Alex Huibregtse is a Division I recruit and can shoot the lights out of the gym for Grafton

Curt Hogg
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Grafton guard Alex Huibregtse gets a layup off the glass before South Milwaukee forward Alex Brion can come in for the block on Jan. 22, 2019.

A lot about Alex Huibregtse stands out. 

There’s the Grafton senior guard’s shooting stroke, which is as good as any around the area and the state; his ability to facilitate the offense; his finishing skill at the rim; and a remarkable all-around efficiency. 

But, above it all, what says the most about Huibregtse to Black Hawks head coach Damon James is the behind-the-scenes work that underlies it all. 

“He’s fully committed to getting better,” James said. “His commitment to perfecting his craft, the countless amount of hours he puts in, that’s what stands out.” 

The result for Huibregtse has been numbers that pop off the page. 

A year ago for the Black Hawks, he averaged 21.0 points to lead the North Shore Conference and earned first-team all-conference honors. He did so while shooting 43% (52 for 121) on three-pointers and 67.2% (119 for 177) on twos, good for an effective field-goal percentage of 66.1%. For good measure, Huibregtse also averaged 6.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists. 

Huibregste’s evolution into a complete player for Grafton wasn't by happenstance. 

Just three years ago he stood as a 5-foot-8, 145-pound freshman who was largely limited to shooting from the perimeter. 

“I was just a spot-up shooter,” he said. “I would sit sit in the corner. I wasn’t a facilitator or anything like that.” 

“Freshman, sophomore year, he wasn’t even near touching the rim if he jumped,” James said. 

The potential, though, was there. Huibregtse, who has added 30 pounds since then, began to hone his craft, working on creating off his left hand and scoring from different levels.

He averaged 15.6 points while hitting at a 41.8% clip from deep as a sophomore but still had plenty of room to improve.

“Sophomore year it was a struggle at times being the focus of a defense,” James said. “Teams would box-and-one him and I don’t think he mentally understood the pressure and what that means. Last year was way better and then, obviously, this year he knows coming in what he’s going to face.” 

Huibregtse prides himself on being a marksman with range, putting up 500 shots per day in the off-season, but he wanted to be more than just that.

“Definitely just more than being just a three-point shooter was the goal,” he said. “I’ve definitely worked on my finishing, my midrange is way better.” 

With few players matching his efficiency and volume, the evidence would suggest Huibregtse has accomplished that goal.

“That’s a credit to him, his IQ," James said. "He shot 67% from the floor last year. I don’t worry about him. He’s not a volume type of scorer. He’s a smart IQ type of dude. He’s been naturally smart."

Huibregtse gives his teammates much of the credit for his efficiency, saying their ability to take and make shots allows him to pick his spots.

“I take a lot of pride in making most of my shots and in getting my teammates involved first and then worrying about myself,” Huibregtse said. “We always have a lot of scoring options, so I don’t have to do it all by myself and I’ve got teammates that can take the load off.”  

At the end of the day, though, Huibregtse, who scored 36 points in Grafton’s season opener against Cedarburg, is the one looked to when the team needs a bucket. 

After all, Huibregtse is the one headed to play Division I basketball at Wright State alongside former Pewaukee standout Grant Basile. 

James saw Huibregtse as a serious Division I prospect at the outset of his junior year. Later, college coaches caught on. 

By the time Huibregtse joined Phenom University on the Elite Youth Basketball League circuit, the top AAU competition level in the country, he was playing alongside the likes of area standouts Jalen Johnson and Patrick Baldwin Jr. and against that same level of talent. In 14 EYBL games last summer, he averaged 7.3 points and shot 44.4% from three-point range. 

“The film and the highlights brought initial interest,” James said. “Who’s this kid? He can shoot. They saw the field-goal percentage. Once he transferred over to the EYBL, he got a little more awareness playing at that high level. 

“You’re playing with guys that could be future professionals and you’re able to compete with them and not only that but to contribute.” 

Back at Grafton, Huibregtse hopes to surpass last year’s eye-catching performance and lead the Black Hawks to their first conference title since 1975.

“There’s really only one big thing on my mind this year and it’s that I want to win conference,” Huibregst said. “We haven’t done it since the '70s, so it’s been forever. That’s my biggest goal.”