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Warren Mott Junior Derek Murphy Off to a Strong Start

3 Jan

Derek-Murphy-inlineWarren Mott has been known for football over the past few years, but don’t tell that to junior small forward Derek Murphy.  Murphy so far this season has started out his 11th grade campaign with already two 30 point plus games, one coming against Detroit Osborn and the other one against North Farmington at the Motor City Roundball Classic.  Derek has come along way from the summer time, after suffering a back injury and missing more than half of the AAU circuit, Derek gained 15 pounds of muscle, which has helped develop his overall game.

“I gained 15 pounds of muscle over the summer and worked on my own now, I play more over the rim and also my pull-up jumper has really improved.”

Derek is certainly an underrated name in a talent rich region such as the Metro Detroit area.  With small forwards in his class including Xavier Cochran (Ann Arbor Huron), Josh Davis (Henry Ford), and Jeron Rogers (North Farmington), it is hard for a wing to make a name of himself.  But for Derek, he uses it as motivation to only prove the naysayers wrong.

“I actually like it (Being underrated),” Derek went onto say, “It motivates me to play that much harder.  Especially when I play players ranked over me, I try to out-do them in every aspect of the game, including work ethic, defensive intensity, and overall stats.”

As far as an individual skill set, Murphy is a matchup nightmare.  He is too big for smaller point guards, but to quick and agile for taller forwards.  He can get to the foul line at will, and is a force to be reckoned with on the perimeter, where he is shooting over 40% from behind the arch.

“I’m a physical player, I play the wing guard mostly and shine at the point guard position,” the 6’5″ 190 pound Murphy said, “Opponents start a bigger guy on me and I get to the basket every time.  Then they switch and put a smaller guard on me and I shoot right over the top.”

It’s still early in Derek’s recruiting situation, but after putting up multiple 30 plus point games against quality competition, how can it not rise.  With a handful of D2 and low D1 school at the Motor City Roundball Classic, interest in the Mott junior is beginning to rise.

“It’s (Recruiting) been picking up over the last week.  Strong interest from Wayne State, Lake Superior State, and Ferris State,” Derek said, “As far as D1 schools, Dartmouth, St. Peters, and Bowling Green have reached out.”

Warren Mott is off to a sluggish 2-2 start on the early season.  However, expectations are high for this team.  With seniors Kenny Goins and Stef Johnson on the squad, there is no reason this Marauder team can’t make noise come playoff time come March.  The trio have goals they want  to accomplish, and will not lay down lightly for teams standing in their way.

“Us three are definitely the three main contributors, on and off the court we are brothers,” said the junior, “for us to be successful, we must perform.  “The main goal is to lead the team to at least a district championship, I believe if we play to our best ability, we can be dangerous and make it far.”

Don’t believe that this strong start for Derek is a fluke and will fade away towards the middle of the season.  Murphy is motivated this year, not only to prove doubters wrong, but to play the game he loves, the sport of basketball.

“The fact that I didn’t really have an AAU season and my games are dwindling,” Murphy credits his early season success on, “so every game, I play it like it’s my last.”

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Clarkston Senior Nick Owens Extensively Talks Madonna Commitment

2 Jan

Clarkston-Southfield2

A senior on the Clarkston basketball team, senior Nick Owens in one of the reasons why the Wolves are one of the top teams in Michigan.  He is one of the more underrated shooters in the state that opponents must know where is at all times, because if not, put up three points on the scoreboard for Clarkston.  Here, Owens discusses why he chose to play college ball next year for the Crusaders of Madonna University.

How do you feel about committing to Madonna?

Nick Owens: I feel great about committing. It’s truly a privilege to play at a school such as Madonna. It feels good to have a set plan for my future so I can enjoy my senior season and work on bettering myself before that time comes.

What made you you want to commit to Madonna?

Nick Owens: What truly made me commit to Madonna, was the coach. He is one of the nicest guys I’ve met and very down to earth. He has turned the program around in the short 5 years he has coached there. I already have a ton of respect for him and the team. I really appreciated being invited to a recruit camp over the summer. We were put through a lot of evaluations and they offered me shortly after the camp. It made me feel like they really knew who I was before offering.  I was pretty sure I was going to attend Madonna but Khalil (Malone) definitely helped seal the deal. The final reason why is because I wanted to play more local so my parents and grandparents could attend as many games as possible, because I would be nowhere without the help and support they have given me over the years.

What was the difference for you picking Madonna over other school that were recruiting you?

Nick Owens: The biggest difference was Madonna had been contacting me for the past two years and showed a lot of interest, they were also very friendly and helpful whenever I had questions. I just had a gut feeling about Madonna from the beginning that I didn’t get from any of the other schools.

What is your relationship with the coaches at the school?

Nick Owens: My relationship with the head coach, Noel Emenhiser is a great one. He is a great guy and very easy to talk to. My parents like him very much as well, my mom said it’s exactly the kind of guy she wants to turn her son over to. He never would try to persuade me to attend Madonna; he would give me reasons why he thinks I would be a good fit there, which I liked. He is very trustworthy and honest and that’s the kind of guy I want as my coach.

Have you visited the campus? If so, what did you like about it?

Nick Owens: Yes I have visited the campus, and it’s a nice little place. What stood out to me was some of the academic help that was available, it will be very useful. Another thing I liked was that it seemed like a friendly community where everyone knows everyone which I enjoyed.

What’s it like playing for Clarkston this year? Is this a team that can compete in Class A for a title?

Nick Owens: Playing for Clarkston this year is an unreal experience, I played on the team for 3 years and part of my freshmen year and I can honestly say this is the best team so far. There is a ton of depth on the team from our twin towers Mike Nicholson and Cole Chewins, an up and coming big man Mitch Heaton who is smart has the moves and can talk, our hardworking and gritty guards, including me, Andrew Myers, Press Kampe, Josh Bonzeim, and Merrick Canada. We have a strong power forward Jonah Newblatt and his backup Drew Swanson who can knock down some shots. My back up Alex trim can handle the ball, shoot, and do a little rebounding, Mason Vires who can knock down some 3 balls and Dayton Wallis who is a good shooter and can direct traffic on the court. We all get along and have fun together, and I think with all the teamwork we possess we have a chance at that state championship. These are some of the best teammates I have ever played with, they have my back and I have theirs, it is truly a privilege to play with them, and I will cherish it forever.

Do you know any of the players already on the team or some of the fellow incoming freshman?

Nick Owens: I know Khalil Malone who is on the team already and is a great player and great guy, and have played against another incoming freshman Grant Smith a couple times. But I look forward to becoming closer with the rest of the team. I went to watch a game and was really impressed with the energy on the bench and the talent.

How do you see your game transitioning to the next level?

Nick Owens: I see my game transitioning very well, with the knowledge and hardworking abilities I already posses. With the help I will receive from my new coaches and teammates I see it going well

What is in store for your future leading up to your signing day?

Nick Owens: The things that are in store for my future up to my signing day are, a lot of work on my game and a lot of lifting and agility drills to get my body in tip top shape for the next level, some other things are a lot of wins for our team, and hopefully a state championship to pay off for all of our hard work.

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Taylor Truman Tops Detroit Western 65-48

29 Dec

TaylorTrumanWhat sums this game up is simply, Truman’s starting 5  was better than the Cowboys.  The Cougars used a 21-8 run in roughly a five minute stretch in the opening quarter to get a double digit lead and coast to an easy victory.  The only time Western would cut the lead down to single digits was 8 after the end of the third quarter.  However, the Cougars held Cowboy star sophomore guard Brailen Neely scoreless in the fourth, a major factor in winning the game, Neely finished up with 16 points in the game.   A key in the early first quarter run was senior point guard Devain Newbell, who scored 11 of his 17 points in the first quarter.  Newbill is an explosive guard in open space, with good handles that likes to get into the lane and create plays for Truman.  He has nice speed and can be effective when coming off a high ball screen.  To go along with 17 points, he had 6 assists, good enough to win the game MVP.

His partner in crime was 2014 U of D Mercy commit Aaron Foster-Smith.  Truman’s Mr. Basketball candidate did not disappoint, according to my stats,  Foster-Smith took 10 shots, and made all of them, including three three-pointers.  Aaron is wing with good size measuring in at 6’7″.  He is a explosive athlete, inside-out scorer, runs the break hard, and his body that needs to blocked out on rebounding, because if not, he will jump out of the gym and get the rebound, which he did 11 times vs. Western.  Foster-Smith is currently only under 100 points away from breaking Truman’s career scoring mark.

Not to be outdone in the victor fellow senior Anthony Wartley-Fritz.  In the win, Anthony had his best game of the season, getting a double-double with 11 points, and 13 rebounds.  Standing at 6’7″, Fritz, has good size, brings energy to the floor, and toughness.  He finished through a couple and-one plays, and went after rebounds hard the whole game.

With the victory, Truman is now 5-0 heading into the new year.  The Cowboys head into 2014 with a 1-4 record.

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2013 Holiday Hoops Invitational Recap

28 Dec

comlogoEast Lansing High School was the host of the annual Holiday Hoops Invitational held at MSU’s Breslin Center.  The showcase featured teams the majority of which came from Mid/Western Michigan, but that does not mean there is a drop off in talent.  Just about every game was competitive, and plenty of prospects made names for themselves.

Paw Paw 77 Lansing Christian 50

The Redskins of Paw Paw were flat out more experienced than Christian.  Junior division one recruit Tanner Eubank led Paw Paw with 20 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while senior Kyle Williams added 16 points for the Redskins as well.  The Pilgrims of Lansing Christian were led by senior Jordan Terry, who with Tanner took home the game MVPS, with 20 points, eight assists and four rebounds.  5’10” freshman shooting guard Matt Havey also played big Christian, adding 15 points, most of which came off nice perimeter jump shots.

Lansing Catholic 50 Schoolcraft 43

Catholic used their superior size, coming from the Poljan brothers David and Tony who are 6’8″ and 6’7″ respectively, to defeat Schoolcraft.  Although the two are brothers and tower over their opponents, the two each have a unique skill set.  Tony Poljan played more of the wing position, but still managed to come away with 14 rebounds.  He displayed the ability to handle to ball up the floor on the break and attack the basket in transition, with both power and graceful finishes at the rim.  David Poljan is more of a traditional power forward.  He has active hands that allowed him to deflect passes from the post, which resulted in steals for Catholic, good passer and vision from the post, and hit a few mid-range jump shots.  Central Michigan was in attendance for this game.  To go along with his 14 rebounds, Tony Poljan also had 20 points and 3 assists, good enough for the MVP.  His brother David, contributed 16 points.

Holt 79 Hudsonville 70

Holt does not have one central superstar on their team, however, the Rams do have players that each have their own abilities to impact the game, and 5’10” senior point guard Don’Quall Jackson is one them.  Jackson is a quick lead guard the plays well in space and likes to get into the lane and create plays. He is the type of guard that has the mentality of playing fast but never in a hurry. Another player that made contributions for the Rams was 6’3″ senior big man Colin Jones.  The undisputed vocal and emotional leader of the team, Jones played big and kept Holt in the game when Hudsonville made runs throughout the game.  Jones looks more like he would be a star football player, but makes up for it with his hard-nosed style of play.  He out willed rebounds numerous times from defenders, drew a few and-one post-up moves, and played defense the entire game challenging just about every shot.  Jackson took home the MVP with 26 points, four rebounds and five assists.  Jones also contributed 24 points and 8 rebounds.  Mason Opple led Hudsonville with 20 points.

Warren De La Salle 72 Grand Rapids Christian 64

What won De La Salle this game was their inside play and rebounding, which came from sophomore Kevin McKay, who contributed 27 points and 15 rebounds.  McKay is listed at 6’3″, but is forced  to play a power forward type role due to the Pilots’ lack of size.  Regardless, Kevin, is versatile enough to guard the 1-4 positions and be effective when doing so.  Christian senior center Darohn Scott looked to be a man against boy on the floor.  He caught several alley hoops, dunked everything around the basket, and defended the post well all night long.  Scott brought energy, intensiveness, and athleticism to the game.  Darohn was not only Christian’s MVP of the game, but also won the Invitational’s most outstanding player, adding 25 points, eight rebounds, and 5 blocks.  He currently holds offers from Oakland, Central Michigan, Detroit, and Illinois State.

Ann Arbor Huron 74 East Lansing 56

The junior class is deep for Huron, particularly at the guard position.  2015s Jalen Thompson, Xavier Cochran, and Dave Wren all had big nights for the River Rats, but each in their own separate.  Starting with Cochran, he can score the ball with the best of them.  In the third quarter, Xavier got it going from the perimeter, two three pointers and a long two, that resulted in an 8-0 run by himself.  Cochran didn’t attack the basket like he normally does, but it’s nice to have a dependable jumper that you can lean on to keep a defender honest.  Wren didn’t score much in the half-court set, but where he did gets his points was off steals that he and Thompson got off their traps from East Lansing.  Both Wren and Thompson are solid combo guards that can attack in transition and finish at the rim.  Wren had 16 points, and Jalen Thompson took home the MVP with a 24 point performance.

Consortium 66 Jenison 38

Another Consortium game means another Josh Jackson sighting.  Yes, it is apparent that he can score the ball from the anywhere on the court, rebound at a high level, and block shots with the best of them, but the key for this game was the calm demeanor he had throughout the game given the circumstances.  With Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo in attendance, Josh did not go out and try to put up a 50 point performance like he is capable of, instead, he let the game come to him, not forcing any turnovers, and playing within Consortium’s game plan, finishing up with a nice 21 point seven rebound performance to win the MVP.   Jenison senior Jake Arntson won the MVP, leading Jension with 14 points.

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Team Rankings Heading Into Week 3

23 Dec

puigStarting now, every two weeks there will be a new set of rankings for each class in Michigan.  Class A will have 25 ranked teams, Class B 20, Class C 15, and Class D 10.  Rankings will be based on victories, and strength of schedule.  There will also be a compilation of all classes into one big ranking with 30 teams.

Statewide Rankings

1. Pershing

2. Muskegon

3. Romulus

4. Mt. Clemens

5. Saginaw Arthur Hill

6. Cass Tech

7. Detroit Consortium

8. University of Detroit Jesuit

9. Bloomfield Hills

10. Ypsilanti

11. Grand Rapids Christian

12. Saginaw

13. East English Village

14. Clarkston

15. Jackson Lumen Christi

16. Detroit Henry Ford

17. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian

18. Cadillac

19. Detroit Country Day

20. Southfield Christian

21. Detroit Loyola

22. Jenison

23. Flint Southwestern

24. Melvindale abt

25. Otsego

26. Frederick Douglass

27. Taylor Truman

28. Milan

29. Detroit King

30 New Haven

Class A

1. Pershing

2. Muskegon

3. Romulus

4. Saginaw Arthur Hill

5.  Cass Tech

6. University of Detroit Jesuit

7. Bloomfield Hills

8. Ypsilanti

9. Grand Rapids Christian

10. Saginaw

11. East English Village

12. Clarkston

13. Jenison

14. Taylor Truaman

15. Detroit King

16. Holt

17. Flint Carmen-Ainsworth

18. Grand Blanc

19. Kalamazoo Central

20. Ann Arbor Huron

21. Canton

22. Mt. Pleasant

23. North Farmington

24. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

25. Detroit Renaissance

Class B

1. Jackson Lumen Christi

2. Detroit Henry Ford

3. Cadillac

4. Detroit Country Day

5. Flint Southwestern

6. Otsego

7. Frederick Douglass

8. Milan

9. Wyoming Godwin Heights

10. Zeeland West

11. Detroit Community

12. Corunna

13. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard

14. Goodrich

15. Ferndale University

16. Warren Fitzgerald

17. Grand Rapids South Christian

18. Comstock Park

19. Hudsonville Unity-Christian

20. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy

Class C

1. Mt. Clemens

2. Consortium

3. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian

4. Detroit Loyola

5. Melvindale ABT

6. New Haven

7. Negaunee

8. Pewamo0-Westphalia

9. Detroit Allen Academy

10. Flint Beecher

11. Ecorse

12. Muskegon Heights

13. Elk Rapids

14. Pine River

15. Laingsburg

Class D

1. Southfield Christian

2. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist

3. North Central

4. Lenawee Christia

5. Bellaire

6. Westside Christian

7. Cedarville

8. Boyne Falls

9. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

10. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

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Battle Of The Best Recap

22 Dec

images-5As the name would indicate, the best players and teams in Michigan traveled down to Detroit Renaissance to play one another in an early season showcase.  In a situation like this, teams and players want to make a name for themselves as legitimate state title contenders.  For the most part, the games were competitive and it was a great preview of what is to come when the playoffs start in March.

Ann Arbor Huron 65 East English Village 60

The River Rats got a key win despite losing the day before to Detroit Henry Ford.  Compared to his showing on Friday at the Romulus Christmas Showcase, Xavier Cochran looked much more comfortable on the floor and led Huron with a game high 29 points.  Cochran, who already holds a Rhode Island offer,  had his full offensive display on hand, hitting threes, a solid mid-range game, and attacking the basket.  He is a 6’4″ lefty with point guard skills, which include ball handling and play making ability for either himself or teammates.

Saginaw Arthur Hill 71 Southfield Christian 56

Arthur Hill junior point guard Eric Davis, who already holds 10 plus division offers as of now, must have had this game circled for a long time now, playing fellow The Family teammate Bakari Evelyn.  Davis showed that he is worthy of being the number one prospect in Michigan’s 2015 class and as well a top 25 ranking in the national class.  Eric was a man on a mission against the Eagles.  What got Eric going in the first half was his isolation midrange jump shot, a stable in his offensive game.  Eric finished the game with 32 points, 24 coming in the first half.  But the key stat for Davis in this game was rebounds, with 10.  A 6’4″ point guard with length that can score 32 and rebound ten as well?  Call all the high-major coaches and tell them to watch Saginaw Arthur Hill.

Although he had a quite performance, 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks, 6’6″ 2017 forward Brian Bowen, already holding offers from Michigan State and Missouri, had a nice game for Arthur Hill.  It is hard to shine when you have Eric Davis on your team scoring 32 on offense, but to standout you need to make plays on defense, which Bowen did.  He has the long arms that allowed to come up with steals and deflect passes that resulted in easy transition points for the Lumberjacks going the other way.  His development on offense will no doubt improve before the season is over.

The lone bright spot for Christian was 6’6″ forward Demarco White, who finished up with 15 points and 11 rebounds.  An undervalued senior for SCS, White brings athleticism, rebounding, energy and a unique skill set to the table for the Eagles.  Demarco multiple times rebounded the ball, and ran the break with point guard ball handling skills attacking the rim and drawing fouls.  It’s not to often you see a power forward like that in Class D.

Detroit Country Day 80 Cass Tech 75

Go ahead, say Country Day has lost too much to be a legitimate Class B contender.  But never put anything out of reach for the Yellow Jackets when they have Xavier commit Edmond Sumner, who had 30 points in the win.  Sumner is the total package when it comes to point guards.  Size, speed, athleticism, can pass, shoot, dribble all are characteristics to describe Edmond’s game.  But what has changed the most about Edmond this year is that he is willing to score anytime he has the ball.  Last year, it was easy to give the ball of to Lehigh’s Austin Price, Mory Diane, and Poet Thomas, and let them run the show.  However, this is Edmond’s team, and Country will need to let their Mr. Basketball candidate make plays for them if they want to make a return trip to the Breslin Center come March.

It helps if your Country Day if you have former Piston’s star Rasheed Wallace’s son Nazir Wallace scoring 15 points and bring down 13 rebounds a game.  The 6’6″ Wallace is an active, skilled long wing forward that has a high basketball IQ.  You can tell that he has the fundamentals of the game down, it’s only a matter of time before he starts turning that into some big time performances for Country Day.

Frederick Douglass 70 Saginaw 65

With the pre-season departure of Andre Frederick to prep school, the Hurricanes will now depend on 6’5″ senior Daavi Bradley to play the center position.  Bradley stepped up for Douglass with Dayton commit Darrell Davis not playing for unknown reasons.  Bradley was forced to matchup against 2016 prospect Algevon Eichelberger, standing at 6’7″, and Daavi proved that it’s not the size of the man, but the heart of the man in a fight.  Bradley brought great energy to both ends of the court all night long, with nine rebounds, and 17 points, a few of which came off offensive put backs.  Although he will most likely be a guard a the next level, Bradley proved that he has the ability to guard and play multiple positions, and be effective doing so.

Leading Saginaw High with 15 points was 5’10” 9th grade point guard Ron’Quavious (Qua) Southward.  His grade level is deceiving, because Southward played like an experience veteran for the Trojans.  In extended minutes where most freshman would be likely to force the issue and turn the ball over, Southward proved otherwise.  Qua did not take much shots, but when he did, Southwards was effective.  He has nice fluid and quick jump shot with nice rotation, and arch on the ball, from both three pointers and mid-range jump shots.  The Saginaw High vs. Arthur Hill rivalry is ensured to be enjoyable for years to come, with 2017s Brian Bowen and Southward at the helm.

Consortium 58 Detroit Southeastern 43

When is 28 points and 15 rebounds just another day at the office, welcome to the life of 2016 6’7″ forward Josh Jackson.  Jackson holds offers from the likes of Kansas, Ohio State, and Florida State right now.  A big turn around for Josh from a year ago is his improvement as a complete and overall player.  Last year, it was unneeded for him to rebound the ball with Vince Hunter down low for the Cougars.  But this year he has rebounded the ball in double digits both times I have seen him played, to go top of scoring 20 plus a game.

Pershing 57 Ypsilanti 54

The matchup that was highly anticipated to end the night was the battle between 2014s Jaylen Johnson and Pershing’s Justin Tillman.  Johnson found himself in foul trouble throughout most of the first half, and that was where Tillman, a VCU commit, went to work.  My first time seeing Justin and the Doughboys this year, has me scared for any other opposing forwards.  Tillman has a nice soft-touch around the basket, usually banking in buckets off the white square, which gave him most of his 14 points.  When he wasn’t scoring, Tillman made the difference on defense.  It is one thing to challenge a shot, but it is entirely different to block the shot leaving no possibility for a make and an offensive rebound.  To go along with his 14 points, Tillman had seven rebounds and eight blocks.

Providing a spark offensively for the Doughboys was junior transfer Marquel Ingram.  Ingram last year, who played for three different teams including U of D Jesuit, Southfield, and as well as a prep school in North Carolina, has found himself a home at Pershing.  Ingram 6’2″ combo guard that did most of his damage playing off the ball.  Marquel hit 3 three pointers, and was fearless when attacking the basket with his right hand, he finished up with 19 to lead Pershing.

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Horatio William’s Tip-Off Recap

15 Dec

images-5Another solid tip-off showcase was put on by the Horatio Williams Foundation at Detroit Edison High School.  The showcase featured some of the best teams within the city of Detroit, along with a few quality teams from the surrounding suburbs.  However, there was no shortage of individual talent at DEPSA.  From players who have already signed or been offered by division one schools, to players eager to make a name for themselves this year, Detroit Edison was the place to be on Saturday.

Detroit Community 70 Detroit Osborn 58:

Community junior point guard Darryl Smith was the clear standout for the Hurricanes in their win over Osborn.  He has grown two inches from last year, 5’7″-5’9″, and is set up to have a big 2013-2014 campaign.  Smith showed a quick first step when attacking defenders from the perimeter, and then finished nicely at the rim with either hand.  Smith rarely made any turnovers or mistakes the entire game, and led either team in scoring with 23.

Detroit King 54 Detroit Edison 41

If any senior in Michigan is more deserving of a college offer than King’s Tyrone Acuff, please let me know.  Mr. do it all Acuff was a man on a mission against the Pioneers.  The 6’6″, big bodied, long armed, broad shouldered, put the Crusaders on his back en route to victory.  Despite his size, Acuff has point guard skills that make him a matchup nightmare for opposing coaches.  He had everything going his way on the offensive side of the floor, hitting perimeter three pointers, took smaller defenders to the basket, rebounded offensively, finished in transition with authority, and played clutched during crutch time when DEPSA was mounting a comeback.  An absolute steal for any college that wants a solid late addition to their program.  Finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

Southfield 54 Detroit Western 51

A sloppy, error prone game did have its standouts.  For Southfield, 6’7″ junior forward Isaiah Green is listed as the tallest player the Blue Jays, and they needed every inch of that going up against the long and lanky Cowboys.  Green was a force all game long down low for the Blue Jays.  He was the games leading shot blocker, and sometimes even blocking multiple shots on just one trip down the floor.  He is good around the offensive rim, with an improving back to the basket game.

Western was led by 5’8″ sophomore point guard Brailen Neely.  Although he does not have the assists he should’ve had, Neely displayed excellent court vision throughout the game finding teammates for jump shots and layup that were simply missed.  The bread and butter for Neely’s offensive game is his three point jump shot.  Once he makes a few, which he did late to keep the Cowboys in the game, Brailen can stroke it with anyone.  Neely will be counted on for the Cowboys if they wish to contend in the PSL.

Detroit Cass Tech 86 River Rouge 58

The depth at the guard position for Cass Tech is hard to match with any team.  Even with division one prospect Kenny Carpenter not playing because of an injury, it was the guard play for the Technicians that won them the game.  Senior Mike Laster, one of the state’s top uncommitted seniors and had 17 for the game, did most of his damage going to the basket and finishing at the rim.  Class of 2015 prospect Rob Edwards, a transfer from U of D Jesuit, will contribute size, athleticism, craftiness, and play making ability for the season, Edwards finished with 13 points and six rebounds.  However, the guard that stole the show for Cass was senior Sharif Black.  Sharif played sparingly last year for the Technicians, sitting behind soon to be Florida Atlantic commit D’Andre Johnson.  Black was the reason why Cass had a strong second quarter and pulled away from Rouge at getting the win.  Sharif is a point guard who has a nice feel for the game.  He picks his spots well when he wants to attack the basket and when to set up for his teammates.  Sharif did a nice job of changing speeds on the defense keeping them uncomfortable, and facilitating throughout the entire ball game.  Black will be another weapon at the disposal for the Technicians if they wish to march to the Breslin Center come March.

The lone bright spot for River Rouge was 5’11” senior guard Kevin Lomax.  Lomax did all he could to keep the Panthers in the game, coming out in the first half and simply balling.  Hitting three’s, getting past defenders with nice ball handling skills, and using his speed to get into the lane to either create for teammates or himself, which usually got him to the free-throw line.  Lomax will pair nicely with other Panther senior guard Terrell Crawford for Rouge, who compete in Class B.

Detroit Consortium 67 Detroit Douglass 52

Even though the score does not indicate, this was the most exciting high school basketball game I’ve been to in a while.  The game pitted the number one player in the state, Consortium sophomore Josh Jackson, against Douglass’ Dayton commit, Darrell Davis.  Josh finished with 27 points, and 22 rebounds.  Yes that is right, 22 rebounds.  Can you get any more versatile than that for a 6’8″ SF?  Jackson showed the public that he is a big time player that can put the team on his back when needed.  He struggled throughout most of first half, giving up a few turnovers, and forcing the issue quite a bit.  But in the second half, is where Josh picked up his game.  He found is rhythm offensively, attacking the basket and getting into the lane for his mid-range game, and don’t forget about his defensive stats, the phenom finished with six blocks.  This is Jackson’s team.  Unlike last year where he had fellow superstar Vince Hunter to lean on during adversity, Jackson rose to the occasion for Consortium and led them to a win.

Davis finished with 23 to lead Douglass.

Detroit Pershing 34 Westland John Glenn 12

Yeah, you read that score correctly.  The Pershing vs. John Glenn game was suspended during the second half due to numerous quarrels in the stands.  Regardless, Pershing was given the victory, the Doughboys are now 1-1 on the young season.  The Rockets however, fall to 0-2, with both losses coming to PSL powerhouses, the other being a 72-35 setback to East English on Tuesday.

Next Horatio Williams Showcase

As previously stated, the Horatio Williams foundation does a fantastic job of organizing basketball showcases for Detroit area high schools.  The next showcase will be the Horatio Williams Foundation Freedom Classic Games, held on Saturday, January 18, at Warren Fitzgerald High School.  Here is the event schedule:

12:00 Warren Fitzgerald vs. Detroit Renaissance

1:45 Detroit Southeastern vs. Southfield

3:30 Detroit Western vs. Detroit Country Day

5:00 Detroit Cass Tech vs. Flint Beecher

6:30 Detroit Frederick Douglass vs. Warren De La Salle

8:30 Detroit Pershing vs. Ann Arbor Huron

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2013-2014 Statewide Rankings

7 Dec

images-6You can check out each class rankings above under the rankings tab in the menu selection.  However, here is where all the classes were combined to form one incredible list of basketball talent the state has to offer.

 

 

Statewide Rankings for 2013-2014 Season:

1. Pershing

2. Muskegon

3. Cass Tech

4. Saginaw Arthur Hill

5. Bloomfield Hills

6. Ypsilanti

7. Romulus

8. University of Detroit Jesuit

9. Mt. Clemens

10. Saginaw

11. Milan

12. Detroit Consortium

13.  Detroit Frederick Douglass Academy

14. Oak Park

15. Detroit Country Day

16. Detroit Southeastern

17. Detroit East English Village

18. Jackson Lumen Christi

19. Grand Rapids Christian

20. Jenison

21. Flint Southwestern

22. Detroit Henry Ford

23. Southfield Christian

24. Detroit Western

25. Clarkston

26. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian

27. Walled Lake Western

28. Southfield

29. Warren Mott

30. Flint Beecher

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2013-2014 Season Preview: Class A Team Rankings

5 Dec

12468961-standardLets face it, Class A was a battle between Detroit Pershing and Romulus for a state title last year.  However, this year, no team is safe in Class A.  Each team has its fair share of talented players that can go head-to-head with any other team on a given night.  Starting with the southeastern part of the state, the league that has seven teams in the top 25 is the Detroit PSL.  The league has created a new divisional alignment this year, with division one containing all seven representatives.  The two top teams, Pershing and Cass, will battle each other on January 24th at Cass Tech in what could be a game for the ages.  Another league that has improved depth from a year ago is the Catholic League Central Division.  Yes, it’s U of D Jesuit’s to lose, but the Cubs will not run away with the title this year.  Orchard Lake St. Mary’s has quietly built one of the state’s premier basketball programs, with alumni including the likes of Kalin Lucas, and look to make this year one of the best in school history, with 2015s Jason Boswell and Ted McCree.  Moving on up to the middle portion of Michigan, Saginaw Arthur Hill is the projected winner of the always tough Saginaw Valley League.  The Lumber Jacks have the number one player in 2015, Eric Davis, but has some help coming with 2017 Brian Bowen, who already has offers from MSU and Missouri.  The Hill draws a tough district assignment to first week of the playoffs, this time coming from crosstown rival Saginaw High.  Saginaw has been to the Breslin Center the last two year, winning it all in 2011-2012, and will lean on 2016 forward Algevon Eichelberger to lead the way this year.  Moving off to the west, Muskegon has been known for football, but that will change this year in basketball.  Muskegon has Stoney Brook commit DeShawn Thrower, 6’10” 2015 power forward Deyonta Davis, and rising junior Javier Kennedy.  If Muskegon wins district and regionals, it will most likely set up a state quarterfinal rematch last year with 2015 guard Deleon Brown’s Grand Rapids Christian Eagles.

Dark horses are everywhere in Class A when it comes to a title.  Last year, Detroit Southeastern was a perfect example.  Here was a team that was over shadowed by schools like Pershing and Douglass all year, but gained momentum throughout the season and into the playoffs and made it all the way to the championship game.  A team to take seriously come playoff time will be Oak Park this year.  Oak Park has dominating back court guards, Ja’Christian Biles, and rebound machine Rodney Scales up front.  Ypsilanti was on the verge of making a trip to East Lansing last year, but have reloaded with Louisville commit Jaylen Johson, 2016 point guard Corey Allen, and 2014 combo guard Janeau Joubert.  Also, watch out for Bloomfield Hills this season.  A new school that combined Lahser and Andover.  The basketball team has a majority of players coming from last year’s impressive Lahser team, led by forward Yante Maten, point guard Armand Carthwright, and scorer Kahlil Gracey.

Class A is hands down the toughest class in the state.  Will perennial state powers take the crown, or will teams eager to prove themselves win it all?  That is the question to be answered in what will be a crazy MHSAA version of the NCAA’S March Madness.

Pre-season Class A Rankings: 

1. Pershing

2. Muskegon

3. Cass Tech

4. Saginaw Arthur Hill

5. Bloomfield Hills

6. Ypsilanti

7. Romulus

8. University of Detroit Jesuit

9. Saginaw

10. Oak Park

11. Detroit Southeastern

12. Detroit East English Village

13. Grand Rapids Christian

14. Jenison

15. Detroit Western

16. Clarkston

17. Walled Lake Western

18. Southfield

19. Warren Mott

20. North Farmington

21. Taylor Truman

22. Detroit Renaissance

23. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

24. Detroit Martin Luther King

25. Holt

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2013-2014 Season Preview: Class B Team Rankings

4 Dec

12471050-standardClass B not only has some of the most talented players in the state, but also the best teams regardless of class in Michigan.  The defending champions, Detroit Country Day, lost four starters from last years team, but have Xavier commit Edmond Sumner to lean on this season.  The pre-season number ranked team in the state, Milan, have a pair of class of 2015 members that are ready to leave their mark on the state.  Point guard Latin Davis and forward Nick Perkins, after both had big summers in terms of recruiting, will lead the Big Reds this season with hopes of making a trip to the Breslin Center.  A team out of Detroit that was impressive last year and returns the main nucleus of its players is Douglass.  The Hurricanes have lost big man and Robert Morris bound Andre Fredrick to prep school, but have a trio of senior guards Darrell Davis, Terrell Hales, and Davi Bradley ready to lead what could be a Class B championship season.  Another team to lookout for this year from the PSL is Henry Ford.  Last year, the Trojans were a young, inexperienced team that struggled throughout most of the season.  But this year’s team is different.  Ford is led by division one bound junior guard Josh Davis, with sophomores James Towns and Antwan Carter.  Class B will not be ran away with this year, it will take toughness and determination to win come playoff time.

Pre-season Class B Rankings:

1. Milan

2. Detroit Frederick Douglass Academy

3. Detroit Country Day

4. Jackson Lumen Christi

5. Flint Southwestern

6. Detroit Henry Ford

7. Cadillac

8. Ostego

9. Wyoming Godwin Heights

10. Zeeland West

11. Corunna

12.  Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy

13. Lansing Sexton

14. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard

15. Detroit Community

16. Flint Powers Catholic

17. Hudsonville Unity Christian

18. River Rouge

19. Comstock Park

20. Arbor Prep

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