Whitnall-Kimberly Prospect Standouts

<p><strong>KIMBERLY -- </strong>  Whitnall (9-1) traveled up to Kimberly (4-5) and knocked off the Papermakers 79-62 on Saturday...</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1270265" first="Jamison" last="Grall"] - 2022 - SG - Kimberly</p> <p>Kimberly was struggling offensively in the first half and Grall gave them a bit of a boost with two 3-pointers. He would hit another in the second half as well. A player that started to come on late in the summer, Grall  is contributing around seven points per game while playing alongside three college prospects. Shooting north of 35 percent from downtown this season, Grall has scored in double figures three times in nine games off the bench.  The 6-foot-1 guard feeds off the extra pass, gives his teammates an easy target, and lets it fly smoothly and effortlessly. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="761417" first="Danilo" last="Jovanovich"] - 2022 - F - Whitnall</p> <p>The Miami (FL) commit dropped a game-high 42 points. Kimberly had no matchup for Jovanovich and the senior forward knew it. Already knew that Jovanovich was a mismatch problem. The 6-foot-7 forward is an excellent presence in the high post, able to slash or shoot over the top. He can step away from the rim and shoot from downtown as well.  Jovanovich is also capable of grabbing a rebound and going the length of the floor. Had been a while since I'd seen Jovanovich and thought he was a vastly improved post-up threat. Liked how hard he was willing to  battle. If it wasn't there and the ball changed sides of the floor, he'd follow the ball and continue to bang down low. Another subtle area that stood out was Jovanovich's screening ability. Kimberly did a lot to try and deny him the ball, but that was nullified when Jovanovich would pop out to the perimeter and set good, hard screens on the ball and flare out in the pick n' pop game.  Playing with a lot of confidence, swagger, and energy, Jovanovich is definitely in the running for the No. 3 spot in the state.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1362736" first="Jack" last="Lutz"] - 2025 - G - Whitnall</p> <p>The Falcons were down a few guards and Lutz rose to the occasion. Lutz made a ton of plays on both ends of the floor on Saturday. The freshman had nine points and a handful of assists.  He was constantly able to break down the defense and find an open man for an easy bucket.  Whitnall was clicking offensively throughout the game and Lutz was often the straw that stirred the drink.  When he got out in transition, Lutz made the right play with the ball.  Lutz didn't take a ton of shots, but showed the ability to knock it down from the outside when he was left open. Defensively, Lutz is advanced for a freshman as well. There's a definite want-to on that end of the floor. When he was isolated, 1-on-1 on an island, thought Lutz held his own against upperclassmen.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="801149" first="Jackson" last="Paveletzke"] - 2022 - G - Kimberly</p> <p>How good has Paveletzke been this season and during his career? The senior guard scored 28 points and it will probably go down as one of his lesser performances this season considering he had 50 against De Pere and 37 versus Pewaukee -- two state title contenders. Whitnall hounded Paveletzke all game, threw multiple defenders and looks at him, and made him work for just about everything he got. Paveletzke had to take and make tough shots all game long. A highly skilled scoring assassin, Paveletzke has all the tools, range, and IQ you could want at his position.  Guards of his caliber, skillset typically thrive in the Southern Conference, especially at Wofford. Have to believe that Paveletzke is going to fall right in line.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1089729" first="John" last="Pitta"] - 2022 - G -  Whitnall</p> <p>Pitta had a big defensive matchup with Paveletzke. It was a complete team effort to slow down the Wofford commit, but individually, Pitta did about as much as you can go against a scorer of that level. Despite chasing Paveletzke around for 36 minutes, Pitta still had the energy to chip in with 12 points.  An electric ball handler that plays at a very fast tempo, Pitta goes zero to 100 in the blink of an eye. Pitta is relentless offensively and puts a ton of pressure on the opposition with his downhill, attacking mentality. An improved shooter, especially in the mid-range, Pitta will take advantage of defenders who give too much of a cushion.  One of the top available guards in the state, Pitta would be putting up substantial scoring numbers at a lot of other programs, but has really been selfless this season, getting his teammates involved and taking a back seat to Jovanovich, who's putting up monster numbers. If Whitnall suffers through an off night, Pitta is good enough to pick up the slack and bail them out.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="981028" first="Ethan" last="Thomas"] - 2023 - F/C - Whitnall</p> <p>A high-upside, budding post prospect, Thomas contributed 10 points in Saturday's win. The 6-foot-8 forward really looks the part physically. Thomas is a strong, long, athletic kid that's steadily making gains. Still needs a ton of skill work and he likely won't be a finished product by the time his senior year rolls around, but Thomas continues to show a lot of flashes. He's getting comfortable with the basics and his footwork in the 1-on-1 post game. Thomas also flashed some special, creative moves with his back to the basket. Thomas showed a little more aggressiveness and fire than in the past.  Definitely an indication that his confidence is beginning to grow. </p> <p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkADti7-aGc</p>