Wauwatosa East boys basketball team surprised the critics

There were plenty of highlights for the Wauwatosa East boys basketball team this season.

The Red Raiders just missed winning 20 games, finishing with a 19-7 record, including a 9-5 record in the Greater Metro Conference. They handed rival and champion Marquette (13-1) its only conference loss of the season, 61-48.

They finished strong, winning nine of 10 games before losing a 41-40 heartbreak to Greendale in the sectional final, one step from the state tournament.

"It was certainly one of the most rewarding seasons I've experienced," Tosa East coach Tim Arndorfer said. "Based on where we were picked in the preseason (middle of the pack) and where we ended up.

"I'd be lying if I said we would get as far as we did. But midway through the season, I started to realize we had a special group of kids. They refused to back down to other people (lack of) expectations. They bought into what we were selling and were motivated to prove others wrong."

The Red Raiders definitely had talent on this season's team.

Juniors Bryce Beekman and JaiVionne Green were second-team all-conference, while seniors Jack Mihelich and Drue Holley were honorable mention and Jackson Telderer was a GMC Scholar-Athlete.

At the team banquet, Beekman was named MVP, junior Ty Ederesinghe was Most Improved and Mihelich and Telderer earned the Coaches Award.

Ederesinghe earned the Gary Grzesk Award for tenacious defense and Holley earned the Chris Braier Award for leading the team in rebounding.

Arndorfer will lose four seniors to graduation and had some comments on each one.

Tyran Thompson, a 6-foot, 5-inch center, didn't see a lot of game action.

"Ty was great teammate," Arndorfer said. "Even though he didn't play more he didn't complain. He was a great practice player; he made the guys better. He stuck it out when he was a junior on the JV. That says something about his character."

Telderer was a captain and a 6-3 starting forward.

"He was a true leader for us on a lot of different levels," Arndorfer said. "He was a leader on and off the court. He had a tremendous senior year. He did anything we asked him to. We were really proud of him."

Mihelich, a 6-1 guard, was the Red Raiders' top outside shooter and had many key shots during the postseason run.

"Jack had a really good senior year," Arndorfer said. "He had some great games on both ends of the court, but especially offensively."

Holley, a 6-3 guard/forward, was the top rebounder and a good penetrator.

"He picked off where he left off at the end of last year," Arndorfer said. "He knew what was expected of him. He played fantastic defense, was great rebounder and was a difficult matchup. He was a spark plug at times. We were proud of him. He was not only a good basketball player, but a good athlete."

The Red Raiders will have 10 returning juniors off this season's team.

Beekman, Ederesinghe and Green, three starters, as well as DJ Verser, Nigel and Najee Stewart, Cal Rohde, Dan Scallon, Kevin Murphy and Max Shiller will return.

"We have three good starters, which are really encouraging," Arndorfer said. "We'll see what some newcomers will bring. We'll have good expectations, but let's see how they handle the off-season to continue the success we built."

Arndorfer also had a tip of the cap to the fans.

"How great it was to see the school, the community really come together around us," he said. "That's one of the things that made it as memorable as any other season — the support from the community."