Bode Magnuson maybe 5-foot-9, but that doesn’t mean he won’t stuff the stat sheet on the basketball court.

He filled up the score sheet twice in the Pequot Lakes’ first two games dropping 30 points in two wins over Little Falls and Foley.

The junior guard, who also starred at wideout for the Patriots’ football team, uses his quickness to make up for his lack of height. He can blow by defenders with ease and finish at the rim. Add in a reliable 3-point shot and the points can add up quickly.

“Obviously, he has gotten us going in those first two games,” Patriots head coach Rich Spiczka said. “He’s got the ball in his hands a lot. Looking to score and get to the basket. He’s also our returner with the most experience so he fills that void as well.”

The Patriots look different than they did last year with all five of their starters graduated.

Magnuson played as a sophomore and is one of the players Spiczka hoped would step into a bigger role. Two 30-point performances to start the season is a nice start.

“It’s a huge confidence booster,” Magnuson said, “You know we lost all our starters from last year, so we are very young coming in and I had no idea what to expect. Being able to come out and feel confident about myself and drop those amount of points two games in a row, is very much a confidence boost for me.”

He admitted to being nervous in the first game against Little Falls. However, once he made his first 3-pointer he settled in. Against Foley, Magnuson said he hit a couple of floaters inside the paint to help him get things going offensively.

“It just felt right those two games,” Magnuson said, “and I was able to keep it rolling for the whole 36 minutes.”

His two favorite spots on the court are the top of the key and the wings. As a guard, he can manipulate the defense to get drives to the hoop.

“Anything downhill,” he said, “I love using my speed on the court after a rebound, especially in the fastbreak. I kind of look for that and whenever I can get downhill and take it all the way, I’m either getting fouled or finishing it.”

Spiczka and Magnuson both agree his biggest skill is his speed. Magnuson added it’s his speed that allows him to get in the paint and be a playmaker for himself and others.

“He’s crazy quick,” Spiczka said. “He’s probably the fastest guy I’ve ever had on the court as far as straight-ahead speed. He can get up and down the court faster than anyone.

“He plays with a high-intensity level. He’s a competitor and wants to win. He’s trying to get guys going and others to feed off of him. He’s not afraid of the moment.”

Spiczka said he wouldn’t be surprised if Magnuson leads them in scoring and in other categories like steals. He mentioned how Magnuson plays good pressure defense on opposing guards.

Magnuson said it has been a relief to finally play with his own classmates again.

“With replacing so many guys he’s got to carry more of the burden,” Spiczka said. “Being on that floor and playing on the varsity level is nothing new to him and he is very comfortable out there. We would like to lessen his load a little bit, but that first week he kind of carried us.”

If there is one thing Magnuson wants to improve on it’s his long-range shooting. He feels if he can become more consistent from the perimeter it will open up his game more.

In years past, Magnuson was hesitant to shoot because he was not the main scorer for the Patriots. The transition to being one of the main scorers has been something Magnuson has enjoyed during the young season.

“I always want the ball in my hands when the big moments come,” he said. “Now that I am up here with my grade for the first time in a while, having the ball in my hands it’s been a lot of fun.

“We are still so young. We start four juniors and Alex Morgan who played last year as well is having a phenomenal start. He’s super fun to play with. A lot of guys in my grade are playing really well for their first time getting varsity minutes.”

Bode Magnuson

Year: Junior

School: Pequot Lakes

Sport: Basketball

Position: guard

Highlights: Tallied two 30-point games in two wins.