Boys Basketball Thoughts

by orionontv | Jan 15, 2024 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Boys Basketball Thoughts.

Written Sunday January 14th at 1:00 PM

North Farmington: The Raiders have been rolling along especially the play of Tyler Spratt and Landon Williams. Coach Todd Negoshian has a very good and proven squad along with their famous press and trap defense. North Farmington is rolling right now.

Ferndale: The Eagles have bounced back by winning two straight games. Ethan Vinyard has played really well for Coach Juan Rickman. Ferndale has been up and down which was almost similar to last season when they won the Division Two State crown. The Eagles should be fine going forward.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers have started to turn things around since their loss to North Farmington. Drew Wilson has fit in nicely for Coach Arnette Jordan and they had a huge third quarter where they pressed Clarkston in their ten point win over them. West Bloomfield has been rolling as of late but they still have some lulls at times which has to concern Jordan a little bit.

Adams: The Highlanders are going through a rough patch after two straight losses. Adams likes to shoot a ton of threes which has been their strength all season long. Coach Isiah Novak will be fine, they are going through a rough patch as mentioned.

Clarkston: The Wolves have lost two straight which is unusual for Coach Tim Waslik and his program. Peyton Fitzsimmons has been on and off. John Kaul, Cole Charter, and Quinn Rosenburg has been solid for Clarkston. The Wolves are going through a rough patch which all good teams go through during the season.

Oak Park: The Knights have been a Jekyll and Hyde as of late. They won 68-66 over Clarkston which sent shock waves around the league. Geon Hutchins has played very well for Coach Durrand Sheppard. Oak Park has been going through a lot but the win over the Wolves should help their confidence going forward.

Groves: The Falcons snapped their five game losing streak with a win over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Groves is still a very young team but life in the Red has been very difficult for them. This win should help Coach Marc West’s team gain some much needed confidence before heading back into Red play.

Troy: The Colts have been rolling as of late. The big three of Mason Parker, Jon Whiteside, and Chase Kupier have been playing very well but Coach Gary Fralick has been impressed with Andrew Lake. Lake has been steady at point guard which helps because it makes Parker into a true shooting guard. There is a ton to like with Troy right now.

Harper Woods: The Pioneers have played a really tough schedule and they are coming off a tough loss to Troy Athens. Julian Young and Isiah Lewis have been the key players for Coach TaJuan Porter. It will be very interesting to see what Harper Woods does going forward.

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks have been rolling as of late. They have won four straight and are playing the basketball that Coach Dave Scott likes. Emmanuel Robinson has been playing really well and they got a monster win in Harper Woods. The Red Hawks are playing really well right now.

Seaholm: The Maples have lost three straight which is not a good sign for Coach Mike DeGeeter and company. Seaholm has really struggled defensively although there were some signs against Lake Orion where they played well in spurts.

Lake Orion: The Dragons bounced back after a tough loss to Troy by winning a defensive slugfest against Seaholm. It’s been a team effort all around for Coach Jose Andrades. The Dragons are in a really good spot right now.

Farmington: The Falcons have really improved. They are 4-1 in their last five games. Greg Grays has been playing really well for Coach Byron Johnson. Farmington is gaining a ton of confidence, not a lot of team want to play them right now with how they have been doing.

Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks have gone through a very tough transition period. DaRon Mason, Carter Canfield, Phil Muhammad are doing everything they can for Coach Brian Canfield. They are getting better despite the record. They’ll be fine.

Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors have been struggling as of late. They did score 62 points against Farmington. Coach Terrance Porter’s team has shown some greatness and struggle, which are all signs of a very young team. Southfield Arts and Tech has been a work in progress.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars have really struggled which is very odd especially for a second year. Coach Jeff Olind has had moments of greatness and rough stretches. Stoney Creek has a really tough schedule going forward with non league games against Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Hamtramck, Troy Athens, and Adams. Stoney Creek is struggling right now.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets have won three straight and four of their last five games. Coach Jaret Thomas is still building the program in his image and he’s doing that. Justin-Greer Sykes has had some moments of greatness as has others as well. Avondale is playing well right now.

Oxford: The Wildcats took a hit in the league standings after falling to Berkley but they still have a chance to turn things around. Jake Champagne has played really well but he needs some help and has gotten it for the most part of the season. Coach Joe Fedorinchik will be fine going forward.

Rochester: The Falcons have been playing much better despite what the record says about them. Rochester has been very competitive for Coach Nick Evola. Max Muhl, Jake Tandy, and company have stepped up their games as of late. They will be fine going forward.

Berkley: The Bears control their destiny in the Blue after their statement win over Oxford. Coach Joe Sermo’s team has won five straight. Berkley has gotten key contributors playing well at the right time. If the Bears can keep this up then that division crown could be well within their grasp.

Pontiac: The Phoenix have been up and down which are normal signs for a young team. JJ Claudio has done very well for Pontiac. Coach Andrew Myers already has five wins for a young and emerging Pontiac squad going forward.

Royal Oak: The Ravens have lost three straight heading into 2024. Royal Oak has given up over 50 points twice in this stretch. Coach Aaron Smith needs to shore up the defensive intensity going forward because it’s looking almost similar to last season when the year changed they struggled.

Ferndale University: The Eagles have not been the same team lately. They have not scored over 50 points in four games which is a big concern. Coach Josh Nicks needs to get this figured out and quick if they want to turn things around.

Girls Basketball Thoughts

by orionontv | Jan 15, 2024 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Girls Basketball Thoughts.

Written Sunday January 14th at 12:00 PM

West Bloomfield: The Lakers were finally tested for three quarters against Birmingham Detroit Country Day but they pulled away late. West Bloomfield is riding with a ton of confidence heading into league play. Summer Davis, Indya Davis, Sheridan Beal, Ava Lord, and Kendall Hendrix have had big games for Coach Darrin McAllister. The Lakers are clicking on all cylinders heading into league play.

Rochester: The Falcons could be in some trouble after falling by 20 to Berkley. Berkley did a very good job containing Alice Max. It is clear that Coach Bill Thurston’s team misses Kylie Robinson. They should have her back soon. The guard situation is very concerning for Thurston. Rochester could be in some trouble heading into league play as mentioned.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars have not looked very impressive especially in the last two games where they won by six over Seaholm and eight over Troy Athens. Merrick Schwalbach, Sarah LaPrarie, and Izzy Ivezaj have played very well for Coach Columbus Williams. It will be very interesting to see how league play goes for Stoney Creek.

Lake Orion: The Dragons have shown a ton of balance in their strong start to the season. Lake Orion has had six different ladies lead them in scoring every night. Coach Bob Brydges has a great thing going right now when it comes to balance scoring. Everything has started to click although the defense has been a bit concerning especially in the last two games where they have allowed 47 ppg in that stretch. Knowing Brydges, they will be fine heading into league play.

Clarkston: The Wolves have heeded Coach Aaron Goodnough’s tweet after losing to Birmingham Detroit Country Day. Clarkston has won two straight since that game and have been scoring and defending at will. It will be very interesting to see how the Wolves do heading into league play with their confidence back.

Oxford: The Wildcats have won three straight heading into 2024. Alison Huffsteddler, Sophia Rabb, and Peyton Richter have been playing really well. They have also gotten contributions from Mia Champagne and Emma Beggs for Coach Rachel Bryer. League play starts up which should tell a lot about Oxford going forward.

Royal Oak: The Ravens have proven they are not ready for the Red yet after their loss to Stoney Creek. They did get wins over Adams and Pontiac. Royal Oak is the early favorite because of their experience. They still have two more Red teams on the schedule (Rochester, Clarkston) to prove they are ready for the Red. Coach Brian Sopota’s team has been handling their business which is a great sign going forward.

Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks have really struggled as of late. Bloomfield Hills has lost three straight and is giving up a ton of points defensively. Coach Kristen Massey has to get this figured out and quick in league play. The formula for success is there for Bloomfield Hills, it’s just executing it is the key going forward.

Harper Woods: The Pioneers are 1-3 in their last four games and have really struggled to score points in that span. They did put 68 points on Avondale which should help turn things around for Coach LaTonya Tate. Harper Woods needs to score to be successful. They have a shot to make some noise in league play.

Seaholm: The Maples have been up and down lately. Seaholm like Groves has been a really hard team to figure out. They’ve beaten the teams they were supposed to beat and lost to the teams they were supposed to lose. Coach Chris Manchester’s team needs to find that really big win against a team they were supposed to lose to in league play to make the next step.

Groves: The Falcons have been a really hard team to figure out. They have played a tough schedule and were blown out by West Bloomfield, Hartland, and Birmingham Detroit Country Day. Other than that Coach Allison Hidey’s team has been competitive. It will be very interesting to see how Groves does in the league, they could surprise some people, we’ll see what happens.

North Farmington: The Raiders had been on a roll but they have lost two of three games all be it to Lake Orion and Ferndale. Offense is the name of the game for North Farmington. Coach Michael Allin’s team has scored over 40 points in their wins but under 32 points in their two losses. Anaya Billups and Asisah Jihad has been their top players but they need more from Hannah Hart if the Raiders want to make any noise in league play.

Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors have been rolling people until they ran into West Bloomfield where they allowed 97 points. In their two losses to Livonia Stevenson and West Bloomfield, Coach Shaquita Coltrane’s team has allowed 81 ppg. They were better in this area in their wins. Southfield Arts and Tech has the offense but the defense remains the question. If they can address this area then they could make some noise in the league.

Troy: The Colts have been competitive despite the record. Troy has a new big three of Diamond Prince, Olivia Sprangler, and Reagan Zeiter. The injury to Carly Higginbottom does not help things. Coach Laura Guzman needs to find that post that stands out with Higginbottom’s injury. She has something building in Troy but with league play on the horizon, it’s now or never for the Colts.

Berkley: The Bears made a huge statement by winning by 20 over Rochester which features Alice Max. Berkley has balance and multiple players that can beat you at any night. A lot of good things have been going on for Coach Clay Shaver’s program, they host the districts which helps. If the Bears keep working and improving, they might be the most dangerous team not only in the division but sounds of 2021 in the postseason in Detroit could very well be possible.

Adams: The Highlanders have been very competitive for Coach Joe Malburg despite the record. Adams has been a weird team to figure out. Malburg has said that league play could be a turning point for his team and with how it’s set up they could do some damage. They were very competitive against Royal Oak and North Farmington but were blown out by the Red. Adams looks ready to make some noise.

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks won four their last five games which is very pleasing for Coach Stacie Klump. If Troy Athens can keep playing this pace and being very competitive then the Red Hawks could win some games in league play and could be a possible dark horse in the Blue. There is a ton to like about Troy Athens.

Farmington: It has been a really rough 2023 for Coach Natalie Nowak and the Falcons. Farmington is really struggling, no sugar coating that. They have won one game this season over Ferndale University but they were blown out by Oxford. The Falcons need to find something or they could be in trouble in the division.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets have lost five straight which is not a good sign for Coach Roy Christmon’s team at all. Injuries have hurt Avondale all season but the defense has been the biggest problem all season long. The Yellow Jackets need to improve defensively if they have any chance in the division.

Ferndale: The Eagles have been a surprise to some minds especially with their non conference slate going against Detroit Cass Tech, Dexter, and Macomb Dakota. Coach Keith Paris knows that he’s building for the postseason. They are the favorite to win the division but it’s all about the postseason for Ferndale.

Ferndale University: The Eagles have been really struggling. They have had five games where they have scored single digit points. Coach Brianna Rowe has been developing this team but the rebuild is taking longer than thought. Ferndale University needs to do something heading into league play.

Oak Park: The Knights have some issues scoring which has shown. They struggle to score at times which is common of a young team. If Coach Tyler Washington can get Oak Park to score more points, then they would be fine going forward especially in league play.

Pontiac: The Phoenix have lost three straight in 2024 which is very concerning for Coach Corray Lett and his team. With league play on the horizon it’s important for Pontiac to get their confidence back. If they don’t then they could be in some trouble.

Basketball Top 23

by orionontv | Jan 15, 2024 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Basketball Top 23.