by orionontv | Dec 26, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Boys Basketball Districts Are Out 2024.
Written Tuesday June 20th at 9:15 AM
Updated Tuesday December 26th at 11:35 AM
This article will be updated very often. Coaches including those are not in the OAA, if you want your thoughts on your district for the blog, please DM me on Twitter or email me.
Here is the districts.
District 23 @ Groves
GROVES
BERKLEY
OAK PARK
ROYAL OAK
Warren Mott
PROJECTED MPR: 1. Groves, 2. Royal Oak
FAVORITE: Groves
NEXT: Oak Park
DARKHORSE: Berkley
PLAYER ON SPOT: Josh Gibson-Groves
THOUGHTS: This is shaping up to be a very interesting district in Beverly Hills. Warren Mott will look to have a much better season after winning two games last season for Coach Greg Tilney. Royal Oak was up and down last season. The Ravens have Nick Hoffman, Luke Lizak, Eddie Skaleski, and Camden Clark coming back for Coach Aaron Smith. Berkley is a very interesting team and could be a wildcard. The Bears have Donovan Powell, Micah Green, Andrew Cook, Joe Voss, and Michael Onuoha coming back for Coach Joe Sermo. Oak Park is not in a district with Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit which helps. The Knights have Geon Hutchins and Jason Sanders coming back for Coach Durrand Sheppard. Groves had a great regular season sharing the White with West Bloomfield but they fell to arch rival Seaholm in the first round last season. The Falcons have John Simpson, Josh Gibson, Brody Tushman, Landon McKinney, Paul Hubbard, and Elijah Yelder coming back. They also have David Jones who could make an impact for Coach Marc West. This district could be shaping up to be a Knights/Falcons district final but can’t count out the Ravens or Bears by any means.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: This has been a really tough district to figure out when it comes to seeding. Oak Park and Groves are in the Red but they have struggled in December. Royal Oak is off to a torrid start but MPR could be a concern down the line for them. Berkley has been very interesting but they have started to play really good basketball. Warren Mott has really struggled. Overall this is a hard district to predict, I made a change to the MPR to put the Ravens in the two slot but that may not last especially with the Falcons and Knights schedule in the Red. The Bears are a strong darkhorse. Royal Oak will be the team to watch for sure in this district.
District 24 @ Livonia Stevenson
FARMINGTON
NORTH FARMINGTON
SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH
Livonia Stevenson
Redford Thurston
Livonia Franklin
PROJECTED MPR: 1. North Farmington, 2. Livonia Franklin
FAVORITE: North Farmington
NEXT: Livonia Franklin
DARKHORSE: Redford Thurston
PLAYER ON SPOT: Dylan Smith-North Farmington
THOUGHTS: This should be a very interesting district in Livonia. Redford Thurston won 13 games last season. The Eagles have Daniel Winston, Nathan Thompson, Jonathan Tate, Jalen Ferguson, Nicholas Warren, Nathan Williams, Jeremiah Robinson, and Ryan Williams coming back for Coach Brian Bates. Livonia Franklin won 17 games last season. The Patriots have a ton of proven experience in Robbie Wynn, Owen Pottenger, Jon Jasionowski, Mitch Cronyn, Owen Phail, Mendale Broaden, Stocker Kenyon, Aiden Jacobson, Zach Cox, Owen Naum, and Drew Kelbert coming back for Coach Thomas Hurley. Livonia Stevenson won 13 games last season. The Spartans have Mark Stein, Dylan McGlinch, Isaac Iacoban, Nathan Muntean, John Ericson, and Jon Toth coming back for Coach Eoghann Stephens. Southfield Arts and Tech has Xavier Bowman coming back for Coach Terrance Porter. Farmington should be much improved this season. The Falcons have Greg Grays, Quintez Saltler, Darrell Cochrane, and Anthony Bailey coming back for new coach Byron Johnson. North Farmington lost some proven talent after their very controversial loss to Orchard Lake St. Marys in the regional finals last season but they’ll have some proven talent this season. The Raiders have Tyler Spratt, Robert Smith, Landon Williams, and Avi Melster coming back along with Walled Lake Western transfer Dylan Smith and Oak Park transfer Rob Smith for Coach Tom Negoshian. The Raiders are favored but the Patriots might have a strong say and watch for the Falcons and Eagles, they both could make some noise in this district.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: North Farmington is everything that I’ve expected to see and then some. Livonia Franklin has been solid but have had some are you kidding me moments (Dearborn, Dearborn Heights Crestwood.) Southfield Arts and Tech has been up and down lately. Livonia Stevenson has won three of their last four games. Farmington has been improving despite their record. Redford Thurston has been up and down. Overall no changes but the gap has widen between the Raiders and everyone else.
District 25 @ TBA
WEST BLOOMFIELD
Orchard Lake St. Marys
Walled Lake Northern
Walled Lake Central
Walled Lake Western
Lakeland
PROJECTED MPR: 1. Orchard Lake St. Marys, 2. West Bloomfield
FAVORITE: Orchard Lake St. Marys
NEXT: West Bloomfield
DARKHORSE:Walled Lake Central
PLAYER ON SPOT: Donnie Watts-West Bloomfield
THOUGHTS: This district looks like it’s a mismatch on paper. Orchard Lake St. Marys should be the overwhelming favorite in this district after getting to the final four despite having a losing record and beating four top ten teams in the postseason. The Eaglets have Daniel Smythe, Andrew Smith, Isiah Hines, Luke Crighton, Jayden Savoury, Norman Klawender, Peyton Kemp, Sharod Barnes, and Trey McKenney coming back for Coach Todd Covert. Walled Lake Central was very young last season. The Vikings have Josh Olsson, Robbie Smiley, Vish Das, Nick Hopkins, Jake Nellett, David Yakubov, Xakaria Jallow, Justin Holmes, Nathan Cody, and Luke Sechrist coming back for Coach Chuck Spolsky. Lakeland had an up and down year after winning 13 games last season. The Eagles have Nsikan Usen, Zach Reppuhn, Noah Tiernan, Hayden Cross, Drew Carlson, Cole Bromley, and Bryce Cleasby coming back for Coach Ron Thompson. Walled Lake Western won 11 games last season. The Warriors have Max Kirk, Bryce Wiggins, David Seo, Cameron Walters, Pasha Goffee, Issac Kanouno, Logan Hickey, Kellan Hickey, Nikolas Hakim, Kellen Krzisnik, Jacob Walley, Nathan Doak, and Novak Lazich coming back for Coach Dwayne Graves. Walled Lake Northern should be strong this season after winning eight games last season. The Knights have Owen Hickey, Antonio Hatcher, Drew Smith, Dylan Kramer, Stone Seyburn, Bryce Hodge, Noah Lamerato, and Pierson Bahoura coming back for Coach Ryan Negoshian. West Bloomfield shared the White last season and is in the Red this season. The Lakers have Donnie Watts, Corey Pittman, Chris Britton, Caleb Caudle, and Dyoni Edwards coming back and they added Bloomfield Hills transfer Drew Wilson for Coach Arnette Jordan. This district looks like a mismatch on paper with the Eaglets as the overwhelming favorite and for good reason but the Lakers might have a shot, you never know.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: Walled Lake Central is off to a surprising start to the season with wins over Waterford Mott and Lakeland. Their only loss was to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Lakeland has had moments of greatness. Walled Lake Western has been up and down with wins over Seaholm. Walled Lake Northern is well coached and could pose a tough out for anyone. West Bloomfield has been the Rodney Dangerfield but they have seemed to be turning things around. Orchard Lake St. Marys has had a strong start but fell to Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit. Overall no real changes but the Vikings are a darkhorse to watch.
District 27 @ Grand Blanc
OXFORD
Davison
Grand Blanc
Holly
Lapeer
PROJECTED MPR: 1. Davison, 2. Grand Blanc
FAVORITE: Davison
NEXT: Grand Blanc
DARKHORSE: Oxford
PLAYER ON SPOT: Ka’Vion Smith-Holly
THOUGHTS: There are four proven teams in this very tough district in Genesee County. Grand Blanc went to the final four with two different coaches and now they have a new but very familiar coach. The Bobcats have Anthony Perdue, Bryce O’Mara, Donnie Hutchinson, and Daniel Stelle along with incoming freshmen Isaiah McCree coming back for new coach Doreace Martin. Lapeer really struggled going winless last season. They are looking for a bounce back season. The Lightning have Hayden Josef, Will Fisher, Aiden Huestis, Connor Brown, Nikola Mashni, and Trenton Bierbusse coming back for Coach Greg McGeary. Davison really made some strides. They won 17 games last season. The Cardinals have Grew Lawson, Cortez Porter, Buddy Banks-Williams, Conner Woodruff, Sawyer Glennie, Jackson Bowden, and Danny Wolak coming back for Coach Mike Williams. Holly had a special year winning 17 games along with the Flint Metro League tournament last season but was upset by Hartland in the district semifinals. The Bronchos have Ka’Vion Smith, Anthony Simmons, and Bowen Moore coming back for Coach Steve DeHart. Oxford won 13 games last season. The Wildcats have some proven experience in Luke Stoffan, Jay Cady, Drew Cady, Jonah Lundberg, and Jake Champagne coming back for new coach Joe Fedorinchik. This district looks like its Grand Blanc’s to lose but keep an eye on Davison, Holly, and Oxford, these three teams are more than capable of springing an upset.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: This district has some major changes. Grand Blanc is 0-2 and there are some major concerns with the Bobcats that I have surrounding them. I’ve seen Davison play and they look really good. The Cardinals are more than capable of breaking through in this district. Holly when healthy is very dangerous. The Bronchos can make up a ton of ground quickly and are well coached. Lapeer is coming off two wins against Holly and Flint but had a rough loss to Clio. Oxford has a win over Lapeer in the regular season. The Wildcats have been playing much better and that’s a good sign. Overall the Cardinals are the favorite but the Bobcats need to be careful with teams like Oxford and Holly when healthy that could pass them.
District 28 @ Waterford Kettering
AVONDALE
CLARKSTON
LAKE ORION
PONTIAC
Waterford Kettering
Waterford Mott
PROJECTED MPR: 1. Clarkston, 2. Waterford Mott
FAVORITE: Clarkston
NEXT: Waterford Mott
DARKHORSE: Lake Orion
PLAYER ON SPOT: Jacoby Manyweathers-Waterford Mott
THOUGHTS: This is going to be a very tough and interesting district in Waterford. Waterford Mott added a ton of transfers in the offseason despite winning 16 games last season. The Corsairs have Jordan White, Jacoby Manyweathers, Gavin Ort, Geno Sheets, Jaiden Price, Greg White, Devon Lewis, Marlone Reed, and Isreal Anthony, Damari Stevens, Tory Robinson, and Max Jansenvanvuren coming back. Sheets and Jansenvanuren are coming in from Florida and Birmingham Brother Rice respectively for returning Coach Jeff Jayson. Waterford Kettering really struggled winning four games last season. The Captains have Noah Salazar, Jordan Jarrell, Kevin Meredith, Hunter Jager, Adrian Hicks, Carter Schroeder, Diego Rocha, and Noah Bisnett coming back for Coach Steve Emert. Pontiac really struggled last season but things have been trending in the right direction. The Phoenix have JJ Claudio, Traveon Peters, Carter Leatherwood, OJ Ghee, Famarzay Jeffery, Faheem Jeffery, and Tim Ewing for new coach Andrew Myers. Claudio, Peters, Ghee, Jeffery, and Ewing are either freshmen or sophomores. Avondale had some turmoil last season. They have a new coach and has been a pure Jekyll and Hyde team this summer. The Yellow Jackets have DJ Moody, Dequarius White, Anthony Burton, Amaria Daniel, and Justin Greer-Sykes coming back for new Coach Jaret Thomas. Lake Orion was very competitive last season winning 12 games. They are a very young team but they could surprise some people. The Dragons have Gabe Scott, Nick Galben, Ethan Sharkey, Hayden Armstrong, Quay Fly, Ryan Rocheleau, and Sam Blakeley coming back for Coach Jose Andreadas. Lake Orion did get a transfer in Zach Parks. Parks transferred from Brandon this offseason. Clarkston won 12 games despite what fans called a struggling year last season. The Wolves have Aidan Barnes, Brady Beck, Cole Charter, Quinn Rosenberg, Peyton Fitzsimmons, John Kaul, Brycen Lefief, Matthew Pflieger, and Matthew Taverna coming back for Coach Tim Waslik. This district is very tough as mentioned. The Wolves are a slight favorite but never count out the Corsairs, Dragons, Yellow Jackets, or Phoenix.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: This district is really starting to get interesting. Clarkston despite their early struggles has been rolling. I’ve been torn on Waterford Mott and Lake Orion. The Corsairs have been struggling a little bit while the Dragons have been a machine. Avondale has been starting to turn things around and could be a tough task for anyone who has to play them. Pontiac has been up and down. Waterford Kettering has been also up and down. Overall I thought about moving Lake Orion over Waterford Mott but decided to keep everything as is because of the play in the Lakes Valley Conference.
District 29 @ Troy Athens
TROY ATHENS
TROY
SEAHOLM
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
Birmingham Brother Rice
PROJECTED MPR: 1. Birmingham Brother Rice, 2. Troy
FAVORITE: Birmingham Brother Rice
NEXT: Troy
DARKHORSE: Troy Athens
PLAYER ON SPOT: Warren Marshall-Birmingham Brother Rice
THOUGHTS: This should be a very interesting district on paper. Birmingham Brother Rice fell to Orchard Lake St. Marys in the district finals last season despite winning 22 games. The Warriors and the Eaglets are in different districts this season. The Warriors have TJ Yaldo, Lohan Hamama, Luke Salkowski, Evan Koph, Warren Marshall, Quincy Twymon, Jeremiah Caffey, David Williams, Cash Lawson, and Chase Van Ameyde coming back. They added Elijah Williams from Arizona, Trevor Smith transferred in from Okemos and have a freshman standout in Ace Walters for Coach Ricky Palmer. Troy won 15 games last season and should be in the mix. They have Jon Whiteside, Andrew Lake, DeNiro Price, Bryce Bauman, Chase Kuiper, and Mason Parker coming back for Coach Gary Fralick. Bloomfield Hills lost a ton of proven talent from last season. The Blackhawks have Daron Mason, Carter Canfield, Mason Hitchcock, Blake Nagy, Reggie Hinton, and Phil Mohammad coming back for Coach Brian Canfield. Troy Athens should be a sleeper and they have home court. The Red Hawks have Emmanuel Robinson, Hayden Crum, Brayden Downey, Griffin LaBay, Luke DiGiovanni, and Eli Garvin coming back for Coach Dave Scott. Seaholm won the Blue last season after a rough start. The Maples have Findlay Sparby, Abraham Miller, Max Laskey, James Chinonis, and Jacob Drouillard coming back for Coach Mike DeGeeter. This district looks like it’s the Warriors to lose but the Colts might have a very strong say about that and everyone else in this district is not bad at all.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: Birmingham Brother Rice is off to a very strong start. Troy has bounced back nicely after their opening night loss to Berkley. Troy Athens has been up and down lately. Bloomfield Hills has really struggled this season. Seaholm has been up and down thus far. Overall no changes when it comes to seeding in this district.
District 30 @ Adams
ADAMS
STONEY CREEK
ROCHESTER
Utica Eisenhower
Utica
Romeo
PROJECTED MPR: 1. Adams, 2. Utica
FAVORITE: Adams
NEXT: Utica
DARKHORSE: Utica Eisenhower
PLAYER ON SPOT: Peter Karadasis-Adams
THOUGHTS: This should be a very interesting district whoever hosts. Utica won 15 games last season. The Chieftains have Numehnne Gwilly, Sebastian Soriano, Mason Brodi, Silas Smith, Hussein Naser, Timothy Geottes, Ali Hasan, Blake Dan, Nick Gojcaj, and Luke Cottingham coming back for Coach David Hinke. Utica Eisenhower should be very interesting. They won 14 games but fell to Adams on a buzzer beater at home in the district finals last season. The Eagles have Brandon Buza, Alex Varner, Hayden Bills, Ian Patterson, Preston Crum, Owen Van Dam, Karsten Vaughn, Dominic Trupi, Cody Raymond, and Khristian Dimovski coming back for Coach Tom Antishin. Romeo has been an enigma especially in the postseason. The Bulldogs have Deron Foster, Maguire Guinn, Rickey Hussey, Aidan Kamego, Aidan Tague, Andrew Taseski, and Jacob Watson coming back for Coach Marv Cushingberry. Rochester should be solid again this season. The Falcons have Max Mohl, Logan Pleasant, Noah Kim, Luke Lionas, Evan Crowe, and Jake Tandy coming back for Coach Nick Evola. Stoney Creek really struggled last season. The Cougars have Tre Walker, and Tommasso Sinacola coming back for Coach Jeff Olind. Adams went through a lot of changes this offseason but they should be in the mix come postseason time. The Highlanders have William Gee, Peter Karadasis, Trenton LaGarde, Jake Andrzejak, Aaron Troxwell, Chan Yang, and Gavin Farris coming back for new Coach Isiah Novak. This district is very interesting as mentioned. The Eagles and Highlanders stand out but watch for the Cougars with their young nucleus. The Falcons and Chieftains aren’t bad either. It’s really hard to trust the Bulldogs come postseason time.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: The Highlanders have been off to a good start and the record shows it. Utica has been off to a torrid start going 8-0. The Chieftains have wins over Romeo and Utica Eisenhower. Romeo it’s hard to trust them when it comes to consistency. Utica Eisenhower is starting to turn things around despite losses to Utica and New Haven. Rochester has struggled but got a win to close 2023. Stoney Creek has really struggled and the stats prove it. Overall a ton of changes but Utica should scare anyone who is in this district.
District 58 @ TBA
HARPER WOODS
Harper Woods Chandler Park
St. Clair Shores South Lake
Eastpointe
Detroit Denby Tech
Detroit East English Village Prep
PROJECTED MPR: 1. Harper Woods Chandler Park, 2. Harper Woods
FAVORITE: Harper Woods
NEXT: Harper Woods Chandler Park
DARKHORSE: Detroit East English Village Prep
PLAYER ON SPOT: Julian Young-Harper Woods
THOUGHTS: There are a ton of storylines in this district but no one is hosting as of yet. Detroit Denby won 10 games last season for Coach Kevin Woodmore. Detroit East English Village Prep won five games last season for Coach Vincent Bright. St. Clair Shores South Lake won six games. Eastpointe went winless last season. The Shamrocks have Aaron Perry, Dalon Davis, and Kean Davison coming back for Coach Michael Railey. Harper Woods Chandler Park won 15 games last season for Coach Bobby Thompson. Harper Woods made the district finals in Division One last season. They are back in Division Two this season. The Pioneers have Julian Young, Isiah Lewis, Colby Bailey, Jason Prince, Delano Key, Tyler Lowry, and Stephone Buford coming back for Coach TaJuan Porter. Overall this looks like a two team district between the Pioneers and Eagles but don’t count the Tars, they could surprise some people.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: Detroit Denby Tech has really struggled this season. Harper Woods has been up and down with their record but they have played a really tough schedule. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy is off to a strong start but fell to Detroit University Prep and they are one of the favorites in the districts. Eastpointe has been up and down. St. Clair Shores South Lake has been up and down lately. Detroit East English Village Prep has been up and down but they are my darkhorse in this district.
District 59 @ Detroit Pershing
FERNDALE
FERNDALE UNIVERSITY
Detroit Pershing
Detroit Osborn
Warren Lincoln
Hazel Park
PROJECTED MPR: 1. Ferndale, 2. Warren Lincoln
FAVORITE: Ferndale
NEXT: Warren Lincoln
DARKHORSE: Detroit Pershing
PLAYER ON SPOT: Trenton Ruth-Ferndale
THOUGHTS: This is a very interesting district. Talking to Ferndale Coach Juan Rickman during media day, he is not a big fan of this district being held at Detroit Pershing. Hazel Park won six games with a very young team last season. The Vikings have LaMontai Otis, Ajavion Rogers, Mason Pickett, Kaleb Lervik, and Caleb Strother coming back for new Coach C.J Goff. Warren Lincoln won 18 games last season. The Abes have Markus Blackwell, Moses Blackwell, and Timarion Minor coming back for Coach Wydell Henry. Detroit Osborn really struggled. They won three games last season for Coach Anton Bradford. Detroit Pershing won four games with a very young team last season for Coach Shawn Hill. Ferndale University had an up and down year last season. The Eagles have Tyler Stokes, Arthur Stanley, Jeremiah Hill, Dajuan Small, and Pierce Sanders coming back for Coach Josh Nicks. Ferndale won the Division Two State crown for the first time since 1966 last season but they will have a young team that will have three freshmen and a sophomore this season. The Eagles have proven experience in Trenton Ruth, Mishawn Hearford, Julian Cardenas, Markiese Young, Kaden Hudson, and Darien Johnson coming back along with the arrival of Eden Vinyard and Toriano Adams for Rickman. Overall this district looks like it’s a two team race but never count out Ferndale University or Hazel Park by any means.
HOLIDAY THOUGHTS: This district will be a two team battle between the Eagles and the Abes. Both are State ranked and have proven experience to their lineups. Detroit Pershing is now the darkhorse with their start. The Doughboys could be a problem for the top two teams. Ferndale University has been up and down. Detroit Osborn has been playing really good basketball and they are off to a strong start. Hazel Park has been up and down. This should be a very interesting district late into the year. It should be very competitive.
Here are the Districts
https://my.mhsaa.com/Sports/Boys-Basketball/2024-Districts
by orionontv | Dec 11, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Sunday December 10th at 12:00 PM
Here are my thoughts on each team during this stretch of the season.
Boys
North Farmington: The Raiders had no issue with Farmington winning 68-25. Tyler Spratt and Landon Williams had big games. North Farmington has a really tough schedule ahead of them but they are off to a strong start.
Ferndale: The Eagles had a bounce back win against a really good River Rouge program. Trenton Ruth has really shown out for Coach Juan Rickman. Ferndale has started to turn things around a little bit which is a good sign going forward.
West Bloomfield: The Lakers had a bounce back after losses to Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit and East Lansing they earned a 74-45 win over Southfield Arts and Tech. Coach Arnette Jordan despite the two losses has this program playing really well but they still have a long way to go and a tough December still looming. They are in a great spot right now.
Adams: The Highlanders have been rolling despite the concerns in the interior. Adams relies a ton of William Gee and Peter Kardasis. The danger is clearly there for Coach Isisah Novak’s team, what if both or one of the guards struggle, which could spell trouble for the Highlanders going forward.
Clarkston: The Wolves balance showed especially Peyton Fitzsimmons and John Kaul combining for 33 of 52 points in their 52-40 win over Lake Orion. Clarkston did have a tough 56-55 buzzer beating loss to Detroit Old Redford Academy. The Wolves are going to need that balance to be successful and Coach Tim Waslik knows it.
Oak Park: The Knights earned a big win over Macomb Dakota winning 61-54. Oak Park has been up and down. Coach Durrand Sheppard will have this program heading in the right direction, there have been signs which has shown.
Groves: The Falcons are going through a ton of injuries right now which is why they are struggling a little bit. They fell to Troy but bounced back against Oxford. The key for Coach Marc West and his team is to stay healthy and get ready for league play this week.
Troy: The Colts big three of Mason Parker, Chase Kupier, and Jon Whiteside have been very good as of late. They were instrumental in their 67-53 win over Groves. Troy bounced back after their shocking loss to Berkley. The Colts are in a good spot right now.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers have been up and down, it is unknown if they won over Detroit Edison. There are times that Harper Woods has been very inconsistent which is concerning for Coach TaJuan Porter. It will be very interesting to see what happens for the Pioneers going forward.
Troy Athens: The Red Hawks have been playing really good basketball despite their 59-58 loss to Redford Thurston. Troy Athens has been playing really well as of late which is a great sign going forward for Coach Dave Scott.
Seaholm: The Maples are in a rough patch, they had it tough with East Lansing along with losses to Royal Oak and Walled Lake Western. Seaholm needs to find a way to get out of this funk and soon if they want to make some noise this season.
Lake Orion: It was a rough week for the Dragons falling to two really good teams in Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Clarkston. Lake Orion will be fine despite the two losses. They have to be better sound defensively and not turn the ball over, if they do that then success will happen for this group.
Farmington: The Falcons had a really tough matchup with North Farmington falling 68-25. Greg Greys will be relied upon for Coach Byron Johnson to turn things around. It will be very interesting to see how things go for Farmington. It’s been up and down for them.
Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks played better in their 52-42 loss to Royal Oak which is progress for Coach Brian Canfield. Bloomfield Hills needs to keep improving and the results will come despite the tough schedule that lies ahead.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors earned a hard fought 51-48 win over Detroit Fredrick Douglass but fell 74-45 to West Bloomfield. Southfield Arts and Tech is a young team. Coach Terrance Porter’s team will have a ton of ups and downs. They have a really tough schedule in December.
Stoney Creek: It’s time to panic on the Cougars, they are struggling. They did not look good against Windsor Holy Names and New Baltimore Anchor Bay. Stoney Creek needs to find a way to overcome this problem if not then it could be a similar story to last season.
Avondale: It was going to be tough for the Yellow Jackets going up against Birmingham Brother Rice falling 71-47 on Saturday afternoon but there is a reason why Coach Jaret Thomas is playing this tough non conference. Avondale will be fine, no panic with Thomas’s program.
Oxford: The Wildcats have been very competitive despite the 1-3 start. Oxford still needs someone besides Jake Champagne to step up which they are trying. I wouldn’t press the panic button on Coach Joe Fedorinchik’s team not at all, they are fine.
Rochester: The Falcons are off to a really rough start after falling 61-39 to Adams. Rochester needs to find that balance but it’s clear they are struggling. Having six days off should help Coach Nick Evola’s team regroup. The Falcons need their interior to step up and take the pressure off of Luke Lionas and Max Mohl in a huge way.
Berkley: The Bears have been rolling since their opening night loss to Novi which included a win over Troy. Berkley is rolling right now and have gotten contributions from everywhere. Can they keep it up is the question mark going forward.
Pontiac: The Phoenix suffered their first loss to Jackson 62-51 snapping a two game winning streak. Coach Andrew Myers team is still very young. Pontiac will be fine, no panic with them.
Royal Oak: The Ravens made a statement with two big wins over Seaholm and Bloomfield Hills. Coach Aaron Smith has this team believing. They could be a darkhorse in the Blue with how they have been playing lately.
Ferndale University: The Eagles have bounced back after two really tough losses with two wins over Southfield Christian and Madison Heights Bishop Foley. Ferndale University’s defense has been the difference in their two wins allowing 44.5 points per game. The Eagles have turned things around which is a good sign.
Girls
West Bloomfield: The Lakers haven’t played a game yet but that changes this week. It’s hard to judge Coach Daryelle McCallaster’s team as of yet. West Bloomfield is coming off a tough loss to Rockford last season and returns four proven players in Summer Davis, Indya Davis, Destiny Washington, and Kendall Hendrix. Sheridan Beal looks to be the fifth starter. The Lakers should be a force to watch this season.
Rochester: The Falcons had a good start to the season with a 35-17 win over Adams. Alice Max had 18 points in the game. Rochester needs their guards to step up and take some pressure off Max going forward and Coach Bill Thurston knows that. The Falcons have a really tough December still looming.
Stoney Creek: The Cougars showed some concerns despite winning 36-33 over Bloomfield Hills. Sarah LaPrarie had 13 points while Calista Ivezaj had nine points and Taylor Fulkerson had seven points. I’m not pressing the panic button yet on Coach Columbus Williams program but the concerns are there.
Lake Orion: The Dragons really struggled in summer league with numbers but they looked like a completely different team from the summer in their 68-23 win over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Lake Orion had balanced scoring all night. Sure it’s one game but the Dragons look like they haven’t lost a beat despite having a young team which is a great sign for Coach Bob Brydges.
Clarkston: The Wolves have been up and down lately. They have played Saginaw Heritage, Haslett, and Chelsea but the Hawks are down this season and they won by six (39-33) but they hung tough with Chelsea only to allow 71 points in a 71-45 loss however they had a 45-43 win over Haslett. Elianna Robak had six points against Saginaw Heritage but had 21 points against Chelsea. Brooklyn Covert had nine points against Chelsea. I have a lot more concerns about Coach Aaron Goodnough’s team and they have a rough December coming up.
Oxford: The Wildcats had a bounce back after falling 40-30 to Macomb Dakota earlier in the week by winning over a future district opponent in Davison 42-34. Alison Hufstedler had 18 points and Peyton Richter had eight points. Oxford has relied on their experience early in the season. They have a really tough non conference in December. It will be very interesting to see where the Wildcats are when the schedule gets tougher.
Royal Oak: The Ravens got off to a good start with an impressive 45-34 win over Mount Clemens. Lucy Freytag had 20 points for Royal Oak. The Ravens have a really tough non conference in December. Coach Brian Sopota has this team riding with a ton of confidence right now.
Bloomfield Hills: It is clear that the Blackhawks miss Ruby Smith. Smith was hurt in a practice and Coach Kristen Massey’s team is clearly different in their 36-33 loss to Stoney Creek. Brianna Young and Ashley Forner are very talented players but they need Smith if they want to make any noise in the White this season.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers are off to a strong start after an impressive 49-39 win over St. Clair Shores Lakeview. The Huskies are a solid team and Harper Woods has shown the balance even with a new coach, they still have proven experience.
Seaholm: The Maples had a bounce back after falling to Saline in their first game with a 59-8 blowout win over Farmington. Jada Josifovski and Addy Flynn had 14 points each, Mary Gumbas had 12 points, and Emma Weber had 11. Flynn has been playing really well for Seaholm and Coach Chris Manchester. The Maples have a really tough non conference in December. It will be very interesting to see how Seaholm does this season.
Groves: The Falcons are off to a 1-1 week with a 70-34 loss to Birmingham Detroit Country Day but a win over Avondale 54-50 was huge for their confidence. Groves will be fine as they head into the new week for Coach Alison Hidey.
North Farmington: The Raiders have won two straight under new coach Michael Allin with dominating performances. Asiyah Jihad has really been dominant in their two games, she had 27 points against Warren Woods Tower along with 14 points including 11 in the second half against Troy Athens. Anayah Billups had 13 points and 11 points against Troy Athens. North Farmington might be better than people think. The Raiders have a soft December schedule with Adams being their toughest test. We’ll know a lot about them in January.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors looked solid in their 76-35 win over Warren Michigan Colligate. Christian Banks had 28 points in the game for Coach Shaquita Coltrane. Southfield Arts and Tech had a good win to start the year but they have a tough non conference coming up. It will be very interesting to see what happens with the Warriors.
Troy: The Colts are a team that is taking a ton of life lessons. They took a tough loss to Romeo falling 53-31 but bounced back in a big way behind Diamond Prince’s 31 points to beat Sterling Heights Stevenson 58-22 however fell 47-23 to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood. It will be trial by fire for Coach Laura Guzman’s team.
Berkley: The Bears had a split to the early season winning 45-34 over Utica Eisenhower but fell 51-30 to Plymouth. Coach Clay Shaver has the program heading in the right direction but they still have a long way to go to be where they want to be come March. They have a huge test awaiting them come three days before Christmas but they have an opportunity to build on the momentum they gained despite the loss to the Wildcats.
Adams: The Highlanders knew it was going to be tough against Rochester falling 35-17. They had a 33-20 win over Waterford Kettering earlier in the week. Adams is much better this season then last season despite having a really tough non conference, the Highlanders could surprise some people which would please Coach Joe Malburg.
Troy Athens: The Red Hawks could be in for a long season after falling 57-29 to North Farmington. Troy Athens has a ton of questions with the guards and also scoring is a big concern for Coach Stacie Klump. It will be very interesting to see how Klump handles the guard situation but this is not a good start to the year for the Red Hawks.
Farmington: I’m shocked that the Falcons have scored 16 points in the last two games and has allowed 69 points per game in their two losses to Livonia Stevenson and Seaholm. That’s not a good way to start the season. Coach Natalie Nowak needs to fix a ton of things and the rest of December is brutal. It could be a long December for Farmington.
Avondale: The Yellow Jackets had a really tough loss to Groves 54-50. No one should press the panic button on Coach Roy Christmon’s team yet. Avondale has proven they can play with teams from the White. This will only help them come March, they are fine.
Ferndale: The Eagles are off to a surprising start with blowout wins over Ann Arbor Skyline and River Rouge. Ferndale has put 50 points in the last two weeks which is a great sign. Coach Keith Paris has this team rolling right now.
Ferndale University: The Eagles have not played a game yet so it’s unknown to judge and analyze Coach Brianna Rowe’s team yet.
Oak Park: It is unknown if the Knights played River Rouge. It will be very interesting to see how Oak Park does going forward.
Pontiac: The Phoenix had a really interesting week. They got Coach Corray Lett’s first win as coach by knocking off Hazel Park 41-22 but lost a tough one to Southfield Parkway Christian 44-31. It is clear Pontiac is much better than they were last season. The Phoenix will be fine.
