Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Howard Lake, Lester Prairie, Winsted, Watertown, Mayer, New Germany, Waverly, MN and the surrounding area

FAB FIVE: Five area boys’ basketball players to watch this season


The boys’ basketball season is officially underway and there’s plenty of talent once again in the area. Below is a look at five of the top players in the Herald Journal coverage area to watch this season.

Sean Buchanan (Mayer Lutheran)

Sean Buchanan is a new face for area players this year. The transfer from St. Michael-Albertvile will be in his first season with Mayer Lutheran, and could be in store for a big season.

With an abundance of talent around him this season, Buchanan will be a go-to guy on both ends of the floor for Mayer Lutheran. Whether it’s scoring or getting his teammates involved, there’s no doubt Buchanan will be a big piece to the puzzle for the Crusaders this season.

Last season, at STMA, Buchanan averaged just under eight points a game. Now, playing for his dad at Mayer Lutheran, that number will likely go up as the Crusaders look to get back to being one of the top teams in Class A.

Noah Bush (HLWW)

Over the past few seasons, the progression has been there for Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted’s Noah Bush. Back for his junior season, look for Bush to take an even bigger step forward this year as one of the top players for the Lakers.

A season ago, Bush averaged 8.2 points and 3.1 assists per game. Bush will have the ball in his hands a lot this year, and could be in store for a monster season for HLWW.

Bush also does it on the defensive end, as he is often tasked with defending the opposition’s best guard.

Zach Jackson (LP/HT)

Junior Zach Jackson grew into a bigger role last season for the Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity boys basketball team. After senior Michael Ziermann opted to have surgery on his shoulder and missed the entire season, it was Jackson who took it upon himself to step up his game.

As a sophomore last season, Jackson showed his ability to score in bunches. He’ll be leaned on for that once again this season, as the Bulldogs will have several younger players stepping into bigger roles this year.

Will McBee (Watertown-Mayer)

There’s always a need for a big man inside, and Will McBee fills that role for the Watertown-Mayer boys basketball team. The senior forward is one of the top big men in the area, and will be a big part of the Royals’ game plan once again this year.

Last season, McBee averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game. Look for those numbers to go up even more as head coach Kent Janikula has said that McBee has improved in all areas of his game.

Sam Ragner (Watertown-Mayer)

Another key player for the Royals this season will be Sam Ragner. A senior guard, Ragner is tasked with keeping the offense rolling.

In his junior year, Ragner averaged 13 points, three assists, and four rebounds per game for the Royals. In his final season at Watertown-Mayer, Ragner could be in for a big year as he will be relied on heavily for his ability to score, as well as to get others involved.

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