Week 1 UP Top 5 and Their Difference-Makers: Div 4

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boy's basketball practices are in full swing across the state and many programs have already had a couple of games. I want to take a look at the Division 4 top 5 boy's basketball teams in the UP and a couple of their players who will be difference-makers during the upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top 5 boys Basketball Teams in the Upper Peninsula in Div. 4, listed in reverse order:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5. Norway</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Cole Baij","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Norway","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6751f28270b65"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This is my first scouting report on Cole, and not seeing him play with my own eyes, I needed to ring up some trustworthy sources and watch some scouting videos. It did not take me long to see what a naturally gifted athlete this young man is. Combing through some film, Cole's first and biggest item that sticks out is his ability to beat his man off the dribble. Quick to pull up and shoot also leads to quite a few bunnies within 10' of the rim. Last year he earned himself a Special Mention spot on the All-UP list and this year we expect him to easily make 1st team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4. Ewen-Trout Creek</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1438852"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675200066ebcb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">We couldn't imagine doing a scouting report on ETC without a Besonen on it. Cade definitely carries on his family name well and is a complete stud around the rim. Always able to create scoring opportunities for himself and his fellow teammates, and he plays VERY unselfish disciplined basketball. [player_tooltip player_id='1438852' first='Cade' last='Besonen'] and his counterpart Austin Gordon are one of the best backcourt combinations in the entire Upper Peninsula. Side note, if you haven't seen the <em>Born In The Barn</em> YouTube series by Kristin Ojaniemi...it's a must-see if you love UP basketball. It has MANY of Cade's past relatives highlighted and lays down some groundwork for understanding why this young man is such a stand-up kid, on and off the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3. Dollar Bay</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1806436"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675200066ec17"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Dollar Bay is off to a magnificent start to their season and Liam is leading the charge. Liam landed on the second-team All-UP list last year as a sophomore and we will likely see first-team selection material (possibly even Dream Team) out of him as the season wears on. Coming off a hard-fought overtime win against Houghton, the Blue Bolts take on Hancock tonight in another matchup against a much bigger school. Word is, he is averaging well over 20 ppg so far, so we will hit the wires first thing tomorrow morning and check out his stats.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2. Crystal Falls-Forrest Park</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2622028"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675200066ec5b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Vic Guiliani is another baller from the far reaches of the Western Upper Peninsula whom I haven't seen a ton of in-person scouting. But from the sources I do have, he is absolutely the real deal in Division 4. After watching him and his fellow Trojans win the 8-player Division 2 state title in football last weekend--where he had a stellar performance at QB, I am eager to watch Vic's first basketball game next Monday. A tall slim SF, he can handle and attack the basket with ease. Last year I took note of how good of a shooter he was, and I'm sure with extended agility workouts over the summer, we will see that improved accuracy on display this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Paired up with his brother, Kevin Giuliani, these two will be a force that will be very difficult to stop. CFFP will likely power their way through Skyline Conference and are a heavy favorite to win District 100 as well as a favorite to win Region 25. I see a high likelihood that our #2 and #1 teams on this list will be vying for a shot at the Breslin in March.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2389179"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6752011b35c56"} /--> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Pickford</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2682826,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Gunner Bennin","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Pickford","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675206f1a64b5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gunner Bennin (feature image) is a hard-working very coachable kid. I watched him at the LSSU team camp this past summer and he and his fellow Pickford teammates were able to show up in force to hang with a very deep Petoskey team, taking them right down to the wire. You will often find this young man diving for loose balls and checking the workhorse items off the list that all coaches love. But bodying down low and garbage man duty is only one small part of this well-rounded athlete. He is also lightning-quick off the dribble and ambidextrous when attacking the basket. He is another young man who represented his school as a stand-out player in the 8-player Division 1 football championship last week. The Panthers open their regular season play on December 10th at home against Brimley and are a heavy favorite to make it out of their district and region. I have them slated for a collision course with CFFP in what could be a high-scoring game QF game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->