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Owens Community College Jamboree Recap

20 Oct
Isaiah Leads a Standout of Performers at Owens Jamboree

Isaiah Leads a Standout of Performers at Owens Jamboree

Another strong Jamboree at Owens C.C. as the Express hosted a quality field of teams with high-level players in an environment with a plethora of coaches to view and evaluate.

Isaiah Green 6’7″ sophomore forward (Lansing C.C.)- Even back to his days at Southfield High, Green is a monster on the offensive and defensive glass.  Isaiah finished with huge rebounding numbers in all three games.  Now Green has a few nice back-to-basket moves.  But he was also highly effective playing in the high-post and draining consistently mid-range jumpers with an effortless form.  Would be a steal in the GLIAC but could play in the MAC or Horizon due to mobility and skill-set.

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James Mann

James Mann 6’7″ Post-grad forward (Kingston Prep)- Arguably the best player at the Jamboree, Mann was a man all day.  He used his frame to beat defenders off post-catches and off the dribble using his quickness.  MAC and Horizon coaches better start calling otherwise you will see him on the scouting report soon.

Nikos Okekvoven 2018 6’11 forward (Spire Institute)- Great footwork for the big guy from overseas.  Good touch in the mid-range jumper.  Needs to work on slimming down and getting his conditioning in order to work effectively in any match-up.

Jordan Kenning 2017 6’9″ center (3Kings Prep)- Kenning is a thick 6’9″ with a wide body.  Crashes the offensive glass with reckless abandon.  A bit raw in the post but still has some upside.  3.06 GPA makes him a solid recruit in the GLIAC but could also see some high-academic schools getting involved as well.

D'Angelo Hansbro

D’Angelo Hansbro

D’Angelo (Delo) Hansbro freshman 6’1″ combo guard (Schoolcraft)- Knockdown shooter that looks to have brought his potent offensive ability to the junior college level as he set the in-game three-point record with 10 at Romulus.  Will pair well with a other Ocelot guards that will look to make each game a track-meet.

Derrik Jamerson sophomore 6’5″ shooting guard (Owens C.C.)- Michigan knows Jamerson can shoot the rock with unlimited range and quick trigger.  But what stood out about Jamerson was that his foot-speed has improved on the defensive end to where he is no longer a liability there.  Derrik still has one more year to grow with ball skills and individual offense, but colleges coaches have and should take notice of this budding star.

Antwan Johnson 6’5″ Post-grad forward (Kingston Prep)- Johnson’s name is familiar in the Detroit-area because he played his first three years at Detroit Henry Ford before transferring to Cincinnati Taft for his senior campaign.  An undersized combo forward, Johnson looks to have improved upon his upper-body, looking slimmer and more muscular.  Antwan is known as a high-flyer, but his ball skills have greatly improved, and his spin move is deadly on helpless defenders.  Has one thing players just have that is difficult to coach, is always around the ball on both ends.

Dwight Burton 6’2″ freshman guard (Macomb C.C.)- Instant offense with this wing guard.  Great isolation scorer with an impeccable first step when driving the lane as he uses pump-fakes to draw separation on the perimeter to get into the paint.  Should be in-store for a monster year at Macomb.

 

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Mayor’s Notebook: A Look at Toledo Elite Camp

6 Jul

The Toledo Elite Camp bought out top talent from several states and Canada. The theme was talented bigs.

20160626_145124Blake Verbeek 2018 6-10 Calvin Christian- 6-10 shooters do not grow on trees. With the ability of a shooting guard, Blake stepped out and knocked-down three pointers across the perimeter while also mixing in a few mid-range jumpers.  Polishing out a complete arsenal of skills and finding ways to impact games without just shooting will make Verbeek much more appealing to high-majors.  Recently visited Creighton.

20160626_151821Marcus Bingham 2018 6-8 Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills- I would like to see Bingham’s wing-span, at-least 7-3.  His shot wasn’t particularly falling on the day, but the ability to post-up and shoot over defenders while also creating with a decent handle allowed Bingham to earn an offer.  Bingham is a type of player college coaches want to get a hand on because his talent is translatable to fit various styles of play.

20160626_144824Mark Mayle 2018 6-8 Malvern Ohio- The King James 16U big man put on a pick-and-roll clinic.  Mayle’s high basketball IQ gave him open look after open look which most of the time he converted with ease.  Then he had some electric dunks right on top of his defender’s head.

Julian Savoury 2018 6-5 Belleville- Savory has a motor that won’t quit.  Pulling rebound after rebound.  He displayed a nice touch finishing around the hoop.  There is definitely a lot of upside to like in this prospect.

Duane Washington 2018 6-1 Grand Rapids Christian- Has really grown as a player this past Spring and should translate into a big July.  If it was not for the numbers on the back of his shirt, Washington would’ve been mistaken for a Toledo player, as he was not flustered in any way while scrimmaging the college team. Has a nice feel for balancing when to score off the bounce with counter moves and when to distribute.  Earned an offer immediately following conclusion of the camp.

Now for a quick look into the future. Rising ninth grader Antwan Ficklen is a name to remember. He made good decisions with the rock against peers, and handled the pressure well against the college team. Anthony had a great Spring for the Michigan Warrior eighth grade team.

Contributed by Al Troia

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Mayor’s Notebook: U of D Mercy Highlights

24 Jun
Rising sophomore guard Mark Watts has established himself in the 2019 class.

Rising sophomore guard Mark Watts has established himself in the 2019 class.

University of Detroit Mercy held their annual elite camp last week. It was the first under new head coach Bacari Alexander.  Coach Alexander is optimistic for what the future holds at UDM.  And while on the job for the past two months, Coach Alexander has devised a strategic, multi-phase step plan organized to the very last detail on how to reach the ambitions he has for the program.

“Well we’re on day seventy-one here,” said Bacari, “we used the first thirty days to get the roster in-order.  The second thirty days will be used to get the right staff in here and hopefully we use the last thirty days to get a strength and player development routines established. We got the corner of McNichols and Livernois jumping again. Remember the Titans.”

Standout Performers

2019 Allen Academy Mark “Rocket” Watts guard- Rocket had his improved offensive game on display.  He has clearly established himself as one of the top players in the 2019 class.  He holds an offer from Oakland while receiving interest from Xavier, Michigan State and Detroit.

2017 Ypsilanti guard Jamezell “Big Game James” Davis guard-  Standing at 5-9 ,Davis used his quickness to get to the rack and set-up his teammates all night.  He’s firmly ready to lead the Ypsi charge for Coach Brooks this upcoming Winter.

2018 Lamar Norman Godwin Heights guard- Norman was unstoppable in transition all day long.  Definitely can go get a bucket when needed.  Offers from Toledo and Ferris State.

2018 DJ Lundy Romulus forward- Playing on the same camp squad as his former Belleville teammates Davion Williams and Gabe Brown, Lundy cleaned up miss after miss and was hitting open jumpers.  It’s clear Lundy has worked on his game this summer.

2018 Jacob Boonyasith Jenison guard- Ability to knock-down the three-ball, especially playing with unfamiliar point guards, stood out. Kid can really shoot it.

2018 Jacob Polakovish forward Grand Rapids Catholic Central forward- He used his 6-7 frame to rebound the glass on both ends of the floor.  Ran the floor really well for a big.

Contributed by Al Troia

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Mayor’s Notebook: Reggie Butler’s Big Man Camp

19 Nov

Former Xavier Musketeer legend Reggie Butler held another Big Man Camp recently.  These camps draw good talent from around Michigan.  Butler’s main focus is on establishing position on the block, leverage, footwork, and low-post moves.  One thing campers know when it comes to Big Man camps is to get down to work.  Just ask Xavier Tillman and Austin “Big Country” Davis.  And current Kent State star Khaliq Spicer is one of Butler’s many standout students.

Top Performers

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Macomb Dakota’s Thomas Kithier looks for big sophomore campaign.

2018 Thomas Kiether 6-8 Macomb Dakota- Thomas keeps improving polishing up his low-post moves.  Now he is scoring over both shoulders, becoming a big time prospect.  Offers from Oakland and Detroit, with interest from Michigan, Michigan State, and Xavier

2017 Braeden Sackley 6-6 Macomb Dakota- Kithier will have a partner in crime this winter in the Macomb Dakota paint.  Sackley is a transfer from North Carolina with a stop in Toronto, Canada last year.  Sackley has a good jumper from the outside with plenty of bounce.  This camp will help him eat on the inside.

2017 Nate Brooks 6-6 1/2 North Farmington- A transfer from Georgia, Mr. Brooks has long arms and a knack for rebounding.  This guy will be trouble on the glass for the OAA league per Mayor.

2016 Logan Ryan 6-7 Canton- Don’t know how this guy is still on the board in the 2016 class.  Ryan had his passing on display dropping dimes from the high post show the ability to step out as well

2017 Reed Sellers 6-8 Milford- Reed needs to add weight, but it doesn’t appear he’s done growing though.  If he keeps working with Butler, Sellers will have some big games ahead of him.

Carl Bow Jr. 6-0 Hazel Park- Bow is a guard, he was there just working feeding bigs.  Bow has gotten noticeably bigger physically and added bounce to his game.  Look out for him and Mr. Hearns at Hazel Park this year as they both hold division one offers only as sophomores.

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Ty Groce Commits to Northeastern

6 Nov

14195551-standardThis dog is ready to run with the upstart Huskies.

Ypsilanti Lincoln’s Ty Groce has made it offical.   After coming back from a visit from Boston, Ty sat down with his mom Marion (a former Ferris State Bulldog), and minutes later broke the news.  Big Ty will be attending Northeastern next year.

Groce had a strong season for Splitter Nation last year, averaging 14 points and six rebounds per-game.  The decision ultimately came down to Duquesne, Rice, and Northeastern.  The visit to Northeastern is where Ty fell in love.

“I like the old style feel to the campus,” said Groce, “the Northeastern basketball family, and the school’s strong commitment to academics.”

Groce at a long and lean 6-8 is one of Michigan’s top seniors.   His ability to step out and make the three-ball and get points in the paint make him a perfect fit for Coach Bill Cohen’s up-tempo style of play.  Northeastern is a program on the rise going 23-12 last year and winning both the Colonial regular season and tournament championships.  The Huskies made their first tournament appearence since 1991 in 2015,  and gave Norte Dame a scare losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament 69-65.  The Huskies have held colonial regular season title 2 of the last 3 years.

Ty credits assistant Brain McDonald for being the point man on his recruitment, and hopes to contribute as a freshman for the Huskies.  Until then, he will lead Splitter Nation into battle this winter.

Contributed by Adam Troia

Photo via MLive

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Mayor’s Notebook: Owens Jamboree Recap

15 Oct

First off, I would like to extend a gracious thanks to Owens coaches Keith Raine and Dave Clarke for the invite.  It was chow time for this hoop junkie in more ways than one.  Four courts of competitive games for six-plus hours, it was time to eat.

Top Teams

Schoolcraft- This squad was loaded last year and enjoyed a deep playoff run, finishing sixth in the national tournament.  The new-look Ocelots have several new faces for head man Abe Mashhour and his line of all-star assistants Mike Allie and Corey McKendry.  One key to their success was the up-tempo style, which was a lot of fun to watch.  What will be the Ocelots’ keys to success this year?

Owens- The Express added a great deal of size especially, on the wings with Charles Penn 6-7, Brain Walker 6-6, Xavier Cochran 6-6, and Derrik Jamerson 6-5.   Coach Clarke will have plenty of match-up problems this winter.

Mott- Not the tallest team in attendance, but Coach Schmidt year after year has scrappy guards that will guard the length of the court.  Lorenzo Collier, Diandre Wilson, and St. Bonaventure transfer Jalen Adams will be a solid trio this season.

Top-Performers

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Jordan Blount

Jordan Blount Spire Academy Geneva, Ohio 6-7 Wing- Jordan is in his first year of post-grad ball.  Originally from Ireland, Blount is an excellent passer with good court-vision.  He continually knocked down open threes and his hustle was infectious to his teammates.  Blount recently visited Valparaiso, and has interest from Georgia Tech, Toledo, Baylor, and Ole Miss.

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Lorenzo Collier

Lorenzo Collier Mott 6-4 Guard- Can get end to end in a heartbeat.  Finished well after contact on his way to rack. A low-major steal with upside as he continues to progress his guard skills.

Derrik Jamerson Owens 6-5 Wing- Michigan knows this kid is a knock-down three-point specialist, but the Owens staff has made it a point to round out Jamerson’s game.  His foot-work and laterally speed has greatly improved, and he showed signs of scoring not solely with the three.  Holds an IPFW offer with more on the way.

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Diandre Wilson

Diandre Wilson Mott 6-3 Guard- Must be pretty good to come all the way to Flint via Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Consistently made tough shot after contested shot with numerous defenders draped on him in the lane and at the rim.  Division one talent and attitude schools want in a scoring lead-guard.

Dilyn Good Owens 6-9 Power Forward- Good is a sophomore, and at the community college level that usually indicates a veteran.  And with so many freshman and first year players on Owens Good played with poise and control.  He projects as a stretch-four at the moment as he did work on the outside, but strong enough to bang with bulkier opponents.  Understands spacing and where to be on the floor.

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R.J. Coil

R.J. Coil Schoolcraft 6-9 Center- “I need a big” was the common theme out of most of the coaches present at the jamboree.  Mr. Coil is not short of 6-9, and he is no stick by any means.  Really active on the glass and did a good job scoring on put-backs without plays called for him.  Red-shirted a season ago at Marist.

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Kash Blackwell

Kash “Money” Blackwell Cuyahoga CC 6-4 Guard- Mr. Kash has definitely got some dog in his game.  Soild scorer with a good mid-range feel.  Hit the glass well from the guard spot as well.

Ja'Christian Biles

Ja’Christian Biles

Ja’ Christian “Rocket Man” Biles 6-3 Schoolcraft Guard- “Rocket Man” can definitely fly.  However, he had his outside game on display Sunday nailing the threes consistently with his pure stroke. This makes him a really tough cover because he can make you the THAT GUY underneath the basket in his highlight reel.  Mid-major plus no doubt.  Love his motor and energy on both ends of the court.

Bryan Collins 5-10 Schoolcraft Guard- Lito Booth has departed Schoolcraft after one season.  Collins will more than likely fill the role left by Booth as lead point guard and pressure defender.  With teams opting to focus attention on Biles, Collins will get a good amount of open looks this year.  He made more than he missed on Sunday.

Xavier Cochran

Xavier Cochran

Xavier “X” Cochran 6-5 Owens Wing- Recently picked up an offer from Bethune-Cookman.  More are on the way with some added development and seasoning in a college program.  A little streaky on the day, but the upside is there as a wing with size that can handle and score.

Other Strong Performers On The Day

Keion Farrington Mott 6-5 Forward

Tyrese Searles Owens 6-3 Point Guard

James Kodet Lansing 6-4 Forward

Charles Penn Owens 6-7 Forward

Contributed by Adam Troia

 

 

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Mayor’s Notebook: Top Uncommitted Seniors

8 Oct

Seniors available as of 10/8/15

Karmari Newman 6-3 shooting guard Detroit East English

Call him knock-down.  Newman is a lefty marksman that excels playing off-the-ball and snipping from beyond the arch.  High ceiling as body fills out.

Schools interested: Cleveland State, Buffalo, George Mason, Duquesne, Eastern Michigan, St. Bonaventure, Robert Morris

Justin Turner 6’2″ combo guard Detroit Renaissance

Dynamic three-level scoring guard with college-ready size and skill set.  A type of guard a school can run an offense through with his ability to create his own shot with or without the ball.  Hope he stays healthy this year.

Schools interested: U of D Mercy, Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Toledo, Oakland, Central Michigan, Fairfield.

Ty Groce 6-8 forward Ypsilanti Lincoln

Unreal potential.  Presents a multitude of dilemmas for defenses at 6-8.  Can step out a little, and put it on the floor.  Needs to play hard all the time and beef up a little.

Schools interested: Illinois State, Oakland, Rice, U of D Mercy, Akron, Toledo, Cornell, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northeastern, Kent State, Buffalo.

Dwight Burton 6’2″ combo guard Detroit Delta Prep

July’s biggest stock riser with the Michigan Playmakers.  Might have the fastest first step in Michigan with ability to blow past defenders and score in mid-range.  Still learning a feel for the game.  Has only played organized basketball since ninth grade.

Corey Allen 6-2 combo guard Ypsilanti 

Physical, aggressive, down-hill attacking guard for Steve Brooks’ Grizzlies.  Proved in July he would be a solid mid-major get.

Richard Talley 5-10 point guard Detroit Renaissance

Pesky defender that will fit in well at whatever defense a college wants to run.  Holds an offer from the Northwood (MI).  Absolute steal for any division II school at this point.

James Towns 5-9 point guard Detroit Henry Ford

The heart and soul of the Trojans.  Towns will be relied on to score a great deal this season.  Aggressive above the rim finisher and improving perimeter game.  Like Talley, his strength is ballhawking defense.  U of D Mercy has made Towns the main Titan point guard prospect in 2016.

Emmanuel Gildo 6-5 forward Lansing Waverly

Kid has some serious bounce.  Most impressive player at Bankhoops minicamp.  Dunks, rebounds, and overall dominated the paint.

Dylan Carl 6-10 center Alma

Vegetables, milk, and iron will help take his game to the next level.

Schools interested: U of D Mercy, IPFW.

Logan Ryan 6-8 forward Canton

Consistency on 15-20 foot jumper made Ryan an intriguing look at for small schools towards the end of July.  Getting a little bit nastier and embracing the dirty work it takes to be a successful scholarship player.  On the verge of division II but a nice steal for a division III or NAIA with exceptional grades.

Schools interested: Albion, Adrian, Alma, Madonna, U of M Dearborn, Goshen, Lake Forest.

Calvin Blaydes 6-6 forward Belleville

Runs the floor like a deer, and leaps like a pogo stick.  Ozzing with potential with some more seasoning and work by Coach Trump.

Schools interested: Lake Superior State, Northwood, Rochester, Barton CC..

Stephen “The Falcon” Umfress 6-3 wing Monroe St. Mary

For a guard, he jumps out of the gym.  Maybe if the school’s football team threw a little more he could help out at wide receiver.  Good teammate and kid to have in a program.

Brent Davis 6-3 guard Plymouth

Division I athletic ability illustrated with his 44-inch vertical.  Struggles to shoot it at times, but excels in transition when attacking the rack.  Lock him in a gym and watch what he looks like from now in two or three years.

Don’t forget about:

Kyle Hayes 6-8 forward Ypsilanti Arbor Prep

Terrance Sewell 6-2 guard Detroit Northwestern

Armani Tinsley 5-10 guard Detroit Western

Kareem Murray 5-10 guard Detroit Western

Nate Moore 5-9 guard Saginaw Arthur Hill

Ethan Dixon 6-6 forward Detroit Cornerstone

Ja’Myrin Jackson 6-0 guard Lansing Eastern

Dequan Powell 5-11 shooting guard Detroit Loyola

Ojani Echevarria 5-8 guard Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills

Jeremiah Richard 5-9 guard Kalamazoo Central

Anthony McInstosh 6-0 guard Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills

Billy Thomas 5-10 guard North Farmington

Justin Penn 6-0 point guard Ferndale University

Mike Littlejon 5-10 guard Muskegon

Jaton Gunn 6-1 guard Benton Harbor

Curtis Dawson 5-10 guard Benton Harbor

Tabin Throgmorton 6-3 wing Clarkston

Luster Johnson 5-11 guard Consortium

Hunter Page 6-0 guard Parma

James Jenkins 6-7 forward Hazel Park

Joan Andoni 6-3 shooting guard Livonia Churchill

C.J. Marshall 6-0 guard Macomb Dakota

Rayjon Williams-Jackson 6-0 Ypsilanti

Sameer Jabbo 6-5 forward Bedford

Ryan Stevens 6-0 point guard Lowell

Andrew Kline 6-0 point guard Waterford Our Lady

Contributed by Adam Troia

 

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Mayor’s Notebook: A Pope Becomes a Cardinal

28 Sep

CPtT1aSUwAAc6EVRahsaan “Moot” Pope made it offical.  Pope, a senior 6-5 wing from Romulus High School, verbally committed to Saginaw Valley State of the GLIAC.  Moot started his prep career at rival Belleville for two years, with one campaign on varsity.  Then he took his skills across infamous Hannan Road, where he said he felt more apart of a family at Romulus.  Last year as a junior, he averaged nine points, five rebounds, and five assists per-game.  Pope had always been on the minds of college coaches, but he certified himself as a scholarship player after a strong Summer with the Michigan Warriors.  Come, July a familiar face followed the Warriors around the circuit.  It happened to be SVSU assistant coach Chin Nwachukwu, AKA Chin-a-Doodle.  Now Coach Chin has told me for several years, if I believe a player is good he would let The Mayor know about it.

Pope went on an unofficial visit to the University Center campus about a month ago, when he was gathering interest from IPFW and Grand Valley State at the time.  Rahsaan later returned on an offficial visit in mid-September.  He felt a strong connection toward the campus, gym accessability, and team/family atsomsphere.  Former Milan standout and current Cardinal junior forward C.J. Turnage helped introduce Pope to the SVSU family.  Finally, head coach Randy Baruth laid a out a challenge to Moot.  Put in the work and raise his game to a new level come Pope’s freshman season.  Rashaan is not the kind of player that backs down!

That is a rap.

-Mayor

Contributed by Adam Troia

Special thanks to Romulus head coach Jarret Smith for assistance on the piece.

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Mayor’s Notebook: Ring The Bell! Bankhoops Minicamp Recap

22 Sep

Thanks to Mr. Steve Bell for his hospitality at the 11th annual Bankhoops All-State Minicamp.  There were 140 campers from all corners of Michigan in attendance.  Some were sure-fire blue-chip prospects, while others made a name for themselves.  There was also a nice presence of colleges on-hand.  U of M Dearborn, Adrian, Albion, Kalamazoo, Spring Arbor, Hope, Northwood, Great Lakes, Trine, and Marygrove all viewed potential prospects.

Top five performers:

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Hayden Stauffer

Hayden Stauffer 6-5 2018 forward Centerville- Showed a great low-post skill-set.  Had a killer drop step move all day.  Kept the ball high in low-post and scored at will. Unreal footwork for a big at such a young age.  One of if not the top rebounder on the day.

Dylan Alderson 6-5 2017 wing Clarkston- Showcased a drastically improved jump-shot from a season ago.  Absolutely could not miss from deep.  He is on his way to a high major offer.  He currently has offers from Toledo, Central Michigan, and Wright State

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Pierre Mitchell

Pierre Mitchell 5-11 2018 point guard Detroit Loyola- Deadly mid-range game.  Did a good job setting up unfamiliar teammates to score.  Going to have a big winter for the Bulldogs in Class C.

Emmanuel Gildo 6-5 2016 wing/forward Lansing Waverly- Punished the rims at Aim-High all day.  Displayed athleticism and control while finishing against the New Haven trees on a few occasions.  Had several follow-up jams and thunder-dunks

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Darian Owens-White

Davion Owens-White 6-0 2017 point guard River Rouge- Coming off a Toledo offer this Summer, Owens-White has really picked up his ability to score, most notably with his killer pull-up jumper from the free-throw line.  Ultimate floor general.  Nicknamed “The Captain” for a reason!

Other Standouts:

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Nick Welch

Nick Welch 6-6 2017 forward Monroe St. Mary- A big time sleeper in 2017.  A high division II low division I prospect right now.  True mismatch on the floor.  His quickness makes a him a tough cover for a big and his 6-6 frame allows him to eat when a smaller guy guards him.  Solid x-and-o type player.  Plus his outside game is improving.

Derek Nicholson 6-7 2017 forward Williamston- A young 2017.  The kid loves contact under the hoop.  Showed a nice touch down low.

Jesse “Scrappy” Scarber 5-8 2017 point guard Detroit King- Mr. Scarber is as tough as nails on the court.  Pesky defender with great footwork and lateral quickness.  Probably a trackstar if he opted for another sport due to deceptive athleticism and speed.  Exceptional passer when not in a rush.  Received an Adrian College offer immediately following the camp.  But watch out division II and division I schools.

Logan Ryan 6-7 2016 forward Canton- Come on division II schools, we know there’s a weight program for this guy.  Logan had it going from the outside again and a couple of nice dunks mixed in.  Big winter coming from this kid.

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Seth Wright

Seth Wright 6-6 2019 forward Constantine- Showed worthy of conversation as a top 10 prospect in the state’s 2019 class.  At 6-6, Wright ran the floor like a deer and showed he can step out and be a threat to knock-down open attempts.

Logan Steffers 5-11 2016 point guard Stevensville-Lakeshore- Good ball hander that you can’t leave open behind the arc.

A.J. Crawford 5-10 2017 point guard Warren Cousino- Athletic guard who got by his man and finished with finesse regularly.

Showed Up and Showed Out:

Brandon Wade 6-0 2018 point guard Ann Arbor Skyline

Ryan Wade 5-11 2019 shooting guard Ann Arbor Skyline

Deyuan Heard 6-6 2016 wing Dearborn ATA

Tabin Throgmorton 6-4 2016 wing Clarkston

Andrew Kline 6-1 2016 point guard Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

Hunter Page 6-0 2016 combo guard Parma Western

Brennan Bushka 6-5 2017 wing Grosse Pointe South

Daeshon Pride 5-11 2016 combo guard Flint Southwestern

Contributed by Adam Troia

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Mayor’s Notebook: DeWitt’s Dynamic Class of 2018 Duo

6 Sep

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Sophomores Tanner Reha (left) and Luke Hyde (right) look to lead DeWitt on the hardwood.

Running over the old notebook, something jumped out – a school known predominately on the gridiron instead of the hardwood–DeWitt.  Now I admit I know little about DeWitt hoops.  However, two players that stood out during the travel circuit and high school team camp sessions were DeWitt sophomores, Luke Hyde and Tanner Reha.

I first saw Hyde at the University of Michigan College Practice camp.  His size, almost 6’6″, and ability to guard stood out against many of the camp’s premier talent.

Despite only being a ninth grader, Luke was the sixth man for the Panthers last winter on varsity.  In addition to the Michigan camp, Hyde has camped at Central Michigan and Akron.  Northern Illinois is another school which has expressed interest in the DeWitt swingman.   Unfortunately for Hyde, he was not able to participate in the July live evaluation period of games with his Michigan Mustangs-Haney 15u team due to a leg injury.  But Luke says he’s has been working to improve his ball-handling and shooting while in motion over the course of the off-season.

Classmate Tanner Reha had a strong summer to go along with Hyde.  He was a definite top five player at U of D Mercy’s camp in June.  Reha also had the opportunity to attend the Elite 25, and the Central Michigan camp with Hyde.

One of Tanner’s best individual games was his first ever game at the high school level.  The 6’4″ shooting guard poured in a team-high 22 points against an East Lansing team coached by stout defensive guru, Steve Finamore.  Tanner thus far has received interest from University of Detroit Mercy, Central Michigan and Kent State.  He is a very heady, tough, kid that is usually in the right position for a steal or rebound on defense.  Offensively, Tanner wishes to become a reliable knockdown three-point shooter.

Enough of the notebook. Let’s see what Luke and Tanner think about each other.

Tanner on Luke: “Luke has a killer mid-range game. He is a great teammate because he’s always positive.  Almost too nice.”

Luke on Tanner:  “Tanner is a great shooter and even better leader.  He’s definitely the spark plug on our team.”

DeWitt won the Capital Area-Red conference championship last year, posting an 8-2 record.  The team looks to repeat in 2016.  If DeWitt wishes to do so, a large amount work will be put on the shoulders of freshmen Hyde and Reha.  Can’t wait!

Contributed by Al Troia

 

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