By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
After three straight years at the top of the Southern Lakes Conference, Burlington coach Steve Berezowitz knew the 2013-14 basketball season wasn’t going to be easy.
With all five starters gone from a team that reached sectionals, the veteran coach wasn’t sure how his inexperienced squad would respond.
Well, the Demons didn’t win their fourth straight conference title, but they did go 10-14 and were competitive in just about every game.
And even though the team relied on more of a balanced scoring attack compared to previous seasons, one leader stood out among the rest.
Senior Ben Geiger, a sharpshooting guard, led the Demons with 15.4 points per game. His outside shooting and ability to get to the hoop were consistent all season.
Recently named to the all-Racine County and all-Southern Lakes teams, Geiger has one more accolade for his standout season – 2014 All-Area Player of the Year.
“His statistics and consistent play were invaluable to our team’s success,” Berezowitz said.
Burlington earned a No. 2 seed in the WIAA Division 2 playoffs and opened with a home game against rival Waterford.
Geiger broke open a close game with two key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The clutch hoops turned the tide, and the Demons picked up a big victory after losing twice to Waterford during the regular season.
Then, in a regional semifinal against top-seeded Union Grove, the underdog Demons left it all on the floor, including Geiger.
He paced the Demons with 18 points, including four triples, but it wasn’t enough in a 49-46 defeat.
Geiger followed up a stellar volleyball season in the fall with an even better campaign on the basketball court.
Geiger scored 20 or more points eight times, and he went off for a season-high 25 points three times. Two of the 25-point efforts came against Division 1 teams Waukesha West and Verona.
Geiger scored in double figures in 16 games and totaled a staggering 58 3-pointers for the season, which is more than two per game.
The 6-foot-2 assassin knocked down four or more triples in a game six times, and he had the ability to catch fire.
An inside-outside threat, Geiger’s smooth jumper and range will project nicely to the next level, where he is committed to Division 3 Ripon College.
Here is the rest of the 2014 All-Area boys basketball squad, which considers players from Burlington, Catholic Central, Waterford and Union Grove high schools.
First team
Andrew Kazikowski, senior, Union Grove
While Geiger may have been the most prolific outside shooter in the area, Kazikowski wasn’t far behind.
The 5-foot-10 guard averaged 12 points per game for the Broncos, who won their first Southern Lakes title since 2007.
Kazikowski, who is mentally tough and skilled on both ends of the court, led the Broncos in scoring and came up big in big games.
He knocked down six 3-pointers in a road victory at rival Waterford, and he buried five 3-pointers and 19 points to end Burlington’s season in the playoffs.
Kazikowski scored in double figures 16 times, and 22 was his season high.
Despite his size, he showed his hustle with 3.6 rebounds per game.
Kazikowski, along with teammate Ben Miller, made up the best backcourt in the SLC, and the Broncos enjoyed their best season in a long time.
For his efforts, Kazikowski was named the SLC player of the year and a first team all-Racine County selection.
Tegan Miles, senior, Catholic Central
The 6-foot-7 center reminds you of one of those classic, intimidating men in the middle like a Dikembe Mutombo or Patrick Ewing.
If you were going to bring the ball into the paint with Miles around, you better go hard or go home.
Miles controlled the middle for the Toppers, who enjoyed their best season under coach Eric Henderson.
Catholic Central went 21-5, took second place in a very tough Metro Classic Conference, and advanced to Division 5 sectionals for the first time since 2011.
Miles disrupted any shot in his vicinity. He was fourth on the Toppers in scoring at 9.5 points per game and led the team with 7.9 rebounds per contest.
Miles shot 50 percent from the field and chipped in 1.2 blocks per game.
Miles’ season high in points was 25, and he grabbed 10 or more rebounds six times.
“Tegan’s improvement and ability to impact the game in many ways made him an extremely special player,” Henderson said.
Miles was named first team all-Metro Classic Conference and first team all-Racine County.
Frankie Hozeska, junior, Burlington
On nights when shots weren’t falling for Geiger, Hozeska picked up the Demons’ slack in a big way.
The 6-foot-3 guard-forward, who Berezowitz lauded for his consistent play, dominated at times on both ends of the floor.
Defensively, he often shut down the opposing team’s top player, and his combination and strength and speed made Hozeska nearly impossible to stop around the rim.
The definition of a slasher, Hozeska knew how to get to the rim with ease and was a regular at the free-throw line.
Hozeska was the area’s second-leading scorer with 12.1 points per game, and he led the Demons in rebounding. His supreme leaping ability and hustle yielded several double-figure rebounding games.
Hozeska tallied double figures in points 13 times, and his 20-point, 10-rebound performance helped lift the Demons to a playoff victory over Waterford.
Hozeska earned all-conference and all-county honors, and he will undoubtedly be in the conversation for player of the year next season.
Alex Hale, senior, Union Grove
The 6-foot-3 athletic Hale was all over the court for the SLC champion Broncos.
He averaged 11.9 points per game, good for second on the team. Also, Hale was second on the squad with 4.9 rebounds per contest.
An all-conference and all-county pick, Hale may have been the most consistent scorer in the area.
He scored in double figures an area-best 19 times and went off for games of 25 and 26 points.
Second team
Ben Heiligenthal, sophomore, Catholic Central
The sophomore sensation used his lanky 6-foot-2 frame to maneuver over and around defenders all season.
Catholic Central’s leading scorer, Heiligenthal could score from anywhere on the court. He took the ball strong to the rim and wasn’t afraid of contact from bigger, stronger athletes in the MCC.
“Ben’s versatility is remarkable,” Henderson said. “He can score many different ways and is an underrated defender. He uses his length extremely well on both sides of the floor.”
Heiligenthal shot 46 percent from the field and a respectable 29 percent from 3-point range.
For his efforts, he was named to the all-MCC second team. He was also an honorable mention all-county pick.
Trace Hunsucker, junior, Waterford
The 6-foot point guard was the Wolverines’ leading scorer with 9.9 points per game.
He helped lead Waterford to a 10-12 finish and third place in the SLC, even though the Wolverines were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference.
A deadly outside shooter, Hunsucker hit multiple 3-pointers in six games and scored in double figures 10 times.
Hunsucker scored 20 or more points three times, including a season-high 25 against Badger.
Expect the junior to have a big season for the Wolverines next year.
Bailey Wright, senior, Catholic Central
The quarterback on the floor, Wright was a big, strong point guard who made sure the Toppers offense was clicking on all cylinders.
Wright was second on the team with 11.4 points per game and led the squad with 3.1 assists.
Wright, who stands 6-foot-2, knocked down 35 triples and scored in double figures 16 times.
He tallied a season high of 22 against Faith Christian.
“Bailey did an extremely good job of leading our offensive attack this year,” Henderson said. “He has matured more than any other player I have coached.”
Spencer Wilker, junior, Catholic Central
Wilker, a 6-foot-2 guard, had the best all-around numbers in the area.
He did just about everything on the floor, whether it was scoring, passing, rebounding or defending.
Wilker averaged 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
From the outside, he connected on 40 treys for a 32-percent clip. Wilker led the Toppers in 3-pointers made.
A consistent scorer, Wilker tallied double figures 15 times.
Expect Wilker to be one of Catholic Central’s leaders again next season.
“Spencer had an impact on the game in many different ways,” Henderson said. “His efficiency improved so much this year.”
Grant Beck, junior, Union Grove
The third Bronco to average double figures in scoring, Beck averaged 11.2 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per contest.
Another consistent scorer, Beck scored in double figures 17 times.
For his stellar season, Beck earned first team all-SLC honors and was an honorable mention all-county pick.
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