Last Friday the Boys Basketball All-UP Awards were announced with deserved recognition coming to players and coaches all around.
In Division 1-3 Oskar Kangas of Iron Mountain took home the Player of the Year award after leading the Mountaineers to a 21-2 record averaging 20.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Kangas brings home the 6th Player of the Year Award in the last 7 seasons to Iron Mountain joining Foster Wonders, Marcus Johnson, and Carson Wonders. In Division 4 it was Kane Nebel bringing home the Player of the Year Award almost unanimously. Nebel led Munising to a 25-1 overall record and a Division 4 state championship while averaging 21 points, 8 and a half rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals per game. His incredible play this year also earned him the Mr. U.P. Basketball award.
In Division 4, it’s no surprise that Munising made a clean sweep of the Special Awards after not only proving to be the best Division 4 team in the U.P, but the best Division 4 team in the state. Head Coach Terry Kienitz took home the Coach of the Year award and Munising of course was awarded the Team of the Year award, which usually happens when you bring home a state title.
In Divisions 1-3 it was Bucky Johnson earning Coach of the Year honors after leading Iron Mountain to a near-perfect regular season with just one loss and that 21-2 overall record, despite Iron Mountain losing in their district championship game. Team of the Year in Division 2 went to Kingsford who went undefeated in the Great Northern Conference and ended up making a run to the Division 2 Regional Final. In Division 3 it was not an easy decision for team of the year, as Iron Mountain and St. Ignace were a split vote, becoming co-teams of the year. St. Ignace finished 22-5 and made a trip to the Division 3 quarterfinal.
Joining our Players of the Year on the Dream team were Nic Nora of Kingsford, Levi Frahm of Jeffers and Jonny Ingalls of St. Ignace.
For more local sports coverage tune into the Sports Drive weekdays with Luke Ghiardi and Tyler Young from 3-4pm on Fox Sports Marquette 105.1 – 99.9.
