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Chisago Lakes jack-of-all-trades basketball star Josh Figini was named to the Minnesota Basketball News' second team All-State squad.

The 6-foot, 8-inch junior averaged 23 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and two blocks per game last year for the Wildcats, and he was rewarded with this high honor.

"I haven't had a talent like Josh here since I've been coaching," said Figini's head coach Herb Jangor, who noted that the highest honor any of his players have received were All-State Honorable Mention.

"It's not going be his talent alone that gets him a scholarship," said Jangor. "It's all the little things he does."

Jangor went on to tell an anecdote of Figini's committment to the program and to the sport of basketball. "We wanted him to get bigger last year, so we asked him to lift weights. Ever since then, Josh has been in the weight room lifting weights."

Figini is the rare breed of ball-handling big man. His ability to not only score inside with his 6'8" frame, but to also break the press bringing the ball up the court, or shoot effectively from beyond the arc has catapulted him to all-star games around the state, and numerous awards.

And the best part about Figini, Jangor says, isn't his basketball game or his wingspan or his jump shot. It's his attitude off the court. "I always tell people that Josh is a better person than he is a basketball player," Jangor says.

Besides his basketball acumen, Figini holds a 4.0 grade point average, and is a member of Student Council, National Honor Society and the jazz band.

With Figini at the helm, Jangor has his sights set high for next year's basketball schedule. "I think the ultimate goal for him and us is to be a player in the [North Suburban Conference]," Jangor points out. "And maybe make a run at the state tournament."

As for life after being a Wildcat, Figini has already piqued the interest of a few Division 1A schools. "The goal for him is to be able to choose a school, and go where he wants to go," Jangor said. "A place that fits his skills in basketball and in school."

The basketball season is still a long way off, and Figini could improve his stock even more next year with another thrashing of NSC defenders, and with Josh Figini, it seems anything is possible.

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