Here are a few thoughts on the fast-approaching boys prep hoops season;

Oakland County will feature a large batch of talented long-distance shooters this winter that can easily match up with the best the rest of the state has to offer.

Here's Burney's Top 3

1. Kellen McCormick (Pontiac NDP) – No. 3 in the state in 3-point shooting percentage in 2010  

2. Nick Tatu (Clarkston) – All I can say about Tatu's marksmanship is; TEXTBOOK

3. Jodan Price (Birmingham DCD) – Highest college-level potential of the county's crop of triple specialists due to his size and athleticism.

Novi Detroit Catholic Center might wind up having the best overall team in the county when it's all said and done on the 2011-2012 season. First off, the Shamrocks have the best forward tandem in the area in Matt Doneth and Kyle Cooper, a pair of seniors currently playing their tails off for the state-ranked CC football squad. Behind Doneth and Cooper, head coach Bill Dyer's lineup goes deep. The backcourt duo of point guard Richard Katkic and 2-guard Chase Janer is as steady as they come. Both are set for breakout campaigns controlling the perimeter for the Shamrocks. Expect to see a solid contribution from up and coming sophomore Noah Lee this winter as well.

Looking to play spoiler to CC's shot at the BRASS RING in '12 will be conference rival OL St. Mary's, the team that bounced the Shamrocks from the state tourney in the Sweet 16 last March. Mr. Do-Everything, Allen "Al-B Sure" Robinson might be gone, but the Eaglets still have some GRADE-A BALLERS for the CHSL to contend with……I'm talking about guys like Justin Barrows, Chewy Ukandu, Danny Furlong and Sam "McClutch" McClendon (someone who could easily make a list of the OC's best outside shooters).

Troy's James Young aka THE CHOSEN ONE is the MOST DANGEROUS player in the state…….AHHHHHHHH that feels better, I just had to get that off my chest!!!

Word on the street is that Southfield Christian senior combo guard Lindsey Hunter III has upped the ante on his game over the summer and will be a more well-rounded threat this season. Hunter III, will join forces with his little bro, Lindsey Hunter IV and super transfers Chris Dewberry and Bakari Evelyn to make the Eagles a legitimate contender for the Class D state title. Dewberry has been one of the OC leading scorers in Class A the past two winters with Waterford Mott and Evelyn is a standout freshman floor general, who has come over to SCS from Birmingham DCD. Former Romulus top assistant, Josh Baker, one of the best young coaching minds in the Metro Detroit area, will be entering his first year on the bench for the Eagles, with hopes of making a HUGE impact in the inaugural campaign of his regime.

Jeff Koch (Troy Athens) and Jack Gorland (Birmingham Roeper) are two local big fellas that have raised their recruiting stock with big offseason production. Koch, a junior, and Gorland, a senior are both 6-7 with strong footwork and a soft touch around the basket. During his sophomore year, Koch was brought up to the Athens varsity midseason and made significant strides in the post while helping the Red Hawks finish out a surprisingly rewarding year on the hardwood.

Gorland has effectively added an outside game to his offensive arsenal the past year or so and showed it off on the showcase camp circuit this summer, garnering interest from some Ivy League and Patriot League teams. A four-year starter at Roeper, Garland has been part of two district title squads and one regional championship team in his time HARD CORE HOOPING with the Roughriders.

The Holly Bronchos are a team that could be a real darkhorse in the county this season. Head coach Lance Baylis and TEAM HORSE should definitely contend for a Flint Metro crown with a group of hoopsters that have ALL THE TOOLS 4 SUCCESS…aka….size, speed and athleticism. Senior center Nic Stoll is probably the best player in the area that not a lot of people know about. Jared Plawski is a 6-3 point guard and Austin Hopkin is a GAMER in every sense of the word at one of the forward spots. Right now, Plawski and Hopkin are DOING THEIR THANG on the gridiron for the playoff-bound HORSE football squad. Baylis thinks senior shooting guard Donovan Williams might be the sleeper of the conference, calling him a natural scorer. The enigmatic Bronchos head coach will also be looking for quality minutes from a freshman class that will have at least three players up on varsity, including Morgan Baylis, a hard-nosed point guard and his son.

Clarkston's Jordan Dasuqui is Burney's pre-season frontrunner for OC MIP this season.....Take IT 2 THE BANK!!!

BREAKOUT BACKCOURT of 2012 - Pontiac Phoenix sophomore sensations Jarod Jones and Vezzie Carthane.....