Consider Opening Hearts (and Wallets) to Help Students Leaving the Foster Care System Attend College

Basketball Holiday Tournaments and Games

by orionontv | Dec 26, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Basketball Holiday Tournaments and Games.

Boys Basketball Thoughts

by orionontv | Dec 26, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Boys Basketball Thoughts.

Written Sunday December 24th at 10:14 PM

Here are my thoughts on all 23 boys teams heading into the holiday season.

North Farmington: The Raiders are rolling right now with wins over Clarkston, Groves, and Oak Park along with Farmington, Zeeland West, and Detroit Martin Luther King. Tyler Spratt and Landon Williams are playing really well and Rob Smith has been very good for North Farmington. Coach Todd Negoshian has this team clicking on all cylinders. They have Flat Rock looming in the North Farmington Holiday Extravaganza before heading into 2024. Negoshian has this team in a good spot right now.

Ferndale: The Eagles had a really tough 69-58 loss to West Bloomfield which set them back a little bit. Ferndale has three tough games looming with Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit along with Muskegon and North Farmington heading into 2024. Coach Juan Rickman needs more scoring out of those besides Trenton Ruth if they want to get back in the thick of the Red title picture.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers are a perfect Rodney Dangerfield with how they have played lately. Unlike Berkley, West Bloomfield has went through greatness like beating Ferndale, Westland John Glenn, and Southfield Arts and Tech to some heartbreaking losses like Warren Lincoln and Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit, a blowout loss to East Lansing, and a tough one to River Rouge. The win over Ferndale was very important for Coach Arnette Jordan because if they played like they did against the Eagles and do that on a consistent basis then they could beat anyone especially when they get to the postseason when they could see Orchard Lake St. Marys. The Lakers have two Roundball games against Grand Rapids South Christian and Detroit Renaissance. It will be very interesting to see how Jordan does in those two games and also in 2024 as well.

Adams: The Highlanders bounced back after a really tough 52-48 loss to Clarkston with a win over Groves. Adams had been on a roll with wins over Rochester, Oxford, Macomb L’Anse Creuse North, Milford, and Northville. William Gee and Peter Kardasis are doing their part but Trenton LaGarde has stepped up for Coach Isiah Novak. LaGarde has had several double digit games and has really become that third option for Novak. Adams has Grosse Pointe South looming in the Roundball. The Highlanders are in a really good spot right now heading into 2024.

Clarkston: The Wolves have played very consistent as of late with the play of Peyton Fitzsimmons, Cole Charter, John Kaul, Quinn Rosenburg and company. Clarkston is 4-1 in their last five games with wins over Lake Orion, Fenton, Adams, Sterling Heights Stevenson, and Brighton along with tough losses to North Farmington and Detroit Old Redford Academy. Coach Tim Waslik has this team clicking on all cylinders heading into 2024.

Oak Park: The Knights could be in some serious trouble with their play lately. They needed a buzzer beater to beat Warren Michigan Colligate. They were blown out by Ferndale and North Farmington which are not good signs in the Red. Oak Park has Flint Hamady in the Roundball which should be very interesting. Coach Durrand Sheppard needs to figure some things out heading into 2024 or it could be a very rough go especially when the postseason looms.

Groves: The Falcons have been really struggling. They have lost four in a row to North Farmington, Ferndale, Plymouth Canton, and Adams. Defense has been a big problem for Coach Marc West’s team as they have allowed over 60 points in three of those four games. They also have a loss to Troy and had to survive against Redford Thurston in which they allowed 77 points. They also have wins against Oxford and Livonia Clarenceville where they won by double figures. Groves has Detroit Cass Tech looming in the Roundball. West needs to address the defense heading into 2024.

Troy: The Colts have started to turn things around after their stunning loss to Berkley. They have wins over Southfield Arts and Tech, Harper Woods, Farmington, Novi, and Groves. Troy’s success has been based on their big three of Mason Parker, Jon Whiteside, and Chase Kuiper. Coach Gary Fralick is rolling right now. They have Detroit Edision in the North Farmington Extravaganza before going into 2024. The Colts are rolling right now.

Harper Woods: The Pioneers have played a really tough schedule. They have wins over Seaholm and Bloomfield Hills but losses to Troy, Detroit Renaissance, Detroit Edison, and Novi Detroit Catholic Central has been rough. Coach TaJuan Porter has Adrian looming at the Roundball. The Pioneers look like they are starting to put things together.

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks have been up and down as of late. They had some really tough losses to Redford Thurston and Lake Orion along with a stunning blowout loss to Howell. Troy Athens has wins over Rochester, Waterford Oakdale Prep, Livonia Churchill, Seaholm, and Southfield Arts and Tech. Emmanuel Robinson has been playing really well for Coach Dave Scott. The Red Hawks have St. Clair Shores Lakeview looming in Port Huron. Troy Athens is in a good spot right now.

Seaholm: The Maples have been around 500 lately with wins over Southfield Arts and Tech, Avondale, and Livonia Churchill but they have had losses to East Lansing, Harper Woods, Troy Athens, Walled Lake Western, and Royal Oak are very concerning. Seaholm is very good when they keep teams under 45 points and have struggled when the opponent scored over 45 points. They scored over 50 points in each of their last two games. Coach Mike DeGeeter is more than capable of getting this team back on track heading into 2024.

Lake Orion: The Dragons have won five straight since suffering losses to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Clarkston. Lake Orion has wins over Holly, Troy Athens, Bloomfield Hills, Farmington, Oxford, Plymouth, and Rochester. Coach Jose Andrades has done a really nice job with this really young team. The Dragons have built proven scorers and it has shown. Lake Orion will be tested heading into 2024 but they are in a really good place right now and the scary part is they can get better.

Farmington: The Falcons are better than their record indicates. Greg Grays has been playing very well for Coach Byron Johnson. They have been in a ton of close games against Lake Orion, Livonia Stevenson, and Livonia Franklin even though they lost those games much closer than the score indicated. They did beat Bloomfield Hills but was blown out by Troy in their last game. Farmington has Avondale in the Roundball along with a game against Redford Union. The Falcons are a very young team. If Johnson can keep this core together than two years from now they will be very good

Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks are really struggling right now. They have blowout losses to Walled Lake Central and Lake Orion along with tough losses to Harper Woods, Farmington, Royal Oak, and South Lyon. Talking to Coach Brian Canfield it’s like putting a puzzle together. Canfield has the pieces there like a Phillip Muhammad, or a DeRon Mason, or a Mason Canfield but it’s putting it all together and it will take time. Bloomfield Hills has Detroit Central looming before going into 2024. It’s a puzzle when describing the Blackhawks.

Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors have been really struggling. They had blowout losses to West Bloomfield, Belleville, Summit Academy, Troy, and Seaholm. They lost a tough one to Troy Athens and beat Detroit Fredrick Douglass and Detroit Denby Tech. Coach Terrance Porter is taking small steps with this team. They have Dexter in the Roundball looming. It will be interesting to see how Porter does with Southfield Arts and Tech as we head into 2024.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars have really struggled and the stats prove it. They don’t really have a true scorer besides Tre Walker. Walker needs to be on the floor in order for Coach Jeff Olind’s team to be successful. They have Sterling Heights looming. It’s clear as day that Walker needs to be on the floor for Stoney Creek to be successful.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets have started to turn things around a little bit with wins over Pontiac and Ferndale University. Avondale has kept teams from going under 50 points which is a recipe for success for Coach Jaret Thomas. Thomas has played a brutal non conference which included tough losses to Birmingham Brother Rice, Seaholm, and Dearborn. They also have wins over Berkley and Detroit Loyola as well. The Yellow Jackets have Farmington in the Roundball and Walled Lake Northern in the North Farmington Extravaganza looming. Thomas has Avondale in a good place right now.

Oxford: The Wildcats have won four straight after a 1-3 start. Oxford has wins over Royal Oak, Stoney Creek, Rochester, Plymouth Salem, and Lapeer along with tough losses to Lake Orion, Groves, and Adams. Jake Champagne has been a scoring machine but others have stepped up like Luke Stoffan, Jay Cady, Drew Cady, and Nolan Mauser. Coach Joe Fedorinchik has his team in a really good place heading into 2024.

Rochester: The Falcons earned their first win of the season with a 62-59 win over Pontiac. Prior to that game they had scored no more than under 50 points until this past week where they scored 57 and 62 respectably. Rochester had blowout losses to Lake Orion and Adams along with really tough losses to Dearborn Fordson, Troy Athens, Oxford, and Berkley prior to their win over Pontiac. Coach Nick Evola has been trying to get this team on track and it looks like he has. They have the New Baltimore Anchor Bay Classic looming with Grosse Pointe North then if they win or lose that it would be either New Baltimore Anchor Bay or Lakeland after that. It will be a big tournament for sure for the Falcons and if they can win that tournament then it would be huge heading into 2024.

Berkley: The Bears are your classic Rodney Dangerfield. They are off to a strong start which included an upset win over Troy but losses to Novi, Avondale, and Hartland are very concerning but to their defense they didn’t have Owen Stone in the Hartland game. Berkley has played very well since the Hartland game winning two straight and heading into 2024 with a ton of confidence. Coach Joe Sermo has this team in a better place right now.

Pontiac: The Phoenix are 1-4 in their last five games which is not good. The defense has been the problem for Coach Andrew Myers. They have allowed over 60 points in each of those losses. They have Pontiac Notre Dame Prep looming in the Roundball. If Pontiac wants to get back to what got them wins over Hazel Park, Ferndale University, and Southfield Christian they have to really defend because if they don’t they could be in some trouble.

Royal Oak: The Ravens started off strong with wins over Seaholm and Bloomfield Hills. They rolled to a 7-2 start with their losses to Oxford and Livonia Stevenson. Camden Clark has been the story for Coach Aaron Smith. They have others as well like Nick Hoffman among others who have also stepped their games up. They have Novi looming. If Royal Oak can keep this up then they could be a darkhorse in the Blue heading into 2024.

Ferndale University: The Eagles have lost three straight league games to Pontiac, Royal Oak, and Avondale. Ferndale University hasn’t been able to get to 50 points in those games which is very concerning for Coach Josh Nicks and the points against has gone up. The Eagles were scoring over 50 points earlier in the season but teams have done a good job defending them. Ferndale University needs to score more than 50 points if they want to be very competitive in 2024.

Girls Basketball Thoughts

by orionontv | Dec 26, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Girls Basketball Thoughts.

Written Sunday December 24th at 10:30 AM

What we learned about each team.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers have been on a roll to start the season. West Bloomfield has had two wins over Plymouth Salem and Chicago Butler Prep. The Davis twins have been very good especially Indya as of late but Summer has had her moments. Destiny Washington and Sheridan Beal have been very good along with Kendall Hendrix for Coach Daryelle McCallaster. They have two very interesting games in the Hardwood Classic at Romulus with Chicago Phillips in a rematch of a classic comeback win last season and Utica Ford II. West Bloomfield comes into 2024 riding with a ton of confidence.

Rochester: The Falcons have been unusually struggling with really tough losses to Wixom St. Catherine Sienna Academy, Dearborn Fordson, and Utica Ford II, all be it all of them are really good teams and they beat Adams. They have relied a ton on Alice Max scoring a double-double per night but it’s clear she needs help, she needs a robin, it’s the same situation it is with the boys basketball team at Oxford with Jake Champagne. Kylie Robinson is expected to be back in January which should help but the bigger concern for Coach Bill Thurston has to be which guard can step up and take the pressure off of Max. Thurston has Kaitlyn Guiola and Lucy Cook, among others but the problem has been trying to find that guard that can take the pressure off of Max before league play starts. Thurston has to address this or they are in trouble.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars have been on a roll which has pleased Coach Columbus Williams who is in his first year with the program. Stoney Creek has been dominant against Macomb County foes Romeo and Utica Eisenhower winning by 14 and 13 points respectively. They have also had to survive upset traps against Bloomfield Hills and Brighton. Defense has been the strength for Williams especially the press whether it’s the 1-2-2 or the 2-2-1 full court trap. The changing defenses has really confused offensives that Stoney Creek has faced thus far. Sarah LaPrarie, Merrick Schlawbach, and Izzy Ivezaj has played very well for Williams and they have had others that have stepped up as well. The Cougars should be tested when 2024 starts when they have Royal Oak. It’s been a good for Williams and company thus far.

Lake Orion: The word resilient is perfect to describe the Dragons and their 4-0 start. Lake Orion has been through the ringer with gutsy wins over Plymouth and Bay City Western along with wins over Adams and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Izzy Woltinski is back to being herself being a double-double machine every night. Ryann Pawlacyzk, Charlotte Peplowski, and Lexi Stroshein have been very good as well. Ellie Britt has been that stabilizer. Nevaeh Wood fits right in with this team especially in clutch time and that’s not mentioning Grace Hoenshien, Lauren LaForge, Xana Cuesda, and Dani Heck who’ve been very good off the bench for Coach Bob Brydges. This is much different team than they were in the summer and even last season when they lost nine seniors to graduation. Lake Orion has a ton of room for improvement as well. This will be a team to watch in 2024.

Clarkston: The Wolves have been battle tested which it has shown in recent weeks. They have wins over Saginaw Heritage, Novi, Haslett, Howell, and Lake Fenton along with a blowout of Macomb L’Anse Creuse. Their only loss was to Chelsea who is the top ranked team in Division Two. Coach Aaron Goodnough has had several players step up and make crucial plays in crucial times in Brooklyn Covert, Emily Valencia, Claire Walker, and Elliana Robak. Clarkston has Birmingham Detroit Country Day in the Hardwood Classic at Romulus. The Wolves have been very competitive which is a great sign heading into league play and their likely postseason clash with Lake Orion.

Oxford: The Wildcats have been around 500 despite playing a really tough schedule. They have wins over Flushing, Warren Regina, and Davison but really tough losses to Saginaw Heritage, Belleville, and Macomb Dakota. Peyton Ritcher, Sophia Rabb, Lexie Yankee, Emma Beggs, Braydee Elling, and Alison Huffstedler have been the glue for Coach Rachel Bryer. Mia Champagne has started to develop into her own as of late. The non-conference Oxford has played should help them especially going into the postseason where they have beaten Davison but they don’t see Lapeer or Grand Blanc until the postseason. The Wildcats are in a really good place heading into 2024.

Royal Oak: The Ravens have used their balance to win games and they have been battle tested. Royal Oak has had three close games against Livonia Stevenson, Walled Lake Northern, and Berkley which resulted in wins but it prepares them for the road ahead. 2024 should be a fun year for Coach Brian Sopota and company.

Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks have been very competitive for Coach Kristen Massey despite two early losses to Stoney Creek and Plymouth Canton. They have had no issues with Farmington and Ferndale University winning by a combined 128-24 in both meetings. Bloomfield Hills has a really interesting week to start 2024 with Lansing Waverly followed by Oxford and Lake Orion. We’ll see where they stand after the first week of January but the Blackhawks are heading in the right direction.

Harper Woods: The Pioneers haven’t really played in a long while which is a concern heading into 2024. They sit at 3-1 right now but they have to start playing some games. Harper Woods has a tough January looming which should test Coach LaTonya Tate’s team big time.

Seaholm: The Maples have been up and down lately with their 3-2 record. Addy Flynn has been solid for Seaholm. They earned blowout wins over Farmington, Livonia Franklin, and Clawson but two tough losses to Saline and Warren Cousino. We’ll know a lot about Coach Chris Manchester’s team in January when they play Clarkston and Stoney Creek, it’s a perfect barometer to see where the Maples are at.

Groves: The Falcons have been a really hard team to figure out. Coach Allison Hidey’s team was blown out by Hartland and Birmingham Detroit Country Day, and lost a tough one to Livonia Churchill. They have two wins against Troy and Avondale. Groves needs to find a way to be very competitive against really good teams heading into 2024 especially with the district they are in this postseason. They have a really tough January which includes Novi, Arbor Prep, and West Bloomfield.

North Farmington: The Raiders have been on a roll winning five straight games but they haven’t been battle tested so to some experts the jury is out on Coach Michael Allin’s team. North Farmington has a big test awaiting them when they head to Lake Orion, that game will be a good indicator to see where the Raiders are at. North Farmington is off to a strong start after having a great 2023. Lets see what 2024 brings for the Raiders.

Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors are back to their scoring ways which is a good sign for Coach Shaquita Coltrane. Southfield Arts and Tech has a ton of proven experience and it has shown in their wins over Warren Michigan, Colligate, Detroit Denby Tech, and Avondale. The loss to Livonia Stevenson is a concern especially that the Warriors are in the same district with the Spartans. Southfield Arts and Tech has a lot to be excited about heading into 2024.

Troy: The Colts have a young team going through a transition period and for Coach Laura Guzman the transition had to happen during the season. Troy is 2-1 vs Macomb County teams which includes wins over Sterling Heights Stevenson and a monster win over St. Clair Shores Lakeview but they have had some really tough losses to Groves, Orchard Lake St. Marys where they were very competitive, and blowout losses to Novi, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood, and Romeo. It’s been very rough for the Colts but they have the players and the time to turn this around. They could be a dangerous team come postseason time with the experience and they could sneak up on some people in the Blue.

Berkley: The Bears are in a much better place despite their 4-3 record with tough losses to Royal Oak, Plymouth, and Madison Heights Foley but they have a monster win against Utica Eisenhower which is huge at the moment. They have been very competitive in each of their losses and have been improving under Coach Clay Shaver. Berkley has built program strength as well which should help heading into the future. This is a darkhorse team in the Blue and in the district. I don’t think a ton of teams will like to play the Bears in 2024, they are getting better and better.

Adams: The Highlanders have been very competitive for Coach Joe Malburg but it was a really tough week with losses to Lake Orion and North Farmington. They had another blowout loss to Rochester and a tough one to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood. Adams has two wins over Waterford Kettering and Northville which is a huge win for Malburg. Samantha Blaine has been Malburg’s top player but his top players are very young and are gaining a ton of experience. They are a scrappy group defensively. The Highlanders will be fine but they have a brutal January coming up.

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks have had a rough December but ended the month on a high note winning 40-25 over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Coach Stacie Klump’s team were very competitive against Utica Eisenhower and South Lyon but were blown out by North Farmington and Wayne Memorial. Troy Athens started to get some consistency and will look for some more consistency which should lead into wins heading into 2024.

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 been blown out in each game this season which is very concerning. Nowak needs to change something in 2024 if the Falcons are to be competitive.

Avondale: The injury bug has really hurt Coach Roy Christmon’s team. The Yellow Jackets has lost three straight to Dearborn, Chippewa Valley, and Southfield Arts and Tech. The defense has been the problem for Avondale. They have allowed over 50 points in each of their five losses. Christmon needs to focus on the defensive end with his proven squad. The Yellow Jackets have a tough schedule coming up with features Berkley, Bloomfield Hills, Harper Woods, Rochester, Seaholm, and Lake Orion along with the Gold schedule. Defense is something that Christmon needs to address heading into 2024.

Ferndale: The Eagles have made a statement which included a win over Detroit Cass Tech in Detroit. Ferndale has played proven teams in Macomb Dakota and Dexter also tough as well. Coach Keith Paris has built this program. They have Ann Arbor Pioneer and Tecumseh in different classics with both games being very winnable. The Eagles are a much different team than last season. They could be the favorite in the Gold in 2024.

Ferndale University: The Eagles were very competitive in their first two games and especially against Detroit Old Redford Academy where they lost by nine but they have only scored nine points in two games. This is something where Coach Brianna Rowe needs to correct heading into 2024.

Oak Park: The Knights have some issues scoring which has shown in their three losses, two of them were blowout losses to Harper Woods and South Lyon but they were very competitive despite their loss to Walled Lake Central by three points. If Oak Park can develop scoring and play aggressive defense then they could surprise some people but it’s one game at a time for Coach Tyler Washington and company.

Pontiac: The Phoenix have three wins over Hazel Park, Marine City Cardinal Mooney, and Brighton Stockwood Prep. They have been very competitive in their losses to Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, Bloomfield Hills Sacred Heart, Westland John Glenn, and Waterford Kettering. Pontiac didn’t win a game last season and having three wins is a great sign for a young program that Coach Corray Lett has. The Phoenix still have Troy Athens and Royal Oak with every non-conference game being winnable. They still have a long way to go but Lett has this program heading in the right direction heading into 2024.

Marshall leaves Southfield for Brother Rice

by orionontv | Dec 26, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Marshall leaves Southfield Arts and Tech for Birmingham Brother Rice.