Top Games This Week and Boys and Girls Top 21.

Written Monday December 30th at 9:40 PM

Happy New Year to all and here is my Top 21 which includes all the Holiday Tournament games except for one game that will be played and updated after tomorrow around 6:30 PM.

Here are the rankings.

Boys Top 21

1. Troy (4-1): Colts need more than Brody Parker if they want to be successful. That happened against Saginaw.

2. Clarkston (2-1): Wolves needed a 42 point performance from Fletcher Loyer to beat Roseville. There are a lot of concerns surrounding Clarkston.

3. North Farmington (5-0): The Raiders have been doing all of this without Basheer Jihad which makes this start even more impressive.

4. Southfield Arts and Tech (5-0): Daryl Buchanan has the Warriors rolling thus far.

5. West Bloomfield (3-1): Lakers rule the city of Detroit. Numbers prove it.

6. Ferndale (1-3): Eagles have played a tough schedule but they need to fix some things.

7. Groves (4-2): Falcons took a bad loss to Detroit Pershing last week.

8. Oak Park (2-1): Knights survived a decent Dayton Thurgood Marshall squad but now they head for Muskegon this weekend.

9. Stoney Creek (4-1): Cougars have a big one looming on Friday in Okemos.

10. Farmington (1-4): Ah what happened against Detroit Martin Luther King Falcons, that’s not you guys???

11. Lake Orion (2-1): Dragons are your true Jekyll and Hyde.

12. Oxford (2-1): Wildcats need someone to step up and help Trey Townsend.

13. Bloomfield Hills (4-2): Blackhawks have a tough January looming, good luck.

14. Adams (2-3): Highlanders had a tough outing against Saginaw Heritage last week.

15. Berkley (3-1): Bears have won three straight since the opening night loss to Troy but their win against Center Line who has been struggling lately doesn’t make me feel good inside.

16. Troy Athens (2-2): Red Hawks need more balance if they want to be successful.

17. Seaholm (2-2): Maples will look to start 2020 strong.

18. Pontiac (1-2): Phoenix earned a big win against Detroit Cornerstone so their reward is to play at Clarkston.

19. Rochester (0-3): When you start three sophomores there is going to be growing pains.

20. Royal Oak (2-4): What happened to the Ravens against Marine City Cardinal Mooney???

21. Avondale (0-4): Yellow Jackets haven’t even been competitive in their games thus far.

Girls Top 21

1. Troy Athens (6-0): It will be a very interesting 2020 for the Red Hawks.

2. Southfield Arts and Tech (4-3): Warriors need someone besides McEvans, Worthy, and Willis to get it going.

3. West Bloomfield (5-2): Lakers suffered a tough loss to Ann Arbor Huron but they will be fine going forward.

4. Clarkston (5-2): Wolves closing the gap in the Red. They will be fine going forward.

5. Berkley (5-2): Bears loss to Rochester creates competition in the Blue with Rochester. I think Berkley is fine though moving forward.

6. Royal Oak (4-2): Ravens have lost two tough games. They should be fine going forward.

7. Oxford (4-2): Wildcats picked up a huge win over North Farmington to finish 2019 strong.

8. Lake Orion (2-2): Dragons came back from 17-3 down to lead Adams at one point. Says a lot about this team.

9. North Farmington (5-4): Raiders have lost four straight games. Not a good sign heading into 2020.

10. Avondale (3-4): Ah what happened to the Yellow Jackets at Carleton Airport on Friday night???

11. Adams (3-3): Highlanders have been a very odd team to figure out.

12. Troy (4-2): Rumors have been swarming, could Kendal Zeiter come back and play for the Colts???

13. Stoney Creek (2-4): Cougars have played a tough schedule, they’ll be fine going forward.

14. Rochester (2-4): Falcons have been battle tested lately.

15. Groves (2-4): Falcons have been competitive lately but didn’t look good against Waterford Mott.

16. Bloomfield Hills (4-4): Keelen Fife will be a name to watch for the Blackhawks in 2020.

17. Oak Park (3-2): Knights have been up and down lately.

18. Farmington (1-4): Falcons got their first win of the season last Friday night.

19. Ferndale (2-2): Eagles have been making some progress in developing a program.

20. Seaholm (2-3): Maples upset loss to Oak Park still has me baffled here.

21. Pontiac (0-4): The Phoenix have been blown out in three of their four games, not good.

Top Games (Boys)- Jan 2^nd thru 4^th

Farmington at North Farmington (Friday): The Falcons had a rough 70-29 blowout loss to Detroit Martin Luther King. The Raiders have been rolling without Bashir Jihad. This rivalry game has been interesting in the past, could it be again going forward.

Clarkston vs Flint Carman Ainsworth at Grand Blanc (5:15 PM, Saturday): This looks to be a good one between the Cavaliers and the Wolves. Clarkston bounced back behind Fletcher Loyer’s 42 point game against Roseville. Flint Carman Ainsworth is coming off a tough loss to Flint Beecher but they are talented as well. It will be a good one in Grand Blanc on Saturday.

Stoney Creek at Okemos (Friday): This will be a fun game over at Okemos. The Chieftains a very good scrappy team that should give the Cougars some trouble. They gave Ypsilanti Lincoln everything they could handle last week. Stoney Creek is going to need to bring their A game into Ingham County if they want to pull off the upset.

Bloomfield Hills at Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit (Friday): The Blackhawks will need to bounce back after losing two straight games however it will be a tall order as they head to Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit to take on the Cubs who is starting to click. The schedule in January is brutal for Bloomfield Hills so they need this one in the worst way.

Utica Eisenhower at Troy Athens (Friday): This is a big game for both teams as they try to get their seasons back on track. The Red Hawks are coming off a tough loss to Detroit Communication Media Arts while the Eagles are off to a tough start. It will be very interesting to see how things shape up in this game.

Oak Park vs Detroit Henry Ford at Muskegon (4 PM, Saturday): The Knights have a huge game looming on Saturday afternoon against Detroit Henry Ford. Oak Park had to survive last week winning 70-67 over Dayton Thurgood Marshall. Detroit Henry Ford had a really bad loss to Stoney Creek last week. They should provide a tough test to Coach Bobby Thompson’s team.

Pontiac at Clarkston (Thursday): The Phoenix and Wolves are two different teams. Although it hasn’t been the same as the rivalry days back in the 2000’s and 2010’s. It’s always nice to see Pontiac and Clarkston get together.

Top Games (Girls)- Jan 2nd thru Jan 4th

Troy Athens at Sterling Heights Stevenson (Friday): The Red Hawks put their unbeaten record against the Titans on Friday night. If Troy Athens plays like they did against Troy then expect more of the same in this game.

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Holiday Tournament Recap.

Written Friday December 27th at 10:45 AM

This blog entry will be updated throughout the holiday tournaments.

Holiday Tournament Recap.

Girls

OAK PARK 50 St. Clair Shores South Lake 48.

The Knights have proven they are going to be a team that Berkley and Rochester are going to need to pay attention too. Oak Park beat the Cavaliers 50-48 on Friday morning at Detroit Westfield Prep. They came back from seven points down at one point in the game and beat a very good St. Clair Shores South Lake squad. The Knights sent a message to the Blue after beating Seaholm 48-41 last week on their home floor. Oak Park was led by Kyla Wilson whom had 26 points and the emergence of Tamyra Todd. Todd had 16 points. The Knights are 3-1 on the season and will play Bloomfield Hills on Monday at Detroit University Prep.

Waterford Mott 59, GROVES 38.

The Falcons looked good in beating Bloomfield Hills and Oxford but they took on a Waterford Mott squad that is good but they have had their ups and downs. Groves did not look very good against the Corsairs as they fell 59-38 on Friday afternoon in their own classic on their home floor. The Falcons did have some starters not play due to the break and were short handed. Waterford Mott had four players score in double figures. The Falcons could be in some trouble heading into the new year.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS 47, NORTH FARMINGTON 39.

The Blackhawks got an unexpected return as Jordan Banks came back from a knee injury. Banks was huge in their 47-39 victory over the Raiders on Friday afternoon at Groves. Bloomfield Hills will have a tough task looming playing a back to back. They will play Oak Park on Monday and Detroit Edison's B team on Tuesday with both games at Detroit University Prep. North Farmington will play Chicago Phillips on Monday in the Motor City Roundball Classic at Detroit Westfield Prep.

WEST BLOOMFIELD 67, Royal Oak Shrine 31.

The Lakers were in command the whole way on Friday afternoon as they blew out Royal Oak Shrine 67-31 at Groves. Mya Bobo, Logan Lewis, and company had big games. West Bloomfield has a big game tomorrow afternoon against Ann Arbor Huron before closing out 2019.

East Grand Rapids 42, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 41.

The Warriors had a ton of trouble against the Falcons at Detroit Westfield Prep in a game where they would never get the lead in the game in a 42-41 loss. East Grand Rapids went to especially to a box and one against Cheyenne McEvans. McEvans struggled against the box and one on Friday afternoon against East Grand Rapids and it showed despite scoring 15 points and Kaonia Willis added 11 points while Jasmine Worthy added five points. Southfield Arts and Tech has a tough one tomorrow night as they play a very good Ypsilanti Arbor Prep team.

Ann Arbor Huron 68, WEST BLOOMFIELD 62.

The Lakers had a tough second half getting outscored 22-8 in the third quarter and then it turned into a battle with Ann Arbor Huron on Saturday afternoon with West Bloomfield falling 68-62. The River Rats star players would then go off especially in the second half. Logan Lewis led the Lakers with 15 points while Sydney Hendrix had 13 points and nine rebounds. West Bloomfield will look to bounce back in 2020 as they sit at 5-2 on the season.

Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 53, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 50.

It was a classic battle of guards between Cheyenne McEvans and Mya Petticord which lived up to the hype at Ann Arbor Skyline on Saturday night. However it was Mariana Woods who scored the go ahead score to give the Gators a huge 53-50 double overtime win over the Warriors. McEvans had 21 points and Jasmine Worthy added 19 points for Southfield Arts and Tech while Petticord had 24 points for Ypsilanti Arbor Prep. The Warriors now stand at 4-3 on the season and will head into the new year with a big one looming against West Bloomfield.

Carleton Airport 52, AVONDALE 48.

The Yellow Jackets had a very interesting experience in Monroe County on Saturday night. They held a 35-28 third quarter lead at Carleton Airport only to see the Jets come back and stun them 52-48. Avondale only scored nine points in the fourth quarter which didn't help their cause. They sit at 3-4 on the season heading into 2020.

Detroit Cody 64, PONTIAC 6.

The Phoenix were blown out by the Comets 64-6 on Monday morning at Detroit Westfield Prep. Pontiac will look to bounce back when they play Farmington in 2020.

Chicago Wendall Phillips 43, NORTH FARMINGTON 25.

The Raiders got the game within two points against Chicago Wendall Phillips but they couldn't get any closer as North Farmington lost their fourth straight game on Monday afternoon at the Motor City Roundball Classic at Detroit Westfield Prep. Maya Kelly led the Raiders with 11 points. North Farmington will be very interesting to watch come 2020 as they right now sit at 5-4 on the season.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS 40, OAK PARK 25.

The Blackhawks used a half court trap against the Knights on Monday afternoon at Detroit University Prep. Bloomfield Hills won their second straight game by beating Oak Park 40-25. The Blackhawks will be back in action tomorrow night at Detroit University Prep when they play Detroit Edison's B team.

Detroit Edison (B) 45, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 33.

The Blackhawks saw their two game winning streak snapped on Tuesday afternoon against a very good Detroit Edison B squad as they fell 45-33 at Detroit University Prep. Bloomfield Hills will head into 2020 riding some confidence heading into the Red.

Boys

WEST BLOOMFIELD 62, Detroit Mumford 60.

The Lakers have made it a habit by beating Detroit schools in past years (they are 2-0 this season, beat Detroit University Prep 65-62.) West Bloomfield trailed for most of the game against Detroit Mumford (trailed 39-35 at the end of third quarter) but they found a way to win virtually a road game in a tough environment. The Lakers scored 27 points in the fourth quarter to stun the Mustangs 69-65 in the Detroit Public School League Holiday Classic at Detroit Cass Tech on Friday. Ryan Hurst and Kipras Blazevicous were difference makers. Hurst had 23 points while Blazevicous had 11 points and Travis Reese added seven points. West Bloomfield who has played a brutal schedule is now 3-1 on the season.

Detroit Communication of Media Arts 61, TROY ATHENS 44.

The Red Hawks could not overcome the Pharaohs on Friday afternoon at Ferndale as they fell 61-44 in the Motor City Roundball Classic. Detroit Communication of Media Arts now has wins over two OAA schools (Farmington, 70-68 in double overtime) and Troy Athens.) They could see another OAA school in Ferndale on the the Eagles home court in the postseason. The Red Hawks had a good day from forward Michael Justice. He had 14 points to lead them in scoring but they couldn't get anyone else going against the Pharaohs as they kept Bryce Eaton, Davis Giovinacci, and Jacob Thornton in check. The Red Hawks now sit at 2-2 and will play Utica Eisenhower next Friday night at home.

Detroit Western 54, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 47.

The Blackhawks had some struggles against the Cowboys suffering their first loss of the season 54-47 on Friday afternoon in the Detroit Public School League Holiday Classic at Detroit Cass Tech. Mason Canfield led Bloomfield Hills with 22 points in defeat. The Blackhawks will play Howell on Saturday afternoon in the Motor City Roundball Classic at Ferndale.

TROY 68, Canton 53.

The Colts exploded for 20 fourth quarter points in a stunning 68-53 victory over Canton in the North Farmington Holiday Extravaganza on Friday afternoon. Brody Parker and Ethan Emerizian both had monster games for Troy. The Colts will get ready for a huge game on Sunday night as they play Saginaw at the Motor City Roundball Classic at Ferndale.

NORTH FARMINGTON 59, Toledo St. Francis 49.

The Raiders used a strong second half to beat the Knights 59-49 on their home floor in the Holiday Extravaganza on Friday afternoon. North Farmington are 5-0 on the season. They will play their arch rival on their home floor Farmington next Friday night.

CLARKSTON 87, Roseville 66.

The Wolves bounced back after a tough 68-55 loss to Orchard Lake St. Marys last week by pulling off an impressive 87-66 win over Roseville in the Holiday Extravaganza on Friday night at North Farmington. Fletcher Loyer led Clarkston with 42 points (six threes) while Matt Nicholson added 15 points and 10 rebounds while Cole Donchez had 13 points. I'm very concerned with the Wolves depth by going eight deep, that could hurt come postseason time though.

Orchard Lake St. Marys 73, FARMINGTON 54.

The Falcons had a very tough matchup in the Holiday Extravaganza at North Farmington against Orchard Lake St. Marys. The Eaglets blew out Farmington 73-54 on Friday night. Orchard Lake St. Marys is a solid program. The Falcons have another tough matchup looming when they play Detroit Martin Luther King on Sunday at the Motor City Roundball Classic in Ferndale.

Chicago Lincoln Park 73, FERNDALE 56.

The Eagles only scored 24 points in the second half as they fell to their second straight Chicago school in Chicago Lincoln Park 73-56 on Friday night in the Motor City Roundball Classic on their home floor. Ferndale will now head to Lima, Ohio to play another tough team in Cleveland Heights Lutheran East on Sunday.

ROYAL OAK 61, Algonac 20.

The Ravens picked up a 61-20 victory over Algonac in the Marine City Cardinal Mooney Christmas Tournament on Friday afternoon. Royal Oak snapped a two game losing streak in the process and will look to get on a winning streak before heading into 2020. They will head to the championship game tomorrow night at 6:30 PM against Marine City Cardinal Mooney.

Saginaw Heritage 54, ADAMS 44.

The Highlanders saw their two game winning streak snapped on Friday night in Saginaw as they fell 54-44 to the Hawks. Adams now stands at 2-3 on the season and will get into league play in 2020 when they play Southfield Arts and Tech.

Howell 36, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21.

The Blackhawks could not find their three point shooting on Saturday afternoon in the Motor City Roundball Classic against Howell at Ferndale. It became a defensive slug fest where both teams struggled to find their game. It was the Highlanders that found a way to win 36-21. Bloomfield Hills played a back to back which didn't help things either after losing to Detroit Western 54-47 on Friday night. The Blackhawks now stand at 4-2 and their schedule doesn't get any easier from here on out.

OAK PARK 70, Dayton Thurgood Marshall 67.

The Knights almost blew a ten point third quarter lead against Dayton Thurgood Marshall on Saturday night in Lima, Ohio but they did survive winning 70-67 over a solid Thurgood Marshall team. Oak Park does have a ton of balance besides Maliq Carr who is expected to enroll at Purdue in January for football and basketball. It will be very interesting to see what the Knights do without Carr for the rest of the season.

SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 63, Detroit University Prep 58.

The Warriors continued their magical start by beating a very good Detroit University Prep squad at the Motor City Roundball Classic in Ferndale. Southfield Arts and Tech is a sleeper to watch in the White and they are 5-0 on the season. Jalin Lee had 26 points and seven assists in the victory. Expect the Warriors to make a ton of noise.

Marine City Cardinal Mooney 48, ROYAL OAK 46.

The Ravens had a ton of chances to pull it off on Marine City Cardinal Mooney's home gym on Saturday night in the championship game of the Marine City Cardinal Mooney Holiday Tournament. The Cardinals found a way to beat Royal Oak 48-46 sending them to 2-4 on the season. That's not a good omen for the Ravens heading in the Blue and moving forward.

Cleveland Heights Lutheran East 66, FERNDALE 59.

The Eagles had a tough matchup against Cleveland Heights Lutheran East on Sunday night in Lima, Ohio but it was Cleveland Heights Lutheran East that came out with a 66-59 win. Ferndale trailed 46-44 after three quarters but was outscored 20-15 in the fourth which sent the Eagles to 1-3 on the season. Ferndale will look to turn things around heading into league play in 2020.

Saginaw 45, TROY 36.

The Colts had a tough time in the fourth quarter limited to eight points in a 45-36 loss to Saginaw on Sunday night in the Motor City Roundball Classic at Ferndale. The Trojans used a 16-3 run to take the lead and eventually hold on throughout the game. Brody Parker led Troy with 20 points but the Colts couldn't get any other help besides Parker in the game. Freddie McIntosh led Saginaw with 21 points. Troy will head into the new year as one of the favorites in the White despite suffering their first loss of the season.

Detroit Martin Luther King 70, FARMINGTON 29.

Now I'm not going to knack on the Crusaders, I know they are very good and talented but I was really disappointed with how the Falcons played on Sunday night in the Motor City Roundball Classic at Ferndale. Farmington just did not compete and it showed against Detroit Martin Luther King. The Falcons had a really poor start and just wasn't competitive the whole night. If I'm Falcons coach Terrance Porter, I would be very disappointed and humiliated by that performance. This team has talented players in Jaden Atkins and Terrell Humes but for them to score 29 points total is not a good feeling. Farmington has to play their arch rival in North Farmington next Friday. They need to fix some things between now and next Friday.

PONTIAC 54, Detroit Cornerstone 38.

The Phoenix picked up their first victory in the Damion O'Neal era at Pontiac when they beat Detroit Cornerstone 54-38 in the Motor City Roundball Classic at Ferndale on Monday morning. The Phoenix have a tough one to start 2020 when they play at Clarkston on Thursday.

STONEY CREEK 45, Detroit Henry Ford 30.

The Cougars used a strong defensive effort in their 45-30 victory over Detroit Henry Ford on Monday night in the Motor City Roundball Classic at Ferndale. Stoney Creek will have a huge game looming on Friday when they head to Okemos.

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Hockey, Bowling, and Skiing Regionals are Out.

Written Sunday December 22nd at 4:40 PM
Updated Friday December 27th at 12:00 PM

Here is my early thoughts on the Hockey Regionals affected the OAA. Locations haven't been named yet. Will be updated when they come out.

Hockey Regionals (Regions 1-8 is Division One while is 9-16 is Division Two)

Region 5

CLARKSTON

OXFORD-AVONDALE

Brighton

Grand Blanc

Howell

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

Waterford

Early Thoughts: I think this regional will be very interesting. I’m keeping an eye on four teams in Clarkston, Brighton, Orchard Lake St. Marys, and Howell. The Eaglets are the early favorite but the Bulldogs, Wolves, and Highlanders are right in the mix.

Region 6

ROCHESTER UNITED

Macomb Dakota

Macomb L’Anse Creuse

Port Huron

Utica

Utica Eisenhower

Early Thoughts: I think this regional will be very interesting. I’m keeping an eye on three teams in Rochester United, Utica Eisenhower, and Macomb Dakota. The Eagles are the early favorite but the Cougars are a rival to Utica Eisenhower and there is Rochester United in there as well.

Region 7

BERKLEY-FERNDALE

BIRMINGHAM

FARMINGTON

TROY UNITED

St. Clair Shores Lakeview

Novi Detroit Catholic Central

Early Thoughts: This regional looks very interesting. I’m keeping a close eye on Novi Detroit Catholic Central although Troy United, Birmingham, and Farmington are going to be tough challengers against the Shamrocks.

Region 13

LAKE ORION

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

WEST BLOOMFIELD

Birmingham Brother Rice

Walled Lake

White Lake

Early Thoughts: This regional looks to be interesting on paper. I’m keeping an eye on a possible Lake Orion vs Birmingham Brother Rice clash. Clearly these teams are the two best in the region and are ranked in the State in Division Two.

Region 14

STONEY CREEK

Chippewa Valley

Romeo

Marysville

New Baltimore Anchor Bay

Port Huron Northern

Ubly

Early Thoughts: This is a wide open regional on paper. I can see Stoney Creek being the favorites in this regional but there are several teams to watch like Port Huron Northern but right now this looks like it’s the Cougars to lose.

Bowling Regionals

Region 2 at Grand Blanc

CLARKSTON

LAKE ORION

OXFORD

Lapeer

Grand Blanc

Davison

Flint Carman Ainsworth

Flushing

Grand Ledge

Holt

Lansing Eastern

Midland

Midland Dow

Saginaw

Saginaw Heritage

Swartz Creek

Boys: The favorite has to be Oxford because of proven experience although Flushing, Lapeer, Midland, and Davison will have strong says in this regional.

Girls: The favorite has to be Oxford although Lake Orion is right there and Flushing is a dark horse to watch for.

Region 3 at Waterford Kettering

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

FARMINGTON

NORTH FARMINGTON

Brighton

Farmington Hills Mercy

Novi Detroit Catholic Central

Hartland

Howell

Milford

Waterford Kettering

Waterford Mott

Lakeland

South Lyon

Novi

Walled Lake Central

Walled Lake Western

Walled Lake Northern

Boys: The favorite has to be Walled Lake Central because they have experience back but Waterford Kettering will be in the mix.

Girls: This is a wide open regional but the early favorite has to be South Lyon with whom they have back.

Region 6 at Brownstown Woodhaven

BIRMINGHAM

ROYAL OAK

TROY

TROY ATHENS

Brownstown Woodhaven

Dearborn

Dearborn Edsel Ford

Dearborn Crestwood

Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit

Monroe

Lincoln Park

Taylor

Temperance Bedford

Warren Cousino

Warren Mott

Warren De LaSalle

Wyandotte Roosevelt

Boys: Taylor is the favorite to come out of this regional although watch for Warren De LaSalle. They could play spoiler.

Girls: Watch for Monroe, the Trojans could make some noise in this regional despite Taylor being the favorite to win this regional.

Region 11 at Birmingham Marian

AVONDALE

FERNDALE

Birmingham Marian

Center Line

Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Hazel Park

Eastpointe

Marysville

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

Pinckney

Redford Union

South Lyon East

Warren Fitzgerald

Warren Woods Tower

Boys: The favorite has to be Marysville although South Lyon East and Warren Woods Tower will have strong says as well.

Girls: This is a loaded regional with some solid bowling powers in South Lyon East, Warren Fitzgerald, and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Whoever wins this regional will have a strong say in the State Finals.

Skiing Regionals

Region 2 at Clarkston

CLARKSTON

LAKE ORION

OXFORD-HOLLY

BIRMINGHAM

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

ROCHESTER

ADAMS

STONEY CREEK

TROY UNITED

WEST BLOOMFIELD

Waterford

Grand Blanc

Fenton/Lake Fenton/Linden

Boys: This is a loaded regional with four teams that were top ten in the State last season. Clarkston has to be the favorite followed by Birmingham, Lake Orion, and Bloomfield Hills.

Girls: The favorite has to be Clarkston with who they have back but Birmingham is expected to challenge for this regional along with Fenton/Lake Fenton/Linden. It will be very interesting to say the least.

Region 3 at Hartland

FARMINGTON UNITED

Brighton

Novi Detroit Catholic Central

Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit

Farmington Hills Mercy

Hartland

Howell

Milford

Lakeland

Northville

Novi

Saline

Walled Lake Northern/Walled Lake Western

Walled Lake Central

South Lyon

Boys: The favorite has to be Hartland but Brighton will have a strong say who wins this regional and Milford could be a player as well.

Girls: The favorite has to be Milford but Lakeland and Brighton should make some noise in this regional.

Holiday Tournaments This Week. Boys and Girls Basketball Rankings Top 21.

Written Sunday December 22nd at 12:15 PM
Updated Thursday December 26th at 4:35 PM

Boys Top 21

1. Troy (3-0): Colts winning with a boatload different ways thus far.

2. Clarkston (1-1): Wolves should be fine despite falling last Friday night to Orchard Lake St. Marys.

3. North Farmington (4-0): Finally the Raiders were tested and came from behind to win last Saturday night.

4. Southfield Arts and Tech (4-0): Warriors have quietly have went along with their business.

5. West Bloomfield (2-1): Lakers still in good shape since losing to Warren De LaSalle.

6. Ferndale (1-1): Eagles didn’t look good in Chicago on Saturday. They have two tough games this week.

7. Farmington (1-1): It’s been a quiet week for the Falcons.

8. Bloomfield Hills (4-0): Mason Canfield and Collin Hecker are difference makers thus far for the Blackhawks.

9. Oak Park (1-1): Knights bounced back in their own showcase but questions still remain with them.

10. Stoney Creek (3-1): Cougars look to be back on track after beating Seaholm last Friday night.

11. Lake Orion (2-1): Dragons are a very interesting team to keep an eye on.

12. Oxford (2-1): Wildcats need someone to step up and help Trey Townsend.

13. Adams (2-2): Jonathan Urusy has proven himself big time for the Highlanders.

14. Berkley (3-1): Bears have won three straight since their opening night loss to Troy. Berkley still are the favorites in the Blue.

15. Groves (4-2): What happened to the Falcons in the fourth quarter against Detroit Pershing on their home floor???

16. Troy Athens (2-1): Red Hawks have bounced back nicely since their loss to Lake Orion.

17. Seaholm (2-2): It was a very disappointing week for the Maples.

18. Pontiac (0-2): Phoenix have played a tough schedule but it’s early.

19. Rochester (0-3): When you start three sophomores there is going to be growing pains.

20. Royal Oak (1-3): Ravens look good against neighborhood schools but the others not so much.

21. Avondale (0-4): Yellow Jackets haven’t even been competitive in their games thus far.

Girls Top 21

1. Troy Athens (6-0): If you haven’t seen the Red Hawks play you’re in for a treat.

2. Southfield Arts and Tech (4-1): Warriors battled back and beat Clarkston last Friday night. They lead the Red for now.

3. West Bloomfield (4-1): Lakers moving along with their business since their opening night loss to Detroit Renaissance.

4. Clarkston (5-2): Wolves closing the gap in the Red. They will be fine going forward.

5. Berkley (5-2): Bears loss to Rochester creates competition in the Blue with Rochester, Seaholm, Oak Park, and themselves. I think Berkley is fine though moving forward.

6. Royal Oak (4-2): Ravens have lost two tough games last week. They should be fine going forward.

7. Oxford (4-2): Wildcats have been a Jekyll and Hyde lately.

8. North Farmington (5-2): Raiders lost both games by a combined five points. They’ll be fine going forward.

9. Lake Orion (2-2): Dragons came back from 17-3 down to lead Adams at one point says a lot about this team.

10. Avondale (3-3): Yellow Jackets have some good wins and have played a tough schedule but the loss to Novi baffles me a bit.

11. Adams (3-3): Highlanders have been a very odd team to figure out.

12. Troy (4-2): Rumors have been swarming, could Kendal Zeiter come back and play for the Colts???

13. Stoney Creek (2-4): Cougars have played a tough schedule, they’ll be fine going forward.

14. Rochester (2-4): Falcons have been battle tested lately.

15. Groves (2-3): Falcons have been competitive lately.

16. Bloomfield Hills (2-3): Keelen Fife will be a name to watch for the Blackhawks in 2020.

17. Oak Park (2-1): Knights upset of Seaholm was a stunner for me.

18. Farmington (1-4): Falcons got their first win of the season last Friday night.

19. Ferndale (2-2): Eagles have been making some progress in developing a program.

20. Seaholm (2-3): Maples upset loss to Oak Park last Friday night really has me baffle.

21. Pontiac (0-3): It’s been a rough few weeks for the Phoenix.

Top Games (Boys)- Christmas Tournaments December 23^rd until December 29^th. (Times will be updated)

Clarkston vs Roseville. Holiday Hoops Extravaganza at North Farmington (6:45 PM, Friday): I’m going to be curious how the Wolves will respond after losing to Orchard Lake St. Marys last Friday night. Roseville has a ton of talent and experience. They should give Clarkston some fits.

Adams at Saginaw Heritage (Saturday): The Hawks are not a bad team especially in the Saginaw Valley League. The Highlanders are a Jekyll and Hyde after starting off 0-2 they have two big wins over Lake Orion and Chippewa Valley. Saginaw Heritage will be a test for sure.

Stoney Creek vs Detroit Henry Ford. Motor City Roundball at Ferndale (3:30 PM, Monday): The Cougars had a bounce back win last Friday night by beating Seaholm. Stoney Creek will have their hands full with Detroit Henry Ford. Detroit Henry Ford is usually solid. If the Cougars can control tempo then they shouldn’t have a problem.

Pontiac vs Detroit Cornerstone. Motor City Roundball at Ferndale (11 AM, Monday): This could be a very interesting matchup for the Phoenix. There is a real possibility that they could get their first win of the season if things go right. Detroit Cornerstone sits at 2-3 and has been struggling lately. Pontiac has played two really tough opponents in Birmingham Brother Rice and North Farmington. It will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday.

Bloomfield Hills vs Detroit Western. Detroit Public School League Winter Basketball Classic at Detroit Cass Tech (1:15 PM, Friday): The Blackhawks should be tested when they play the Cowboys in Wayne County. Bloomfield Hills played here last season needing to beat Detroit Collegiate Prep 54-51. The Blackhawks are unbeaten which makes this year’s trip very interesting.

Bloomfield Hills vs Howell. Motor City Roundball at Ferndale (1:40 PM, Saturday): The Blackhawks will have another very interesting matchup and playing the second game of a back to back when they play against the Highlanders on Saturday. Howell went to the Final Four in Division One last season is very young. Bloomfield Hills has two really good players in Collin Hecker and Mason Canfield. I’ll be curious how they will respond playing in the second game of a back to back as mentioned.

Troy vs Canton. Holiday Hoops Extravaganza at North Farmington (3:15 PM, Friday): The Colts will be tested against a solid Chiefs team. Canton has a solid guard in Ben Stesiak that Troy will have to deal with. It makes up for a very interesting guard matchup between Stesiak and Jake Vickers vs Brody Parker, Jake Emerizian, and Ethan Emerzian. Should be very interesting.

Troy vs Saginaw. Motor City Roundball at Ferndale (6:30 PM, Sunday): The battle of the guards between Brody Parker, Jake Emerzian, and Ethan Emerzian vs Sir’Real Smith and Freddie McIntosh. The Trojans have played a tough schedule in the Saginaw Valley and had put over 200 points in their first two games of the season. Also what makes this matchup tough for Troy is that this is the second game of a back to back, talk about brutal.

Troy Athens vs Detroit Communication Media Arts. Motor City Roundball at Ferndale (12:30 PM, Friday): This should be the Red Hawks toughest test since playing Lake Orion in their first game of the season by going up against the Pharaohs. Detroit Communication of Media Arts has been battle tested and has a double overtime victory over Farmington but lost a tough one to North Farmington last Saturday. This should be very interesting to say the least.

West Bloomfield vs Detroit Mumford. Detroit Public School League Winter Basketball Classic at Detroit Cass Tech (11:30 AM, Friday): The Lakers brutal non-conference schedule continues with a trip to Detroit Cass Tech on Friday to play Detroit Mumford. The Mustangs are solid in the Detroit Public School League. They could make some noise in the postseason. Talk about brutal.

Royal Oak vs Algonac at Marine City Cardinal Mooney (3:30 PM, Friday): This is an interesting matchup for the Ravens playing Algonac. Algonac is typically a decent team which can give anyone trouble in the Blue Water Conference. Royal Oak will need to play well if they want to play for the championship on Saturday.

Royal Oak vs Marine City Cardinal Mooney (6:30 PM, Saturday): The Ravens will need a good showing no matter what happens or if they play either Marine City Cardinal Mooney or Memphis. A good showing would be great for Coach Aaron Smith’s crew.

Farmington vs Orchard Lake St Marys. Holiday Hoops Extravaganza at North Farmington (8:30 PM, Friday): The Falcons will be well rested heading into their arch rival’s gym. Farmington has to deal with a loaded Eaglets squad that beat Clarkston by 13 points. It will not be an easy game to say the least.

Farmington vs Detroit Martin Luther King. Motor City Roundball at Ferndale (8:20 PM, Sunday): The Falcons will have another really tough game looming after Orchard Lake St. Marys when they play Detroit Martin Luther King. Farmington certainly has the guards to matchup against the Crusaders. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Toledo St. Francis at North Farmington. Holiday Hoops Extravaganza (5 PM, Friday): The Raiders came back from eight points down to beat Detroit Communication of Media Arts 47-46 last Saturday. Toledo St. Francis is very good sitting at 5-1. It’s going to be a tough matchup for North Farmington in their home gym.

Southfield Arts and Tech vs Detroit University Prep. Motor City Roundball at Ferndale (5 PM, Saturday): The Warriors have been off to a solid start at 4-0. Going up against a Coach Brendan Barrett team will be a tough chore for Southfield Arts and Tech but they have managed to have a strong start thus far.

Oak Park vs Dayton Thurgood Marshall. Lima Senior Showcase at Lima Senior High School in Lima Ohio: (4:15 PM, Saturday): The Knights had a blowout win over Detroit Henry Ford last weekend. They will play a Cougars team that is solid and talented despite having a 5-3 record. It will be an interesting matchup to say the least.

Chicago Lincoln Park at Ferndale. Motor City Roundball (8 PM, Friday): The Eagles were in Chicago this past weekend but they did not look good in their blowout loss to Chicago Harvey Thornton falling 83-64. It should be a good test with another solid Chicago squad in Lincoln Park. Ferndale will need to play well on their home floor.

Ferndale vs Cleveland Heights Lutheran East. Lima Senior Showcase at Lima Senior High School in Lima, Ohio: (3:30 PM, Sunday): The Eagles will test themselves against another out of State team when they head southeast instead of northwest. Ferndale fell to Chicago Harvey Thornton 83-64 last weekend. They will head to Lima. Ohio to take on a very good Cleveland Heights Lutheran East team is very solid and is 5-1 this weekend. Usually playing an out of state team in the new format but it should make the Eagles better in the long hall.

Top Games (Girls)- Christmas Tournaments December 23^rd until December 31^th. (Times will be updated)

Pontiac vs Detroit Cody. Motor City Roundball at Westfield Prep (9:20 AM, Monday): The Phoenix have been struggling but so has Detroit Cody. It is also an early game as well. This one could be interesting.

Oak Park vs St. Clair Shores South Lake. Motor City Roundball at Westfield Prep (9:20 AM, Friday): The Knights are coming off an emotional 48-41 upset over Seaholm last Friday night. Oak Park will play St. Clair Shores South Lake on Friday morning. South Lake is not bad and should provide the Knights some issues but if Oak Park plays like they did against Seaholm then anything could happen.

Avondale at Carelton Airport (8 PM, Saturday): The Yellow Jackets have appeared to have things straighten out since playing Birmingham Marian. Carleton Airport is not bad and should give Avondale some fits but I think the experience could be too much in this game.

Bloomfield Hills vs North Farmington at Groves (4:00 PM, Friday): The Blackhawks are dealing with a ton of injuries and suspensions and it showed in their controversial loss to Groves on Friday night. The Raiders have lost both of their games by a combined five points. This should be an interesting matchup.

Bloomfield Hills vs Oak Park at Detroit University Prep (Monday): The Blackhawks will be taking on a red hot Knights team that has won two straight games. Bloomfield Hills has played a tough schedule thus far and could surprise some people this season. If Oak Park can get this one then they are going to be a team to be a recon with.

Bloomfield Hills at Detroit Edison (B-Team) Tuesday at Detroit University Prep: The Blackhawks are going to have it very tricky against the Pioneers but it won't be against their top team. It will be against their B team. Although weaker than their A team but they are still solid. It's going to be a tough matchup anyway for Bloomfield Hills.

West Bloomfield vs Royal Oak Shrine at Groves (6 PM Friday): The Lakers should matchup pretty well with Royal Oak Shrine but Royal Oak Shrine has given teams in the Red problems like Royal Oak. It will be interesting to see how West Bloomfield plays this out.

West Bloomfield vs Ann Arbor Huron at Ann Arbor Skyline (1:45 PM, Saturday): This will be a tough game for the Lakers playing in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor Huron has a ton of experience and they have been battle tested. It will be interesting to see how West Bloomfield plays this out.

Waterford Mott at Groves (12 PM, Friday): This sets up to be a battle of the interior between Ellie Ruprich and Abby Ungler. The Falcons have been up and down lately. They recently winning a controversial game over Bloomfield Hills on Friday night.

North Farmington vs Chicago Phillips. Motor City Roundball at Westfield Prep (2:20 PM, Monday): Chicago Phillips is usually a solid team. They should test the Raiders in this matchup.

Southfield Arts and Tech vs East Grand Rapids. Motor City Roundball at Westfield Prep (5:40 PM, Friday): This will be a tough matchup to day the least for the Warriors against the Pioneers who are very good. It will be very interesting to say the least.

Southfield Arts and Tech vs Ypsilanti Arbor Prep at Ann Arbor Skyline (5:15 PM, Saturday): The Gators are a very solid squad who has beaten Clarkston early in the season. The Warriors besides McEvans, Worthy, and Willis should be tested again. Southfield Arts and Tech will need someone besides those three to step up against a stout Ypsilanti Arbor Prep squad.

Wrestling and Cheerleading Districts are Out.

Written Saturday December 21st at 10:30 AM

Here is my thoughts and insight on the wrestling team and cheerleading districts.

Cheerleading Districts

District 4 at Adams

ADAMS

ROCHESTER

STONEY CREEK

BERKLEY

BIRMINGHAM

FARMINGTON

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

ROYAL OAK

SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH

TROY

TROY ATHENS

Livonia Stevenson

Utica

Utica Eisenhower

WHO I SEE MOVING ON. Adams, Rochester, Stoney Creek, Troy Athens.

THOUGHT: This is a tough district with some solid teams in here but the three Rochester schools and Troy Athens have been there and done that.

District 5 at Brighton

CLARKSTON

WEST BLOOMFIELD

NORTH FARMINGTON

Waterford Kettering

Waterford Mott

Brighton

Hartland

Howell

Milford

Lakeland

Novi

Northville

Walled Lake Central

Walled Lake Northern

WHO I SEE MOVING ON: Brighton, Howell, Hartland, Clarkston.

THOUGHT: This is a tough district when looking at the OAA squads. West Bloomfield went last season but I don’t know if they have enough especially with the three Livingston County schools in this district.

District 6 at Grand Blanc

LAKE ORION

OXFORD

Grand Blanc

Lapeer

Romeo

Davison

Flint Carman Ainsworth

Flushing

Midland

Midland Dow

Port Huron

Port Huron Northern

Saginaw Heritage

Traverse City West

WHO I SEE MOVING ON: Grand Blanc, Lake Orion, Oxford, Romeo.

THOUGHT: This is not a strong district as the top two teams are Grand Blanc and Lake Orion. It’s those two and everyone else.

District 9 at Allen Park

AVONDALE

OAK PARK

Allen Park

Dearborn Divine Child

Eastpointe

Lamphere

Lincoln Park

Marysville

Melvindale

River Rouge

Walled Lake Western

Roseville

Warren Woods Tower

St. Clair

St. Clair Shores Lake Shore

WHO I SEE MOVING ON: Walled Lake Western, Avondale, Marysville, Allen Park.

THOUGHT: This is not a strong district but I see Avondale having a strong showing. The Yellow Jackets are a team to watch.

Wrestling Team Districts

Division 1- Feb 12^th

102-1 at Romeo

OXFORD

Port Huron

Port Huron Northern

Romeo

THOUGHT: This district looks to be Oxford’s written all over it.

105-1 at Lake Orion

CLARKSTON

LAKE ORION

Waterford Kettering

Waterford Mott

THOUGHT: The Wolves are the early favorite but watch for Lake Orion and Waterford Kettering.

106-1 at Royal Oak

ROYAL OAK

TROY

TROY ATHENS

Warren Mott

THOUGHT: This is an odd district. Watch for Troy in this district.

107-1 at Adams

ROCHESTER

ADAMS

STONEY CREEK

Utica Eisenhower

THOUGHT: Watch for Adams to make some noise but Rochester and Stoney Creek will have strong says.

118-1 at Livonia Franklin

FARMINGTON

Livonia Franklin

Livonia Churchill

Livonia Stevenson

THOUGHT: It’s going to be tough for Farmington to win this district especially with Livonia Franklin and Livonia Churchill.

126-1 at Groves

GROVES

SEAHOLM

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

Birmingham Brother Rice

THOUGHT: This district could be one of the most competitive in the area.

127-1 at Walled Lake Western

NORTH FARMINGTON

WEST BLOOMFIELD

Walled Lake Western

Walled Lake Central

THOUGHT: West Bloomfield should be the early favorite but watch for North Farmington.

128-1 at Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit

BERKLEY

SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH

Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit

THOUGHT: I like the Warriors to pull through in this district.

Division 2- February 13^th

140-2 at Brandon

PONTIAC

Holly

Brandon

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

THOUGHT: Pontiac is not the deepest team but they have just enough to win this district.

162-2 at Lamphere

AVONDALE

Lamphere

Hazel Park

Warren Fitzgerald

THOUGHT: Avondale has a tougher schedule but watch for Lamphere to give Yellow Jackets everything they can handle.

163-2 at Redford Union

FERNDALE

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

Redford Thurston

Redford Union

THOUGHT: Orchard Lake St. Marys is solid but Ferndale will seriously challenge them.