Michigan Preview: Up North Dream Teams

The eve of the basketball season means it’s time to renew the love/hate relationship with my region, Northern Michigan. Watching games in the North means treacherous winter driving, constantly checking for weather cancellations, and virtually no Saturday Showcase events. But it is a under served region, that sports a lot of good basketball with close tight knit communities. The bigger schools in the region graduated a lot of talent. Ironically enough, most of it went to Grand Valley with Marius Grazulis, Blake Charboneau, and dual sport standout Tobin Schwannecke. Consequently the smaller divisions take over little bit this year. In lieu of the standard top 20 list here are four preseason all region teams. Positions matter in placement. Enjoy and debate. Feedback always encouraged on Twitter @jgilbertsport First Team G- Drew Hess 6-0 2021 Mio Shooter extraordinaire who had an excellent AAU season. Has a chance to post historic numbers at a small school with quite the tradition. G- Blake Cassidy 6-5 2020 Pellston Tall lanky wing prospect who posted big numbers for the Hornets. Takes over a leadership role for a program that loses a lot but fell one basket away from a Breslin Center appearance. Averaged 22 points and eight rebounds last year. F- Foster Wonders 6-5 2021 Iron Mountain A generational prospect who has a chance to be the best to ever do it from the UP. Averaged nearly 24 points and eight rebounds in a stellar sophomore campaign. F- Reece Hazelton 6-7 2020 Maple City Glen Lake (Ferris St) Not much lacking from this multi talented forwards game. Can handle and shoot it to go along with good size and competitiveness. No stranger to the big stage having led the Lakers final game appearances in both basketball and football. C- Jeff Carrier 6-7 2020 Scottville Mason County Central (Davenport) Listed as a center for the purpose of this exercise. Won’t be his position at the next level with the Panthers. Stat sheet stuffer had a good summer with the Grand Rapids Storm. Second Team G- Marcus Johnson 5-10 2020 Iron Mountain Highly competitive guard who is only missing size. Like Hazelton has plenty a big game experience. Long tournament runs on both the gridiron and the hardwood. Averaged 23 points and four assists last year. G- Andy Soma 6-0 2020 Traverse City West Physical guard who really came into his own this summer. Had a good fall as the QB for the Titans. Averaged 14 points a game last season. I think Big North conference fans are going see a much different player than last season. F- Jack Stefanski 6-4 2021 Frankfort The leading returnee from the Class D finalist. Has played for the Panthers since his freshmen year and keeps showing improvement. If he continues on his current trajectory has a chance to be one of the best to ever to do it for this program. Averaged 14 points and eight rebounds last season. F- Payton LaCombe 6-7 2022 Ludington Quite a start to a high school career. Contribute on a Class B Breslin participant-check. Show out with a notionally prominent AAU team (Illinois Wolves)- check. What does LaCombe do for an encore? This young big oozes potential. C- Nick Edington 6-7 2020 Pickford A traditional old school broad shouldered big man. Showed next level athleticism with a national AAU program (REACH) Like a lot of players on this list had a good season on the football field. Edington’s came in the 8-man division Third Team G- Merick Hodgins 5-10 2020 West Branch Ogemaw Heights Flamboyant guard has a lot of “go” to go with the show. Had a very good fall participating in exposure camps. I expect a big senior season. G- Joseph Kimmerer 6-2 2020 Hale Physical well put together guard had a huge junior season for the Eagles. Will look to keep the momentum going after averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds last year. F- Jaden Borseth 6-3 2022 Ewen Trout Creek Nearly 20 points a game to go along seven rebounds is an impressive stat line for any player. When you pull that off as freshmen? That’s beyond impressive. Can you say UP Emoni? Yes that is a quite stretch, but it rhymes and if felt good to write. Ignore my lame humor, this young man can play. F- Henry Goldkuhle 6-6 2020 Traverse City Central Definition of a stretch four. Impressive length to go with a soft outside touch. Should see more opportunities to showcase skills as the Trojans graduate a lot from last years squad C- Parker Neu 6-6 2020 Traverse City West Like his teammate Soma, Neu had a big AAU season with Northern Exposure. Will be interesting to see what he does with a full season. Neu missed a chunk of his junior year with a broken thumb. Showed a new level of aggressiveness this summer. Fourth Team G- Preston Ball 5-11 2021 Elk Rapids Starting point guard for the Elks since his freshmen year. Averaged 13 points and four assist last season. Good playmaker with an improving outside shot. G- Brayden Mallack 6-0 2020 Oscoda Engine for the Owls who pulled off an undefeated regular season and regional final appearance. Oscoda returns quite a bit from that team and I expect a big year from this backcourt prospect. F- Ashton Janke 6-3 2020 Dollar Bay Averaged 16 points and eight rebounds for a program coming off back-to-back trips to the Breslin Center. A big senior season a third straight trip to the Final Four would put this young man in rarefied company. F- Jayden Alfred 6-3 2021 Mancelona A big summer has set this prospect up for a huge junior season. Uber athlete who is able to play well above the rim. Chiseled frame and wide shoulders make this a player who looks like he should play for the aptly named Ironmen. C- Ethan Tornga 6-5 2020 Ellsworth Springy athlete that moves well for his size. Active big man especially on the glass. As evidenced by notching the rare 20 rebound game last season. Averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Lancers.