Girls Basketball Teams To Watch in 2021-2022.

Written Sunday May 2nd at 10:30 PM

Updated Thursday May 6th at 12:10 AM

These are some of the Girls Basketball teams to keep a close eye on this offseason and winter. I don't field every team but quite a bit of them I do so here they are.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers had a strong 2021 but they missed the postseason because of COVID-19 protocols. West Bloomfield should be motivated after missing the postseason. The Lakers have Myonna Hooper along with both the Hendrix sisters (Sydney and Kendall) and the Davis sisters (Indya and Summer) coming back. West Bloomfield should have talented squad this winter but program strength really concerns me for new coach Darrin McAllister. They should be the favorite in the Red but the postseason will be the big question for the Lakers.

Stoney Creek: It was a great year for “Team Finebalm” in 2021. They won 15 games and earned their first district title since 2016 last season. The Cougars has 10 returning players including their leading scorer Milana Skroic along with Sydney LaPrarie, Sarah LaPrarie, Mia Carson, Ella Demetral, Lily Solek, Emily Flynn, both Binfet sisters (Kendall and Riley), among others. Program strength is also a plus for Coach Kellen James. Stoney Creek seems to be living right as we speak.

Groves: The Falcons are in an interesting spot this offseason and winter. Groves has a ton of experience that is coming back from a team that won nine games and earned their first district title in a long while but they were outmatched against Farmington Hills Mercy in the regional semifinals. The Falcons have a ton of talent in Jordan Peterson, Nevaeh Otis, Anaya Robinson, Melina Price, and Kaitlyn Sanders coming back. I think the X Factor for Groves has to be Cira Racco. Racco is a really hard worker that doesn’t get the recognition as the others do. Racco is a player to watch next season as is the rest of the Falcons. They have a new coach in Alison Hidey taking over the program which is going to be the program's third coach in three years. Program strength is a major concern for Groves especially on the sub-varsity levels. The Falcons are going to be very interesting to see next winter.

Lake Orion: The Dragons have been rising as of late this offseason. They could be a force this winter as one of the early favorites in the White. Lake Orion won 12 games and the Blue last season despite playing a tough non league schedule which included Birmingham Marian, Midland, Troy, Clarkston, and Stoney Creek. The Dragons have Maddie Ebbert, Kylie Heck, Taylor Dinda, Chloe Wiegers, Olivia Peplowski, and Audrey Wischmeyer coming back for Coach Bob Brydges. The postseason has been a hindrance as of late but that could very well change. Lake Orion is in a very good spot and they have program strength however Katie Van Heck suffered a season ending ACL injury during the summer which is something to watch. The Dragons should be a team to watch this winter.

Clarkston: The Wolves will be an interesting story to keep an eye on this winter after winning two straight district titles. Aaron Goodnough takes over as new coach this winter after Coach John Weyer shockingly stepped down last month. Clarkston has Maddie Skorupski, Kiera Tomlie, Izzy Hadley, Ava Hernandez, Ryan Bordogna, Emily Valencia, Mia Zorski, Emerson Wood, and Sophia Walker coming back for whomever coaches them. For the Wolves, I don't think they will have a problem adjusting from Weyer to Goodnough but there will be some new kinks within the program. Clarkston should be a player this winter.

Troy: The Colts have very good teams that have had great regular seasons including winning eight games last season but they have not gotten the job done in the postseason. Troy has lost in the opening round of districts or in district semifinals three years (lost twice to Utica and last season to Rochester.) Now to their defense in the district semifinals loss to Rochester they were without Kendal Zeiter, Mia Valiotis, or Charlotte Sobotka as they were in COVID-19 protocol. What should help Coach Julius Porter is that Zeiter, Valiotis, and Sobotka are back along with Alyssa Matuza. Matuza suffered a season ending ACL injury this summer. Program strength is a concern for the Colts. Troy is an interesting team to watch this winter especially with these four back but the concern will be once June comes when the MHSAA releases the basketball districts is where will they be at???

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks turned the corner which included a win at Oxford to close the season but COVID-19 really derailed their postseason hopes. Troy Athens was a very young team under Coach Stacie Klumpp winning six games but they were around 500 most of the season. On the plus side they have a ton of talent coming back in Gillian Ciak, CeCe Fay, Jordan Doyle, Skylar Emerson, Aarushi Lockhandle, and Ella Musto. The Red Hawks because of their experience despite program strength being a concern they should be a team to watch.

Oxford: The Wildcats are in a very interesting spot heading into next season. Oxford won nine games last season including beating arch rival Lake Orion twice but they did not win their division as they fell on the last day of the regular season at home to Troy Athens. The Wildcats lost a ton of experience from last season including Mackenzie Methner and Emma Morris but they have Miranda Wyniemko coming back. She is expected to take on a leading role for them. Wyniemko should have a ton of help in Peyton Richter, Lexi Yankee, Kayla Casper, Brady Elling and Kaitlyn Morris coming back for Coach Rachel Bryer. Oxford also has program strength as well. The Wildcats should be a team to watch heading into the season.

North Farmington: The Raiders took a ton of lumps but they improved late into the year and got hot at the right time. They made a strong postseason run to the district finals despite winning six games last season. North Farmington has very talented guards in Sela Lefler and Penelope Creary coming back. Lefler and Creary are impactful players in their own right. The key for Coach Jeff Simpson should be Hallie Rogers in the interior. If Rogers can give the same production as Heaven Rogers did last season then the Raiders could be a player come this winter.

Harper Woods: The Pioneers had a young group when they were in the Michigan Metro Conference. They have a ton of experience in Kendall Kelsey, Mya Duncan, Shatyra Harris, Makaira Kelly, Cleaira Peterson, Clarita Childs, and Destiny Bealey coming back for Coach Paul Allen. Kelsey is their top player from a team that won seven games for Harper Woods last season. Expect the Pioneers to make an impact this winter.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets had a very rough year last season winning one game over Bloomfield Hills in the pre-district but there is hope on the horizon for them going forward. Coach Roy Christmon has two transfers from Dayton, Ohio coming into the program to go along with returners in Savannah Schmidt and Reigan Lawrence. Program strength is a major concern for Avondale. The Yellow Jackets should be an interesting team to watch this winter.

Seaholm: The Maples had a very challenging season in 2021. They won five games but beat Walled Lake Western which was a huge program win at the time for Coach Chris Manchester’s team last season. Seaholm has a lot of experience in Shay Manchester, Kate Sullivan, Maggie Liebler, Anne Boogren, and Clara Guffey coming back. The Maples are a darkhorse team even though program strength is a question mark this winter. 

Rochester: The Falcons are in an interesting spot this winter. Program strength is strong for Coach Bill Thurston. Rochester has Natalie Rayce, Abbey Pleasant, and Melina Troy coming back. The interior is the question mark along with proven experience. The Falcons have made the district finals in the last two seasons. There are a ton of storylines surrounding Rochester going forward..

Berkley: The Bears did not have a ton of depth on the varsity level last season. This offseason is very critical. Program strength took a major hit with several players not coming out because of COVID-19 issues but if several players whom didn't play last season come back then that could change in a huge way for Berkley. The Bears have Ashley Loon, Ava Beard, Aurora Sousanis, and Sammi Withrow coming back. Loon has proven she is more than capable of taking over games. Berkley should be a team to watch this winter.