Northern Michigan 2028's Ready to Shine

The transition from 8th grade to high school can be a bit of a challenge for many young boys basketball players. They usually have to go head-to-head with kids older and bigger than them, at a time when a lot of physical changes are happening around them. Those who have no fear of the above and can separate themselves are the ones we look to point out. We will for sure see some quality JV & varsity action out of these freshmen, either making the squad or in 5-quarter play on JV and varsity.    In small rural towns in Northern Michigan, many schools are facing player participation challenges. Varsity and JV teams in this position often have to tap into their 8th-grade pool to field a team, which is exactly what happened last season with [player_tooltip player_id='2758920' first='Coleman' last='Loebach'] at Engadine. Coleman was forced to punch above his weight all season on the varsity squad...and he was able to do it with ease. Coleman is a shifty guard who can dribble, drive to the hoop with authority, and shoot well from beyond the arc. He is quick and a lefty, which makes him particularly difficult to guard. Coleman will be getting the nod this year to be the floor general on the varsity squad, and we think he will transition into that role just fine. He'll be attending [program_tooltip program_id='2075498' first='Great' last='Northern Elite']'s fall league, so we'll be keeping close tabs on his player development.     Hudson McLean has been a force to be reckoned with since I first watched him when he was in 6th grade. Traverse City Central is loaded with talent this year, so we'll see if first-year TC Central coach Luke Johnson will give Hudson the nod to compete on the varsity level. My hunch is a resounding yes as Hudson brings many levels of talent across all positions on the floor. He has always been heads and shoulders above his competition in the size department, so we'll be eager to see how he'll transition from the 7th/8th-grade position of center/PF to the high school role of small forward. I watched him at Morey Courts earlier this spring and his play as a multi-positional player was nothing short of a reflection of his talents. He is a very solid ball handler and his work with his opposite hand is top-notch. We will keep an eye on his development as he transitions to a winger and a deep shooter.     Coach Jason Bradford transitioned from girls varsity head coach to boys varsity head coach a couple of years ago, and he has the squad this year to make a VERY deep tournament run. Max made the move to Maple City-Glen Lake this year and is an excellent addition to an already loaded squad. He carries himself excellently on either side of the court, but where Max excels the most amongst his peers is his ability to play solid defense. Keep a close eye on this team, as I have heavily predicted a Breslin run out of this squad. Max will likely get the nod to play on varsity this upcoming year, and we will keep a close eye on his performance.     Alex Prins is an absolute scrapper on the basketball floor and is a kid with constant floor burns on his elbows and knees. He always plays heads-up basketball and will blow past most defenders with ease. He is a really good ball-handler and an even better defender. His niche is his shot from the corner, a 15-foot jumper that he shoots at a very high percentage. Gladstone has an upcoming reload year and Alex will play a crucial role in the future of Braves Basketball. Alex will be another kid we will keep close tabs on as he plays on the Sunday [program_tooltip program_id='2075498' first='Great' last='Northern Elite'] Fall League.     [player_tooltip player_id='2758929' first='Brody' last='Daigneau'] is the garbage man on this list, he will do whatever any coach asks him to do, and he will do it with every bit of intensity he has. He also has a work ethic that any high school coach would love to have. The Menominee Maroons varsity team is loaded this year, so he may not see a huge amount of varsity ball this year, but as the season progresses, the varsity coaching squad will be figuring out a way to hand off the reins to this young man in the years to come.

The transition from 8th grade to high school can be a bit of a challenge for many young boys basketball players. They usually have to go head-to-head with kids older and bigger than them, at a time when a lot of physical changes are happening around them. Those who have no fear of the above and can separate themselves are the ones we look to point out. We will for sure see some quality JV & varsity action out of these freshmen, either making the squad or in 5-quarter play on JV and varsity.