The celebrations continue for Munising Mustang basketball, as Kane Nebel has been named the 2023 Mr. U.P. Basketball by the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, naming him the best basketball player on the court for the entire region. He is the first Mr. U.P. Basketball winner from Munising.
“It’s pretty sweet. It shows how much work I’ve put in and now I’ve got the recognition for it. It’s not the awards I’m playing for, but it’s good to see,” he said.
Nebel scored 21 points per game, which was fourth highest of eligible players in the Upper Peninsula. He added 8.5 rebounds, five assists and five steals per game. For this he was named the Division 4 Player of the Year and beat out Division 1-3 Player of the Year Oskar Kangas of Iron Mountain in a head-to-head vote for Mr. U.P. Basketball.
He is the first Mr. U.P. Basketball winner from Munising since the title started in 2018. Nebel joins Munising’s Kenya Oas (2012) and Shane Peterson (1994) and Superior Central’s Brian Dartt (1989) as the only Players of the Year from Alger County.
Nebel has also received multiple statewide accolades, joining Watersmeet’s Asher Garrison and Levi Frahm of Painesdale Jeffers on the Associated Press Division 4 all-state first team. Frahm and Nebel were also U.P. Dream Team members. Nebel also won the fan-supported SB Live Michigan boys basketball player of the year, garnishing 48 percent of the total votes. Ashton Kunishige of Painesdale Jeffers finished second in that poll with 15 percent.
“It’s very cool to see the community come together, posting it in (the Facebook group) Munising Informed, so that shows that the community has support for each other,” Nebel said.
As a team, Munising received multiple awards, including Division 4 Team of the Year from the UPSSA. Head Coach Terry Kienitz also received Coach of theYear from the UPSSA. All five starters received recognition as well, with Trevor Nolan making All-U.P. Division 4 First Team, Carson Kienitz on the All-U.P. Division 4 Second Team, Jack Dusseault named special mention for receiving multiple all-second team votes, and Cully Trzeciak at honorable mention.
Nebel said that all of the recognitions were deserved for the team because of the journey they took together.
“It shows how much we worked to get to this point,” he said.
Munising Division 1-3 Player of the
Year: Oskar Kangas, Iron
Mountain
Division 4 Player of the Year: Kane Nebel, Munising Division 1-3 Coach of the Year: Bucky Johnson, Iron Mountain Division 4 Coach of the Year: Terry Kienitz, Munising Division 1-2 Team of the Year: Kingsford Division 3 Team of the Year: St. Ignace, Iron Mountain
Division 4 Team of the Year: Munising Dream Team: Oskar Kangas, Iron Mountain, 6-5, So., Jonny Ingalls, St. Ignace, 6-0, Jr., Levi Frahm, Jeffers, 6-1, Jr., Nic Nora, Kingsford, 5-10, Sr., Kane Nebel, Munising, 6-2, Sr.
Division 1-3 First Team: Trevor Theuerkauf, Menominee, 5-10, Jr., Casey Bray, Escanaba, 6-0, Sr., Gavin Saunders, Negaunee, 6-2, Jr., Gavin Grondin, Kingsford, 5-11, So., Jacob MacPhee, Marquette, 6-4, So.
Division 1-3 Second Team: Gerald Sampoll-Torres, Iron Mountain, 5-10, Jr., Jaxon Jurmu, Marquette, 5-10, So., Andrew Niemi, Westwood, 6-4, Jr., Shane Wallin, Escanaba, 6-0, Jr., Mikko Salmi, Houghton, Sr., Mason Sager, Negaunee, 6-0, Sr., Kaden Drossart, Bark River-Harris, 6-3, Sr., Nate Koepp, Sault Ste. Marie, Joey Colavecchi, Iron Mountain, 6-1, Sr., Caden Luoma, Ishpeming, 6-0, So.
Special Mention: Kevin Frazier, St. Ignace, 5-11, Sr.; Kaden Gibbs, Gladstone, 6-0, Jr.; Ty Jacobson, Negaunee, 6-2, So.; Drake Johnson, Gladstone, 6-4, Jr.; Jerzee Karki, Westwood, 6-0, Sr.; Ethan Marta, Westwood, 6-0, Fr.; Ethan McLean, St. Ignace, Jr.; Honorable Mention: Griffin Argall, Ishpeming, 5-10, Sr.; Eli Beal, Menominee, 5-10, Jr.; Tyler Black, Calumet; Gavin Downey, Negaunee, 6-3, Sr.; Cole Myllyla, Kingsford, 5-11, Sr.; Brayden Nelson, Calumet; Elijah Oberlin, West Iron County, 6-4, So.; AJ Prosser, Ishpeming, 6-3, Sr.; Max Scott, Sault Ste. Marie; Hunter Smith, Ishpeming, 5-9, Jr.; Alex Sundberg, Ishpeming, 5-9, Sr.; Wyatt Demers, Manistique, 6-2, Jr.; Bryce Blixt, Manistique, 6-0, Sr.
Division 4 First Team: Asher Garrison, Watersmeet, 5-10, Jr., Luke Gorzinski, North Central, Alex Ortman, Norway, 6-2, Jr.,
Trevor Nolan, Munising, So.,
Cam Peterson, Rudyard, 6-0, Jr.
Division 4 Second Team: Perry LeBlanc, Brimley, 6-0, Jr., Connor Florenski, North Central, Brayden Altoft, Maplewood Baptist, Sr., Austin Gordon, Ewen-Trout Creek, 5-11, So., Spencer Coldren, Stephenson, Carson Kienitz, Munising, So., Amos Norland, Dollar Bay, 6-2, Sr., Felix Quevedo, Crystal Falls Forest Park, 5-7, Jr., Matthew Schutz, Jeffers, Jr., Shawn Gibbons, L’Anse, 6-1, Sr., Gabe Popko, Lake Linden-Hubbell, Jr., Ashton Kunishige, Jeffers Special Mention: Rukus Betlewski, Ironwood, 5-10, Sr.; Kevin Giuliani, Forest Park, 6-2, So.; Owen Keenau, Stephenson, 5-9, So.; Tavin Larson, Jeffers; Trey Lynn, Brimley, 5-10, So.; Axton Ruotsala, Ironwood, 5-9, So.; Ian Sundling, Rapid River, 6-1, Sr.; Jack Dusseault, Munising, 6-3, So.; Cody Golde, Rapid River.
Honorable Mention: Aiden Boyd, Ironwood, 5-10, Sr.; Antonio DelFavero, Wakefield-Marenisco, Sr.; Easton Foucault, L’Anse, 5-10, Fr.; Dean Magaraggia, L’Anse, 5-10, Sr.; Michael Peterson, Norway, Sr.; Dylan Plunger, North Central, 6-2, Sr.; Ashton Wandesega, Carney-Nadeau; Mike Englund, Mid Peninsula, 6-0; Caleb Lofquist, Mid Peninsula; Shawn Metzger, Hannahville, 5-3, So.;
Cully Trzeciak, Munising, 5-11, Sr.; Antonio Inglese, North Dickinson, 6-0, Jr..
Trevor Nolan (5) holds off a big man for Mackinaw City in the regional finals, so Cully Trzeciak can go one-on-one with his defender.
Carson Kienitz (2) waits for Jack Dusseault to apply the screen in the state championship game.
