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Northstar Hoops Report Highlights Packer Players

3 Jan

NHR front pageNorthstar Hoops Report has rapidly established itself as one of the top independent authoritative sites covering boys high school and AAU basketball in Minnesota. Its subscribers, including many college basketball programs, get the inside scoop on Minnesota players and teams, and its rankings are closely watched by the basketball community.

As a recruiting service for college coaches, Austin native Ryan James, one of the site’s founders, ranks the top players in each graduating class in terms of their potential as college players, with updates of the rankings done on a quarterly basis. Among the current crop of seniors (Class of 2013), Austin’s Joe Aase and Tom Aase both currently rank in the top 30 statewide, with Joe at #6 and Tom at #28. Zach Wessels is #14 in the 2014 class.

Bret Lukes was cited earlier this week for “giving Austin another scoring option” based on his average of 11 points per game. Ryan highlighted Wessels in September, saying “Zach’s ability to go middle and create at a constant rate for himself and others is what so many people love about him. What’s scarier for future opponents is that he’s getting better.” In ranking Tom Aase #6 statewide among 2013 power forwards, Ryan cited Tom’s defensive toughness and rebounding as well as his improved scoring.

In his column today, Ryan lists Joe Aase as one of the “Top Contenders” for Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball behind early front-runner Quinton Hooker of Park Center. The Mr. Basketball Award is given each year to the top senior boys basketball player in the state as chosen by the Mr. Basketball Committee, which is completely separate from Northstar Hoops Report, but here’s what Ryan said about Joe in listing him as one of the top three candidates:

Joe Aase is scoring 20 a game, averaging a double-double, has his team at second in state and undefeated, and playing against the state’s top interior defender (Reggie Lynch) Joe scored a big 27 points impressing the metro area basketball fans.  Over the holiday break Joe led his team to back-to-back wins over New Prague (with 24 points and nine rebounds Joe out did Paul Friendshuh) and Eastview (Joe got the better of Ben Oberfeld as Joe had 21, Ben scored 11).

In another just-for-fun element of the Northstar Hoops site, they’re conducting an unscientific online poll of site visitors, asking them to vote for a Mr. Basketball front runner. So, if you’re so inclined, go here and cast your vote.

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Packers Perfect in December

30 Dec

The Austin Packers finished their December schedule with a perfect 8-0 record by coming from behind to beat Eastview in a nonconference road game Saturday night.

The Packers trailed 27-22 at halftime before getting their offense going and pulling away for a 68-63 win over a Class AAAA team that features Bucknell-signed Division I forward Ben Oberfeld. Eastview was 3-3 coming into the game, but its losses were to defending AAAA champion Osseo and perennial AAAA powers Hopkins and Lakeville North.

Joe Aase led the Packers scoring attack with 21 points (17 in the second half), while Zach Wessels had 20 (16 after halftime). Bret Lukes and Tom Aase chipped in 10 and 9 points respectively, while Ajuda Nywesh and Tommy Olmsted each added 4. A trio of players had a dozen points for Eastview (Mark Dwyer, Ryan Lockard and Drew Guebert), while Oberfeld added 11.

Here are the highlights:

See the Austin Daily Herald story.

The Packers return to action next Friday when they host Mankato West, and then travel to Waseca Saturday for a Section 1AAA contest.

Thanks Scott Kolb for Packer Coverage!

29 Dec

The Austin Packers haven’t lost yet this season on the court, but with the Rochester Post-Bulletin discontinuing publication of its Austin edition at year-end, the Packer basketball program loses one of its top media supporters, as Austin native and 1979 AHS graduate Scott Kolb will no longer be covering the games and writing his weekly column.

Austin has been blessed for more than a decade with two daily newspapers, with both the Austin Daily Herald and the Austin Post-Bulletin, and Scott has been covering the local sports beat. In his final column, he looked back on highlights of 2012, and so the Packers’ return to the state tournament led the way. Here’s what Scott had to say:

Highlight of year

When I attended the state tournament games back in the early 1980s to see the Austin Packers boys basketball team, it never dawned on me that three decades would elapse before another trip to the promised land. That dream finally came true last March when the Austin boys once again went to state.

After winning the Big Nine Conference title before a packed house on the final night of the regular season, the Packers were the No. 1 seed in the section tournament. They destroyed the first two teams at home, but then came the finals and a trip to the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester.

For most of the game, the Packers didn’t shoot real well and it looked like the might fail against the New Prague Trojans. It was tied in the final seconds, when coach Kris Fadness called a time-out and drew up what now must be the most famous play in school history.

Packers point-guard Zach Wessels brought the ball up the floor for the decisive possession. Off to the side, Goliath Oboyo set a back pick for Tom Aase. With the clock winding down, it initially looked like Wessels was firing up a long prayer of a shot. Instead, it was a perfect pass to Tom Aase, who dunked home the winning basket and sent Packers fans into a state of delirium.

The boys made it to the state tournament and I got the chance to sit courtside at Williams Arena, where I used to watch Minnesota Gophers games decades ago. The Packers didn’t win their tourney opener and they were eliminated from state, but the good news is the team is even better this season and their fans are looking for a return trip to the big city.

Read Scott’s whole column, and join us in thanking Scott for his years of service to the Austin community in the comments below

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Packers Top Trojans 86-58 to Stay Unbeaten

29 Dec

The Austin boys basketball team hosted New Prague Friday night, and after falling behind 19-11 early due to some hot three-point shooting by the Trojans’ Luke Rynda, stormed back to take a nine-point halftime lead en route to an 86-58 rout.

Senior reserve guard Tommy Olmsted came up with a career high 13 points, including 10 in the first half, to help spark the Packers’ comeback. Joe Aase led the team with 24 points, while Zach Wessels had 21 and Bret Lukes 18. Tom Aase and Ajuda Nywesh rounded out the scoring with 6 and 4 points, respectively.

Read the Austin Daily Herald story.

Here are the highlights of the Packers’ win, which was 16th in a row at home, and which kept their season record perfect at 7-0.

The Packers go on the road tonight to face Eastview (in Apple Valley) from Section 3AAAA in a 7 p.m. start.

 

Packers get Key Section Win

22 Dec

The Austin Packers stayed undefeated at 6-0 and earned a key win for Section 1AAA seedings Friday night in Red Wing as they topped the Wingers, currently rnnked #16 in the state, 64-52.

The second-ranked Packers were led in scoring by Bret Lukes with a career-high 19, while Zach Wessels added 17 and Tom Aase 13. Joe Aase and Ajuda Nywesh both chipped in 7, and Tommy Olmsted had 1.

Here are the video highlights:

See the Austin Daily Herald, Austin Post-Bulletin and Red Wing Republican Eagle stories.

Next up for the Packers is New Prague in only their second home game of the season. The Trojans come to Austin on Friday, Dec. 28 for another game that will figure in section seedings, as New Prague is 5-2 on the season and will be looking for revenge for last year’s section final.

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