Mr. UP Basketball Front-Runners

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association will meet at the end of the season to select a Mr. UP Basketball. We want to highlight some kids who are leading the way in the race to earn this coveted trophy. These are in no particular order.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2722309,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-Kangas_05c189.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-Kangas_05c189.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2722309" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1441371' first='Oskar' last='Kangas']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>School: Iron Mountain </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Club Team: Wisconsin Crusaders</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class: 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>College: UW-Oshkosh</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stats: PPG 23.4; RPG 9.4; Assists 2.3; Steals 3; Blocks 1.5; 2PFG% 69.1; FT% 73.3 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>X Handle: @oskar_kangas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HUDL: https://www.hudl.com/profile/16266673/Oskar-Kangas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Great overall player, plays around the rim well and is an excellent shooter. Is a great ball handler and should transition well at the next level to the guard/small forward position. If you are a college coach reading this, follow him on twitter and check out his Hudl link above, you will not be disappointed. **Edit, shortly after this posted, Kangas committed to UW-Oshkosh. Congratulations, Oskar. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2722311,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-MacPhee_c88037.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-MacPhee_c88037.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2722311" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2471674' first='Jacob' last='MacPhee']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>School: Marquette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Club Team: [program_tooltip program_id='2075498' first='Great' last='Northern Elite']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class: 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>College: Michigan Tech</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stats: PPG 23; RPB 10.3 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>X Handle: @JacobMacPhee34</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HUDL: https://www.hudl.com/profile/16700204/Jacob-MacPhee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another great overall player who will transition very well to the next level. All of the trainers and coaches I talk to say this young man is a workhorse, he is in the gym constantly. Recently he broke a 35 year old rebounding record at Marquette High, surpassing Gordy Leduc with 642. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2722313,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-Marta_6b2f15.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-Marta_6b2f15.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2722313" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2561786' first='Ethan' last='Marta']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>School: Ishpeming Westwood</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class: 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stats: PPG 28.3; RPG 4.7; Assists 3.5; Steals 4; FG% 59.8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>X Handle: @ethanmarta_10</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HUDL: https://www.hudl.com/profile/17998746/Ethan-Marta</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I want to say Ethan is having a breakout year, but I think he took care of that last year. He's a huge impact player that can score in bunches. A big 43-point outing against Negaunee and his season low this year is still a whopping 23. I would expect the Elite Camp invite phone calls to start pouring in for Mr. Marta, where he'll be able to show off his attributes to college coaches. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2722314,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-Grondin_61de8b.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-Grondin_61de8b.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2722314" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2058663' first='Gavin' last='Grondin']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>School: Kingsford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Club Team: Wisconsin Blizzard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class: 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>College: Lake Superior State University</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stats: PPG 23.7; RPG 4.5; Assists 2.6; Steals 3.3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>X Handle: @GrondinGavin</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HUDL: https://www.hudl.com/profile/16460294/Gavin-Grondin</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fast and aggressive. Gavin makes his way to the basket as well as anyone in the UP and maybe the entire state. When he catches fire on his step-back three he is almost impossible to defend. As the Flivvers work through some injuries and become healthy, look for them to make some huge waves in March. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2722315,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-Giuliani_341a48.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-MrUPBasketball-Giuliani_341a48.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2722315" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2622028' first='Vic' last='Giuliani']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>School: Crystal Falls-Forest Park</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class: 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stats: PPG 24.5; RPG 6.8; Assists 3.3; Steals 1.7; 2PFG% 71.8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hudl: https://www.hudl.com/profile/19948123/Vic-Giuliani</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Putting a sophomore on this watchlist may seem odd to some, but if you watch some of his film, you will understand right where we're coming from. But just to be sure, I made it a point to check two boxes before I added him: 1) See how he plays against tougher competition and 2) Observe how he does when faced with adversity. I watched his games against Dollar Bay and Kingsford and both times he checked both of those boxes unanimously. Vic's game is humble, it's aggressive, and it's hard-nosed. He can shoot well, but rarely does he need to step back, as most of his points come from an aggressive trip to the basket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Still Heavily in the Conversation:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Caden Luoma - Ishpeming</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2262437' first='Jaxon' last='Jurmu'] - Marquette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kyler Sager - Marquette </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1504837' first='Morgan' last='Sleik'] - Kingsford </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2561784' first='Tanner' last='Theurkauf'] - Menominee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2492563' first='Eli' last='MacDonald'] - Pickford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2353054' first='Trevor' last='Nolan'] - Munising</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Baron Heslip - Negaunee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Disclosure: PrepHoops scouts are not voting members of the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->