The newest player to receive their first division one offer from Wisconsin’s deep and talented 2027 class is Tref Rademaker. The 6’9” post of West De Pere High School and Power 5 received the first offer from Manhattan University.
“It was amazing,” Rademaker said about picking up the Manhattan offer. “Just to know that all of the hours and time I’ve spent in the gym working on this game hasn’t gone unnoticed. I can’t even estimate the hours that I have invested in the process getting to this point, but after receiving a D1 offer it now makes it all worthwhile.”
When asked about if there is anything he likes about Manhattan, he said “Once I knew they were interested in me, I watched some film of them playing. I love how they play together as a team, how they constantly encourage each other throughout the game, and that they focus on winning as a team. I also saw that it wasn’t just the players that are into the game. You can sense the coach’s passion for the game, and it brings a positive effect to the whole team, making the team’s morale greater. I also looked into the campus. From what I can tell it is in a very nice setting and I believe it would offer a great learning experience.”
Even as a sophomore, Rademaker is currently leading 11-5 West De Pere in both scoring and rebounding with 17.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He is shooting 63.6% from the field as well as 41.2% from three. “Our goal as a team would obviously be to make it to the state tournament in March and hopefully get a chance to play in the championship game for a gold ball. The thought of playing at the Kohl Center in front of that many people is simply amazing,” he said about the rest of his sophomore season. He is also looking to be named all-conference and even all-state.