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Wisconsin basketball recruiting: T.J. Schlundt becomes UW's second walk-on for 2014

The former Oconomowoc High School star joins Appleton's Matt Ferris as a preferred walk-on for the Badgers next season.

By Phil Mitten

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Graphic: Phil Mitten

Rumored to be a potential addition to Wisconsin's 2014 class in the last few months, T.J. Schlundt made it official Tuesday when he announced plans to join the Badger men's basketball team as a preferred walk-on this fall.

The 6'5" shooting guard averaged 15.3 points per game during his first three years at Oconomowoc before transferring to St. John's Northwestern Military Academy prior to the 2013-14 season. As a junior, Schlundt averaged 16.1 ppg and famously hit a game-winning 3-pointer against Verona in a WIAA regional playoff game. His shooting prowess made him one of the top prep players in the state.

At the time of the transfer, Schlundt explained he wanted to improve several aspects of his game and figured that doing so against tougher competition was the best route.

"There are huge advantages to playing there," Schlundt said. "It's like a Division 1 program. It should get me one step ahead of some of the other players who are D1."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Schlundt was the first player with high school eligibility to play for St. John's post-graduate team. The Lancers typically play a schedule against a variety of other prep schools, military academies and community colleges. Former UW star Trevon Hughes starred at SJNMA before the creation of the post-graduate program.

More: Basketball recruiting hub Badgers add Ferris as preferred walk-on

Schlundt not only reportedly turned down scholarship offers from St. Joseph's, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, Drake, Wofford and Northern Kentucky to join the Badger program, but also a similar preferred walk-on offer from Marquette, where his father played ball.

Footage of Schlundt at SJNMA is hard to come by, but he did hit eight 3-pointers in a game against a Canadian all-star team in January. He also got plenty of exposure in the summers playing with Bronson Koenig and Luke Fischer for the Wisconsin Swing AAU program. A few of those videos are linked below.

In March, Wisconsin added another guard, Matt Ferris, as a preferred walk-on for next season too. Ethan Happ remains the only scholarship player Wisconsin will add to its roster next fall as the team looks to replace Ben Brust, Zach Bohannon, Evan Anderson, as well as transfer George Marshall. There is a good chance that a returning walk-on could earn one of the vacant 2014-15 scholarships banked by Wisconsin.

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T.J. Schlundt - 11/23/12 from Jon McNamara on Vimeo

B5Q's Andrew Rosin also contributed to this story.

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