Northern Michigan 2027s Ready for the Big Stage

Incoming sophomores have already had their first taste of high school basketball and usually turn a pretty big developmental corner. We are going to take a look at some 2027s from Northern Michigan who are ready to excel at the next level and make big contributions to their varsity squads.    [player_tooltip player_id='2430549' first='Gavin' last='Smith'] has been on a lot of radars over the last couple of years. Gavin's biggest attribute is the high intensity he brings each night, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He has quick foot speed and can attack the basket with authority. He has improved his jump shot quite a bit in the last year, and with more time under the Shoot-A-Way, he will hone in and become an even better deep threat. Gavin will look to be a major contributor to a very strong Cheboygan team this year. A team I predict will be a unanimous winner of the Northern Shores Conference, and breeze through Division 2 District 34...which could lead them on a collision course with a very tough Kingsford Flivvers team in regional play.     Mason Andrzejak is a kid we have been following since his early days in middle school. He is probably one of the more all-around athletic kids on this list. He is a multi-sport athlete and not only excels at basketball, but is also highly skilled in baseball, track, and football. Mason's strong attribute on the basketball floor is his ability to outright hustle. He's a hard-working kid who is always diving for loose balls, and scrapping his way into excellent rebounding positions. On the defensive side of the ball, he is a menace to his opponents. His energy is contagious and it spreads quickly to his teammates and they all react and elevate around him. Pickford will have one of the top division 4 varsity teams in the UP, and I would put their JV squad right up there, too. We will see some solid five-quarter play out of Mason this winter as Pickford hopes to make a deep tournament run...a run that I'm predicting will bring them to a quarter final showdown with Crystal Falls.     Caden Lester comes from a long lineage of athleticism, and he looks to be well on his way to honoring that lineage through his own accomplishments. Caden is a pure shooter and has pin-point accuracy from deep. He also has an excellent ability to find the open lanes and send down some extremely accurate passes. Caden has an excellent ability to see all parts of the floor and make the unselfish play and always seems to put his team's needs in front of his own. St Ignace has a new coaching staff this year in Bridger Buche, and they lost a lot of talent from the 2024 class. But don't turn your back on this team, as they have a lot of bright young talent that will be working their way up the ranks. I have a hunch they will give any team on any night ALL they can handle. I predict a three-team battle for the EUP Conference in St. Ignace, Pickford, and Cedarville-DeTour.     Haven Sandoval-Nolde will be one to watch over the next few years. Great Northern Basketball hosts a fall league at Gladstone High School, and he is leading the way for the sophomore class. He has a smooth shot and a nice touch around the rim. He was often matched up against older and bigger kids, but he still had no problems scoring. He averaged 20+ per game in the four games I watched him play. Escanaba is returning some big players this year on varsity, but I have no doubt Coach Gereau will be giving Haven the nod at some point this season. With his size and ability to handle the ball and pull up for a quick jumper, he will have no problem excelling at the varsity level.     Caden Chromy enters our spotlight as the only player with an all-up credential. Last season, he was able to earn second-team All-Up for Division 4. Caden is a big and powerful small forward who can also handle the basketball well and has a high shooting percentage from 15' and out. He was by far the best player in the Northern Lights League and helped his team to a league tournament championship last February. Caden is also very effective around the block where his powerful presence can lead to a lot of boards. Maplewood will be returning a lot of players this year and I would place them at the top of the Northern Lights League Conference for 2024-2025.

Incoming sophomores have already had their first taste of high school basketball and usually turn a pretty big developmental corner. We are going to take a look at some 2027s from Northern Michigan who are ready to excel at the next level and make big contributions to their varsity squads.