One of the first steps to next season started for the Menomonee Falls and Germantown boys basketball teams June 15.
Both teams played their opening games in the Whiz Kids League of Champions, which will have games Tuesday and Thursday nights for four weeks at the Milwaukee School of Engineering Kern Center.
“It was definitely the first games of the summer and these guys haven’t been playing for awhile,” Menomonee Falls Coach Ben Siebert said after observing his team post wins over St. Catherine’s and Sheboygan North. “I think our talent at the end of both games came through for us.”
It’s the first team activity for Menomonee Falls since they lost to Arrowhead in the sectional final March 13.  Siebert has had open gyms available for players to work individually on their skills and 20 players are signed up for summer basketball.
“We’re going to keep rotating kids, we’ve got to find the top 12 or 13 for next year’s team,” Siebert said.
This is the second year Menomonee Falls is in the invite-only league. After three starting seniors graduated, the squad comes in with new faces playing in the league.
“We’ve got great competition every night in this league. We’re going to put kids out there and see what they’re capable of and what they need to work on — just get a better of the feel for a lot of the kids that are going to be trying out in November,” Siebert said.
In addition to the Whiz Kids league, Menomonee Falls will be playing in single-day tournaments in Sussex, UW-Milwaukee and Waukesha South and at the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association tournament.
Germantown split games with Milwaukee Hamilton and Sheboygan North. Afterward, Germantown Coach Steve Showalter said the opener follows two month of open gym. Germantown was playing without three potential starters.
“The young guys that came up battled  hard. Obviously, the Milwaukee Hamilton game — they’re very good. Our goal is to close the gap on a team like that,” Showalter said.
Showalter added that Germantown has been invited to the Whiz Kids league in the past.
“This is the first time we’ve been in this league: It’s an eye-opener, there’s a lot of good teams here,” Showalter said.
Playing against the competition gives an idea of where his team is, though he added that not all the potential players were available.
In addition to the Whiz Kids League, Germantown is playing in a Wednesday night league at Milwaukee Lutheran and will be playing at a tournament in Wisconsin Dells June 26-27.
—By Thomas J. McKillen, Managing Editor