Boys Basketball Shortcomings.

Written Saturday March 14th at 10:20 PM
Updated to Include All League players, Wednesday March 18th at 4:50 PM

Hopefully we can get the State tournament up and running again but it doesn't look very good. Anyway here is the Boys Basketball Shortcomings heading into next season.

Clarkston: The Wolves should be solid even though they lose Matt Nicholson and Cole Donchez to graduation. Clarkston has Fletcher Loyer, Keegan Wasilk, Matt DePillo, Connor McKouen, and Luke Scherler returning for Coach Tim Wasilk. Program strength is very strong as well for the Wolves as we head into next season. Clarkston will be in the mix for sure.

Ferndale: The Eagles will be an interesting program to watch this offseason with Jayshawn Moore and Colin Golston graduating. Ferndale will need Trayvon Lewis, Caleb Renfroe, and Romelo Hugley to step up next season. Coach Juan Rickman’s program is not deep which is a huge concern going forward.

North Farmington: The Raiders are going to be an interesting team to keep an eye on in the future. Deon Hayes and Basheer Jihad returns for Coach Todd Negoshian. North Farmington loses a ton of proven experience in Matt Miller, Jamal Hayes, Jon Brunette, Eddie Lenton, and Justice Clark to graduation. Program strength looks very solid for the Raiders though. Look for players like Jacob Bousmara to make an impact. This is a program that should be in the mix next season.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers had a very tough schedule this season which should only help them going forward. West Bloomfield loses five seniors to graduation but Coach Jeremy Dehna returns stand outs Michael Seay and Ryan Hurst along with Kipras Blazeviciux. Program strength is very strong for the Lakers. West Bloomfield should be in the mix next season for sure.

Oak Park: The Knights had an interesting season which saw a 1-6 record in February and a key departure of Maliq Carr who graduated early in December. Oak Park also loses Fred Garland and Soloman Johnson to graduation among others. Coach Bobby Thompson’s program strength looks to be strong but they will be a little young next season.

Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks will be in an interesting spot this offseason. Bloomfield Hills loses Colin Hecker to graduation but they will have Noah Adamczyk and Mason Canfield returning for Coach Phil Kurajian. Program strength seems to be strong as well. The Blackhawks still needs to address the interior even though Derrick Lee is back to fill that void. It will also be interesting where Bloomfield Hills is next season if they stay in the Red or go down to the White. This is a program to keep an eye on.

Lake Orion: It was a rough season for the Dragons under first year coach Joel Schroeder but they ended the season on a good note. What will hurt is that they lose Dylan Boedigheimer, Ari Curtis, Drew Van Heck, Kaiden Collie, and Cameron Sutton to graduation but they have Nick Fisher, Will McClear, Andrew Bryant, Malachi Grandberry, Brendan Jones, Alden Ritt, and Xander Blackney returning. Lake Orion will be fine moving forward next season.

Farmington: The Falcons played a tough non-league schedule but they ended up winning the White this season. Farmington has Jaden Akins, Tariq Humes, Robert Davis, and Paris Jackson returning for Coach Terrance Porter. The Falcons will likely be in the Red next season so this team is on the rise to say the least.

Troy: The Colts are in a great spot to make some noise next year no matter which division they are in not only in the league but also in the State as well. Troy has Brody Parker, Ethan Emerizian, Jake Emerzian, Imad Hage, and D’Anthony Hamilton returning for Coach Gary Fralick. It’s unknown if the Colts will move back to the Red or stay in the White. They have the talent to be back up in the Red and they could make some noise in the postseason next year.

Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors are in an interesting spot heading into next season. Southfield Arts and Tech had a ton of comeback wins this season winning 16 games in the process. The Warriors lose Jaylin Lee as he is graduating but Coach Darryle Buchanan returns Caleb Banks, Rae Quan Lee, and Anthony Davis. Everything looks to be starting to come together for Southfield Arts and Tech next season.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars had a hot finish to the season and they should be good once again next season. Coach Steve Norgrove loses Ethan Smydra and Jack Roehring but they return a ton of talent including Trevor Smith, Lance Fogerberg, Jacob Felton, Grant Lowery, Alex Reiter, and David Angel among others. Stoney Creek will be a team to be a recon with next season.

Groves: The Falcons have had an up and down season losing a ton of close games. Coach Benny White’s team loses four seniors including Devin White but they have Daniel Lee, Chuck Bailey, and Jack Woods returning. Program strength will be a question mark. Groves should be solid next season which helps.

Oxford: The Wildcats are in an interesting spot this offseason. Oxford loses Trey Townsend along with six other seniors. Coach Steve Laidlaw has Zach Townsend, Trent Brown, Pedro Bollete, Mason Muholland, and Palmer Speck returning next season. Program strength is a concern though which is something to keep an eye on even though Brady Carpenter likely comes up to Varsity. The Wildcats could be more dangerous now that they do not have a true scorer like Townsend was this season. This will be a team to keep an eye on next season.

Adams: The Highlanders are in a much better place than they were last season. Coach Jaret Thomas loses Peyton Prieskorn, Jack Santella, and Austin Usury to graduation but they will have Justice Mims, Ben Chermside, and Johnathan Ursuy returning which helps. Program strength looks to be strong especially their freshman class to be sophomores. There is a core for Adams but they'll have to replace some talent as well. I think Thomas will have his system set in place next season.

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks had a strong turnaround winning 16 games this season. Troy Athens loses four seniors but Coach Dave Scott has Bryce Eaton, Jacob Thornton, Jordan Sebaugh, and Michael Justice returning. Also program strength looks to be strong for the Red Hawks. Troy Athens could make some noise next season.

Seaholm: The Maples had a strong year winning 11 games in the process. Seaholm loses nine seniors to graduation including Matt Fricke, Alex Lonze, Pierce Daly, Aiden Citko, and Dominic Cullen but they will have eight players returning which includes Johnny Cross, Tyler Eick, Ben Slazinski, and Jake LaBarre for Coach Mike DeGeeter. The Maples program strength is strong as well. It will be interesting to see what happens next season.

Berkley: The Bears had a very strong season winning 14 games. They lose six seniors to graduation which hurts. What helps Berkley is that they have Arshad Walker returning after suffering an injury before the season started along with Jacob Thomas and Joey McNamara for Coach Joe Sermo. Program strength looks to be very strong with the Bears. They should be in the mix for a while.

Pontiac: The Phoenix had an interesting season under first year coach Dameon O’Neil and they were in the mix for the Blue crown however they had some tough losses down the stretch. Pontiac does have some experience coming back in Tarah Hazard and DeShawn Owens. The Phoenix could be in the mix again next season.

Rochester: The Falcons are in an interesting spot next season. Rochester loses six seniors but they have a ton of talent coming up the ranks led by Mark Williams, Matt Stone, and Armann Hussani. Program strength looks to be very strong. Coach Vance Kirkwood should be better next season. Expect a huge jump for Rochester in 2020-2021.

Royal Oak: The Ravens are in an interesting spot. They had a bit of an identity crisis this season on whether they want to become an offensive or defensive team. Royal Oak loses Seth Werner and Zach Oxender to graduation but they will have Jessie Hoisington, Colton Champion, Jason Gilbert, Jack Norton, and Charlie Garbowski along with a rising player in Dylan Hoffman back for Coach Aaron Smith. The Ravens need to figure out what they are going to be if they want to make some noise.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets were very young for Coach Pat Clancy. Avondale had one win this year but they will have the majority of their team returning led by David Holloman. Holloman looks to have a bounce back year and some help returning in Corbin Smith, Jy Smith, Josh Buggs, Marshall Dennis, and Ajani Knox. The Yellow Jackets could surprise some folks in 2020-2021.

MHSAA Postpones All Winter Tournaments.

Written Thursday March 12th at 3:00 PM
Updated Thursday March 12th at 9:30 PM

The games will not go on after all.

In wake of the Coronavirus outbreak across the United States which has suspended the NBA, MLS, MLB, and NHL seasons, the MHSAA released a tweet on Thursday afternoon stating the following that the league will postpone all winter tournaments. "BREAKING, All MHSAA winter tournaments are suspended effectively immediately and indefinitely due to concerns related to COVID-19. This is a pause in the postseason; updates and a press release to follow."

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a State of Emergency on Tuesday night after two people tested positive for Coronavirus or the virus COVID-19 in the State. She also recommended not to have large gatherings of people to prevent the spread of the virus.

Currently in Michigan there is 12 confirmed cases as of Thursday night.

The Coronavirus has killed 41 people in the United States and 39 states including Michigan has more than 1,000 confirmed cases.

The decision to suspend the winter postseason tournament was not an easy decision. The MHSAA followed the Ohio and Kentucky High School Athletic Association's recommendation to cancel or postpone their winter tournaments.

I will release my thoughts on the Coronavirus during the podcast next week.

This is a developing story, stay tuned to OAA Now and Inside the OAA for the latest updates on this situation.

Here is the video from the MHSAA regarding the suspension of all winter tournaments.

https://www.mhsaa.com/Portals/0/video%20files/Suspend/Suspend%201.mp4?ver=2020-03-12-144058-457

Girls Basketball Shortcomings.

Written Tuesday March 10th at 9:10 PM
Updated Thursday July 30th at 7:30 PM

With Girls Basketball season in the OAA coming to a close. This is what I'm looking at heading into next season.

I will update this article periodically if coaches want to comment to me they know where to find me.

Here are the teams.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers are built for next year and beyond because of their depth especially at the guard spots. West Bloomfield came off a tough 61-52 loss to Hartland for a second straight season however the future is bright as their back court is going to be lethal with Myonna Hooper and Sydney Hendrix returning along with Logan Lewis for Coach Bert Mosley. The freshman class for the Lakers coming in next season is very talented led by Indya and Summer Davis. West Bloomfield will be back for sure.

Southfield Arts and Tech: It could be an end of an era at Southfield Arts and Tech after the Warriors suffered a disappointing 30-26 district semifinal loss to Royal Oak. They lose Cheyenne McEvans and Jasmine Worthy to graduation. Southfield Arts and Tech had a ton of turnover during the season which featured a ton of inexperience. It is also unknown if Coach Michelle Marshall returns next season. Jaylen Austin will likely have to carry the load next season for the Warriors. It could be an interesting offseason to say the least.

Clarkston: The Wolves are on the right track heading into next season as they took home their first district title since 2017. Clarkston loses Taylor Heaten and Lexi Linton to graduation but they will have Sam Aris, Olivia Toderan, Morgan Hunter, Kaitlyn Kaul, Izzy Hadley, and Madison Skourpski coming back for Coach John Weyer. The Wolves program strength is very strong which helps into the future. Clarkston will be fine going forward.

Royal Oak: The Ravens are in a very good position to make some noise especially after upsetting Southfield Arts and Tech 30-26 in the district semifinals. Royal Oak has Sarah Soraghan returning but she will need some help. Lexi Romesburg and Sarah Ammon also return as well. This has to be something that Coach Brian Sopota needs to address heading into next season. Program strength looks solid for the Ravens.

Groves: It was an interesting season for Coach Jessica Wiesler but have a solid young core returning next season that is led by Kaitlyn Quinn and Rachel Sample. The Falcons lose Bryani Johnson, Daija Green, and Ellie Ruprich to graduation. Ruprich is going to play volleyball at South Carolina. It will be very interesting to see how Groves looks next season.

Stoney Creek: It was an interesting year for Coach Kellen James this season. The Cougars lose Lily DiPanni to graduation. Stoney Creek is built for the future and beyond. They have Mia Carson, Devin Vowels, Kendall Kuhl, Sydney LaPrairie, and Milana Skoric returning. Program strength looks strong especially with the talent coming up into the program. I think the Cougars will be back with a vengeance.

Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks are in an interesting spot after a tough 54-40 opening round loss to West Bloomfield. Angelica Saayva and Jordan Banks are graduating but Keelan Fife and Melissa Mecaj are expected to take on much bigger roles for Coach Jeff Rubin. I think program strength is very interesting for Bloomfield Hills but they do have some questions next season as well to address.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets are going to be in a very interesting spot next season. Avondale won the White this season but they had a mid season coaching change as Roy Christmon took over the program for Bob Lees. The Yellow Jackets lose Keori Lee and Brala Benion to graduation after winning a combined 33 games in two seasons (won 15 games this year) with four of those losses coming to West Bloomfield. Avondale has Regan Lawrence, Savannah Schmidt, and Taniah Jackson returning. Depth and program strength are going to be serious issues for the Yellow Jackets next season as they are likely heading for the Red.

Troy: The Colts had a weird season despite not having Kendal Zeiter for half of the season because of transfer rules and winning 15 games in the process earning the top seed in the district however they were upset by Utica 39-23 in the pre-districts. Troy loses Athena Sampson, Jessica Chen, and Riya Chakravinky to graduation. Zeiter does come back along with Kayla Rutledge, Calen Knight, Alyssa Matuza, Charlotte Sobotka, and Lauren Gumma for Coach Simon Bato. Program strength looks to be very strong. It will be interesting to see what happens with this program next season.

Adams: The Highlanders are in an interesting spot despite winning 13 games but suffered their second straight district final loss but it was to Clarkston and not Waterford Kettering this season. Adams has proven players in Elizabeth Blaine, Maddie Dolenga, Lauren Petersmark, and Abbey Drahnak returning. Coach Shay Lewis has Madison Kessman and Kate Elliot coming off the bench. Also program strength looks to be in good shape next season. It will be interesting to see what happens.

North Farmington: The Raiders lose seven seniors to graduation including Molly Simpson and Maya Kelly but Coach Jeff Simpson will have three key players returning in Sela Lefler, Kelsey Newton, and Heaven Rogers. Program strength is a question mark. It will be very interesting to see where North Farmington is at next season.

Troy Athens: Anytime you lose seven seniors to graduation like what Coach Stacie Klumpp is going to have at Troy Athens it’s going to be very tough. The Red Hawks won 13 games this year and started off 10-0 but they went 3-8 down the stretch despite earning the number two seed in their district where they suffered a tough 40-36 loss to Stoney Creek in the pre-districts. Troy Athens will have some questions this offseason and program strength is a question mark. Gillian Clark, Nityla Balusu, and Ciara Shoales will provide varsity experience for what will be a young Red Hawks squad next season.

Lake Orion: The Dragons had their fair share of ups and downs this season. What should have Coach Bob Brydges excited is that he has the majority of his team returning. Maddie Ebbert and Kylie Heck are going to be names to watch out for years to come. Program strength is very strong. The Dragons also have Meghan Marshall returning to go along with this young core. Lake Orion is going to be very dangerous next year.

Oxford: It was a challenging season for Coach Rachel Bryer. What didn’t help was that the Wildcats were without Mackenzie Methner for half of the season which cost them some wins. With Methner returning along with Emma Morris even though there are questions in the interior despite having program strength. Oxford could make some noise next season.

Berkley: It has been an interesting two years for Coach Kirk Carolan and his team winning 32 games in that stretch and sharing the Blue with Rochester for the second straight year. The postseason hasn't been that kind to the Bears falling to Birmingham Marian both times. The future though looks very bright for Berkley with Ashley Loon, Jillian Gomes, and Sammi Withrow returning. The Bears toughen up their non-league which included opening up with Macomb Dakota this season. Playing more of the bigger schools like Lake Orion and Oxford could do wonders despite beating three White teams in Troy, Troy Athens, and North Farmington this year.

Rochester: The Falcons had a great season under first year coach Bill Thurston sharing the Blue for the second straight season with Berkley and winning 14 games. Rochester made some noise in the postseason by upsetting Utica 40-36 in the district semifinals and going toe to toe with Utica Eisenhower in the district finals but falling 47-42 to the Eagles. The Falcons have a very bright future with Megan Lorenzo, Jackie Hurst, Brooke Gordon, and Ananya Rangarijan returning and with the coaching staff stabilized, Rochester is going to be a team to watch and they have a strong core to prove it.

Oak Park: The Knights had a great year under Coach Peggy Carr winning 13 games. They will lose Kyla Wilson to graduation however Oak Park has Tanya Todd returning which should stabilize things. Depth is a concern though. The Knights will be an interesting team to keep an eye on next season.

Seaholm: It will be an interesting offseason for the Maples as they lose five seniors but Coach Chris Manchester returns several key players in Katie Sullivan, Kate Kiefer, Gwyn Wineman, and Megan Blake. Seaholm should be improved next season but we shall see.

Farmington: The Falcons will be in an interesting spot next season for Coach Laura Guzman. Val Pallett returns which should help in the interior along with Autumn Bartlett and Lilly Morrisette at the guard positions. Program strength will be a question mark going forward. Farmington is heading in the right direction though.

Ferndale: It will be interesting how Coach Keith Paris does next season. Paris is trying to build a foundation with the Eagles but he will need to look at program strength heading into next season. That will be the key for Ferndale. Zoe Rogers is the Eagles top returner coming back.

Pontiac: It was a tough year for Coach Christopher Wright’s program. The Phoenix really struggled this season with blowout losses and inexperience. On the bright side for Pontiac, they have Nakiah Lewis and Jasmine Shelby returning which should help. I expect the Phoenix to be better next season.

Girls Basketball Regional Preview.

Written Saturday March 7th at 1:30 AM

This is the only regional that involves the two remaining OAA squads that are in the postseason. Both matchups take place on Tuesday night at Walled Lake Western.

Here is my preview.

Region 2 @ Walled Lake Western

WEST BLOOMFIELD vs Hartland

Thoughts: The Lakers are coming off their second straight district title which included victories over Bloomfield Hills, Waterford Mott, and Avondale but this game could their toughest task as they will have a rematch with Hartland. It was the Eagles that ended their season last year in the regional semifinal in blowout fashion. Hartland is ranked second in the State and is considered to be of the favorites to win the Division One State title. The Eagles have been to the State Quarterfinals three of the last five years and they have a Miss Basketball candidate in Whitney Sollom. Sollom is not alone as Hartland has other talented players to go along with Sollom in Amanda Roach and her younger sister Lauren Sollom, along with fellow seniors Nikki Dompierre and Maddi Moyer. The Eagles had to come back from a 27-17 deficit to beat their arch rivals Howell 64-46 at Holly. Hartland has played a tough schedule in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association along which includes their rivals Brighton and Howell. West Bloomfield really toughened up their non league and moved up to the Red for this exact reason.

Key Match-Up: Myonna Hooper vs Nikki Dompierre: Hmm the guard matchup is the key in this game. I would have put Mya Bobo in this matchup but Hooper has really stepped up and has made a name for herself. She had 26 points against Avondale in the district finals. Dompierre had 19 points in the second half against Howell which included going 14 for 20 from the free throw line in their district finals. Bobo is a wildcard along with Sydney Hendrix as well. If these three can step up and also get production from the interior especially Lola Chambers and Logan Lewis then it would get really interesting.

Projection: The Lakers are giving up a ton of height with the Eagles but the quickness advantage is theirs. Hartland did not look good early against Howell trailing by ten at halftime. West Bloomfield though trailed by seven (25-18) against Avondale. The coaching matchup is very interesting as well between Bert Mosley and Don Palmer. I think there is more pressure on the Eagles to win this game although the Lakers have something to prove. Both teams had to overcome halftime deficits in the district finals as mentioned but someone has been here before while the other has not. I think height is a huge problem in this game for West Bloomfield especially with Sollom who has a strong inside out game. It’s going to be a tough task for the Lakers but please prove me wrong. PICK: HARTLAND.

CLARKSTON vs Walled Lake Western

Thoughts: The Wolves and Warriors are no strangers going against each other in the last two years. Walled Lake Western beat Clarkston bad last season at Walled Lake Northern in the OAA/Lakes Valley Challenge. The Wolves got a measure of revenge, winning at Clarkston 57-47 on December 3rd. The Wolves are a well-oiled machine under second year coach John Weyer as seen in the Red with wins over Southfield Arts and Tech, Bloomfield Hills, Stoney Creek, and Royal Oak along with district wins over Romeo, Lake Orion, and Adams. Walled Lake Western is a very good and well-coached team under former Oxford coach Steve Emert but this hasn't been one of Emert's best squads as he has had in previous years. The Warriors have had their fair shares of ups and downs this season but they managed to win the Lakers Valley Conference this season. Walled Lake Western has district wins over Milford, Lakeland, and recently Walled Lake Central at Lakeland last Friday night.

Key Match-Up: Taylor Heaten vs Jenna Galecki: This is a very interesting matchup at the forward spot between these two ladies. Both of them are four year players and have seen it all. Both ladies can rebound, score, and shoot. They also do the little things right as well.

Projection: The game on December 3rd at Clarkston in which the Wolves won as mentioned but this game is at Walled Lake Western which should give a bit of an advantage to the home squad. The Warriors are 0-2 against the Red this season (lost 67-49 to West Bloomfield on December 14th.) Everything seems to be stacked against the Wolves. The coaching matchup is interesting between Emert and Weyer but something tells me that there is more pressure on the Walled Lake Western than Clarkston they want to see Hartland but do I see it???? Nope. PICK: CLARKSTON.

Boys Basketball Top 21.

Written Saturday March 7th at 12:20 AM

Hello everyone this will be the last top 21 of the season since we are in the playoffs for both Boys and Girls Basketball.

Here are the Boys Top 21.

1. Clarkston (19-1): Wolves should be motivated after being upset 38-37 by Adams last season in the pre-district.

2. Ferndale (11-9): Now comes the question was that brutal schedule worth it???

3. North Farmington (14-6): Raiders got a great draw in the district.

4. Troy (15-5): Colts had a disappointing week, could make up for it in districts.

5. Stoney Creek (12-8): Cougars should be motivated after losing 49-48 to Utica last season in the district semifinals.

6. Troy Athens (15-5): Red Hawks better be careful in their district. It’s not as easy as you think.

7. West Bloomfield (8-11): Lakers are preparing for Waterford Mott as we speak.

8. Farmington (10-10): Which Falcons team shows up Monday against Birmingham Brother Rice???

9. Southfield Arts and Tech (13-6): The Warriors 23-6 fourth quarter against Troy gives them hope.

10. Berkley (14-6): I’m telling you the Bears have a chance against Detroit Mumford.

11. Groves (9-11): Falcons are your perfect Jekyll and Hyde but Southfield Arts and Tech looms which they beat by a combined three points this season.

12. Lake Orion (6-14): It was a tough week for the Dragons but they got a great draw in districts.

13. Oxford (10-10): Good luck with Clarkston, Wildcats.

14. Seaholm (11-9): How does the Maples blow an 18 point lead on Friday???

15. Bloomfield Hills (6-14): Good luck with Orchard Lake St. Marys, Blackhawks.

16. Oak Park (7-13): If the Knights played like they did on Friday anything is possible.

17. Adams (7-13): Good luck with Clarkston, Highlanders.

18. Pontiac (8-9): It’s going to be a tall order for the Phoenix in districts.

19. Rochester (4-16): Falcons have the bye but a possible matchup with Stoney Creek looms.

20. Royal Oak (4-16): It’s been a long year for the Ravens.

21. Avondale (1-19): It’s going to be a tall order for the Yellow Jackets in districts.