Boys Basketball Regional Preview.

Written Sunday March 12th at 6:35 PM

Happy Selection Sunday folks, anyway here is my outlook for the regional for Boys Basketball.

Grand Blanc Regional

Clarkston vs Macomb Dakota

This will be the fifth time in three years that the Wolves and Cougars will play each other with three of them coming into the State Tournament. Macomb Dakota has beaten Clarkston twice last season while Clarkston has beaten Macomb Dakota twice two seasons ago. The Cougars have three solid players in Thomas Kitchner, Jack Ballantyne, and Jermaine Jackson. The Wolves have a foursome in Foster Loyer, Dylan Alderson, CJ Robinson, and Taylor Currie. The Wolves lost in double overtime 68-66 last season to the Cougars in Macomb. If Robinson gets going then he could be the difference maker for Clarkston.

Stoney Creek vs Linden

The Cougars took advantage of the power outage from Wednesday’s windstorm by having the Utica district moved to their home floor but Stoney Creek is a very dangerous team when you look at them with Tanner Dean, Mike Mullerani, Evan Becker, and Nate Davis. They will take on a Linden team that won a district where each team had a losing record. The Eagles are 1-1 against the Blue this season so this will be interesting to keep an eye on.

PICK: I think Stoney Creek will have no problem with Linden. I think Davis will be too much for the Eagles. I’m not sure why that game is the 7 PM game compared to the other match-up between Clarkston and Macomb Dakota being at 5 PM. This will be tight that this one goes triple overtime. I think that Loyer, Alderson, and Robinson will get their points, I'm not sure about Currie getting his though. I think Kitchner, Jackson, and Ballantyne will get their points as well. If it comes down to role players, it favors the Cougars even though Macomb Dakota played on Saturday in the district final while Clarkston hasn't played the brightest of competition in the district. I think the Cougars move onto the quarterfinal because of the experience playing without Jackson earlier in the season will help them in this regional.

Walled Lake Northern Regional

West Bloomfield vs Howell

The Lakers have been on a bit of a revenge tour this district tournament. They beat Farmington whom knocked West Bloomfield out two seasons ago on their home floor then they got back at Orchard Lake St. Marys whom beat them in double overtime last season in the district final. Now they want some payback on Walled Lake Western whom also took out the Lakers from the district tournament three seasons ago. To make that happen West Bloomfield must be a scrappy Howell team and Walled Lake Western has to beat Novi.

PICK: I think this regional will be a rematch between West Bloomfield and Walled Lake Western in the regional final. The Warriors are a senior heavy team while the Lakers rely heavily on their guards Tre Harvey and Kevin McAdoo. This will be a great match-up between these two teams if they play each other and it’s a defacto home game for Walled Lake Western being at Walled Lake Northern. I like West Bloomfield to move to the quarterfinals.

Livonia Clarenceville Regional

Hazel Park vs Detroit Collegiate Prep

This is a rematch of a district semifinal last season in which Detroit Collegiate Prep beat Hazel Park 90-60. The Vikings needed a 40-point effort from Carl Bow to beat Detroit Mumford 80-59 in the district final. The other side has Detroit Henry Ford and Detroit Osborn. I think that match-up will go to Detroit Henry Ford and they will have a spot in the regional final.

PICK: This will be a tough match-up for Hazel Park against Detroit Collegiate Prep and if they get by them then you have Detroit Henry Ford and Detroit Osborn. The Vikings have a chance but they have to get a measure of revenge and take it one at a time. I think sadly Hazel Park loses to Detroit Collegiate Prep and Detroit Collegiate Prep moves onto the quarterfinal.

Troy Athens Regional

Troy vs St. Clair Shores Lakeshore

This is an interesting match-up when you look from a coaching perspective between Troy’s Gary Fralick and Lakeshore’s Derrick Walton Sr. The Colts have Jason Dietz and a solid junior core led by Leon Ayers and Danny Sully. The Shorians have two good players in Caleb Baytes and Jerome Dixon. The other side of the bracket has Warren De LaSalle taking on Chippewa Valley. It will be interesting because the Pilots have a senior heavy team and a very good coach in Greg Esler. It will be an interesting regional.

PICK: I think this will be a Troy vs Warren De LaSalle regional final. Most of the experts will pick the Pilots to move to the quarterfinal but don’t count out the Colts. I think that Troy has a great shot to win this regional because of being at Troy Athens, their arch rival school. It will be interesting to see what happens but I like the Colts to come out of this regional.