The brackets are set, and it is just about time to begin the march to the Kohl Center in Madison for WIAA state boys basketball March 19-21.
Wisconsin Lutheran will go wire-to-wire as our top area team in the boys rankings this season, a distinction few could argue as the Vikings take an undefeated record into the final week of the regular season.
As schedules wind down and conference titles are clinched, the final rankings of the 2025-26 season reflect the perception of each team’s postseason chances weighted by division. While Port Washington secured the No. 1 seed in Division 2, Sectional 2, this past weekend, Slinger’s battle-tested unit out of a tougher conference gives it the nod heading into the postseason. Similarly, Lake Country Lutheran gets the promotion into the top 10 over Howard Fuller Collegiate, and Wauwatosa West takes Golda Meir’s spot as well.
Here are our full final rankings of the boys basketball season, team of the week and games to watch in the regular season’s final week. Look for additional boys basketball bracket analysis and predictions later this week.
AREA RANKINGS
Team (W-L), last week
Others considered: Arrowhead (17-6), Golda Meir (18-3), Greendale (17-6), Hartford Union (17-6), Howard Fuller Collegiate (20-2), Kettle Moraine (15-8), Milwaukee Bay View (17-4), Milwaukee Vincent (13-3), Nicolet (14-9), Racine Case (18-4).
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Nicolet
Teams in the Knights’ Division 2, Sectional 2, would be well-served not to overlook them as WIAA postseason play begins next week. The third seed out of that sectional has been on a tear of seven straight wins, including three this past week. Riding the momentum of a 63-60 win over Slinger the week prior, the Knights began this past week with a 66-63 road win over Cedarburg on Feb. 17. The guard duo of 5-foot-11 senior Rashaad Davis and 6-7 junior Deuce McDuffie led the effort with 23 points and 17 points, respectively. The duo had three steals each as well, and 6-6 senior Carter Zuithoff added nine points and seven rebounds. Nicolet knocked off a pair of highly competitive D3 teams later in the week, as it withstood a 52-point game from senior Lamont Hamilton to beat Racine St. Catherine’s, 86-73, on Feb. 19 before taking down Mosinee, 87-81, on Feb. 21. Both of those programs have 18 wins on the season entering the week. The streak for Nicolet has it looking like a team peaking at the right time that few will be excited to draw in the tournament.
COMING UP
Wisconsin Lutheran at New Berlin West, 7 p.m. Feb. 25: Wisconsin Lutheran can secure an outright Woodland West title and cement its status as the team to beat this postseason by handing New Berlin West a second loss after a 69-20 affair on Dec. 12.
Hartford Union at Nicolet, 7 p.m. Feb. 26: A pair of teams playing great basketball of late run back a matchup that went 80-68 to Nicolet on Jan. 22.
Menomonee Falls at Brookfield Central, 7 p.m. Feb. 26: Brookfield Central (14-9) could still have a Greater Metro Conference title share to play for, while Menomonee Falls (14-9) can play spoiler as it looks to fine-tune for the playoffs.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Lutheran leads final boys rankings amid quest for three-peat
Reporting by Zac Bellman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
