WBCA DIV. 2 ALL-STATE TEAM - Medford’s Gierl nabs All-State mention from state’s basketball coaches

WBCA DIV. 2 ALL-STATE TEAM

The Great Northern Conference Co-Players of the Year have also earned All-State honorable mention as announced Wednesday by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association.

Medford’s Charlie Gierl and Mosinee’s Brayden Reinke made the WBCA’s Division 2 honorable mention list, joining 21 other talented boys basketball players from around the state. The honorable mentionees follow 12 first-team award winners in the division.

Four Raiders have been responsible for Medford earning six straight GNC Player of the Year awards and all four of them –– Gierl, Tanner Hraby, Logan Baumgartner and Peyton Kuhn –– now have earned All-State awards from the WBCA.

Hraby got honorable mention last year. Baumgartner was a first-team choice in 2023 and got honorable mention as a junior, while Kuhn got honorable mention as a senior in 2021.

Gierl, who missed most of last year due to injury, ranked second in GNC scoring at 15.5 points per game. Gierl played in 11 GNC contests and ranked sixth in the league with 6.4 rebounds per game, second in free throw percentage at 83.9% (26 of 31) and third with 2.5 made 3pointers per game.

Overall in 22 games played, Gierl averaged 16.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He shot 47.9% from the field, including 40.3% from 3-point range. Reinke led the GNC in scoring (19.5) and rebounding (10.5) while appearing in 11 GNC games. He also led with 3.0 steals per game. The WBCA’s Division 2 All-State team is entirely new compared to last year and all 12 players hail from either southern and eastern locales in Wisconsin. The list includes sophomore Jalen Brown of state champion Wauwatosa West, highlytouted Amari Allen of Ashwaubenon and Jaxson Moss and Isaiah Robinson of state runner-up Racine Park. Allen, an Alabama recruit averaged 34.1 points per game, 11 rebounds and 8.5 assists for Ashwaubenon. Brown had some strong numbers as well for the Trojans, who edged Park 60-57 in Saturday’s title game at the Kohl Center in Madison. He averaged 22.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.8 steals.

The honorable mention list includes senior Jesse Napgezek, a senior from state qualifier Wausau East, junior Ian Kowal of Onalaska, who Medford faced in a 60-37 loss on Jan. 28, and Rice Lake senior Zach Orr, who the Raiders have seen in previous seasons.