Standouts From Kimberly Vs. Appleton North

<p>In case you already didn't already know, the Kimberly Papermakers are a really, really good basketball team. The Papermakers are not ranked as the third-best team in Division One for any random reason. This squad has the roster to not only win the Fox Valley Association crown, but also hoist the Gold Ball at the end of the season.</p> <p>Kimberly moved to 2-0 on the season with a stress-free 72-52 victory over Appleton North. Here are five prospect standouts from Tuesday night's game: </p> <div class="player"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jake-buchanan/">Jake Buchanan 6'0" </a>/ PG Kimberly</strong></div> <div> </div> <div>How could I not start this article with Jake Buchanan? The 6-foot conductor had a phenomenal game for Kimberly in the victory. For the entire 2019-20 season, Buchanan will be on the top of the opposing team's scouting reports. And rightfully so. Coaches that are going up against Kimberly will need to find a way to slow down the crafty PG, otherwise, they probably don't have a great shot at winning. </div> <div> </div> <div>I was most impressed with how complete Buchanan's game looks. As a junior, he had the tendency to rely on his three-point shot a little too much at times. That doesn't seem like it will be a problem anymore. He was able to find many different ways to score the ball in Tuesday's win. </div> <div> </div> <div>Buchanan paced all scorers with 22 points. </div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Mitch Bartol 6'4" / F Kimberly </strong></div> <div> </div> <div>Mitch Bartol could end up being a productive role player for Kimberly this year. Jake Buchanan was definitely the highlight for the Papermakers on offense, but Bartol did a lot of positive things. He scored 11 points, but more importantly, he was efficient. Bartol didn't force up any contested shots or hunt for his own look on every trip down the court. Instead, he got into a rhythm and let the game come to him. </div> <div> </div> <div>He won't be a superstar for Kimberly this season, but he can still help the Papermakers get in the win column. </div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Logan Pearson 6'2" / SG Kimberly </strong></div> <div> </div> <div>Like Mitch Bartol, Logan Pearson is not Kimberly's top scoring threat -- that accolade is owned by Jake Buchanan. However, that doesn't mean that Pearson isn't a valuable prospect. Pearson's game is part of the reason why Kimberly is a frontrunner in the FVA. The 6-foot-2 SG has a lethal catch-and-shoot jumper -- a misfire from the senior is a rare occurrence. His ability to scorch the nets from long range adds an extra scorer, and also forces defenses to put their eyes on Pearson -- even if he is just waiting for the ball on the perimeter.  </div> <div> </div> <div>The guard scored 10 points for the Papermakers in the blowout win. </div> <div> </div> <div> <div class="player"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jackson-paveletzke/">Jackson Paveletzke</a> 6'0 / SG Kimberly</strong></div> </div> <div> </div> <div>Jackson Paveletzke adds a new dimension to this Kimberly team because he can score, handle the ball, and defend. The sophomore's skills in the backcourt will take some of the responsibility off of the shoulders of Jake Buchanan. Buchanan can now play off the ball if he needs to take a break from being the point guard. Ideally, moving off the ball would allow Buchanan to rest a little bit, but still be involved in the game. </div> <div> </div> <div>I really liked what I saw from Paveletzke when he had the ball in his hands. The 6-foot guard can get downhill in a hurry, and he has a deadly stroke from deep. When Paveletzke is pouring in points, Kimberly is almost unstoppable. </div> <div> </div> <div> <div class="player"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/maximus-nelson/">Maximus Nelson </a>6'8" / PF Appleton North</strong></div> </div> <div> </div> <div>Max Nelson was the light for Appleton North in what otherwise was a dark night. Nelson scored 11 points and did a very nice job limiting Kimberly's Grant Asman. One of the more positive developments in Nelson's career is his willingness to get into the paint. During his freshman season, the forward preferred to take outside shots instead of using his size to score on the block. In Tuesday's loss, Nelson had control over the paint on offense and defense. He blocked shots and rebounded the ball very well. </div> <div> </div> <div>Nelson is so close to putting all of his skills together, and once he does, the FVA will be in trouble. </div>