ASHWAUBENON – If the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men’s basketball program hoped to earn a little extra money in ticket sales against Wisconsin at the Resch Center on Oct. 15, it probably did so based on the amount of family and friends who showed up to watch former De Pere star Zach Kinziger.
The Badgers' sophomore guard played back home for the first time since his prep days in Wisconsin’s 96-77 win over UWGB, finishing with 6 points, 2 assists and 1 block while shooting 2-for-3 in 19 minutes.
“The experience was awesome,” Kinziger said. “To be able to come back to my hometown, where I grew up coming to games every week, it was awesome to come back here and play here and see all the familiar faces in the stands.
“I saw probably 10 people that I knew sitting on the court, so that was really cool. I had a family section about three rows deep behind the bench. It was a great experience for me to be able to come back here.”
This is the first of two games in which a Kinziger brother will get the opportunity to play in front of the hometown crowd.
UWGB hosts Illinois State in its third and final exhibition game on Oct. 24 at the Kress Center.
Illinois State features the metro's all-time leading scorer in Johnny Kinziger, who along with Zach was part of a 2022-23 Redbirds team that became the first boys squad in state history to go 30-0 on its way to the WIAA Division 1 state title.
The 6-foot-3 Zach Kinziger has spent the past year getting acclimated to the sizable leap of going from the Fox River Classic Conference to the Big Ten.
He easily was one of the most decorated players in the area by the time he was done at De Pere after being named the FRCC player of the year as a senior in 2025.
Kinziger was the league’s defensive player of the year as a sophomore, a two-time first-team all-conference selection and a three-time all-defensive team member.
Still, the Kinziger everyone knew here wasn’t the same player in his first season with the Badgers.
He averaged just 1.3 points in 4.8 minutes per game while appearing in 16 contests.
“I wouldn’t say I battled any confidence problems,” Kinziger said. “I was, obviously, a little bit disappointed at the beginning of last year. Just saw myself in the back half of the rotation. But then the coaches did a really good job of putting the ball in my hands every single day in practice, which actually grew my confidence.
“Most people, it goes the other way when they are not playing. But just having that experience every single day, to go out and play pressure free in practice, improved my confidence every single day that I belong here. Now, it’s just Year 2. Help this team win games now.”
Kinziger is expected to serve as the Badgers’ backup point guard this season to Owen Foxwell, who came to Wisconsin after playing the last five seasons in the Australian NBL.
Foxwell had a big showing against the Phoenix, finishing with a game-high 21 points, 6 assists and 4 steals.
“Zach is really improving,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. “Where he has come from, and how he’s playing now.”
There is little question his comfort level is much higher entering his second season.
“Coming in, the game was a little fast for me,” Kinziger said. “Just coming from high school, it’s another level. Got to play with some great point guards in my time here already with Owen and Nick Boyd last year.
“I think that has really helped me kind of settle in. Just having the ball in my hand with the scout team last year really helped, for sure. Now, just have all the confidence in the world that I belong here and can play at this level.”
UWGB hangs with Wisconsin early
Although the Phoenix lost by 19 points, it put up more than a good fight early on.
UWGB was up as much as 10 points with 4 minutes, 48 seconds remaining in the first half after a 3-pointer from Mac Wrecke.
But that’s when Foxwell took over.
He hit a 3-pointer and followed with a steal and layup. After a bucket from Victory Onuetu, Foxwell buried another 3 to tie the game at 34 and erase UWGB’s 10-point advantage in fewer than 2 minutes.
UWGB led 47-45 early in the second half, but a 3 from Eian Elmer put the Badgers ahead for good with 18:38 remaining.
Wisconsin went 28-for-47 from the line in a game that featured 77 total free throw attempts.
There were positive signs for UWGB in its first game action, especially considering it was without 7-foot sophomore center Maruan Cicic (ankle) and has two of its best players currently ineligible in guard Orlando Lovejoy and forward Aidan Hadaway.
UWGB coach Doug Gottlieb recently said he believed senior forward Marcus Hall could be the Horizon League’s player of the year, and it looked like it was possible with his performance against the Badgers.
Hall scored 19 points in 36 minutes, shooting 5-for-8 overall and 3-for-5 from 3.
Hall, who has been uneven on defense at times in recent seasons, played well in that department against Wisconsin.
“He was awesome tonight,” Gottlieb said.
Of the 11 players who appeared for the Phoenix, seven are new to the team.
“The biggest thing I feel like I saw was their composure,” Hall said about his new teammates. “Playing against them in practice, we have a lot of competitive dudes. That’s a good thing. It can get chippy at times and get a little, not heated, but almost too aggressive.
“I feel like tonight there was some stuff that wasn’t great, but the composure overall was really good. That makes me more excited about the future for guys getting even more experience at the Division I level and people who are returning getting more experience playing with the new guys.”
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: De Pere's Zach Kinziger makes homecoming, helps Wisconsin basketball beat UWGB