Boys Basketball Thoughts.
Written Sunday December 3rd at 10:35 AM
Here are my thoughts after week one of the season.
North Farmington: The Raiders had a really slow start against Detroit Martin Luther King but found a way to win that game. Dylan Smith was huge in the game against the Crusaders. It wasn’t the perfect game for Coach Todd Negoshian but North Farmington got a win out of it which is a great sign going forward.
Ferndale: The Eagles split their two games this week. They fell to Birmingham Brother Rice on the road but beat Davison at North Farmington. Ferndale is young but they are also very talented led by Trenton Ruth who is off to a strong start. Coach Juan Rickman’s team will be fine.
West Bloomfield: It was a rough week for the Lakers which saw two losses to two really good teams. West Bloomfield put 70 points which is a good start but was held to 50 points against East Lansing who was in the back end of a back to back. Defensively is where the concern lies for Coach Arnette Jordan where they are allowing 78.5 points per game. The Lakers need to step up defensively if they want to turn things around.
Adams: The Highlanders will be as good as Peter Kardasisis and Will Gee takes them. Kardasisis had 29 points against Lanse Creuse North and Adams needed to survive Milford by four points. Coach Isiah Novak will rely a ton on his guards but they need to find that interior presence especially with the schedule that is ahead of them.
Clarkston: The Wolves have started to become more of a balanced team and it showed in their nine point win over Sterling Heights Stevenson. Clarkston isn’t just John Kaul but Quinn Rosenberg and Peyton Fitzsimmons had big games against the Titans. Cole Charter and Hayden Flavin are more capable of having big games. Coach Tim Waslik has a really tough schedule ahead of them but if they can get balance they’ll be in every game.
Oak Park: The Knights had a rough outing against Detroit Edison falling 72-58. Oak Park has a tough schedule coming up. Coach Durrand Sheppard needs to clean some things up especially defensively if not, it could be a really long season for the Knights.
Groves: The Falcons are off to a really strong start. They put 65 and 82 respectably against two good teams in Livonia Clarenceville and Redford Thurston. Groves has two really tough games coming up but Coach Marc West’s team has a ton of confidence right now.
Troy: The Colts were shocked by Berkley in overtime despite Mason Parker and Chase Kupier scoring 21 points each in that game but that’s not a good way to start the season. It could also be a wake up call for Coach Gary Fralick’s team as well that you don’t take any team for granted. Troy will be fine going forward.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers have had two really tough games against Detroit Renaissance and Novi Detroit Catholic Central. The 34 points scored against the Shamrocks is most concerning for Coach Tajuan Porter but to their defense the football players who won the Division Four State crown aren’t in game mode yet. Harper Woods could struggle if things don’t turn around quick.
Troy Athens: The Red Hawks had a really strong week. They earned a 53-45 win over Rochester despite allowing 30 points from Max Mohl. Troy Athens put up 83 points in a win over Waterford Oakdale Prep. The Red Hawks have a tall order ahead of them this week which should tell more about Coach Dave Scott’s team.
Seaholm: It was a split week for the Maples which saw them fall by seven to Walled Lake Western but survived Avondale 43-41 in a defensive slug fest. Max Laskey has really emerged in their first two games for Coach Mike DeGeeter. Seaholm has been really scrappy and that could help them going forward.
Lake Orion: The Dragons might have something after two really good wins. Zach Parks has fit in really well and has contributed everywhere. Nick Galben, Gabe Scott, Ethan Sharkey and Ryan Rocheleau are off to strong starts and Quay Fly has been solid on the glass. Lake Orion is still very young, if they find that balance then Coach Jose Andrades might have something here. The Dragons will be tested next week and beyond but it’s a promising early start.
Farmington: The Falcons had a solid outing despite falling 68-62 to Livonia Stevenson. Greg Grays was solid for Farmington. It should be a very interesting matchup for the Falcons when they play arch rival North Farmington but it will take some time for Coach Bryan Johnson to put his program in place.
Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks have some big concerns after scoring 23 points against Walled Lake Central. Bloomfield Hills did lose a ton of talent from last season but I didn’t expect them to score 23 points in their first game. Coach Brian Canfield will get this thing figured out, they’ll be fine.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors have not played a game yet so I can’t judge them yet.
Stoney Creek: The Cougars had a really tough 12 point loss to Romeo. Stoney Creek had some moments especially from the three point line where they executed offensively but defensibly is a big concern still. Griffin Beers looked solid. They rely a ton on Tre Walker to carry them and if he gets in foul trouble that’s where they could struggle. The Cougars have to overcome when Walker is not on the floor and that’s a concern for Coach Jeff Olind going forward. Stoney Creek will be fine but they need to overcome when Walker is not on the floor.
Avondale: The Yellow Jackets had a really rough loss to Seaholm falling 43-41. Avondale was solid defensively all night but the offense struggled at times. It was going to be a transition period for Coach Jaret Thomas which it has. The Yellow Jackets will be fine, no need to panic.
Oxford: The Wildcats are the typical Batman and Robin type team. Jake Champagne is the Batman but he needs a Robin. Luke Stoffan had 14 points in their three point win over Lapeer but was held to six against Lake Orion. Champagne had 20 points in both their games against Lake Orion and Lapeer. It’s clear as day for Coach Joe Fedorinchik he needs a Robin if Oxford is going to win games.
Rochester: The Falcons have had two rough games against Troy Athens and Lake Orion. Max Mohl had 30 points against the Red Hawks while Luke Lionas had 12 points against the Dragons. Rochester needs to find that balance where both their stars along with Jake Tandy and Evan Crowe have monster games, if they do then Coach Nick Evola might have something brewing.
Berkley: The Bears could be an enigma this season. Berkley did not play well by any means against Novi falling by 21 points only to go and stun Troy in overtime at home. The Bears have size and scoring which is huge for Coach Joe Sermo. The next two games look very manageable, Berkley despite the loss to Novi is in a good spot right now but they can’t haven an letdown.
Pontiac: The Phoenix are off to a strong start with wins over Hazel Park and Southfield Christian. Coach Andrew Myers has this program believing at the moment which is a great sign going forward. JJ Claudio is off to a really strong start. Pontiac could be a sleeper in the Blue this season.
Royal Oak: The Ravens have been a really odd team to figure out. They won by eight over Southfield Christian and trailed at the half against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood. Camden Clark has been solid for Coach Aaron Smith. They have two big tests looming this week so we’ll know a ton about the Ravens.
Ferndale University: The Eagles have had two very competitive games despite two tough losses to Detroit Douglass and Detroit Osborn. It’s a game of inches that separates Coach Josh Nicks team. Ferndale University isn’t there yet. They have shown that they can be in close games, they’ll be fine.