Neenah's Klesmit won't play for UWGB basketball after decommitting; Wrecke, Hall staying
GREEN BAY – Cal Klesmit’s basketball career at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is over before it even started.
The Neenah star announced Friday he is decommitting from UWGB despite saying before the WIAA state tournament that he planned to play for new coach Sundance Wicks with the Phoenix.
It’s not clear what has changed in the past 10 days, but the 6-foot-2 guard should have options after a strong senior season in which he proved he was fully recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament that wiped out his junior year.
Klesmit did not immediately respond to a text message. His older brother, Max, plays for Wisconsin after transferring from Wofford before this season.
“After much consideration, I have decided to reopen my recruitment,” Klesmit wrote on Twitter. “I’m excited about the opportunity to compete at a high level and look forward to exploring all possible options. My recruitment is 100% open.”
Klesmit averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season, leading the defending champion Rockets back to D1 state where they lost to Hartland Arrowhead in a semifinal last Friday.
He had several notable games, including scoring a career-high 45 points in a win at Appleton East in December and dishing out a career-high 21 assists in a sectional championship victory over Superior earlier this month.
Klesmit spoke to UWGB athletic director Josh Moon after the school fired Will Ryan in January, and despite not knowing who the new coach would be at that point, Klesmit was still all-in on playing for the Phoenix along with fellow incoming recruits in Arrowhead guard Mac Wrecke and D.C. Everest forward Marcus Hall.
“Hopefully, with those two, I want the best for them, but there is nothing more I’d want than to play with them,” Klesmit said in early February. “I’ve already got to know them a little bit. They are great people. I feel like us three coming in and some of the new coaching staff, we could really change what Green Bay basketball is all about and get it to where they want it to be, where we want it to be and really where the whole state wants it to be.”
That will remain the hope, but the Phoenix will have to do it without Klesmit.
The good news for Phoenix fans is that Wrecke and Hall still plan to play at UWGB.
Wrecke texted Friday that he is going to stay in Green Bay, while Hall texted that he’s still planning on coming here.
The 6-5 Wrecke led Arrowhead to a 27-3 record and to the D1 state title game, where it lost to De Pere. He averaged 18 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists and shot 48.1% overall.
Arrowhead coach Craig Haase got emotional when recently talking about Wrecke. He has known him since the day he was born and watched him develop into one of the best high school players in the state.
“He has won a lot of games for Arrowhead High School,” Haase said. “His career was phenomenal. Over 2,000 points. A state runner-up. Multiple conference championships, regional championships, sectional finals.
“I mean, incredible stuff. To be part of his life, which we will be together forever as long as I am around, is amazing. Super happy and super proud.”
The 6-6 Hall averaged 23 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5 assists and shot 57.6% this season and was named the Wisconsin Valley Conference player of the year for the second straight year.
Hall had DI offers from UW-Milwaukee, Purdue Fort Wayne, Lehigh and Towson, and several offers from DII schools before committing to UWGB.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Neenah's Cal Klesmit won't play for UWGB basketball after decommitting
