Girls Basketball District Preview.

Written Thursday February 23rd at 11:20 AM

Here are the district previews for Girls Basketball. The BOLD teams are OAA Teams and not my picks who will win.


District 21 @ Farmington

2/27 Harrison vs. Farmington Hills Mercy 7PM

3/1 North Farmington vs. Farmington 5PM

3/1 Harrison/Farmington Hills Mercy vs. West Bloomfield 7PM

3/3 Final 7PM

Thoughts: When looking at this district, got to look at the Catholic League Champions Farmington Hills Mercy being the favorite. The Marlins have a ton of talent back and is well coached led by Gary Morris. The team with the best shot at eliminating Farmington Hills Mercy is North Farmington because of Sam Cherney and Kierra Crockett. Harrison is a darkhorse team because they have players led by Nila Warren, Teddi Pickens, and Olivia Perkins. If they can stay healthy then they might have chance to upset the Marlins. West Bloomfield has concerns in the interior with the departure of Jamila Elam whom transferred out but they have the guards and shooting to compete with anyone. Farmington has had a rough season despite beating Troy to close out the season but this district could be too much for the hosts.

PICK: It will be a North Farmington/Farmington Hills Mercy final. Everyone is going with the Marlins but for me I like Jeff Simpson’s crew to pull off an upset and move on. PICK: North Farmington.

District 25 @ Troy

2/27 Seaholm vs. Groves 5:30 PM

2/27 Avondale vs. Troy 7PM

3/1 Groves/Seaholm vs. Bloomfield Hills 5:30 PM

3/1 Avondale/Troy vs. Birmingham Marian 7PM

3/3 Final 7PM

Thoughts: Could this be the year that coach Jeff Rubin finally gets his Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks over the hump??? Well it won’t be an easy one to say the least and that’s because I think Birmingham Marian led by their superstar player Olivia Moore got a great draw with either Avondale or Troy they will play in the district semifinal while the Blackhawks might have to deal with most likely Groves in the district semifinal. That's not to say that the Catholic League runner-ups have a cake walk because they don't, the Mustangs have to be careful of the Colts or Yellow Jackets because both teams have the talent to upset Birmingham Marian. Avondale has had an rebounding season under first year coach Phil Dawson and has a star in the making in Olivia Russell. Troy has Megan Lenihan and Danica Murray for coach Simon Bato. Groves is a sleeper for a few reasons. The Falcons are a very good team, athletic, quick, and junior heavy. Groves won the Gold this season and has a player not a lot of people know about in Shea Carter among others for coach Amos Thompson's team. Seaholm could give the Falcons problems but without Mackenzie Harbort I don't think the Maples will pose a challenge despite winning the Blue for the second straight season. The Blackhawks have a lot of motivation, ton of experience, and they would love to get another crack at the Mustangs.

PICK: Groves/Bloomfield Hills will be a crazy matchup to say the least in the district semifinal but I think the Blackhawks with Amanda Sape will be too much for the Falcons. Bloomfield Hills will have their rematch with Birmingham Marian. The Blackhawks will get a bonus with Sape being healthy and playing to her full potential. I don't know why Tom Markowski thinks the Mustangs will get to the Regional easily. I severely disagree with Markowski that it will be Birmingham Marian that will be moving on, it will be the modern North Dakota State that will be moving onto the Regional. PICK: Bloomfield Hills.

District 23 @ Warren Cousino

2/27 Sterling Heights vs. Warren Regina 5PM

2/27 Warren Mott vs. Warren Cousino 7PM

3/1 Sterling Heights/Warren Regina vs. Royal Oak 5PM

3/1 Warren Mott/Warren Cousino vs. Troy Athens 7PM

3/3 Final 6PM

Thoughts: This district has the defending Class A. State Champions in here in Warren Cousino and they host the district. The Patriots have Kate McArthur and Kierra Flecther and they will want to repeat what happened last season. The team that could give Warren Cousino a game is Royal Oak. The Ravens have Samantha Potter, June Donnellon, and Jessica Adams. Troy Athens is a possible darkhorse team. Sterling Heights is improved, Warren Regina is decent, and Warren Mott is not that good.

PICK: This will be a Warren Cousino/Royal Oak district final. I know Ravens coach Brian Sopota is a defensive genius but I think Fletcher and McArthur will be too much for Royal Oak to handle. PICK: Warren Cousino.

District 31 @ Orion

2/27 Clarkston vs. Pontiac 5:30 PM

2/27 Waterford Kettering vs. Orion 7PM

3/1 Clarkston/Pontiac vs. Oxford 5:30 PM

3/1 Kettering/Orion vs. Waterford Mott 7PM

3/3 Final 7PM

Thoughts: This is an interesting district when you look at the teams and what they have went through this season. Waterford Kettering is not the same team it was last season losing three of their last four despite not having Lilla Schoof. The Captains shared the Kensington Lakes Activities Association North with Walled Lake Western this season, which is unusual by their standards with the Defense Department. Waterford Mott has had an up and down season despite losing four of their last five games coming into the tournament. Clarkston has had a strong season winning 15 games but a 500 finish in February at 3-3 on the season. Orion has had a tale of two seasons with the departure of Maddie Novak whom transferred out mid-season. The Dragons went 5-5 without her and is very young with only one Senior on the team for coach Kevin Kopec. Oxford has been playing better, going 7-3 in February. Pontiac is up and down but have won three straight games, including wins over Oak Park and Hazel Park. This could be an interesting district to keep an eye on.

PICK: Waterford Kettering better be careful of Orion. Looking at this district, remember 2007 when it was the Captains that upset the Dragons in Waterford Kettering. I think that could very well happen here. Orion would love to get another shot at Waterford Mott after what happened last season. I think Clarkston got a great draw and could march its way to the district final but they better be careful of Oxford. The Wildcats are playing better despite losing to Clarkston in the final game of the regular season. This will be a competitive district but the experts see a Waterford Kettering/Clarkston district final. I don’t know if I see it but it will be the Wolves that move on because of their height advantage inside. PICK: Clarkston.

District 30 @ Utica

2/27 Stoney Creek vs. Utica 6:30 PM

3/1 Adams vs. Rochester 5PM

3/1 Stoney Creek/Utica vs. Utica Eisenhower 7PM

3/3 Final 7PM

Thoughts: Stoney Creek is the Rodney Dangerfield of Girls Basketball. They have played a brutal non-conference schedule. The Cougars had to take their lumps, had a scoring drought where they scored less than 30 points six times this season but it looks like coach Kellen James team has turned the corner a little bit. The most dangerous threat to Stoney Creek's district title defense will be Utica Eisenhower. The Eagles are a solid team led by Malynn Kosnik. They also play in the very tough Macomb Area Conference Red. Utica Eisenhower has wins over Grosse Pointe South, Romeo, and Macomb Dakota. Utica is decent but the Cougars handled the Chieftains pretty easily 53-25 last December at Stoney Creek. Adams has had a long season going winless in the Red but they seem to turn it around a bit led by Maggie Rogers, Ryian Owusu, and Hannah Simard. Rochester has had a long season but they have the talent and health to compete and could very well surprise someone.

PICK: It’s sad to see that a district semifinal will be the impromptu district final. Stoney Creek and Utica Eisenhower will be seeing each other in the district semifinals pending if the Cougars can get by Utica which I think they will. The Stoney Creek/Utica Eisenhower winner will see Adams in the district final. The Cougars did take a bit of a setback as Emily Solek injured her knee against West Bloomfield in the regular season finale but I expect her to play through the injury. I can’t go against history and history tells me that James will be wearing a Brock Lesnar T-Shirt in the small gym of Utica High School. PICK: Stoney Creek.

District 24 @ Detroit Renaissance

2/27 Southfield Arts and Tech vs. Warren Fitzgerald 5PM

2/27 Hamtramck vs. Berkley 7PM

3/1 Southfield Arts and Tech/Warren Fitzgerald vs. Oak Park 5PM

3/1 Hamtramck/Berkley vs. Detroit Renaissance 7PM

3/3 Final 5:30 PM

Thoughts: Southfield Arts and Tech has improved since the calendar turned to February, including winning the Red but there could be a possible rematch with Detroit Renaissance that looms for the Warriors once the district final looms pending if both teams get there. Berkley could be a dark-horse candidate. The Phoenix beat Southfield Arts and Tech 66-51 at the Motor City Roundball Classic in December. It will be interesting when these two will meet again on Detroit Renaissance's home floor. I don’t think anyone else in this district will present a challenge to either the Warriors or the Phoenix.

PICK: It will be Southfield Arts and Tech vs Detroit Renaissance in the district final. The Warriors will be a different team with Deja Church fully healthy along with Alexis Johnson and Cheyenne McEvans but looking at the matchup they got size problems and the Phoenix have size, speed, and home-court as well. Sorry coach Michelle Jackson-Marshall but Detroit Renaissance will be moving on. PICK: Detroit Renaissance.

District 43 @ Detroit Mumford

2/27 Detroit Henry Ford vs. Detroit Mumford 4:30 PM

2/27 Ferndale vs. Hazel Park 6:30 PM

3/1 Detroit Mumford/Detroit Henry Ford vs. Detroit University Prep 4:30 PM

3/1 Ferndale/Hazel Park vs. Ferndale University 6:30 PM

3/3 Final 5PM

Thoughts: Detroit Mumford will be the favorite heading into this district because they play in the always tough Detroit Public School League. They went to the Detroit Public School League Final before falling to Detroit Martin Luther King this season. The Mustangs have talent in the form of Tiaria Earnest, Jaquila Jackson, Adoreya Williams, and Zamaria Polk, along with home-court. The team that could give Detroit Mumford fits is Hazel Park even though this is not a strong district. The Vikings have had a successful season under first year coach Chris Stroud despite losing three straight games to close out the season. Ferndale is the dark horse even though they struggled down the stretch this season. It will be interesting to watch.

PICK: This will be a Detroit Mumford/Hazel Park district final. The Vikings have had a good season but at the end of the day it is the Mustangs that will be moving on. PICK: Detroit Mumford.