Mr. Basketball Update: High Risers

Collin Parker

January 8, 2020 @ 07:33 PM

The anticipation for the Mr. Basketball award reached fever pitch in November, and with two months under our belts and a comprehensive sample of everyone’s talents in the books, which prospects deserve more consideration for the award? Jacob Ognacevic - Sheboygan Lutheran: This preseason, I predicted that if the senior forward posted better numbers than last year, he’d not only be in the top-five favorites for the award, but possibly in the top two or three. Statistically, almost everything has followed that path of improvement, as he’s putting up 35.9 points, 16.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks a game while converting on over 70 percent of his attempts from the field and over 56 percent from three. And from a team perspective, a near undefeated record only adds layers to his resume. There’s nothing left for him to prove at this stage in his basketball career. Whether he edges out current favorite Johnny Davis is up to voters, but he’s done everything he could to be a major contender for the accolade. Parker Nielsen - Prescott: The guard has been brewing stellar seasons in the division three field for years now, and it looks like he's approaching his peak. Nielsen is plugging in 28.2 points and 6.2 assists a night, helming an above-average roster Prescott team to a high seed in the postseason. That said, Nielsen wasn’t listed in our preseason watchlist despite committing for D2 basketball before the season started. He's elevated his play across the board, especially in areas beyond scoring (assists, steals, and turnovers, for example). With a banner playoff run and more individual heroics, Neilson could crack the top-10 candidates for the award. Max Klesmit - Neenah: Ahead of his senior year campaign, Klesmit developed as an athlete, a trait that served him well in his pursuit of the Mr. Basketball accolade. He’s able to slice through every look defenses throw at him and finish through considerable grabbing and contact. Statistically, he hovers around the same points per game average as last season, but 7.5 rebounds and a higher free throw percentage compliment his physical improvements. If Neenah continues to blow past teams behind 25 points a game from Klesmit, then he could compete with Davis, Ognacevic and Carter Gilmore at the top-tier of candidates. AJ Vukovich - East Troy: After missing out entirely on our preseason Mr. Basketball watchlist, the Louisville baseball commit retaliated, dominating the early portion of East Troy’s schedule. At 6’5” with thick arms and a muscular build, Vukovich is certainly an athlete capable of splitting time between sports without missing a step in either one. He has tremendous finesse and basketball-IQ, which has led to East Troy’s tremendous success. While 26.8 points and 15.5 rebounds a game may not be enough to outlast the others on this list, he certainly should jump into the top-10 candidates for Mr. Basketball. Caden Boser - Eau Claire Memorial: Boser has become a double-double machine and despite his team's recent skid, he's only improved his stock as a Mr. Basketball candidate. Boser is capable of controlling games as an isolation scorer, and his versatility is allowing him to haul in 12.9 rebounds and dish out five assists every night. What's even more telling is that that forward stands at either first or second in the conference in the three main statistical categories. Look for Boser’s continued success to draw a brighter spotlight as the year progresses.