Connect with us

Wisconsin

Playing PG for the First Time, Jack Janicki Was the Lift Wisconsin Needed

Published

on

Playing PG for the First Time, Jack Janicki Was the Lift Wisconsin Needed


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Every game this season is a learning moment for Jack Janicki.

Earning a spot at the back end of the University of Wisconsin’s rotation, the redshirt freshman guard has needed to adjust to the speed and physicality of the college game without losing confidence in shooting his perimeter shot.

So, being thrust into playing point guard for the first time in college against the No.7 team in the country at Mackey Arena, being guarded by the league leader in steals, was simply viewed by him as the next step in his maturation.

Running the point for most of the 17 minutes he logged after the ejection of reserve Kamari McGee, Janicki looked and played like a seasoned pro in No.16 Wisconsin’s 94-84 victory. He posted a career-high 11 points, and went 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Most importantly, he has two assists and no turnovers against Purdue guard Braden Smith’s pressure.

Advertisement

“It was something to be thrown into that,” Janicki said. “Just building on to teammates and guys we have here, I feel completely comfortable running the offense because I know I got guys I can turn to.”

Janicki had plenty of quality options on Saturday afternoon. John Tonje scored a game-high 32 points, Max Klesmit added 17 points and six assists, while Nolan Winter (12) and John Blackwell (11) also reached double figures.

But winning at Mackey Arena takes special moments, especially for a Wisconsin program that had beaten Purdue there just four times since 1972.

In Wisconsin’s last win in the building three years ago, Johnny Davis had a double-double with career highs in points (37) and rebounds (14), not to mention three assists, two blocks, and two steals. UW also fouled out its three centers – Steven Crowl, Tyler Wahl, and Chris Vogt – while defending a young Zach Edey and preventing the Boilermakers from having a sizeable advantage in offensive rebounds and points in the paint.

Janicki nearly doubling his 9.9-minute average would qualify as a moment.

Advertisement

“As a freshman, he comes in and does that,” head coach Greg Gard said. “It’s his first time here on the court. He responded in a way and had production and impact on the game. What we seen him do in practice, it just hasn’t come out because he hasn’t been in that situation.”

Wisconsin’s issues at point guard started to creep up when Blackwell picked up his second foul with 6:46 remaining and went to the bench. Things worsened 26 seconds later when reserve point guard Kamari McGee was given a flagrant-2 and subsequent ejection after hitting forward Trey Kaufman-Renn’s groin while fighting through a screen.

Janicki had worked at the point guard in practice, so it wasn’t a completely foreign position to him, but he’d never done it in a game, let alone on the road in front of over 14,000 screaming fans.

“I’ve been here last year, on the bench sitting around, so I knew what to expect in terms of volume and energy,” Janicki said. “They do a great job here of making you feel a little bit uncomfortable. Once you’re in the game and get a feel for the first possession, we were just focused on what we had to do.”

His first basket at the 12:18 mark was an example. He executed a back-cut layup that Wisconsin saw could be open during film study and practiced against all week. Janicki said that gave him some rhythm.

Advertisement

He said his three-point miss with 12:33 remaining was the best the ball felt coming off his hand all afternoon. It gave him confidence when he hit three-pointers with 9:31 and 7:59 remaining, the latter giving Wisconsin its then-biggest lead at 71-60.

“It’s a blessing to watch, all his hard work paying off,” guard John Blackwell said. “It feels even better just because I know what he’s gone through, redshirting, and just learning throughout the season what he can get better at.”

Blackwell knows Janicki’s struggles better than anyone. They have been roommates and close friends since arriving together on campus before last season. Blackwell immediately earned playing time with his high basketball IQ, steadiness, and playmaking ability. Coming in as a walk-on, Janicki needed time to develop.

Blackwell said Janicki would ask for pointers and discuss game strategy. It was the missing piece to Janicki’s game since he already was comfortable with playing defense, being aggressive, and valuing the ball, things Gard demands from his guards.

“He’s going to be a really good player,” Blackwell said. “He’s a guy who just puts his head down, gets in the gym, always shooting shots. He does all the right things to play, doesn’t ever complain about anything, just comes in every day and works.”

Advertisement

Janicki showed his value when he scored nine points in Wisconsin’s 15-point win over No.9 Arizona but admittedly struggled to find “his feel” as Big Ten play started. Entering Saturday, Janicki hadn’t scored in 12 of Wisconsin’s past 20 games and had one basket in five others.

But his minutes stayed consistent because he did the hustle plays that made a difference, like outjumping Smith and guard Myles Colvin to redirect an offensive rebound with 10:18 remaining. The possession ended with a Klesmit three-point play and a 65-56 UW lead.

Blackwell got the credit in the scorebook for the offensive rebound, but Janicki is used to doing the unheralded dirty work. The role he thrived in for his team, not to mention his wide smile outside the visiting locker room, made it impossible for him to hide this time.

“I think I did some decent things at the one,” Janicki said. “I still think I can get a lot better, but it was nice to be able to roll with the punches and stay on top.

“This isn’t the last time there’s going to be issues this year or throughout my career. As I long I have that support staff, I feel confident to be able to figure it out.”

Advertisement



Source link

Wisconsin

Insider: Wisconsin Man Charged With Possession Of Virtual Child Pornography

Published

on

Insider: Wisconsin Man Charged With Possession Of Virtual Child Pornography


POLK COUNTY (DrydenWire) – An investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, into multiple cybertips from Google about suspected child sexual abuse materials has resulted in felony charges for a Wisconsin Man.

Cody Struemke, age 27, of Amery, WI, is facing nearly a dozen charges for possessing child pornography, including Felony Possession of Virtual Child Pornography.

The criminal complaint against him alleges that Struemke saved a photo from Facebook of juveniles known to him, and digitally edited the photo to make it appear they were nude.

Insiders can read the full post below:

Advertisement

DrydenWire Insider

This content is only for paid subscribers to DrydenWire Insider.
Please Login or Subscribe.
Note: Once you are logged in, you will see the full content of this article.

Last Update: Dec 16, 2025 9:27 am CST





Source link

Continue Reading

Wisconsin

Wisconsin health professionals share tips to protect against respiratory illnesses

Published

on

Wisconsin health professionals share tips to protect against respiratory illnesses


MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) -Respiratory illness season has begun in Wisconsin, with health professionals reporting increased flu cases and higher demand for medications and vaccines.

Over-the-counter medicines are flying off the shelves at Forward Pharmacy in McFarland, according to manager Tony Peterangelo.

“We’ve had to increase like how much of some of that stuff we’ve kept on hand,” Peterangelo said. “We had to make some special orders to really bulk up on some of it too.”

Forward Pharmacy manager Tony Peterangelo filling prescriptions as the respiratory illness season begins.(WMTV/Camberyn Kelley)

Upland Hills physician Benjamin Hecht said the respiratory illness season typically begins after Thanksgiving.

Advertisement

“As of right now, we are just starting in the last week or two to see some Influenza A. Last year was a pretty tough flu year for us, influenza in Wisconsin. It’s still to be seen how severe of a year this is going to be in 2025-26,” he said.

Respiratory viruses are hard to avoid according to the Upland Hills physician.

“You can wear masks and wash your hands a ton, but you’re going to get exposed to these viruses at some point,” Dr. Hecht said.

RSV poses concern for young children

Dr. Hecht said another concern this season is RSV, particularly for young children with developing immune systems.

“The kids that get this, especially the really young kids, that don’t have a mature immune system, they can get pretty sick from RSV. That’s a particularly scary one. If you’re in a position where you qualify to get that vaccination or perhaps your kids do, please consider that,” Dr. Hecht said.

Advertisement

Forward Pharmacy is meeting demand for vaccines, which Peterangelo said can help protect against viruses.

“All of that stuff reduces the need to scramble on the back end to get antibiotics and cough suppressants. It doesn’t completely reduce your risk, but it reduces it enough that your likelihood of getting that is down,” Peterangelo said.

Forward Pharmacy is meeting demand for vaccines, which Peterangelo said can help protect...
Forward Pharmacy is meeting demand for vaccines, which Peterangelo said can help protect against viruses.(WMTV/Camberyn Kelley)

The pharmacy has given out dozens of flu and covid shots in a day.

“I would say maybe in the 60 to 80 range,” Peterangelo said.

Dr. Hecht said influenza B will come later in the season. He recommends people with severe respiratory symptoms like breathing troubles to see a doctor.

“The big thing is just living a healthy lifestyle, staying well hydrated, getting good sleep, doing what you can with physical activity and exercise to make sure your immune system is in tip top shape,” Dr. Hecht said.

Advertisement

According to new CDC data, doctor visits for flu-like symptoms rose to more than 3% in the last two weeks. The majority of flu cases are caused by a mutated strain that causes more severe illness, particularly among older adults.

Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Wisconsin

Former Trump aides appear in Wisconsin court over 2020 election fraud charges

Published

on

Former Trump aides appear in Wisconsin court over 2020 election fraud charges


MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two attorneys and an aide who all worked on President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing in Wisconsin on felony forgery charges related to a fake elector scheme.

The Wisconsin case is moving forward even as others in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia have faltered. A special prosecutor last year dropped a federal case alleging Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 election. Another case in Nevada is still alive.

The Wisconsin case was filed a year ago but has been tied up as the Trump aides have fought, unsuccessfully so far, to have the charges dismissed.

The hearing on Monday comes a week after Trump attorney Jim Troupis, one of the three who were charged, tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to step down in the case and have it moved to another county. Troupis, who the other two defendants joined in his motion, alleged that the judge did not write a previous order issued in August declining to dismiss the case. Instead, he accused the father of the judge’s law clerk, a retired judge, of actually writing the opinion.

Advertisement

Troupis, who served one year as a judge in the same county where he was charged, also alleged that all of the judges in Dane County are biased against him and he can’t get a fair trial.

Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland said he and a staff attorney alone wrote the order. Hyland also said Troupis presented no evidence to back up his claims of bias and refused to step down or delay the hearing.

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the allegations.

The same judge will determine at Monday’s hearing whether there’s enough evidence to proceed with the charges against the three.

The former Trump aides face 11 felony charges each related to their roles in the 2020 fake elector scheme. In addition to Troupis, the other defendants are Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney who advised Trump’s campaign, and Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day operations in 2020.

Advertisement

The Wisconsin Department of Justice, headed by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, brought the felony forgery charges in 2024, alleging that the three defrauded the 10 Republican electors who cast their ballots for Trump in 2020.

Prosecutors contend the three lied to the Republicans about how the certificate they signed would be used as part of a plan to submit paperwork to then-Vice President Mike Pence, falsely claiming that Trump had won the battleground state that year.

The complaint said a majority of the 10 Republicans told investigators that they were needed to sign the elector certificate indicating Trump had won only to preserve his legal options if a court changed the outcome of the election in Wisconsin.

A majority of the electors told investigators that they did not believe their signatures on the elector certificate would be submitted to Congress without a court ruling, the complaint said. Also, a majority said they did not consent to having their signatures presented as if Trump had won without such a court ruling, the complaint said.

Federal prosecutors who investigated Trump’s conduct related to the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot said the fake electors scheme originated in Wisconsin.

Advertisement

The Trump associates have argued that no crime took place. But the judge in August rejected their arguments in allowing the case to proceed to Monday’s preliminary hearing.

Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020 but fought to have the defeat overturned. He won the state in both 2016 and 2024.

The state charges against the Trump attorneys and aide are the only ones in Wisconsin. None of the electors have been charged. The 10 Wisconsin electors, Chesebro and Troupis all settled a lawsuit that was brought against them seeking damages.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the attorneys who are charged formerly worked on Trump’s campaign, but are still practicing attorneys.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending