Class AAA Title Contender Series: Austin

<p>The Austin Packers have earned seven section championship trophies in the last nine seasons (shared last year’s with Albert Lea) and they are the favorite to play at state for the 8th time in ten years.  This is what the Austin Packers will look like in 2020-21. </p> <p><strong>Key Wins in 19-20 (23-5):  </strong>Byron, Lakeville North, Northfield, Owatonna, Rochester Mayo</p> <p><strong>Oops</strong>: Mankato East, Albert Lea, Owatonna, Mayo</p> <p><strong>Moving On: </strong>Austin losses eight of their top dozen players from last season.  The Packers have been a team that will use a lot of guys so they have experience returning in four very good players, but they lose eight!  One of those losses was [player_tooltip player_id="549410" first="Agwa" last="Nywesh"] who was one of the best players in Class AAA basketball last year.  Nywesh led the Packers in scoring, he pin-pointed the Packers zone pressing attack, and he often handled the ball.  [player_tooltip player_id="721981" first="Moses" last="Idris"] has also graduated as has Ogur Gari, Pierre Lilly, Lero Oman, Tony Ciola, and others.  The Packers simply graduated a big senior class and have a lot of bodies to replace depth wise. </p> <p><strong>Returning Starters</strong>:  I believe they have two starters back and they are two of the top three scorers from last year, now senior wings <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957155" first="Okey" last="Okey"]</strong> and<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="774763" first="Teyghan" last="Hovland"]</strong>.  Okey has a scoring feel that could lead to a huge senior year.  As a junior Okey averaged 11.5 points a game shooting an outstanding 46 percent from the arc.  Hovland has the ability to play all five spots in the Austin offense.  He’s played with his back to the basket, he’s handled the ball, Hovland has scored, rebounded, and defended as a wing.  He averaged 10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.</p> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role:  </strong>Junior pair <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958655" first="Victor" last="Idris"]</strong>, a 6-foot-5 forward, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958771" first="Emmanuel" last="Manyuon"]</strong>, a 6-foot-1 guard, will likely step right into the starting line-up, and they will likely become the next two big names in an Austin Packer uniform.  Idris actually started the second half of the season and his explosive leaping ability makes him a high percentage finisher and a high potential rebounder and shot blocker.  Maynuon is a slashing scorer who darts to the rim, but also sprints to wing spots and shoots the ball well at the arc.  Manyuon and Okey will be a tough pair to defend flying up the floor as well as scoring on opposite wings.  Then Idris and Hovland are the perfect pair of tough forwards for the squad.  </p> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV:  </strong>Who will be the point guard?  Hovland could do it some, Manyuon and Okey can push it, and it’s Austin, lots of guys are flying up the floor with the ball.  Another option is the other sophomore that played varsity/junior varsity last year, <strong>Gage Manahan</strong>.  Gage has had monster games with the Minnesota Lightning (was 15U All State two summers back), is coming off a strong football season, and should step into a bigger role as a junior. </p> <p>From there you are looking at players that are now seniors (players who were juniors on JV last season) and then young players from the Packer program.  The senior names include frontcourt players <strong>Ethan Owens </strong>and<strong> Dieth Duop</strong> as well as <strong>Casey Berg, Jordan Ransom, </strong>and<strong> Allamo Puro</strong>. Owens saw time in the regular rotation last year for some games so he has varsity experience. </p> <p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong>: The Austin Packers are led by Kris Fadness, and Coach Fadness has a system that continues to produce players that fit what they do like a glove.  There are a few programs that you can simply trust to replenish and compete for trophies but Austin is one of them.  Fadness has coached this program to understand their zone pressure system and they do it so well. </p>