Top Games This Week. Boys and Girls Basketball Top 21.

Written Saturday January 25th at 1:00 AM

Boys Top 21

1. Clarkston (8-1): Wolves are starting to roll again.

2. Troy (8-2): Colts starting to figure things out.

3. West Bloomfield (6-4): Lakers have played a tough schedule but it will get tougher from here.

4. Farmington (5-5): The Falcons have the upper hand in the White right now.

5. Ferndale (4-7): Tough schedule has helped the Eagles.

6. Oak Park (5-5): Knights doing well without Maliq Carr.

7. North Farmington (8-3): Raiders struggling with consistency.

8. Lake Orion (4-5): Dragons have played better lately.

9. Oxford (5-4): It's been a rough week for the Wildcats.

10. Southfield Arts and Tech (9-2): Warriors two losses have been by buzzer beaters.

11. Groves (7-6): Buzzer beaters are starting to become the norm for the Falcons.

12. Bloomfield Hills (4-8): Tough January continues for the Blackhawks.

13. Seaholm (6-2): Maples have won four straight and controls the Blue for now.

14. Adams (3-7): Highlanders picked up a monster win Friday night.

15. Troy Athens (7-3): Red Hawks have won four straight since the loss to Berkley.

16. Stoney Creek (5-6): Cougars have lost five of six which is alarming.

17. Berkley (6-3): 81 points in two games is not a good recipe for success.

18. Pontiac (3-5): Phoenix in thick of league race right now.

19. Royal Oak (3-8): Ravens starting to figure things out a bit.

20. Rochester (1-9): Falcons are winless no more.

21. Avondale (0-8): I don’t know if I see a win on that schedule the rest of the way for the Yellow Jackets.

Girls Top 21

1. Avondale (8-4): Yellow Jackets right now in command of the White.

2. Southfield Arts and Tech (7-5): Warriors saw their three game winning streak snapped on Saturday.

3. Clarkston (8-3): Olivia Toderan has been the key to the Wolves success.

4. West Bloomfield (9-3): Maybe that loss to Royal Oak woke the Lakers up.

5. Adams (7-4): Good Highlanders are showing up but can they sustain it???

6. Troy Athens (10-2): Red Hawks have not been the same since the loss to Adams.

7. Royal Oak (6-5): Sarah Soraghan is the key for the Ravens success.

8. Berkley (8-3): Loss to Groves doesn’t hurt their league chances.

9. Troy (7-4): Things have gone well for the Colts since Kendal Zeiter’s return.

10. Lake Orion (4-6): Dragons got two huge wins last week, can they sustain it???

11. Rochester (6-5): The Blue goes through the Falcons right now.

12. Oxford (5-6): Wildcats really miss Mackenzie Methner.

13. North Farmington (8-5): Raiders have been an inconsistent team as of late.

14. Stoney Creek (4-7): Nine points against Adams in the second half is not good for the Cougars.

15. Groves (4-6): Beating Berkley on Tuesday night is a huge statement.

16. Bloomfield Hills (5-8): It’s hard to describe the Blackhawks right now.

17. Oak Park (7-4): Knights are a darkhorse in the Blue.

18. Seaholm (5-6): It’s hard to describe the Maples right now.

19. Farmington (2-10): Falcons have been struggling lately.

20. Ferndale (2-6): Eagles have been struggling lately.

21. Pontiac (0-10): It’s been a long season for the Phoenix.

Top Games (Boys)- Jan 27th thru Feb 1.

Lake Orion vs Oxford at Oakland (Wednesday): This is a rematch of a 62-54 Dragons win at Oxford on December 19^th. The Wildcats circled this game on their calendar. This is a great coaching matchup between Steve Laidlaw and Joel Schroeder along with a great player matchup between Trey Townsend and Dylan Boedigheimer. Oxford’s supporting cast has played better but do they have an answer for Cameron Sutton???

North Farmington at Clarkston (Monday): This is a game that was postponed because of the weather. The Raiders have an answer for the Big Three of Clarkston in Fletcher Loyer, Keegan Wasilk, and Matt Nicholson??? The matchup between Basheer Jihad and Nicholson is interesting but as mentioned do they have an answer for Loyer and Waslik that will be the question to find out.

West Bloomfield at Clarkston (Friday): The Wolves have been rolling. The Lakers have played a brutal schedule. My question is does West Bloomfield have an answer for Matt Nicholson heading into their matchup with the Wolves. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Lapeer at Oxford (Tuesday): The Lightning have played a murderous schedule which includes Davison, Grand Blanc, Flint Carman Ainsworth, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, and Flint Powers Catholic. The Wildcats have played two tough teams in Farmington and Troy. Lapeer has the bodies to go up against Trey Townsend. If Oxford can find help for Townsend in this matchup then it could help them in this game.

Rochester at Adams (Tuesday): It’s very hard to believe that Adams could be “City Champs” pending if they get by Rochester on Tuesday. Stoney Creek still has to go to Adams later in the season but it’s looking like that could be the case. The Falcons have struggled this season and the interior matchup favors the Highlanders. It will be interesting to say the least.

Oxford at Stoney Creek (Friday): The Cougars have lost four of five which is a concern heading into this game. The Wildcats would had played Lake Orion, Lapeer, Farmington, and Troy to this point. It will be interesting to see where Oxford will be at.

Troy Athens at Pontiac (Thursday): Could this be the Phoenix moment against a very good Red Hawks squad. Pontiac is now a player in the Blue race and if they can beat Troy Athens then they would be in the mix. The Red Hawks are rolling right now winners of four straight games.

Seaholm at Bloomfield Hills (Tuesday): This is a very interesting game between two rivals. The Blackhawks have no answer for the Maples rebounding presence. If this game comes down to a shooting contest then it would favor Bloomfield Hills. I expect this game to be a low scoring affair between these two future district opponents.

North Farmington at Oak Park (Thursday): The Knights and Raiders know each other real well. Oak Park has played well while North Farmington has been inconsistent. This should be an interesting matchup to say the least.

Farmington at Southfield Arts and Tech (Thursday): The Warriors have lost two buzzer beaters. The guard matchup is intriguing between Jaiden Akins and Jailen Lee. The matchup to watch is Jack Dongahue vs Caleb Banks. This will be very interesting to say the least.

Farmington vs Grand Rapids Christian at Grand Rapids Union (Saturday 1:40 PM): This shapes up to be an interesting matchup between Grand Rapids Christian and Farmington. The Falcons feature Tariq Humes and Jaiden Akins and going west has not gone well for Farmington in the past. We’ll see what happens.

Top Games (Girls)- Jan 27 thru Feb 1.

Lake Orion vs Clarkston at Oakland (Wednesday): It could be the start of a rivalry looming between two well-known coaches in John Weyer and Bob Brydges. The Wolves have a ton of experience from last season including Olivia Toderan, Taylor Heaten, and Madison Sikoruski among others. The Dragons are coming off two emotional wins and does feature a couple of Weyer’s AAU team PR1DE players in Meghan Marshall, Maddie Ebbert, and Kylie Heck. We shall see what happens on the black top.

Adams at Lake Orion (Friday): This is a rematch of a December 17^th game which saw the Dragons rally from a 17-3 deficit to tie the Highlanders at one point only to see Adams escape with a 34-30 win. Both of these teams are different squads since that game. It sets up to be a very interesting game.

Lapeer at Oxford (Tuesday): The Lightning have been up and down in the always tough Saginaw Valley League South but they are well coached under Coach Andy Roberts. The Wildcats are without Mackenzie Methner who is out for the season. Oxford has been struggling lately. Lapeer has played a tough schedule and features one of the state’s top players in Hannah Erla. This is a huge game for the Wildcats.

Troy Athens at Rochester (Tuesday): The Red Hawks have lost two straight games. The Falcons have been playing really well lately. If Rochester can pull this one off it will be a huge win for Coach Bill Thurston in his first year coaching this team.

Seaholm at Rochester (Friday): This is a game that many Falcons players and fans want back bad after Seaholm upset Rochester 48-42 on December 17^th. The Falcons are currently tied with Berkley for the Blue. The Maples have been up and down lately. This sets up to be a huge game in the Blue.

Pontiac at Ferndale (Friday): This is an interesting matchup after the Eagles won 35-28 at Sy Green Gym over Pontiac on December 17^th. The Phoenix have not won a game since then.

Troy Athens at North Farmington (Friday): The Red Hawks have been up and down lately losing two straight games but they beat the Raiders 42-39 on a buzzer beater by Izzy Crumm on December 17^th.  North Farmington has been very inconsistent. It will be a very interesting game to see how Troy Athens responds to the small gym of North Farmington.

Seaholm at Groves (Tuesday): Do the Maples have an answer for Ellie Ruprich in this rivalry game. Ruprich has had a strong season thus far for the Falcons. Seaholm has been up and down in the Blue while Groves is in the rugged Red. It will be very interesting between these two rivals.

Royal Oak at Berkley (Tuesday): These are two rivals that know each other well even though one is in the Red while the other is in the Blue. I’m looking forward to the matchup between star players in Sarah Soraghan and Ashley Loon. Both of these ladies will be key in this rivalry game.

Southfield Arts and Tech at Royal Oak (Friday): Royal Oak is a tough gym to play at which both Clarkston and West Bloomfield found out. The Lakers lost 32-31 two weeks ago while the Wolves had to survive 46-42 last week. Southfield Arts and Tech has more talent than the Ravens but never underestimate a coach Brian Sopota team even though the Warriors won 61-25 on December 17^th.

Oak Park at Berkley (Friday): If the Knights want to prove they are a player then they need to win this game. Oak Park lost 53-36 on their home floor to the Bears on December 17^th in Knight Valley.

Flint Carman Ainsworth at Southfield Arts and Tech (Tuesday): The Cavaliers have been dominating the Saginaw Valley South. The Warriors have played a brutal schedule against some of the top teams in the state and that's not mentioning the Red. It should be an interesting matchup for sure. I wonder if ESPN 100.9 FM should make the long trip south to Southfield??? It will be worth it if they did.

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Top Games This Week. Boys and Girls Basketball Top 21.

Written Saturday January 18th at 11:00 AM

Here are the updated records and rankings heading into the weekend.

Boys Top 21

1. Clarkston (6-1): Wolves are starting to play more guys which is a plus.

2. Troy (7-2): Colts bounced back nicely with two big wins.

3. Southfield Arts and Tech (7-2): Warriors split both buzzer beating games with Oxford.

4. Oxford (5-2): Wildcats split both buzzer beating games with Southfield Arts and Tech.

5. Ferndale (4-4): Eagles non-league schedule has tested them.

6. North Farmington (8-2): Raiders were tested by Lake Orion last week.

7. West Bloomfield (4-4): Lakers have been competing lately.

8. Farmington (4-4): Falcons seemed to have turned the corner a bit.

9. Oak Park (4-4): Knights should be fine going forward.

10. Berkley (6-2): Bears had been looking good until the South Lyon East game.

11. Seaholm (4-2): Maples starting to roll a little bit.

12. Bloomfield Hills (4-6): Blackhawks tough January continues.

13. Lake Orion (3-4): Dragons took some positives but if they can clean up turnovers then they will be fine.

14. Stoney Creek (5-4): Cougars have been a hard team to figure out.

15. Troy Athens (6-3): Red Hawks have seemed to turn the corner a bit.

16. Groves (5-6): Falcons have lost four of five games which is not good.

17. Adams (2-6): Highlanders put up a strong effort against a very good Warren De LaSalle team.

18. Pontiac (2-5): Phoenix have been improving and competitive lately.

19. Royal Oak (3-6): Ravens were blown out by Troy Athens, not a good sign.

20. Avondale (0-7): Yellow Jackets have been competitive in the last three games.

21. Rochester (0-8): Falcons have been improving although record doesn’t show it.

Girls Top 21

1. Avondale (7-4): Yellow Jackets have been playing well and improving.

2. Southfield Arts and Tech (7-4): Warriors schedule toughens up again.

3. Clarkston (7-4): Wolves had a bounce back week.

4. Berkley (8-2): Bears on cruise control.

5. Troy Athens (10-1): Red Hawks suffered first loss to Adams on Friday.

6. West Bloomfield (7-3): Ah what happened against Royal Oak???

7. Royal Oak (6-4): Ravens upset of West Bloomfield could be a season changer.

8. Adams (6-4): Highlanders upset of Troy Athens could be a season changer.

9. Troy (6-4): This is truly Athena Sampson’s team right now.

10. North Farmington (7-5): Raiders should be fine going forward.

11. Stoney Creek (4-6): Cougars have been a pure Jekyll and Hyde.

12. Rochester (5-5): Falcons had Stoney Creek on the ropes on Friday but let them off the hook.

13. Oxford (5-5): Wildcats have been on the edge lately.

14. Bloomfield Hills (5-6): Blackhawks have been struggling lately.

15. Groves (3-6): Falcons had a rough week.

16. Oak Park (6-3): Knights are starting to put things together.

17. Lake Orion (2-6): Dragons need to do some soul searching right now.

18. Seaholm (5-4): Maples are a true Jekyll and Hyde.

19. Farmington (1-9): Falcons had a tough few weeks.

20. Ferndale (2-5): Eagles have been struggling thus far.

21. Pontiac (0-8): Phoenix have been struggling thus far.

Top Games (Boys)- Jan 20th thru Jan 25th

Farmington vs Detroit Fredrick Douglass at Ferndale (1:30 PM, Monday): This is a battle of junior guards between Jaiden Atkins of the Falcons and Pierre Brooks of the Hurricanes. The key should be role players and both teams have them in Tariq Humes and Jack Donahue of Farmington and Donivan Peoples and Javonte Randle of Detroit Fredrick Douglass. This will be very interesting.

North Farmington vs River Rouge at Ferndale (6 PM, Monday): This is a very interesting matchup between the Raiders and the Panthers. North Farmington was a late entry into this classic after Warren De LaSalle dropped out. The Panthers are very talented led by Legend Geeter and are well coached under LaMonta Stone. The Raiders have their fair share of talented players in Deon Hayes, Jamal Hayes, and Basheer Jihad and let’s not forget they have one of the best coaches in the game in Todd Negoshian. This should be a very interesting matchup.

Clarkston vs Detroit Martin Luther King at Ferndale (4:30 PM, Monday): This is a very interesting matchup of star power between Fletcher Loyer, Keegan Wasilk, and Matt Nicholson of the Wolves against Omar Ziegler and Chansey Willis of the Crusaders. The coaching matchup is also very interesting between Tim Waslik and George Ward. I think the key is Cole Donchez in this game. If Donchez plays well I can see Clarkston pulling this one out.

Muskegon at Ferndale (3 PM, Monday): The Eagles tough slate continues with the Big Reds coming into Ferndale. The Eagles have played a very tough schedule and Muskegon is just another tough opponent coming into this game for Coach Juan Rickman. At least playing this tough schedule will help Ferndale come March.

Lake Orion at Bloomfield Hills (Tuesday): This shapes up to be a very interesting clash between the Blackhawks guards against the Dragons interior. Both teams are more than capable of shooting the basketball but if it comes down to an interior matchup it would favor Lake Orion because of Dylan Boedigheimer. It will be a very interesting game.

Lake Orion at West Bloomfield (Friday): This is an interesting matchup between the Dragons and the Lakers. Lake Orion is a young team but had a strong showing against North Farmington. West Bloomfield has played a vicious schedule and has a very good squad. It will be very interesting between these two squads.

Clarkston at Ferndale (Tuesday): Both the Wolves and Eagles are going to be playing a back to back after playing at Ferndale in the Martin Luther King Classic that was pushed from Saturday to Monday because of the recent snowstorm. It will be a star studded matchup with Clarkston having Matt Nicholson, Fletcher Loyer, and Keegan Waslik going up against Jayshawn Moore, Colin Golston, and Trevon Lewis for Ferndale. I think the Wolves are deeper than the Eagles which could show in this game.

North Farmington at Clarkston (Friday): The Raiders have had a strong start thus far. This will be a test for Coach Todd Negoshian’s team when they head to Clarkston. It is an interesting matchup of big men between Basheer Jihad and Matt Nicholson but does North Farmington have an answer for Fletcher Loyer??? we’ll find out.

Farmington at Oxford (Tuesday): The Falcons will make the journey north to Oxford to take on a Wildcats squad that is gaining confidence. The Wildcats guards will be tested because of Jaiden Atkins and Tariq Humes but does Farmington have an answer for Trey Townsend. Bryce Essman has been playing really well for Oxford as well. This will be very interesting.

Troy at Oxford (Friday): This will be a very interesting matchup between the Wildcats guards going up against Brody Parker, Jake Emerzian, and Ethan Emerzian but does the Colts have an answer for Trey Townsend. I think Bryce Essman is the key in this matchup because Troy will try to do everything in their power to stop Townsend from going off.

Avondale at Rochester (Tuesday): This is an interesting battle of two 0-7 teams going at it at Rochester. Someone has to win this game just for confidence sakes.

Adams vs Stoney Creek at Oakland (Friday): The Crosstown Showdown at Oakland is always one of my favorite classics. The Cougars are the better team on paper but the Highlanders have an advantage in the interior with Peyton Prieskorn and the Ursuy brothers. Anything is possible in these type of games.

Southfield Arts and Tech at Stoney Creek (Tuesday): The Warriors picked up their first defeat on a buzzer beater by Trey Townsend and Oxford on Thursday after defeating the Wildcats on a buzzer beater last Tuesday. Southfield Arts and Tech is solid and will travel to Rochester to play a Cougars team that has been up and down. It will be interesting.

West Bloomfield at Oak Park (Tuesday): The Lakers have played a tough schedule and have had to overcome adversity. West Bloomfield will head to Oak Park to take on a Knights squad that has experience in Fred Garland and DeMonte Johnson. The Knights have also been battle tested and will provide a tough task for the Lakers.

Southfield Arts and Tech at Groves (Friday): The Falcons have lost four of five which has been a troubling spot for Coach Benny White’s team. The Warriors come to Beverly Hills rolling despite losing a buzzer beater to Oxford. This is Groves biggest game of the season thus far.

Seaholm at Berkley (Tuesday): The Maples have started to put things together. They will be tested by the Bears who have a ton of experience and firepower. Berkley has been rolling since the Troy loss. It should be very interesting to see what happens.

Seaholm at Royal Oak (Friday): The Maples have quietly made some noise in the Blue and thus going to Royal Oak is not an easy place to play. The Ravens have been an up and down team. I expect this game to be a low scoring game.

Grand Blanc at Ferndale (Saturday): The Bobcats come into Ferndale to take on an Eagles squad that should be battle tested. Ferndale has Colin Golston and Jayshawn Moore along with TreVon Lewis. We don’t know if Ty Rogers will play for Grand Blanc but it has been proven that the Bobcats can play well even without Rogers, just ask Waterford Mott that last week.

Top Games (Girls)- Jan 20th thru Jan 25th

Lapeer at Lake Orion (Tuesday): I don’t know where the Dragons mindset is after losing five straight games. Lake Orion has really struggled and is searching for answers. The Dragons will have to deal with Hannah Erla who torched Lake Orion last season scoring 30 points in a blowout at Lapeer. The Lightning have been up and down lately and have played a tough schedule which includes the likes of Midland, Saginaw Heritage, Grand Blanc, and Davison. It will be a tough challenge for Lake Orion.

Oxford at Lake Orion (Thursday): Both of these teams have been struggling but for different reasons. The Wildcats lost Mackenzie Methner for the season with a torn ACL but they have been very competitive. The Dragons have really struggled not taking care of the basketball. This is a rivalry game so anything can happen.

Clarkston at Royal Oak (Thursday): The Ravens are riding high after upsetting West Bloomfield creating a tie with Southfield Arts and Tech. The Wolves are a game back and would like to create a three way tie in the Red standings. Royal Oak is always a tough place to play so Clarkston has to be careful.

Adams vs Stoney Creek at Oakland (Friday): Anytime you have the Crosstown Showdown it makes for a great event. The matchup is interesting especially with the Highlanders experience going up against a Cougars team that has been battle tested in the Red. We’ll see where Adams mindset is at especially upsetting Troy Athens last week.

Avondale at Troy Athens (Friday): How will the Red Hawks respond after losing to Adams on Friday night??? The Red Hawks were 10-0 until that game. The Yellow Jackets have seemed to turn things around. It will be a tough test for Troy Athens to go up against a very experienced Avondale team.

Berkley at Groves (Tuesday): The Falcons would like to get back at the Bears after what happened last season in Berkley. Groves has been up and down in the Red while the Bears have been rolling. It will be a very interesting matchup between these two squads.

Seaholm at Milford (Tuesday): The Maples have seemed to turn things around a bit. They will be tested by a Mavericks squad that is well coached under Dave Browne. It will be a very interesting matchup to say the least.

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Oxford Has Their New Football Coach.

Written Saturday January 18th at 1:45 AM

The Wildcats have found their next Varsity football coach and it’s an very interesting choice.

Oxford named Zach Line as the team’s new football coach replacing Bud Rowley who was there for over 40 years.

Line who returns home, played for Rowley in 2008. He played running back, fullback, and linebacker while at Oxford. He had 154 tackles with eight forced fumbles and four recoveries as a linebacker. Line had over 1,700 rushing yards with 17 touchdowns and three passing scores.

Line played College Football at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where he had over 4,100 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns as a Mustang.

Line played in the NFL where he played for three different teams including the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints where he played fullback and spent time on special teams.

Line will meet his new team next week according to the press release.

Thoughts

Line brings a boatload of experience to Oxford especially from college and his pro days as a player. The Wildcats went 1-8 last season but they have a ton of experience coming back led by quarterback Brady Carpenter along with a ton of solid skill players.

The down side is that Line does not have any coaching experience but the hope around Oxford is that Line’s experience’s in the pros, college, and his days as a Wildcat will overcome his lack of coaching experience.

Another daunting task is that the Wildcats play in the Red which they will see the likes of arch rival Lake Orion, Clarkston, West Bloomfield, Oak Park, and Southfield Arts and Tech. The crossovers are very brutal with Stoney Creek whom has a boatload of experience back along with North Farmington who has their quarterback and very strong coaching staff returning. Oxford has to play Romeo and Sterling Heights Stevenson for their non league.

Another question mark for Line is can he bring his influence and expertise in the sub-varsity, youth football, and middle school programs. The Wildcats has always been known for "Pound the Rock." Will Line keep that identity, that's the question???

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.

Here is the press release.

http://oxfordathletics.org/general/2019-20/releases/20200117nrawrh

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Top Games This Week. Boys and Girls Basketball Top 21.

Written Sunday January 12th at 12:10 PM

Boys Top 21

1. Clarkston (6-1): Wolves are starting to play more guys which is a plus.

2. Southfield Arts and Tech (6-0): Warriors are rolling.

3. Oxford (4-1): Wildcats finding ways to win games.

4. Berkley (5-1): Bears are about ready to roll.

5. Troy (5-2): Colts need to figure things out after losing to Farmington.

6. Ferndale (3-4): Eagles have seemed to turn the corner a bit.

7. North Farmington (7-2): Raiders have had an interesting week.

8. West Bloomfield (3-3): Lakers have played tough schedule but losing two straight doesn’t help.

9. Farmington (3-4): Falcons picked up a huge win over Troy. Things look to be turning around a bit.

10. Oak Park (4-3): Knights will prepare for life without Maliq Carr.

11. Stoney Creek (5-3): Cougars have been a hard team to figure out.

12. Seaholm (3-2): Maples start the new year strong.

13. Bloomfield Hills (4-5): Blackhawks tough January continues.

14. Lake Orion (2-3): Dragons have been a hard team to figure out.

15. Troy Athens (4-3): Red Hawks loss to Berkley has them already playing catch up.

16. Groves (4-5): Falcons have lost four straight which is not a good sign.

17. Pontiac (2-5): Phoenix have been improving and competitive lately.

18. Royal Oak (3-5): Ravens picked up a split this week which is not bad.

19. Adams (2-5): Highlanders had two rough games this week.

20. Rochester (0-5): Falcons had two tough losses this week.

21. Avondale (0-6): Yellow Jackets have been competitive in the last two games.

Girls Top 21

1. Troy Athens (9-0): Red Hawks have been rolling lately.

2. West Bloomfield (7-2): Lakers are back and control the Red as we speak.

3. Avondale (5-4): Yellow Jackets have been rolling lately.

4. Southfield Arts and Tech (5-4): Warriors put 81 on Bloomfield Hills.

5. Clarkston (5-3): Wolves have had a tough week.

6. Berkley (6-2): Bears starting to roll.

7. North Farmington (7-4): Raiders have appeared to have snapped out of their funk.

8. Adams (5-3): Highlanders have bounced back real nicely after a tough week.

9. Rochester (4-4): Falcons had a good six of eight quarters this week.

10. Royal Oak (5-3): Ravens youth has shown in losses.

11. Oxford (4-4): Wildcats suffered a big blow but they have been competitive though.

12. Stoney Creek (3-5): Cougars have been a pure Jekyll and Hyde.

13. Groves (3-4): Upset of Royal Oak really surprises me surrounding the Falcons.

14. Troy (4-4): Athena Sampson has had a strong season for the Colts thus far.

15. Lake Orion (2-4): Dragons can’t seem to score which is not good.

16. Bloomfield Hills (4-6): Two losses this week doesn’t help things.

17. Oak Park (4-3): Knights have been an odd team to figure out.

18. Seaholm (3-4): Maples are a true Jekyll and Hyde.

19. Farmington (1-6): Falcons had a tough few weeks.

20. Ferndale (2-3): Eagles have been making some progress in developing a program.

21. Pontiac (0-6): Phoenix have been struggling thus far.

Top Games (Boys)- Jan 13th thru Jan 20th

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Lake Orion (Tuesday): Can the Dragons bounce back from their disaster against Lapeer when everything that went wrong went wrong. The Irish have a ton of experience which should give Lake Orion problems. If the Dragons can find themselves then they should be fine.

Clarkston vs Detroit Martin Luther King at Ferndale (5:30 PM, Saturday): The Wolves have seemed to have trusted playing more guys but they will be tested against the Crusaders. Detroit Martin Luther King has beaten Farmington in the Motor City Roundball Classic but Clarkston has seen teams like this before.

Oxford vs Southfield Arts and Tech (at Oxford Tuesday, at Southfield Thursday): It’s very odd to see two teams play each other twice on the same week which these two teams are going to do. The Warriors unbeaten record will be put to the test against the Wildcats. Oxford has improved since losing to Lake Orion. If Trey Townsend does what he does then Southfield Arts and Tech could be in some trouble.

Rochester at Seaholm (Thursday): The Falcons have been struggling lately. Rochester has not won a game this season which is not good. Could an opportunity await when they head to Seaholm to play the Maples. Seaholm has been rolling lately and are really scrappy. It is an interesting matchup to say the least.

Stoney Creek at Farmington (Thursday): Does the Cougars have an answer for Jack Donahue. Donahue had a monster game against Troy last week and with the guard matchups being in play the interior matchup might favor Farmington in this matchup.

West Bloomfield at Troy (Tuesday): The Lakers have played a very grueling non-league schedule but have managed to be at 3-3 thus far. The Colts suffered their first league loss last week at Farmington. It’s an intriguing guard matchup between Ryan Hurst and Brody Parker. Again this matchup will come down to which role players step up.

Groves at Troy (Thursday): The Falcons have been struggling lately but this provides them a golden opportunity to bounce back against a very good Colts team. The question in this matchup will be which interior players show up.

North Farmington vs River Rouge at Ferndale (4 PM, Saturday): This is an interesting matchup between River Rouge and the Raiders. Both teams are solid. It will be very interesting to see what happens.

Troy Athens vs Lincoln Park at Madison Heights Bishop Foley (1:30 PM, Saturday): The Red Hawks should be tested by a very competitive Railsplitters squad. Troy Athens is still in the discussion for the Blue title but took a hit by losing to Berkley last week. If the Red Hawks want to bounce back they need this game.

Berkley vs South Lyon East at Madison Heights Bishop Foley (1:30 PM, Sunday): The Bears sent a statement by beating Troy Athens to the Blue. Berkley should be tested on Sunday against a solid Cougars team that has beaten Dearborn Heights Annapolis. The Bears should be in the hunt and the schedule they have played has helped them a lot. This will be a very interesting game.

Oak Park at Ferndale (Thursday): This will be the first game without Maliq Carr for the Knights as he will be at Purdue. The Eagles have been rolling picking up to big wins over North Farmington and Bloomfield Hills. This will be a very interesting game to say the least.

Farmington at Detroit Fredrick Douglass at Ferndale (2:30 PM, Saturday): This is an interesting matchup between the Falcons and the Hurricanes. Detroit Douglass is solid and has performed well. Farmington picked up a huge win over Troy last week. This should be very interesting.

Muskegon at Ferndale (7 PM, Saturday): The Eagles have been rolling despite playing a brutal schedule. They will be tested when they play the Big Reds on their home court. Ferndale will need Colin Gholston and Jayshawn Moore to step up against this very good squad.

Top Games (Girls)- Jan 13th thru Jan 20th

Lake Orion at Troy (Friday): This looks to be a very interesting matchup in the interior between Kendall Robertson and Athena Sampson. It is also a battle of two teams struggling to find an identity. The Dragons have had issues scoring while the Colts have had issues defending. Someone has to win here.

Lake Orion at Troy Athens (Tuesday): Could this be the year that the Red Hawks get the Dragons??? Lake Orion has really struggled to score while Troy Athens has been scoring on people at will. If Lake Orion wants to pull off the upset everyone needs to be on the same page.

Troy Athens at Adams (Friday): The Red Hawks have been rolling lately which is why they are unbeaten thus far. Troy Athens has played well behind their experience. The Highlanders also have experience as well. It will be very interesting to see who performs well on Friday night.

Rochester at Stoney Creek (Friday): Are the Falcons for real??? Rochester has been rolling as of late which includes beating Berkley before the Holiday Break. The Cougars are like the perfect storm as of late. Stoney Creek is very solid defensively as proven in their tough loss to Royal Oak. The Falcons have shooters in Megan Lorenzo and company. If Rochester pulls this off then it would be a huge win for Coach Bill Thurston and it would say that the Falcons are back in the conversation for the best team in the city of Rochester.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Oxford (Friday): The Wildcats have struggled but have been competitive in games. The Irish have been very competitive lately which has helped. This game should be very interesting especially if Oxford can find a way to shut down Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s interior.

Troy at Adams (Tuesday): The Colts have been up and down lately. The Highlanders have been a Jekyll and Hyde. Adams needs to find way to stop Athena Sampson. If they do then they could win this game, if not they could be in some trouble.

Royal Oak at Bloomfield Hills (Tuesday): The Ravens and Blackhawks have been up and down teams. Both teams lost to Groves early in the season and have star players in Jordan Banks and Sarah Soraghan. It will be an interesting matchup to say the least.

Ferndale at Seaholm (Tuesday): Two teams trying to find their own way. The Maples are a team that has been up and down. The Eagles had a halftime lead against Rochester but they had an awful second half where they were outscored 36-5 in that stretch. It will be very interesting to day the least.