A Jaguar Star

Bloomington Jefferson point guard Marcus Alipate led the Jaguars in scoring for the second straight season as he dropped 17.8 points per game over the course of his junior year. At a current career total of 973 points Alipate should top 1,000 points in the first couple games next year plus he'll return to the gridiron already with one all-conference season under his belt.

Last fall Marcus caught 30 passes for six touchdowns and 505 yards total and then in the winter put up the near 18 points per game including a season high 35 against Duluth East. Alipate is a two sport standout who is being recruited in both football and basketball.

He's taking part in AAU basketball this off-season joining coach Mitch Ohnstad and Wear Out the Net. Alipate has been one of the top talents of the spring in Minnesota consistently hitting multiple contested three-pointers every game regardless of the competition. Alipate has also turned the corner on several highly regarded Minnesota players in games against the Minnesota Pump N Run and Howard Pulley just to name a few.

"The season is going actually really good," Marcus said. "We're winning when our whole team is together. I really like playing with them, everyone on the team is all friends and we play like that on the court being unselfish. But top moments so far would have to be all the competitive games in practice, Lucas Brown or Kyle Bauman dunking on people, and just everyone getting along I would say."

WOTN finished as semi-finalists in the Pump N Run Spring Classic, Sabes Invitational, and State AAU Tournament so far this spring with the most eye-opening performance coming against the Pump N Run who WOTN lost to by a point.

Alipate is always one to work on his future hitting the gym for weight training and skill training sessions alike. With a father who played in the NFL (Tuineau Alipate) and a brother playing for the Minnesota Gophers (Moses Alipate), Marcus has the genes as well as the work ethic going for him.

"This summer I want to improve just getting stronger," Marcus said. "I am up to 185 pounds now , and I am growing now finally. I just want to improve all aspects like driving, ball handling, and what I have learned from Mitch so far is really how to be a true point guard and a leader and I keep improving in that everyday."

Marcus said that at this time UCLA, Cal-Berkley, Cal-Santa Barbara, Iowa State, and Wisconsin are showing the most interest in addition to his basketball scholarship offer from South Dakota. Marcus will hit the road this summer attending several camps.

"I plan on attending Minnesota, Stanford, Cal-Berkley, UCLA, and USC camps," said Marcus. "Iowa State camp was fun , I did real good down there and hopefully looking for an offer soon if things go right."