Prospect Spotlight: Josh Jeziorski (2019)
The Perham Yellowjackets are on a mission this season. It all started after they fell to Breckenridge 54-41 in the Section 8AA championship game last season.
They have gotten off to a fast start, sitting at 4-0 after the first couple weeks of the season, with a couple of signature wins early on against Breckenridge and the Breck School.
A number of players returned this season for the Yellowjackets, and the name you hear most often is probably that of junior, Jenson Beachy. He is leading the team in scoring through four games at 23 PPG (36 vs. Breck on Saturday).
However, every team needs a “glue-guy,” the player who does a little bit of everything, whatever it takes for their team to win. For Perham this season, that player is 6’4” junior, Josh Jeziorski.
Over the first four games of the season, Jeziorski is certainly doing a little bit of everything, averaging 14.2 PPG, 12 REB, 5 AST, and 2 STL. He is also capable of taking on a larger scoring role, as was shown on Saturday against Breck. Without senior Logan Richter, Jeziorski connected from inside and out, scoring 24 on the day.
Jeziorski is a very versatile player, being able to shoot off the catch and take it off the dribble, and a lot of that can be attributed to hard work and confidence. Says Josh “I believe in my shot every time I shoot and have the confidence that it’s going in every time I release.”
Asked about his weaknesses and what he’s been working on, he says “My weak spots would have to be that I need to move my feet faster on defense.” He has been working hard during the offseason and in-season to continuously improve, saying “I make sure I stay late if I don’t feel comfortable about something and work on it until it is fixed. I have put in the time and will continue to do that, to keep progressing day after day.”
Jeziorski played with West Central United during the AAU season along with three of his teammates, Logan Richter, John LaFond, and Martin LaFond. He believes that the summer months were a success, adding “playing AAU can make you a smarter and more competitive basketball player which is just what any coach would love to see.”
He has talked to a handful of college programs to this point, but is hoping that his play this season will open more eyes. In a potential college, Jeziorski said he is looking for “a great college community that cares about education and sports as much as I do.”
Led by seniors Richter and Martin LaFond, Jeziorski is part of a tremendous group of juniors along with Beachy, John LaFond, and Carter Cresap that have all been playing together for some time, creating a very tight-knit group of upperclassmen. Says Jeziorski “we have all been playing together for a long time now and we all go together like peanut butter and jelly.”
If Jeziorski and the Yellowjackets continue to play the fast-paced, unselfish, complimentary style of basketball that has got them off to a 4-0 start, they could find themselves sandwiched in the State Tournament come March.
***Photo Credit: Perham Focus***