marathon's 6-foot-10 senior forward Grant Warren will provide a unique challenge in the paint for the Lancers, as well as a formidable scoring threat (22.3 points per game) on the offensive end.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 3 top WIAA storylines: St. Thomas More; Amari McCottry; Eric Kenesie