CONNOR ORTMAN

IRONWOOD – Last year’s Kiwanis Border Bash all-star basketball game wasn’t going to be easy to top, not with members of the three-time state champion North Central boys team filling the Lindquist Center gym and leading Northern Michigan to a victory.

“That’s what everybody was telling me, but I think we got close” for this year’s games, event director Russ Maki said. “We should pack that gym again.”

Ewen-Trout Creek standout Jake Witt headlines a talented group that pits many of the top boys and girls basketball players in the Upper Peninsula and the northern half of Wisconsin against each other. Norway’s Connor Ortman was selected to play for Northern Michigan.

Mr. and Miss U.P. Basketball will be here for the June 6 contest.

Maki is most excited to see Witt, named Mr. U.P. Basketball last month, match up with Northern Wisconsin’s Owen White of Rhinelander in the boys contest. Witt checks in at 6-7, White at 6-6 and both are committed to Michigan Tech.

On the girls side, Maki expects a good battle inside between Flambeau’s Jordan Ludescher (6-1) and Miss U.P. Basketball Linnie Gustafson (6-1) of St. Ignace.

Boys

Northern Michigan

Logan Hardwick, Rapid River, 6-4

Hart Holmgren, Ishpeming, 6-5

Jaden Janke, Dollar Bay, 6-3

Preston Lauscher, Carney-Nadeau, 6-2

Connor Ortman, Norway, 6-3

Devin Schmitz, Dollar Bay, 5-11

Brad Spindler, Gladstone, 6-3

Jacob Suzik, Wakefield-Marenisco, 6-2

Brayden Tomes, Bessemer, 5-11

Jake Witt, Ewen-Trout Creek, 6-7

Northern Wisconsin

Kade Bartelt, Northwestern, 6-0

Kobe Berghammer, Cumberland, 6-1

Brad Comer, Rhinelander, 6-2

Isaac DeCarlo, Hurley, 5-10

Colton Groholski, Amherst, 6-2

Terran Spacek, Phillips, 6-6

Connor Sorenson, South Shore, 6-3

Cam Wenzel, Medford, 6-1

Owen White, Rhinelander, 6-6

Mason Wideman, Amherst, 6-4

Girls

Northern Michigan

Milly Allen, Chassell, 5-4

Natalie Bartle, Negaunee, 5-7

Bethany Baldwin, Watersmeet, 5-6

Sydney Danison, Chassell, 6-1

Linnie Gustafson, St. Ignace, 6-1

Madigan Johnson, Ishpeming, 5-7

Saundra Libertoski, Wakefield-Marenisco, 5-7

Taylor Manchester, Bessemer, 5-9

Taylor Mylly, Ironwood, 5-7

Kara Pietila, Houghton, 5-9

Northern Wisconsin

Emily Belanger, Washburn, 5-10

Katie Cardey, Rib Lake, 5-9

Jordan Ludescher, Flambeau, 6-1

Morgan Ludescher, Flambeau, 6-1

Katie Lundeen, Northwestern, 5-10

Gabby McCorison, Butternut, 5-9

Ashlea Meister, Shell Lake, 5-7

Trinity Myer, Hayward, 5-8

Jessica Slowik, Elcho, 5-8

Caelyn Ulrich, Prentice, 5-5