2021 Girls Basketball Preview.

Written Friday January 8th at 5:50 PM

Updated Saturday February 6th at 11:00 AM

Here are the 2021 previews for Girls Basketball in the OAA along with the top ten and outlooks heading into the season. If anything new comes up let me know at samsdragons@yahoo.com.

Here is the Top Ten and projected finish in order in each division to start the season. If you want to check the district page it is updated and I will have a link to that column.

Girls Basketball District page

https://sammy-taormina.blogspot.com/2020/09/girls-basketball-districts-are-out-2020.html

INSIDE THE OAA TOP TEN

1. West Bloomfield

2. Clarkston

3. Troy

4. Royal Oak

5. Lake Orion

6. Rochester

7. Stoney Creek

8. Adams

9. Groves

10. Oxford

 

Red

OUTLOOK: The Red remains one of the most interesting divisions in the State this season. Clarkston and West Bloomfield had deep postseason runs. Both teams return a ton of talent is well to go along with program strength. Royal Oak had a surprise run to the district finals including an upset win over Southfield Arts and Tech in the district semifinals. The Ravens have their top player back. The Warriors are going to go through a ton of change. Groves made a huge offseason splash with a new coach but program strength is a big question mark for the Falcons this season.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers have the most upside heading into the season and they have gotten a ton of attention. Coach Burt Mosley has turned West Bloomfield into a Girls Basketball power especially in the Red. The Lakers have a ton of proven experience in their lineup in Logan Lewis, Logan Chambers, Sydney Hendrix, and Myonna Hooper returning from a team that won the Red and added a district title last season. West Bloomfield added four impactful freshman in Kendall Hendrix, Destiny Washington, Indya Davis, and Summer Davis. Hendrix and both Davis sisters have made a ton of noise on the AAU circuit with during the summer. The Lakers took Hartland to the limit in the regional semifinals last season. West Bloomfield has the experience, youth, and drive to go along with program strength to be something special. The Lakers should be a force to be known.

Clarkston: The Wolves had a very successful season in 2019-2020. They went to the regional semifinals before falling to Walled Lake Western. Coach John Weyer has done a wonderful job with the program building them up just like his PR1DE teams in the AAU world in his two seasons coaching at Flemings Lake Road. Clarkston will rely on their proven experience in 2021. The majority of his team has played on PR1DE which helps a ton. The Wolves will have Maddy Skourpski, Olivia Toderan, Izzy Hadley, Kaitlyn Kaul, Morgan Hunter, Megan Tolmie, Lena Eblenkamp, and Ryan Bordogna back. Clarkston lost Taylor Heaten to graduation. The wildcard is combo guard Ava Hernandez. Hernandez was solid last season in the sub varsity. She is ready to prove that she can make an impact on varsity. The Wolves expect to make some noise this season and could threaten West Bloomfield in the Red.

Royal Oak: The Ravens have always been a defensive first program under Coach Brian Sopota. Royal Oak shocked many around the state when they beat Southfield Arts and Tech in the district semifinals after being blown out twice by the Warriors and their star player in Cheyenne McEvans in the regular season however they had a tough loss to Birmingham Marian in the district finals last season. There is a ton of optimism and questions heading into 2021 for Royal Oak. The Ravens are the classic “Batman and Robin.” Royal Oak will have to rely on three proven experienced players to carry them in combo guard/forward Sarah Soraghan. Soraghan is a pure scorer and proven warrior. She can score in different ways and is basically playing the role of Batman. The Robin role is the question mark for Sopota and the Ravens but there are some options. There are some talented players that could handle the role of Robin in Rexi Losemberg and Sarah Ammon. Program strength is very solid for Sopota despite having a ton of varsity inexperience this season. Royal Oak will need Soraghan to play well on a nightly basis and find someone like a Losemberg or an Ammon to play that Robin role. If they can do that with the defensive first mindset than there is no reason that the Ravens could be in the conversation.

Groves: The Falcons have made a ton of changes this offseason after falling to Southfield Arts and Tech in the pre-district last season. They made a huge splash by hiring AntJuan Simpkins to take over a program that has been up and down in past few years. Simpkins is known for his run and gun at River Rouge and with the Michigan Storm AAU 2024 team. Groves has a ton of proven experience in Kaitlyn Quinn, Rachel Sample, Destiny McCurdy, Loryn Middlebrooks, Peyton Blanford, Nevaeh Otis, Jordan Peterson, Ciara Racco, Alyssa Durrell, and Anaya Bracy-Robinson. The interior is a huge question mark for the Falcons. Program strength is another major concern going forward for Groves. If Simpkins can bring long term stability including in the sub-varsity with in the program then the Falcons could surprise some folks.

Southfield Arts and Tech: It has been a very surreal offseason for the Warriors. Southfield Arts and Tech was upset by Royal Oak in the district semifinals and they lost Cheyenne McEvans and Jasmine Worthy to graduation. Also Coach Michelle Marshall retired from the program last season. It will be a new era for Warriors Girls Basketball in 2021. They have a new coach in Shaquita Coltrane. Coltrane comes from Southfield Bradford Academy. She will have big shoes to fill going from the Charter League to the OAA and playing in the Red. What should help Coltrane is that her new team has two proven starters back in forward Jalyn Austin and point guard Kayonia Willis. Austin made some noise in 2019-2020 but now she will have a heavier workload. Willis whom brings a ton of postseason and does have state championship experience had a very rough year in 2019-2020 but hopes a fresh start could help her gain some confidence this season. It looks like it’s going to be a very challenging season for the Warriors. It will take some time to adjust to life on both sides.

 

White

OUTLOOK: The White is going to be very interesting this season. Troy has a new coach and proven returners for a team that is looking for better postseason success. Stoney Creek and Adams have proven returners coming back but the Cougars are replacing their point guard. North Farmington looks to be a clear Jekyll and Hyde team. Bloomfield Hills is basically starting from scratch with their program.

Troy: It was a very odd offseason for the Colts with a ton of changes. There are some problems that the program needs to address if they want to have a deep postseason run. The big problem for Troy is that in the last two years in the postseason they haven’t gotten past the district rounds despite earning the top seed in the district last season and ironically both losses came to Utica. Utica is not in their district this season but if they have a deep postseason run they could see them again. The bottom line is simple, they have great teams but they haven’t gotten the job done in the postseason. The Colts hired Julius Porter as their new coach in May taking over for Simon Bato. Bato had a great career at Troy. He turned the program into a consistent power and developed program strength. Porter was an assistant coach under legendary Clarkston Boys Basketball coach Dan Fife. What helps Porter is that he has a program that has been battle tested and gone through the wars. He has a lot of proven experience that returns in Kendall Zeiter, Kayla Rutledge, Charlotte Soboka, Alyssa Matuza, Lauren Gumma, Riya Chakravity, and Calen Knight. Program strength is very solid for the Colts. Porter walks into a great situation with program strength and proven returners. If they can get some postseason success on a consistent basis then Troy should be solid going forward.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars are in a very interesting spot heading into 2021. They had an up and down season which included a pre-district victory over Troy Athens but they had a very disappointing loss to Utica Eisenhower at home in the district semifinals last season. Coach Kellen James needs to replace Lily DiPanni whom graduated from the program. James does have a point guard who’s ready to take over for DiPanni in Mia Carson. Carson had an interesting year in a much lesser role last season but now she becomes the top guard for “Team Finebalm.” He has a ton of proven experience that is back in Sydney LaPrairie, Sarah LaPrairie, Milana Skoric, Kendall Kahl, Jaiden Drake, Ella Demetral, Kierra Hall, and Paris Cramer. The Cougars will be very experienced. Program strength looks to be solid for “Team Finebalm.” Stoney Creek should be in the mix in the White.

Adams: The Highlanders should be a very interesting team to watch in 2021. Adams won 12 games which included postseason victories over Waterford Kettering and Oxford however they are coming off a very tough loss to Clarkston in the district finals last season. The Highlanders are looking to take that next step up. They have a lot of proven experience that returns in Maggie Dolegina, Madison Kessman, Lauren Petersmark, Elizabeth Blaine, Abbey Drahnak, Snigdha Tenneri, Emma Klott, and Kate Elliot. The wildcard could be Anjayna Howard whom had a great year in the sub varsity level as a freshman last season. Coach Shay Lewis has a ton of experience which helps things moving forward. Program strength is a concern though for Lewis. Adams should be in the mix for the White this season.

North Farmington: The Raiders had an interesting year last season getting to the district finals before falling to Farmington Hills Mercy. Coach Jeff Simpson will be very young in 2021 but they do have some talent. North Farmington will rely on four key players in Sela Lefler, Kelsey Newton, Penelope Creary, and Heaven Rogers. Rogers will be a key player in the interior. Lefler is a very solid combo guard. Creary is a solid defender and can score. Newton can shoot the ball and play point guard from time to time. Program strength and depth are huge question marks for Simpson. The Raiders look like they are going to be your perfect Jekyll and Hyde squad this season.

Bloomfield Hills: It's going to be an interesting transition period for the Blackhawks heading into 2021. Bloomfield Hills made two program changes late so there really hasn't been a ton of time to get to know one another. There are several unknowns to when it comes to the Blackhawks. They will have to have an adjustment period during the season. Bloomfield Hills named Kristen Massey the new coach of the program taking over for Coach Jeff Rubin. Massey brings a ton playing experience as a player to the program. There are several questions for the Blackhawks heading into the season as they don't have an impactful player. It could be a challenging season for the program.

 

Blue

OUTLOOK: This might be the most balanced division. Lake Orion, Rochester, and Berkley return a ton of proven talent from last season. Oxford has their two top players back from a team that struggled last season. Avondale won the White last season has some questions looking at them despite having three good players. Troy Athens lost a ton of talent from last season and questions surrounds this team going forward.

Lake Orion: The Dragons have been through a lot but there is a lot of upside surrounding this team and program. It was a trial by fire last season for them despite falling to Clarkston in the district semifinals last season. Lake Orion has a ton of proven experience and young talent that is ready to prove they belong. Coach Bob Brydges has done a great job building this program in his two seasons back behind the varsity bench. Brydges has Meghan Marshall, Sydney Maddox, and Kierra Tierney as that veteran core along with proven young experience players in Maddie Ebbert and Kylie Heck. Katie Van Heck returns from an ACL injury and gives them a physical presence inside. The Dragons have a young sophomore class that made a ton of noise last season. Ebbert and Heck are sophomores along with newcomers Taylor Dinda and Reagan Greene. Lake Orion really has a nice blend of youth and experience that is ready to break out. There are not a lot of people talking or taking notice of this program on the rise.

Rochester: The Falcons are a very interesting program to keep an eye on this season and in the future. I give credit to coaches Bill Thurston and Jeff Haney for turning the program around. What Rochester did was schedule quality sub varsity programs when they went to three division Blue and it seems to be paying off. The Falcons made a surprising run in the postseason out of nowhere. They upset Utica in the district semifinals before falling to Utica Eisenhower in the district final. Thurston has stabilized everything from a coaching standpoint and has brought stability. Rochester has a ton of experience that returns from last season in Megan Lorenzo, Jackie Hurst, Anaya Rangarjian, and Brooke Gordon. The Falcons also have program strength. Rochester is a program that could be built for the long hall and certainly a team to keep an eye on.

Oxford: It will be very interesting for the Wildcats and not because they are going to be in a different district by going north to Genesee and Lapeer counties. Oxford has several key returners coming back from a team that had their fair shares of ups and downs last season because of inexperience and tough injuries. The big one returning is combo guard Mackenzie Methner. Methner got injured in the second half of the season and was missed big time. She is back fully healthy. The Wildcats also have shooting guard Emma Morris. Morris is as talented as a shooter anyone in the league and can play point guard if needed. Coach Rachel Bryer besides Morris and Methner has Jordan Hung, Charlotte McClenaghan, Payton Szymanski, Brooke Zeiter, Miranda Wyneimeko, and Erianna Hubbard returning. Oxford is a pure Jekyll and Hyde team. Program strength is strong as well especially with a strong sophomore class. The Wildcats should be a team to watch.

Berkley: The Bears are going to be a very interesting team to watch this season. Coach Kirk Carolan has done a wonderful job turning Berkley into a contender. The Bears did beat Royal Oak last season at home which was a huge step in the right direction. They will need to address the postseason slump despite being in a tough district. Berkley played Macomb Dakota in the regular season last season. This program does have some similarities to North Farmington's boys program with strengths and weakness when it comes to big and small gyms. The Bears returns several key players in Ashley Loon, Jillian Gomes, Sammi Withrow, Orgley Kreugel, Cassidy Gifford, Brooklyn Weems, and Tessa Voss. Loon, Gomes, and Voss started while Weems played a huge role on the bench last season. Program strength is a question mark though for Berkley despite the proven success in the sub varsity level. If Carolan can strengthen the sub varsity levels and add a freshman program, the program would be much better off in the future. The Bears should be in the mix for the Blue.

Avondale: It's going to be very interesting for the Yellow Jackets in 2021. Avondale has had to deal with some demons especially in the postseason when it comes to one team in West Bloomfield. They have four times to the Lakers in the last two years even though they the White last season. The Yellow Jackets have three starters back for Coach Roy Christmon in Reigan Lawrence, Tanah Jackson, and Savannah Schmidt. These three players are going to need to be at their best every night for them to win games. Program strength is very suspect at best. Avondale is going to be very young and there are a ton of questions surrounding this program. It could be a very bumpy ride for Christmon and his Yellow Jackets this season.

Troy Athens: It's going to be a much different feel for the Red Hawks in 2021. Coach Stacie Klumpp will have more questions than answers heading into this season. Troy Athens got off to a hot start but cooled off down the stretch despite winning 11 games. They were the second seed in the pre-district but fell to Stoney Creek last season. They will need to replace 11 seniors from last season which is hard for any program. Troy Athens has Nitaya Balusu, Ciara Shoales, and Gillian Clark for what looks to be a very young team. The Red Hawks will need to get off to a good start and sustain it. Program strength is a concern for Troy Athens as they will field two teams this season. The Red Hawks have great coaches in the program. It could be a very challenging ride for Troy Athens this season.

 

Gold

OUTLOOK: The Gold will have four teams this season as Ferndale and Pontiac dropped their teams because of lack of numbers. Farmington has a ton of talent coming back. Seaholm should be an interesting team to watch as well. Oak Park is looking to repeat last season's success. Ferndale University comes to the OAA and will look to make some noise in their new league this season.

Farmington: This could be the Falcons best team they have had in a while but there are some questions for the program that needs to be answered. Farmington has had great years and impactful players like Aaron Howell whom made noise in the past. They have done well in the lower divisions but once they get moved up to an upper division they struggle. This is something that needs to be addressed along with program strength. The Falcons have a ton of proven experience back for Coach Lauren Guzman in Autumn Barnett, Sophia Holdwick, Lily Morrisette, Kenndi Jones, Val Pallett, Alyssa Simmons, Brielle Burns, Kaitlyn Carnac, and Madelyn Beckwitch. The Falcons were in the mix in the Gold last season. Farmington on paper is the favorite in the Gold but there will be some challengers. They will need to toughen up the non-league slate if they want to make some noise this season.

Seaholm: The Maples could be a player in the Gold conversation as they were last season. Seaholm has a ton of experience back for Coach Chris Manchester in Kate Sullivan, Kate Keifer, Gwyn Wiseman, Megan Blake, and Emily Jacoby. The wildcard is combo guard/forward Shay Manchester. Manchester is expected to make an impact for her father’s team. Seaholm has a ton of questions especially when it comes to program strength. If the Maples want to make some noise this season they need to address the non conference and look forward. There is no reason why this program shouldn't make some noise this season.

Oak Park: The Knights had a very good regular season winning 13 games for Coach Peggy Evans-Carr but they ran into a very good Detroit Renaissance program in the pre-district last season. It could be very interesting how they can sustain it this season. Oak Park lost Kyla Wilson to graduation but Tamiya Todd is back and is expected to carry more of the load for the Knights. Program strength is a big concern for Evans-Carr but wonder if last season’s success could have an effect on the program. Oak Park will be a team to keep an eye on for sure.

Ferndale University: It will be a challenge by fire for the Golden Eagles and Coach Desdan Hester going into the OAA in 2021. Ferndale University won 11 games and beat Detroit Osborn from the postseason last season. The Golden Eagles don’t expect to be in the league mix this season but they could play the role of spoiler. It’s going to be a trial by fire for Hester and Ferndale University.