Blogs > Burney's Bytes

Burney's Bytes will focus primarily on the local preps sports scene, but will also touch on some college and pro athletics, mostly in regards to athletes who hail and have played high school sports in Oakland County. My goal for the blog is to be conversational and anecdotal, a more relaxed and free formal take on high school athletics than you see in regular game day coverage.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Dunkers' Delight

A list of the best slam dunkers I've seen in my time watching prep hoops in Oakland County (1988 – present)
Please note: This list is in no particular order and does not include current OC ballers
Chris Webber & Iyapo Montgomery (DCD) – These two running buddies who led the Yellowjackets to back-to-back-to-back state titles in the late-80's and early-90's, busted up a fair share of rims in their day. Webber (Michigan/NBA All-Star) was a big man, yet had gazelle-like grace and that carried over to his dunking arsenal. Montgomery (UofD-Mercy) was a spry wing, who loved to fill the lane on the break and swoop in for the jam off passes from rock-steady point guard Kevin Colson (Florida A&M).
Mark Chappell (Southfield-Lathrup) – Not as much of a pure scorer as his baby brother Mike (Duke/Michigan State-ncaa championship) was, but this older-Chappell model was more of a skywalker and one of the premiere dipsy-doo-dunkerooers in the OC back in the early-1990's. 
Elvin Jones (Ferndale) – A three sport-star for the Eagles back in the mid-to-late-1990's (he was also an All-State football and high jump stud for the Eagles who accepted a gridiron scholarship from Indiana University in 1997), Jones was a high flyer with few equals in his era of play – the beneficiary of a barrage of alley-oop passes from all-state point guard Rashad Phillips (UofD-Mercy) in his three season varsity career.
Ryan Aaron (MH Madison) – The most recent dunk king in the OC. This explosive leaper was able to accumulate an almost –unthinkable 60 dunks over the course of 21 games in the 2008- 2009 season.
David Bowens (Orchard Lake St. Mary's) – Just plain power and brute force attacking the rim whenever this future NFL veteran took to the air for the slammer-jammer during his time playing for some stacked Eaglets' hoop squads in the mid-1990's.
Theron Wilson (Royal Oak Dondero) – Amazing vertical jump for such a big guy. Wilson was vicious in his slam antics, aggressively badgering the hoop in his days playing for the Oaks in the early-1990's. The 6-9 rangy and athletic power forward was the best player to ever suit up for the now-defunct Dondero HS and a starter on an Eastern Michigan squad in 1996 that won the MAC league championship and upset Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Martell Webb (Pontiac Northern) – In my humble opinion, the best of an outstanding crop of high-risers that played for the Huskies in their last decade of existence as a program. A master of the Windmill-Tomahawk special, Webb accepted a football scholarship to the University of Michigan following a more than stellar prep athletic career.
Mando Martin (West Bloomfield) – An electrifying presence in the Lakers '03 run to the Class Final Four, energizing the WB student cheering section with an array of marquis-worthy dunks.
Ryan Perryman/Jamie Arnold (Oak Park) – This imposing frontcourt tandem slammed and jammed their way through the early-1990's for head coach Howard Golding's Oak Park Knights. Perryman (Dayton) dunked with power and flair. Arnold (Wichita State), a long and lanky leaper, played above the rim.
Mike Carter (AH Oakland Christian) – The best small school dunker this area has ever seen. Carter, an all-state athlete in three sports for three straight years, was the definition of a human-pogo stick.  
Wyki Tyson (Troy) – Very underrated in the pantheon of great Colt athletes. Tyson (Cal-State Fullerton) slammed them down with raw power mixed with a tinge of silky-smooth flavor.
L.J. Shelton (Rochester) – This future NFL star came after the rim in his prep hoop days for the Falcons at the same pace and unbridled-intensity as he did pancaking numerous defensive lineman during his pro football career.
Ira Newble (Southfield) – Dunked with authority and was the master of the tip-jam back in the early-90's for the Blue Jays. Newble was a gym rat and his workmanlike and scrappy demeanor on the court earned him a rather lengthy career in the NBA.
 
 

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