BOYS BASKETBALL: Panthers return bulk of lineup

Wilmot’s Jeremy Bruton attempts a shot from the perimeter in a game last season. Bruton, along with Latrell Glass and Kyle Gendron will be the senior leaders this season (File Photo/The Report).

Wilmot looks to use last year as springboard

By Jason Arndt
Editor

A year ago, the Wilmot Union High School boys basketball team had an improbable run to end its season, including three WIAA Division II road victories.

While the Panthers lost to top-seeded Westosha Central in the sectional semifinal, they return a bulk of their varsity roster entering this year, which gives coach Jake Erbentraut hope.

“Our team had to persevere and show a lot of determination because many discounted us,” said Erbentraut, whose No. 10 seed Panthers won at Fort Atkinson, McFarland and Burlington. “My hope is that we’ll continue our belief in ourselves because we have a lot back from that team.”

The key returners include senior sharpshooters Latrell Glass, a 5-foot-11 guard, along with 6-2 Jeremy Bruton and 6-3 Kyle Gendron.

Glass, who scored a school-record 49 points at Delavan-Darien as a junior, was the team-leader with 17.3 points per game and earned Southern Lakes Conference first team honors.

For Bruton, who earned SLC honorable mention, contributed 12.8 points per game.

Gendron, meanwhile, showed his potential as a perimeter threat, hitting five 3-pointers against Racine Lutheran last season.

Junior Kevin Brenner, a 6-3 guard, offers another scoring threat and also played a formidable role in paint, where he snagged 5.0 rebounds per game a year ago.

According to Erbentraut, the four returners have shown positive progress in early season practices.

“I think all four will have a really good season,” he said. “In practice thus far, they look like they’re in mid-season form.”

Gone to graduation, however, are five players, including Josh Schattner, who had 9 points per game along with 6.5 rebounds per game.

Other departing seniors were Darren Rita, Troy Hickey, Tim Freeman and Sam Rovik.

To fill the void, Erbentraut looks to seniors Quintin Girardi (6-3 forward), Colby Barker (6-3 forward), Colten Pearson (5-9 guard) and Jacob Gerzel (5-9 guard).

Team newcomers are Zack Watson (5-9 sophomore), Mason Moravectz (5-10 junior), Zach Lamberson (6-0 junior), Noah Coleman (6-3 junior), Michael Sandman (5-10 junior) and Justin Paasch (5-9 senior).

As the Panthers enter the season, Erbentraut said three SLC teams pose the biggest challenge, Burlington, Westosha Central and Union Grove.

“The league will be competitive with the usual teams at the top, Central and Burlington,” he said.

In spite of a competitive SLC, Erbentraut hopes the team uses last year’s playoff run as a springboard, and carries some of the momentum into this season.

“I’m not so sure if we look to pose that big of a threat to our opponents early on but what the playoff run did for us, I feel, is have our own team realize our own capabilities,” he said.


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