Standouts From Wednesday And Thursday

Jack Janicki Jack Janicki 6'4″ | SG White Bear Lake | 2023 State #277 Nation MN exploded in the first half to put White Bear Lake ahead by nearly 20 points, and they never looked back from there. The 6’5 guard was able to take advantage of his size mismatch by posting up smaller guards leading to plenty of easy buckets. He did a great job of establishing low-post position and making it easy for his teammates to lob it in to him. Did the bulk of his scoring around the rim for 22 points. Really like the improvements he’s made as a passer over the years as well. Had a handful of nice passes out of the pick & roll, and had some accurate cross-court passes that he was able to zip right into the hands of his open shooters. Strong showing for the Wisconsin commit.

Musungu had a big game helping lead Andover past a tough Maple Grove team. Maple Grove has been one of the better defensive teams in the state, but Musungu and co. put up 49 points in just the first half. He’s an impressive all-around athlete who can sit deep in a stance on defense, and utilize his quick hands to poke the ball free and get out in transition. Was always under control even when attacking the basket at full speed allowing him to finish in a variety of ways while avoiding charge calls. Musungu showcased a smooth jumper with the left hand, and although the game never got super close, Sam was hitting his free throws at the end of the game to put it out of reach.

Forming a dangerous 1-2 punch alongside Musungu was Ben Kopetzki Ben Kopetzki 6'0″ | PG Andover | 2023 State MN . What really impressed me was how Ben was able to pressure the ball full-court, and really speed up Maple Grove. He got opposing ball handlers rushing and made them uncomfortable, forcing plenty of turnovers in the first half. In half-court he was knocking down some pull-up jumpers and was dangerous as a pick & roll ball handler. Able to tuhe corner and attack downhill while also having the passing vision to thread the needle to one of his forwards. Finished with 21 points in the win.

Wyatt put together a strong game for White Bear Lake to help lead them to a win. Stillwater just didn’t have the size to defend him in the paint, as he was able to catch on the move and elevate for three dunks. At 6’8 he’s agile at his size which makes him tough to defend in the pick & roll or with quick cuts from the dunker spot. Defensively he was moving his feet to put himself in possessions to block shots or at the very least alter them. Plays with a high motor on both ends of the floor. Scored 17 points helping his team come out on top.

Lincoln put together a productive game on both ends for Maple Grove on Wednesday night. The unsigned senior big turned the first possession of the game into two points as he caught on the block, spun towards the baseline, and finished on the opposite side of the rim. Throughout the game he was turning just about any paint touch he got into two points as he has the strength to power through contact, footwork to create good angles, and touch to finish at a high percentage. Does a great job of keeping the ball high after pulling in an offensive board and quickly going back up with hit before the defense can react. Defensively he does a great job of walling up when defending the rim, and is tough to move on the block. Palbicki ended the game with 16 points and 7 rebounds.

Jack was another player who stepped up with some big plays in the win for White Bear Lake. Off the ball he was putting himself into the right spots to receive kick out passes and get off a clean look from three. Also found success utilizing a quick first step to attack off the dribble, showcasing the vision to hit an open teammate when the help defender stepped up on him. Helped control the game when Janicki fouled out with a few minutes to play. Ended the night with 17 points.

Tate was a big reason why Andover was able to get off to such a hot start. He hit two early jump shots and was active on the defensive end helping give his team a ton of early momentum. At 6’3 he has some size, a strong frame, and good mobility which blended in well with an Andover team that was looking to cause havoc with their activity defensively. Without much size on the team, Tate was having to rebound hard and spent a lot of time defending bigger forwards. Ended the game with 12 points on four 3’s while also being an energizer for the team.