Updated Friday December 1st at 1:40 PM
Hello these are the Girls Basketball outlooks heading into the season. Good luck this season to everyone.
INSIDE THE OAA TOP 10.
1. Southfield Arts
and Tech
2. Clarkston
3. Royal Oak
4. Groves
5. Orion
6. North Farmington
7. Stoney Creek
8. Avondale
9. West Bloomfield
10. Farmington
Red
INSIGHT: The Red got bigger this season with the addition of
Bloomfield Hills and Orion. There is one former and a new coach enters this
division. Southfield Arts and Tech is the favorite after reaching the
Final Four last season. It will be a challenging road though for the Warriors
who will be without Deja Church whom is now playing at Michigan. Clarkston
might have the best starting five in the league but bench could be a question
mark for a team that goes seven deep. North Farmington lost Kierra
Crockett and Sophie Muller to graduation but they are always a threat to
contend under coach Jeff Simpson. Stoney Creek will be young but they
will be competitive despite having a brutal non conference schedule. Orion
brings experience into the division but they will have a new head coach, which will be their third
coach in three seasons. Bloomfield Hills had one of their best teams in
school history last season and will have to reload especially in the post. Adams
brings back Shay Lewis to which she will have some talent to work with this
season.
FAVORITE: Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors have two
future Division One players in Cheyenne McEvans and Alexis Johnson but they
have some shooting and dribble drivers to work with as well. Southfield Arts
and Tech although not the biggest team, they are very quick and athletic, which
was one of the reasons why they went to the Final Four last season. Expect more
of the same from the Warriors this season.
NEXT BEST: Clarkston: The Wolves have probably the best
starting five in the league when you look at who is back. Clarkston coach
Christine Rogers team will be led by Oakland University bound Kayla Luchenbach
to go along with Molly Nicholson, Kianna Anyotte, Taylor Heaten, and Maddie
Beck. The Wolves bench will be a question mark this season even though they
will go eight deep this season.
DARK HORSE: North Farmington: The Raiders have Sam Cherney
back but the key will be the guards in Lynn Lerner, Patti Tzsocikan, and Molly
Simpson for coach Jeff Simpson. North Farmington will not have Kierra Crocket
back as she is now at Saginaw Valley State but they added Khyra King from
Harrison. The Raiders are a team no one likes to play against especially on
their home floor. They may be a little young but when you have a big and two
guards then you’ll be in every game.
WILDCARD: Orion: The Dragons are a wildcard here, they
struggled last season in the White and were moved up to the Red. Orion has
their third coach in three years as Mike Griffin takes over the program. The
Dragons have a ton of experience back including two players that are three year
starters. If the players and coaches get on the same page, watch out.
TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Stoney Creek: The Cougars will be an
interesting team this season. They are well coached by Kellan James but they
lack Varsity experience despite having Emily Eckhout and Margaret Angel back but they have a lot of players that have played a ton of basketball
in Meghan Solek, Maria St. Louis, Lauren Benetiz, Isabella Ubalydi, and Erin
Benetiz. Solek played in one Varsity game last season. The Cougars have a tough
non conference schedule especially early with games against Walled Lake Western
and Waterford Kettering. The tough non conference schedule will be something
and this team will be the team to keep an eye on.
DREAM SCHEDULE: North Farmington: The Raiders will have an
interesting non conference when they open up the season with games against
Lakeland, Harrison, and Walled Lake Northern. These should be games that North
Farmington and coach Jeff Simpson should win. They have two tricky games with
West Bloomfield and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep before the Roundball starts in
December. It’s important for Simpson and his team take advantage of this non
conference schedule. They are in a tough district with the likes of Southfield
Arts and Tech, Groves, Farmington, and Farmington Hills Mercy. It will be
interesting to see what the Raiders have.
NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Stoney Creek: I wonder if coach Kellen
James has a great marketing director because his non conference schedule his
team has is going to be brutal. Stoney Creek has Waterford Kettering and Walled
Lake Western to open up the season, then during Christmas they have Flat Rock
in the Roundball, along with trap games with Rochester, Pontiac Notre Dame
Prep, and Oxford. Not to mention they play Utica later in the season to go
along with a tough district with Utica Eisenhower, Rochester, Adams, and Romeo.
This could be an interesting December for the Cougars.
TEAM THAT HAS TO PROVE: Orion: The Dragons had a rough
season going 8-13 last season and have a new coach in Mike Griffin. This team
has some questions heading into the season when it regards to chemistry and
building that trust. Orion has a tough non conference schedule with games
against Holly, Utica Eisenhower, Romeo, Groves, Seaholm, and Pontiac Notre Dame
Prep. The Dragons are in a tough district as well with Clarkston, Oxford,
Holly, and Brandon. This could be some ride for Orion this season.
TEAM THAT’S IN TROUBLE: Adams: The Highlanders brought back
Shay Lewis to coach a team that really under-performed record wise but won a
district championship last season under now assistant coach Jackie Steinacker.
There are some questions regarding them this season. Adams will be very
young and they have an interesting non conference schedule which
includes a game with Rochester at Oakland University but they will open up with
Farmington Hills Mercy and will play a very good Utica Eisenhower team early as
well. The Highlanders non conference really lightens up with Walled Lake
Central and Rochester Lutheran Northwest but Oxford and Utica could be trap
games. The district is no easy place for Lewis’s team either as they have
Romeo, Utica Eisenhower, Stoney Creek, and Rochester. It could be an
interesting season for Lewis and Adams.
SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH WARRIORS
Last Season: 21-5, 8-0 in Red.
Strengths: Speed, Division One talent.
Weakness: Size and Bench.
The Warriors fresh off a Final Four season in 2016-2017 in
their first year as one school will have to do some adjusting in coach Michelle
Marshall’s second season. Deja Church graduates as she is now at Michigan.
Southfield Arts and Tech has two Division One players waiting in the wings in
Alexis Johnson and Cheyenne McEvans. McEvans whom came off surgery will be counted
on to provide the scoring from the perimeter while Johnson is an undersized
rebounder whom is capable of getting her points. Size will be a question again
for the Warriors but the speed makes up for that a lot. Bench play is also a
question mark for Marshall’s team. Besides a solid starting lineup that also
includes guards Tyler Washington, Shawana Manning, and D’Layna Holloman. They also added a transfer from Detroit Renaissance in Kayonia Willis whom is a true point guard. It’s going to be
interesting to see what Southfield Arts and Tech has this season.
CLARKSTON WOLVES
Last Season: 17-6, 5-3 in Red.
Strengths: Size, Solid Starting Lineup.
Weakness: Bench.
The Wolves will have a solid starting lineup this upcoming
season. Clarkston will be led by Kayla Luchenbach whom is going to Oakland next
season along with Molly Nicholson. Taylor Heaten arrived on the scene last
season, especially with her game at home against North Farmington where she
shot the winning three to beat the Raiders. Maddie Beck is also back and could
be better for coach Christine Rogers and Kianna Aynotte whom is expected to be
the top defensive stopper. The Wolves will be very young on the bench even
though they will have Ali Buscher and Kelly Cousino back. Rogers will need to
improve on the team’s bench production and depth. If she can get that bench
production than Clarkston could be a team to keep an eye on.
ORION DRAGONS
Last Season: 8-13, 5-5 in White.
Strengths: Experience.
Weakness: Trust in New Coaching Staff, Experience in the Red,
Conditioning, and Size.
The Dragons have their third coach in three years as Mike
Griffin takes over the team. Orion will have a ton of experience to work with in
Cameron Coltrin, Payton Shadaia, Sydney Strenger, Shannon Falter, Sophie
Wyborski, and Sophie Canine returning. The Dragons had a good Junior Varsity
team from last season and some of that talent is on the team to go along with
two promising freshman and a sophomore. Falter was an all-league player last
season. Orion has some questions regarding conditioning and size. Experience can get a
team so far but in the last three seasons this team has not fared well
against Red teams. Trust and chemistry is another question surrounding the Dragons
along with conditioning, which has been a concern for years now surrounding the
program. If the players and coaches can buy into the system then this could be
a good basketball team despite having a tough non conference schedule and being
in a tough district. It will be interesting to see what happens.
NORTH FARMINGTON RAIDERS
Last Season: 16-6, 5-3 in Red.
Strengths: Guards and Strong Post.
Weakness: Wings.
The Raiders are a team to keep an eye on for coach Jeff
Simpson. North Farmington has Samantha Cherney coming back. Cherney was an all league from
last season along with two guards whom have a ton to prove despite having
Varsity experience in Patti Tzoschian and Molly Simpson. Lynn Lerner and
Natalie George will also help with Lerner providing Varsity experience
in the guard front. Lerner also has football experience as well from playing under coach Bob Cheisa. The Raiders will have to address their issues on the Wings
as Kierra Crockett and Sophie Muller has graduated but they did add Khyra King
from Harrison to hopefully fill the void there and it's also possible that Simpson could convert one of his guards there, even though they will have Kayla Lawrence
and Madison Hoke there as well. He will have options to address the wings position. North Farmington's non conference could be
interesting for Simpson but the league makes up for it and they are in a tough
district as well. It could be very interesting to see what happens with the Raiders this season.
STONEY CREEK COUGARS
Last Season 9-12, 2-6 in Red.
Strengths: Mental Toughness.
Weakness: Lack of Varsity Experience.
The Stoney Creek Cougars return one starter from a team that
was just injury riddled last season despite winning nine games. Emily Eckhout returns and coach Kellen
James will have some very young players that will need to gain Varsity
experience really quick. Stoney Creek have a ton of guards to rely on led by Meghan Solek. Solek played
one Varsity game last season will have a full season to be on Varsity. Margaret Angel
will be counted on to do more as well to lead a somewhat young but talented team. The Cougars guards besides Eckhout and Solek will have Lily DiPanni to go along with the two guards along with Serfiana Kamp and Paige Seidell. Stoney Creek's interior will be very young led
by Lauren Benítez and Isabella Ubaydi but there is some talent waiting in the
wings in Erin Benítez and Maria St. Louis that will push for some playing time
as well. The Cougars will have a tough non conference schedule and a tough
district but don’t say that to James. Expect Stoney Creek to be in the mix.
BLOOMFIELD HILLS BLACKHAWKS
Last Season: 20-2, 10-0 in White.
Strength: Guards.
Weakness: Post and Depth.
The Blackhawks moved up from the White to the Red but they
will have to make some changes to their lineup this season. Gone are Kathrine
Prinna, Amanda Sape, and Victorie Franklin but Bloomfield Hills has some talent
returning for coach Jeff Rubin in the form of Immani Wright, Becca Hancock,
Maryiam Hashim. The Blackhawks will hope that Jordan Banks and Hancock will
help inside with the loss of Sape and Franklin. Nyvia Lyles will also help in
the mix from the guard spot with Wright and Hashim. Depth will be a concern as
well as Bloomfield Hills has to replace a ton of key players from last season.
The schedule is tough along with the district but expect Rubin’s bunch to be in
the mix once the postseason comes.
ADAMS HIGHLANDERS
Last Season: 8-15, 0-8 in Red.
Strengths: Guards.
Weakness: Inside and Turmoil.
The Highlanders made some changes in the offseason. Adams
brought back Shay Lewis to coach their team despite assistant Jackie Steinacker
was the coach that led them to a district title. Adams returns some players in
Grace Van Pelt and MaKayla Smith along with three sophomores who have Varsity
experience in Amelia Drahnak, Emanuela Gjokaj, and Nicole Claerhout. The
Highlanders have some questions regarding their interior and they have to
replace some key girls whom were huge in Maggie Rogers last season. It could be
an interesting season for Lewis and Adams if they are on the same page.
White
INSIGHT: This will be an interesting division to keep an eye
on in a league that features three new coaches in this division. This division
looks to be a two team race between Groves and Royal Oak but there are others
that could play spoiler. Groves will be talented once again even though
they have a new coach. Royal Oak returns
the balk of their team that won double digit games last season. Groves comes up
from the Gold while Troy, Troy Athens, Rochester, and Seaholm come up from the
Blue. West Bloomfield will have speed and quickness under a new coach
but size is a concern. Rochester should be better under a new but a very
proven coaching staff. Oxford should be competitive as well. Seaholm
will be very young but hardworking and will be competitive. Troy is a mystery team but they are
always scrappy and will be tough to watch this season. Troy Athens could
surprise some folks this season. This looks to be an interesting league to keep
an eye on.
FAVORITE: Royal Oak: The Ravens have two very good players
coming back and could very well make that next step which is win an upper
division and win a district title. Royal Oak coach Brian Sopota has a tough non
conference schedule but is goals and expectations are very high this season and
could very well be this season.
NEXT BEST: Groves: The Falcons are an interesting team here
for coach Jessica Wiesler whom is back in the OAA after spending last season as
an assistant at Grosse Pointe South and three seasons at Hazel Park. Groves has
talent back led by Shea Carter and crew. The
Falcons could make some noise in
this division as well. Groves will be a player for sure.
DARK HORSE: West Bloomfield: The Lakers have a new coach in
Bert Mosley and he has a ton of talent to work with including a solid Junior
Varsity team from last season. The concern will be in the interior and depth,
especially inside the paint. West Bloomfield will be a team that will give the
league fits and they have a tough non league schedule. The Lakers could be a
team that could surprise some folks this season.
WILDCARD: Oxford: The Wildcats have a ton of experience
coming back which will help a lot for second year coach Rachel Bryer. The key
will be is that can they stay healthy all season, if so Oxford could be a team
that gives people fits. The Wildcats are a program on the rise after a tough
season last year. Oxford could be in line for a bounce back season.
TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Troy: The Colts are in an
interesting spot this season, something they haven’t had in a while. There is
been some hype surrounding Troy with the talent they have back but the bench will be a concern. The Colts have
a lot of winnable games in the non conference which will help them. It wouldn’t
surprise anyone that Troy could have double digit wins this season.
DREAM SCHEDULE: Troy Athens: The Red Hawks non conference is
really friendly when you look at the schedule. Troy Athens opens up with
Pontiac Academy of Excellence and then play Berkley, Farmington, and Oak Park.
The Red Hawks should be 4-0 heading into the Romulus and West Bloomfield games.
They have one more non league game against Chippewa Valley. I can see a 5-2 non
league record for coach Stacie Klump’s team here.
NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Royal Oak: The Ravens will have an
experienced team coming back and the schedule will prove that. What will help
Royal Oak is that they play Birmingham Marian, a team in their district in
February. They will have games against Bloomfield Hills, Walled Lake Northern,
and Clarkston. The Ravens will be solid this season in the White and the
schedule proves why they are one of the top teams in the league.
TEAM THAT HAS TO PROVE: Oxford: The Wildcats are in year two
under coach Rachel Bryer really want to prove that last season’s 8-13 record
was a start of something special at Oxford. The non conference slate is interesting
with games against Orion, Lapeer, Almont, Stoney Creek, Adams, and River Rouge.
The Wildcats are in a tough but manageable league as well even though their
district will be tough with Orion, Holly, and Clarkston in there. What helps is
that they have had a ton of successful Freshman classes coming into the program
to go with a blend of veteran experience. The future looks bright in Oxford.
TEAM THAT’S IN TROUBLE: Seaholm: The Maples may not have the
talent that they used to have but the effort and work ethic will be there for
the team. Seaholm will open up with a tough matchup against Warren Cousino and
future Clemson sharpshooter Kate McArthur. Then it’s Plymouth Salem the next
game, then its Waterford Mott and Orion before league play starts. The Maples
are in some trouble this season.
ROYAL OAK RAVENS
Last Season: 13-8, 7-3 in White.
Strengths: Experience and Size.
Weakness: Guards.
The Ravens are one of the favorites to keep an eye on this
season. Coach Brian Sopota brings a loaded team to the fold. Royal Oak will be
led by their two forwards in Jessica Adams and Samantha Potter. Potter and
Adams are three year starters and they bring size to the fold along with Claire
Kochinski at Center. The question for the Ravens will be guard play, they have
some solid guards like June Donnellon but are proven enough especially against
tough competition for example a team like Birmingham Marian or Clarkston. Royal
Oak has a tough non conference schedule and will be in a tough district. The
Ravens will be a player this upcoming season in the White.
GROVES FALCONS
Last Season: 18-3, 10-0 in Gold.
Strengths: Athleticism
Weakness: Trust in new Coaching Staff and Adjustment period.
The Falcons had a tough offseason from last season when then
coach Amos Thompson stepped down. Groves has a new coach in Jessica Wiesler. Wiesler comes over from
Grosse Pointe South where she was an assistant coach but she’s no stranger to
the OAA. Wiesler coached at Hazel Park from 2013-2016 but the talent will be
different than what she was with the Vikings.
Wiesler will have Shea Carter, Lauren Palmer, Kayla Nelson, Emilie Fox, Emilie Felax, Ellie Ruprich, Jasmine Worthy, and
Sydney Patton returning from an 18 win team last season. Carter, Nelson, and Palmer
are Groves top three players this upcoming season along with Fox, Worthy, Felax, Ruprich, and Patton to contribute as well this season despite moving up two
divisions. The Falcons have a tough non conference schedule and is in a very
tough district. I don’t think Groves will win 18 games like they did but they
will be a major player this season in the White.
WEST BLOOMFIELD LAKERS
Last Season: 6-15, 2-8 in White.
Strengths: Athletic and Quick.
Weakness: Size.
The Lakers will have a new coach this seasom in Bert Mosley whom takes
over for Zach Hilbers. West Bloomfield has been affected with the loss of Jamila
Elam whom transferred out of district and with graduation losses as well. The Lakers will be led by forwards Destiny
Monroe, Elie Sovernisky, along with guard Mya Bobo. The Junior Varsity team
from last season was very successful under Mosley and most of them will be up
on Varsity. West Bloomfield has had a successful offseason and under Mosley. Expect them to use their speed as a strength to overcome their major concern
which will be in the paint with the team’s lack of size. The Lakers are a team
to keep an eye on this season.
OXFORD WILDCATS
Last Season: 8-13, 4-6 in White.
Strengths: Guards and Interior.
Weakness: Scoring.
The Wildcats had a rough season under first year coach
Rachel Bryer only winning eight games. Now in her second year, Bryer whom took
over for Steve Emert will look to get Oxford playing her style of play. The
Wildcats will have Ashley Herschman leading the guards crew. She was missed in
their game with Clarkston in their loss in the district last season due to an
injury. Olivia Clark and Kaitlyn Bean returns as well to stabilize the guards
along with Mackenzie Methner, Gabby Dinges, Sarah Tyrrell, Emma VanLoon, and
Elsa Clark. The interior will be a strength for Bryer’s team led by Lauren
Menther, Aleah Diamond, Anna Raab, Lila Haddan, and Darian Graves. The question
for Bryer’s team will be scoring as the Wildcats lost Madeline Morris and Monae
Evans to graduation. Oxford had a good Junior Varsity team last season so all
hope is not lost. The Wildcats non conference is interesting at best and they
are in a tough district as well. Wins will be very important for Oxford to get
this season. This will be a team to keep an eye on, the Wildcats could make
some noise under Bryer.
TROY COLTS
Last Season: 7-15, 4-6 in Blue.
Strengths: Experience.
Weakness: Shooting and Bench.
The Colts come up from the Blue to the White despite winning
seven games last season but they did get some postseason success with their
upset win over Avondale in the pre-district at home. Troy hopes to continue
riding that momentum heading into this season despite losing Megan Lenihan and
Shannon Lin to graduation last season. Danica Murray and Emily Olson returns to
lead the guards. The Colts interior game should be their strength this season, led
by Nisha Barganov, Jessica Chen, and Athena Sampson for coach Simon Bato. Bench
production and shooting will be Troy’s biggest concern despite having a strong
interior presence this season. The Colts besides Murray, Chen, Olson, and Sampson will need
their teammates to contribute especially in their projected weaker areas. Troy has a
somewhat favorable non conference schedule where they can get wins but a tough
district will make up for the non conference schedule. The Colts could get
double digit wins this season.
ROCHESTER FALCONS
Last Season: 3-18, 2-8 in Blue.
Strengths: Coaching.
Weakness: Unproven Players and Trust in Coaching Staff.
The Falcons will have a new coaching staff in Al Poynter
taking over the program. Poynter brings a ton of coaching experience from his
coaching days at Oxford. He replaces Adam Sheldon from a team that was in
complete turmoil last season, only winning three games. Rochester returns Jenna
Norgrove, Paola Barraza, and Tori Hawkins from that team that has been through
a lot of turmoil. Poynter has a strong staff coming into the Falcons program.
Jeff Haney returns to coach the Junior Varsity program after spending a few
seasons working with the Boys Basketball program to go along with Hal Commerson
in the Freshman program. Rochester has proven coaches that have won games and
could very well make a strong improvement this season. Now the pressure is on
the players now to deliver. The Falcons are a sleeper team to keep an eye on.
SEAHOLM MAPLES
Last Season: 9-12, 8-2 in Blue.
Strengths: Work Ethic.
Weakness: Inexperience playing at the Varsity level.
The Maples lost a ton of talent from last season’s team that
won nine games, eight of them in league along with upsetting Groves in the pre-district.
Seaholm lost Dana Hoerman, Wendy Wilkerson, and Mackenzie Harbort to graduation.
The Maples have some players retuning for coach January Hlauski in Audrey
Anton, Riley Annear, and Caroline Wineman. Seaholm has a tough non conference
schedule and a very tough district. The Maples did have a good Junior Varsity
team from last season, which will help a lot but are they ready to compete at
the Varsity level, that will be the question. It will be a challenge for
Hlauski and her team this season in the White where the competition will be
better to go along with the challenges that they will see as well. We shall see
what Seaholm has to offer this season.
TROY ATHENS RED HAWKS
Last Season: 11-9, 7-3 in Blue.
Strengths: Balance.
Weakness: Depth and Schedule.
The Red Hawks could be an interesting team this season, even
though this team won 11 games last season. Troy Athens will be led by the Crum
sisters in Maddie and Isabelle Crum. Julia Lauer will also be back as well and
could play anywhere on the court. Maddie will be in the post while Isabelle
will be a guard. The Red Hawks also have another set of sisters as well in Grace and Abby Bright. Both Bright sisters are guards and are twins for Troy Athens. The Red Hawks have some questions for coach Stacie Klumpp in
their depth and balance along with their non conference schedule. The non
conference schedule is very favorable for Troy Athens that double digit wins is
likely for this team but once division play starts then it could be very
challenging for wins. The Red Hawks need to address some things heading into the
season. They are also in a tough district as well. It could be a challenging
season for Troy Athens.
Blue
INSIGHT: This division features a team that moved down a
division to go with a solid blend of teams that could make some noise along
with three new coaches in the division. The favorite has to be Avondale
with the talent they have coming back from injuries. Farmington got two
players from Harrison which should contribute right away. Berkley has a
solid player to go along with a new coach. Pontiac has an experienced
team back. Oak Park dropped down from the White and has the talent to
compete but size and depth will be a major concern. Hazel Park will be
very experienced with a new coach. Ferndale will be young again this
season. This will be an interesting division to watch.
FAVORITE: Avondale: The Yellow Jackets shockingly stayed in
this division after winning 14 games last season. Avondale returns a ton of
talent from a team that was injury riddled last season in coach Phil Dawson’s
first season. The Yellow Jackets have a favorable non conference schedule even
though there are some tricky games in there. There will be no reason why
Avondale won’t be able to win more than 14 games this season.
NEXT BEST: Farmington: The Falcons might have been the
biggest beneficiary to Harrison’s shocking decision not to have a Girls
Basketball team. First year coach Laura Guzman will have two of the three top
Hawks from last season on her team. Farmington might have an Avondale like
improvement which will be huge for a team that has struggled to find
consistency. Maybe this could be the team to do it with.
DARK HORSE: Berkley: The Bears have a new coach and a
returning star in the making but looking at the league Berkley could make some
noise in this division if healthy and motivated. The Bears have the talent and
athleticism to compete with anyone but the question will be the coaching
transition. If everyone is on the same page then Berkley could be a player and
could possibly threaten for a division title this season.
WILDCARD: Oak Park: The Knights have the talent to compete
but depth will be a question for Oak Park. The Knights will certainly have the
guards but if they address the forward spots then they could be a wildcard in
this division. It will be interesting to see how Oak Park competes in this
division.
TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Hazel Park: The Vikings have the
talent to compete in this league but the stability in the coaching ranks is the
question mark as this will be the third coach in three years. Hazel Park won 13
games last season and the thought process surrounding the team would be is to
make that next step. It’s possible they can do that under first year coach Chad
Ossman. The Vikings will be a team to keep an eye on this season.
DREAM SCHEDULE: Hazel Park: New coach Chad Ossman will have
a ton of experience returning and a non conference schedule that is very
friendly. The Vikings have non conference games with Madison Heights Lamphere,
Eastpointe (twice), Armada, Mount Clemens, Hamtramck, and Walled Lake Central.
I think the Walled Lake Central and Armada games will be tricky games for Hazel
Park but if Ossman wants to see progress, this is a good place to start.
NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Pontiac: I hate to say this but coach
Christopher Wright’s team does not have an easy schedule when looking at the
Phoenix’s schedule. Pontiac will be talented but depth remains a major concern
surrounding this team. The Phoenix have to play Harper Woods Chandler Park
Academy and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, along with two games in the Motor City Roundball
Classic. That’s not even mentioning the district in which they are at Pontiac
Notre Dame Prep and could play the Irish again. That’s not an easy slate.
TEAM THAT HAS TO PROVE: Farmington: The Falcons have their
third coach in three years in Laura Guzman. Farmington added some talent with
Harrison not fielding a team this season. The addition of talent means that the
schedule will get tougher. Farmington has Bloomfield Hills, Milford, and Troy
on the slate. The Falcons have had issues with St. Catherine of Sienna Academy
lately, losing two of the last three games to them. The district is not going
to be pretty either with Farmington Hills Mercy, Southfield Arts and Tech,
Groves, and North Farmington in there. This team might need to grow and develop
quick, the schedule gave them no favors.
TEAM THAT’S IN TROUBLE: Oak Park: The Knights have some
major concerns when it comes to depth. The non conference schedule will help
Oak Park out big time with games against Pontiac Academy of Excellence,
Ferndale University, Troy Athens, and Dearborn Robichaud but once they get into
league play then it could be an issue going forward. They have a tough district
as well with Hazel Park, Detroit Renaissance, Berkley, and Warren Fitzgerald in
there. It could be a long season in Knight Valley.
AVONDALE YELLOW JACKETS
Last Season 14-7, 6-4 in Blue.
Strengths: Have all the tools.
Weakness: Clean Bill of Health and Depth.
The Yellow Jackets won 14 games last season under coach Phil
Dawson and they return a ton of talent. However, injuries, did them in last
season. Avondale will return Toya Golden and Grace Scherwin whom will both
provide a ton of experience. The Yellow Jackets hope to get a full season from
Olivia Russell. Russell re-injured her ACL and had to get surgery last season but
when healthy she is a difference maker. Keiori Lee also returns for Dawson’s
team. Lee was the team’s leading scorer when Russell got hurt but with everyone
healthy they will have options. Avondale got stronger in the offseason with the
addition of Keziah Buggs who comes from Orion. If Dawson’s team stays healthy
then there is no reason why the Yellow Jackets can do damage in this division
and also in the district as well.
FARMINGTON FALCONS
Last Season 5-16, 4-6 in Gold.
Strengths: Experience.
Weakness: Depth and Mental Mindset.
The Falcons were the most benefited with Harrison
not fielding a team this season. Farmington added two proven players in Olivia
Perkins and Nevada Hargress. Both players came over from Harrison. The Falcons will also have
MaKayla Martin, Iasia Rimson, Cecelia Norris, and Abby Smentowski that return
as well for first year coach Laura Guzman whom takes over for Kayla Womback.
Guzman knows the OAA well with being at Rochester. Farmington will be a contender
for a Blue title this season thanks to not only the additions of Perkins and
Hargress but the experience that the team has coming back. The Falcons concern
should be depth after winning five games last season, they have the athletes
but the question is the mental mindset of the team. Farmington is in a tough
district but they could a sleeper in the Blue this season.
BERKLEY BEARS
Last Season 17-5, 8-2 in Gold.
Strengths: Guard Play.
Weakness: Non Conference Slate and Adjustment Period.
The Bears will be a different team this upcoming season. They have
a new coach in Kirk Carolan after winning 17 games last season under former
coach Jordan Gruppen. The talent pool is far from bare at Berkley. They will have
Olivia DeCarlo, Marshaya Denham, Emily Flannery, and Savanna Casida all coming
back from that 17 win team. The Bears will have some young players coming up
from the Junior Varsity which Carolan coached under Gruppen, especially in the
interior. This could be an interesting transition for Berkley with how the
upper classmen will adapt to Carolan. The Bears non conference schedule is very
manageable but they are in a tough district. Berkley need wins, which is
understandable but they need to toughen up the schedule if they want to compete
against the like of Detroit Renaissance and get their program stronger.
HAZEL PARK VIKINGS
Last Season 13-10, 5-5 in Gold.
Strengths: Experience.
Weakness: Adjustment Period to a New Coach.
The Vikings have a new coach coming into the program after
losing in the district final to Detroit Mumford last season. Hazel Park coach
Chris Stroud stepped down a few weeks before the season started. Chad Ossman has
taken over after spending a few seasons at Macomb Christian. Ossman takes over
a team that moved up from Class B to Class A. The schedule is favorable with
the non conference not being the strongest. Hazel Park returns a boatload of
experience with ten seniors led by Catera Clark, Trinity Benton, and Liz
Sternor, along with one junior and a sophomore. The Vikings will have to
address some things and go through another coaching transition. Winning 13
games was huge for this program last season but questions remain like is this
team ready to take the next step. There has been talk about this team possibly
being a division contender, it’s possible but for Ossman and his team, they
need to take things one step at a time.
OAK PARK KNIGHTS
Last Season 5-16, 3-7 in Blue.
Strengths: Guard Play.
Weakness: Post and Depth.
The Knights will be an interesting team to keep an eye on
this season. The alignment changed to three divisions which means that it is
possible that Oak Park could have a bounce back season in 2017-2018. The
Knights won just five games last season, so they would like to get more wins
this season. Oak Park will have two players returning in Ariel Kennedy and Kiya
Wilson. Wilson was a scoring machine last season but did not get a lot of help
and Wilson might have to be that same scoring machine she was last season.
Depth is a major question for the Knights, it’s something that they need to
address and quick. Oak Park is in a tough district at Detroit Renaissance. The
Knights could be a contender for the Blue title but they need to get good play
out of the interior and help out Wilson and Kennedy. Oak Park should be better
this season.
PONTIAC PHOENIX
Last Season 7-14, 3-7 in Gold.
Strengths: Experience.
Weakness: Depth and Balance.
The Phoenix will be looking to build on what they did last
season. They have a solid player returning in Brala Benton for coach
Christopher Wright. Pontiac has improved each season. They will rely on Benton.
Za’Kariya Brown, Josephine Lofton, Tarell Rogers, JaZire Rouser, Taleah
Washington, Tywanna Peoples, and Nashlasha McDonald to carry the Phoenix this
season. Pontiac had a young team last season from a team that won seven games.
The Phoenix could be a team that makes some noise not only in the Blue but in
the district despite moving down from Class A to Class B this season.
FERNDALE EAGLES
Last Season: 5-16, 0-10 in Gold.
Strength: Experience.
Weakness: Program Strength.
The Eagles struggled in league play but they do return a ton
of experience back for a team that has gone 9-49 in the last three seasons. Ferndale should be senior heavy this season under new coach Christina Nagle. The Eagles have to rely on Ronyae Lynn and Ma'yoa Patmon to carry the team along with Keneisha Williams and Kyra Newman as well. Ferndale has a lot of work to do this season and try to change the culture surrounding this team.