Wisconsin stars hold off Northern Michigan boys in Border Bash

IRONWOOD — Kelsey Jilek isn’t small. His breakaway dunk within the state quarterfinal just about clinched Ewen-Trout Creek’s journey to the Breslin Middle. All season, the All-U.P. participant proved to be a tricky matchup together with his size and skill offensively and defensively.

“I’m one of many greater guys on the market being 6-4, nearly 190 kilos,” Jilek stated.

Simply not on Monday. 

His defensive project was Denmark’s Donovan Brief, a 6-10, 220-pound heart dedicated to play at UW-Inexperienced Bay. Brief, who had a number of spotlight dunks Monday, led everybody with 23 factors and he was named MVP of the Kiwanis Traditional Border Bash after main Northern Wisconsin to an 89-88 win over Northern Michigan.

“Enjoying him is insane,” stated Jilek, who had a pleasant recreation himself with 12 factors. “When he will get within the publish, you simply know you possibly can’t do something however stand up in his grill and get some assistance on him. However he’s actually large and powerful. I had a bit little bit of success, he traveled like twice and the ball got here free a pair occasions. However he will need to have had 20-plus simply by turnaround 1-on-1s.”

Wisconsin was taking part in catchup the entire recreation. They trailed 26-9 after the primary 13-minute quarter they usually have been down once more 65-53 going into the fourth.

Hurley’s Braxton Sbraggia performed an enormous position of their ultimate comeback. His and-1 tied it at 78 and he scored once more after two Michigan baskets by Johnny Schutz of Jeffers to tug Wisconsin inside 83-80.

Brief tied it up once more. Although Jilek was proper there to contest his shot on the rim, Brief powered it by.

“I had the ball pinned and he nonetheless went up with it,” Jilek stated. “And naturally they gave an and-1 on it. My wrist was on the ball the entire method up.”

He made the free throw to make it 83-all. 

The U.P.’s Mr. Basketball, Jaden Borseth, who scored 13 factors, put Michigan again in entrance after Brief turned it over within the publish. It was 88-85 Michigan off a Cooper Conway (Menominee) 3 when Hurley’s Matt DiGiorgio handed to Brief, who went in for the breakaway slam dunk. He pulled himself up the rim and had the entire assist system rocking. 

Wisconsin tied it with a take to the basket by Rhinelander’s Jacksen Smith and Michigan known as timeout with about 17 seconds left. Borseth obtained a great take a look at the three, nevertheless it hit the iron simply earlier than the buzzer. 

“We had a pair good choices off that,” Menominee coach Sam Larson stated. “Getting Jaden the ball on the highest of the important thing was considered one of our good choices. We obtained what we needed, we simply didn’t hit the shot. However I assumed the children performed arduous and executed all through the sport.”

The Border Bash has featured dazzling performances from a number of Division 1 and a couple of gamers from the U.P. and Northern Wisconsin through the years like Jason Whitens of North Central (Michigan State), Rhinelander’s Owen White (Michigan Tech), Ripon’s Bennett Vander Plas (Ohio) and E-TC’s Jake Witt (Michigan Tech). 

Brief, who had many D-1 presents, performed prefer it. He may deal with it, shoot from wherever – he certified for the 3-point contest and took a few of the nook photographs from out of bounds – and naturally may dunk in a wide range of conditions, on the break, on a pick-and-roll, on a putback or on a publish transfer.

“The child’s a heck of a participant,” Larson stated. “I assumed Brady (Schultz) and Kelsey each did a fairly good job on him for probably the most half. Clearly there’s a measurement benefit and he took benefit of {that a} couple occasions.”

Flambeau coach Jeff Podgornik, who performed for the Samsons within the mid 80s, stated Brief is “fairly agile for his measurement.”

“I had numerous enjoyable out right here, guarding him was a fairly enjoyable approach to finish a profession, too,” Jilek stated. 

Michigan was as much as the problem all evening, holding the lead for nearly your entire 52-minute marathon.

Six of their gamers have been from the 2 state runners-up from the U.P. – the Panthers’ Jilek, Borseth and Eric Abramson and Menominee’s Brady Schultz, Cooper Conway and Aidan Bellisle.

Jeffers’ Johnny Schutz led Michigan with 19 factors, Schultz, the slam dunk contest champ (sure, it wasn’t Brief) had 17 and Bellisle scored 12.

“I assumed Schultz had a heck of a recreation. I assumed Borseth was actually good for us. I assumed Kelsey Jilek was good for us and Aidan managed the tempo as effectively,” Larson stated.

Jilek was completely happy together with his evening offensively that featured a dozen factors.

“I used to be discovering my method, driving and getting some quick breaks and a few layups and get some contested jumpers and stuff,” Jilek stated. “Fairly proud that I got here out right here and confirmed what Ewen guys can do.”

Jilek stated they know the Menominee youngsters outdoors the sport, they loved seeing them at state and it was much more enjoyable to play with them Monday.

“It was enjoyable following them downstate whereas we have been on our run,” Larson stated. “They supported us and we supported them. It’s good to have the ability to get the teams collectively and see what we have now. It was a enjoyable group to teach.”

Bessemer’s Jack Matrella tallied 5 factors and Wakefield-Marenisco’s Kyle Sorensen had two.

Talking of groups that went to state, Hurley large man Sbraggia scored 14 factors for Wisconsin and DiGiorgio scored three.

“They’re scrappers,” Podgornik stated. “They hustle. There’s a motive why they went to state. The large boy, he’s powerful inside.” 

Wisconsin — Harley Opachan 3, Monte Mayberry 7, Jacksen Smith 16, Connor Taylor 7, Parker Prahl 11, Reece Stoltenow 5, Donavan Brief 23, Matt DiGiorgio 3, Braxton Sbraggia 14. FTs: 15-23. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Opachan 1, Smith 1, Taylor 1, Stoltenow 1.

Michigan — Jack Matrella 5, Kyle Sorensen 2, Aidan Bellisle 12, Kelsey Jilek 12, Brady Schultz 17, Johnny Schutz 19, Jaden Borseth 13, Cooper Conway 8. FTs: 7-17. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Borseth 3, Schultz 3, Schutz 2, Conway 2.