MEQUON – If there is a congregation of talented high school basketball players – like this week at the Rick Majerus Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout at Concordia University — you can bet a group of college basketball coaches won’t be that far away.
So there was Greg Gard, Wisconsin men’s hoops coach early Friday afternoon, sitting at a table on the baseline alongside assistants from Marquette and UW-Green Bay, all taking mental notes as two of the state’s best players recruiting class of 2027 competed against each other.
Slinger’s Jack Kohnen and Freedom’s Donovan Davis are early in the recruiting process, so it’s interesting to see how the sophomores handle all the new and important eyes watching them.
“I obviously see them there,” Kohnen said. “I’m glad they’re watching me and Donovan too.
“It’s an honor. But at the end of the day, it’s just playing basketball. I have to play the way I always play. I’ve been playing this forever. I have to play the right way, no matter who’s watching.”
Kohnen, a versatile 6-6 forward, already has scholarship offers from MU and Iowa State. Davis, a 6-7 forward, picked up UW’s first offer in the 2027 class and also has one from Iowa State.
“When I play, I try to block everything out,” Davis said. “The crowd, everyone. I’m just trying to worry about my game and the game of basketball. Keep playing.”
Slinger’s Jack Kohnen and Freedom’s Donovan Davis show off their skills
Kohnen and Davis faced off for the first jump ball and spent a lot of time guarding each other.
Perhaps the most impressive trait of both prospects is that they never seemed to force the action despite being two of the biggest and most talented players on the court.
Each showed their ability to read defenses and make the right passes. Kohnen, in particular, calmly took double teams and notched several assists, including a few to his freshman brother Joey, who will also likely be a coveted recruit.
“My dad played (at St. Ambrose University in Iowa), my whole family played,” Kohnen said. “I’ve been playing since I was little.
“All my brothers play basketball. It’s been a family tradition for a while. Obviously, I love playing. I look forward to it every day and I continue to develop my game day by day.”
But there were also games in which you didn’t have to be a college basketball coach to see that Kohnen and Davis had elite talent.
Kohnen worked his way along the baseline for a nice backhand. Davis tried to spark a late run by his team with an emphatic, fast-paced dunk.
Ultimately, Kohnen made all of the game-winning plays in Slinger’s 70-49 victory. He finished with 21 points, including a three-point play with just over four minutes left. Kohnen even scored with a 20-point lead for his team in the final minutes.
Davis finished with 18 points.
“Since we’re playing up North, there’s not really a lot of people coming to watch us, not just me, but our team,” Davis said. “Because I think our team is pretty good.
“So just coming here and participating in this event kind of shows how well our team can play.
Kohnen and Davis play with Team Herro on the AAU circuit
Kohnen and Davis know each other very well.
They are teammates on Team Herro, which competes on Nike’s EYBL AAU circuit. Freedom and Slinger also faced off in the season opener, with Davis’ team winning at home.
Both players also have good support systems as their recruitments take off.
“I obviously asked my high school coach for advice,” Davis said. “He helped a lot, including getting other coaches interested or setting things up.
“My old AAU coach, Charles RuffingI called him a few days ago and we talked about everything to help me with the recruiting process.”
Freedom coach Andrew Gibbons considers himself more of a marketer for his star player.
“I’m doing my best to give him opportunities,” Gibbons said. “Send some film to the coaches or just get his name out there as much as possible. Obviously his game speaks for itself.”
Coming from an athletic family, Kohnen is helping to attract growing attention.
“My dad played college basketball, so he went through a little recruiting process,” Kohnen said. “And he helped me a lot by keeping my head straight.
“Telling me to stay consistent and know who you’re playing for, you’re playing for the team. Do the right thing, no matter who’s watching.”
Gibbons said he doesn’t need to talk much to his players about being distracted by big-name coaches appearing at games.
“He knows how to behave,” Gibbons said. “He’s really mature for his age.
“The biggest thing we talk about is attitude and effort and that’s why Greg Gard is sitting there.”
This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Slinger’s Jack Kohnen and Freedom’s Donovan Davis are 2027 Wisconsin recruits
