Boys Hoops Rankings

OC Top 10

1 Birmingham Detroit Country Day (12-1) – The 'Jackets have been playing well with 6-11 junior center Amir Williams out of the line-up and his return could come as early as the team's huge game with Ohio-powerhouse Columbus Northland on Saturday night in Saginaw at Delta Community College. If Williams makes it back on the court for the Northland game, Saturday will act as a true test and a barometer of how Keener's Kage Krew match-up with the nation's elite of the elite.

2 Clarkston (8-2) – Senior forward Matt Kamieniecki can hurt a team so many ways. He's a beast in the post and if overplay his interior game, he'll step out and knock down the outside "J" or back-breaking 3-pointer. He plays extra-hard on defense too!

3 Birmingham Seaholm (11-0) – The Maples' "CrazyFreshCool Cuz Connection" of Richaud Pack and Shawn Conway are the best "1-2 punch," in the county, bar none. Burney wishes he could see the Seaholm hoopsters have a showdown or two with a couple top teams from the OAA Red just to see how the Maples would fare. Well, I guess I'll have to wait to the Regionals.

4 North Farmington (7-5) – Not many players in the whole state can stake a claim to being as consistently en fuego as the Raiders' Kyle Vinales. This kid can drop a 30-spot in his sleep ( that's how good of a scorer he is). Chris Stewart only scored one hoop last Thursday night against Southfield, but it was arguably the most important hoop of the entire game – a game-winning fastbreak lay-up off a feed from Vinales, who had just swiped a Southfield pass.

5 Southfield (8-4) – Head coach Gary Teasley's batch of Bluejay ballers have hit a few bumps in the roads as of late, but Burney has no doubt that the Brundidge Bunch will be back in top form very soon.

6 Pontiac (5-6) – You can't stop the Phoenix's Juwaan Moody, you can only hope to contain him!!!! Jamal Barr is underrated, he'll hurt you if you don't pay attention to him. Jabari Martin is one of the hardest working guards in the area.

7 Waterford Mott (9-2) – John Schaeffer and Devontay Green are on the verge of reaching a collective Swagger Level of two hundred thousand trillion!!!!

8 Birmingham Brother Rice (7-5) – Junior Warriors small forward Joey Alessi is no longer a rising star, he's officially gradutated to a full-blown hoops superstud under the tuteledge of Rice's grizzled coaching staff. Kevonte Martin-Manley has been living large, residing at the corner of Awesome and Amazing ever since his return from injury in early-January.

9 a. Holly (10-2) – Transfer shooting guard Josh Fugate – in only his fourth game in the Red and White – finally got back into the swing of things, banging home three trifectas on his way to a season-high 13 points on Friday night in a Bronchos' win. Thomas "The L-Train" Lovachis is AS ADVERTISED, to say the least!

9 b. Novi Detroit Catholic Central (7-5) – CC head coach Billy Dyer is a genius motivator and a very overlooked, yet always dangerous sideline tactician no matter what hand he's dealt in terms of player personnel. The Shammies are the hardest working team in the state! Like Van Wilder might say, "Write that down!"

10 a. Walled Lake Central (10-2) – Justin Kucera has that Boom Boom Pow lately and the Vikings are going to ride the inside-outside tandem of him and Justin "The Brickhouse" Zubrikas as far as they can – Which if you ask Burney, will be very far! Great sports year for boys sports at Central and that makes Burney happy!  

10 b. Novi (10-2) – The Wildcats are picking up steam and beginning to look as good as last year's 16-4 team. Brandon Rydzewski has looked very solid in the backcourt for Novi after returning from a separated shoulder suffered as a quarterback with the 'Cats football squad this past fall.

10 c. Southfield Lathrup (6-6) – Burney's telling some of the Midwest's smaller D1 programs to not sleep on Chargers forward Bryan Coleman, a long, lanky, and physically gifted lefty who is smooth inside and out, as well as has a huge growth ceiling on the hardwood.