It's been awhile since the Waterloo boys basketball program had a season as positive as 2023-24. They set new highs for the last decade in regular season and conference victories with eight and four, respectively.
This uptick in success was reflected in the postseason awards handed out from the Capitol - South conference. Prior to this season, Waterloo's last first team all-conference selection came in 2015-16. Since then, the Pirates have had two second team all-conference selections and a handful of honorable mentions.
Waterloo returned to first-team status this season as senior Benny Marshall made the list. Additionally, senior Theo Schofield landed on the second team while senior Cam Tschanz closed out the recognition with an honorable mention nod.
It feels as though Benny Marshall's prep basketball career has been building towards this moment. He got his feet wet at the varsity level as a sophomore in 2021-22, scoring 10.9 points per game as a second option. He was breaking out as a junior before an injury cut his season short. He stayed healthy for the duration of his senior season, though, and put on a show.
Marshall averaged 19.8 points per game as a senior as the team's primary scoring threat. He eclipsed 30 points scored five times, including a tie for his season-high of 37 against non-conference Dodgeland. Against Capitol - South opponents, Benny dished out 37 points against Marshall, 30 against New Glarus, and 27 on Wisconsin Heights.
As for Schofield, his second team recognition comes despite some harsh obstacles to overcome. He transferred to Waterloo deep into the school year and didn't suit up for the Pirates for their first three games. He also missed three opportunities against conference opponents due to illness.
Despite this, he was still a force to be reckoned with. He led Waterloo in scoring average this season at a clean 20 in 19 games played. Schofield was particularly pesky for non-conference opponents, lighting up Lakeside Lutheran for 36, Markesan for 29, Brodhead for 28, and Dodgeland for 27. He was good for about 20 points per game against Capitol - South opponents, reaching a ceiling of 21 in three separate games.
Behind Marshall and Schofield's high-flying brand of basketball, the 6-foot-2 Tschanz held his own. He was a steadying hand for the Pirates as a multi-year varsity contributor and used his size and athleticism to be a contributor in many facets of the game.
Tschanz averaged 8.4 points per game this season, third-most on the team. His biggest scoring totals came in pivotal games for Waterloo. He scored a season-high 21 points against Brodhead at the Fiserv Forum. He dropped 19 points as the Pirates put a scare into Lake Mills, then ranked No. 9 in Division 3 in the wissports.net boys basketball coaches poll. Tschanz poured in 19 points in Waterloo's upset win over conference rival Cambridge. Finally, he contributed 17 as the Pirates took down Westfield for a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) state tournament victory.
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2023-24 Capitol - South boys basketball all-conference selections
FIRST TEAM
Jack Erickson, senior, Belleville
Matt Buckman, junior, Cambridge
Kenyon Miggins, junior, Marshall
Max Marty, senior, New Glarus
Benny Marshall, senior, Waterloo
SECOND TEAM
Jackson Scholey, sophomore, Belleville
Drew Holzhueter, junior, Cambridge
Daniel Nickel, junior, Marshall
Brett Warrell, senior, New Glarus
Jake Roth, senior, New Glarus
Theo Schofield, senior, Waterloo
HONORABLE MENTION
Carter Scholey, senior, Belleville
Teseo Ruelas, junior, Marshall
Cade Thayer, senior, New Glarus
Cameron Tschanz, senior, Waterloo
Jon Vosburg, senior, Wisconsin Heights
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