Burnsville 1/9
Kolby Thompson #5
Kolby Thompson’s World: Lakers Torch Burnsville for Sixth Straight Win
Burnsville, MN — January 9, 2026
The Prior Lake Lakers made the short trek to Burnsville High School for an SSC showdown, riding a five-game win streak and starting to look every bit the balanced, skilled squad fans expected after last year’s success. The Blaze, young but athletic, had surprised some with early-season wins, but tonight, it was all about the Lakers—and especially about Kolby Thompson.
The starters for the game tonight: Kolby Thompson, Max Dubore, Cole Brinkman, Kobby Sam-Brew, and Colten Gunderson.
First Half: Thompson Takes Over
The Lakers won the tip, but Burnsville’s defense set the tone early with a block. No worries—Prior Lake answered with a defensive stop of their own, and on the next trip, Cole Brinkman drove baseline and found Thompson for an open corner three.
He missed. But for the rest of the night, he wouldn’t miss many more on his way to a season-high 30 point performance.
After the initial miss, Thompson started the scoring on the next possession with a steal and layup, then the Lakers got rolling: a Dubore-to-Gunderson layup, a Sam-Brew three, and then Thompson again—two free throws, an assist, and a three of his own for an 11-5 lead.
After their first 5 points, the Blaze found it difficult to generate any baskets at all.
The Lakers dialed up the full-court man defense, suffocating the Blaze and forcing rushed, off-balance shots. The pressure was relentless, and the lead ballooned:
21-5 after a Thompson steal and three.
And then…(surprise) Thompson with an NBA three for a 24-5 lead.
A Drew Brinkman steal and pass ahead for a Thompson layup, 26-5.
And finally, the merciful timeout from the Blaze coach.
Unfortunately, the timeout would not turn the tide.
A Woeser Jenpa steal and layup. 28-5.
Jenpa free throws. 30-5.
Finally, at 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Burnsville hit a midrange bucket to break the drought and find something to build on.
Despite the best efforts of the Blaze, the Lakers were everywhere—closing passing lanes, diving for loose balls, and playing with infectious energy. Jenpa’s threes off the bench, Ian Wang’s up-and-under layup, and a Thompson-to-Gunderson lob to layup that defied physics pushed the lead to 41-9.
Not only was the Laker defense stifling with physicality, but when the Blaze tried to attack the rim, Prior Lake had willing defenders ready to step in and take hard charges to maintain momentum. Dubore and Trey Theis both drew key charging fouls on Blaze drives, firing up the Laker bench and keeping all momentum away from the Blaze.
Burnsville managed a small run near the end of the half, but the Lakers answered. Thompson’s three from the wing bounced high off the rim and dropped in—when it’s your night, it’s your night. At the half, Prior Lake led 62-33.
Second Half: Lakers Keep the Pedal Down
The second half opened with three straight Gunderson layups. The defense stayed fierce, the ball movement crisp. Even as the pace led to a few turnovers, the Lakers’ energy and physicality kept Burnsville from making any real dent in the lead.
Sam-Brew free throws made it 80-46, and coming out of a timeout the Lakers switched to a 1-2-2 press, forcing more mistakes from the Blaze. Thompson was everywhere—steals, assists, threes, layups. One play summed up the team effort: Dubore deflected a ball, Thompson got a second deflection, Jenpa saved it with an over-and-behind-the-head throw, and Dubore tapped it to Thompson for a transition layup. Team basketball at its finest.
As the lead grew, the Lakers went deeper into the bench. Cohen Furber added a free throw, a jump stop, step-through layup, and a cutting finish to close out the scoring. The final? 100-60. A dominant inside, outside, and transition game for the Lakers, firing on all cylinders.
Stat Leaders and Team Effort
Thompson: 30 points (11/16 shooting), 5 assists, everywhere at once
Jenpa: 22 points (6/7 shooting, 7/7 FT)
Gunderson: 16 points (6/8 shooting)
Theis: 8 rebounds
Sam-Brew: 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Gunderson & Drew Brinkman: 4 rebounds each
The Lakers posted a 21:9 assist-to-turnover ratio, showing off their team offense and discipline.
Overall, this was a dominant effort from the Lakers. The tone was set early through physical man to man defense, and the Lakers exploited mismatches inside and outside to generate and maintain a big lead. In back to back games, the Lakers have now started fast and sustained excellent effort throughout.
If they keep this up, they’ll be tough for anyone in the state.
Across the Program: A Banner Day
It wasn’t just varsity—every Laker squad dominated:
9A: 71-47 win
9B: 63-31 win
B Squad: 50-19 win (!)
JV: 72-33 win
What’s Next?
Next week, the Lakers face a big SSC stretch: at Apple Valley on Monday, home vs Eagan on Thursday. If they keep up this level of physical, energized, team play, they’ll be in great position to build on their SSC lead.