Straight from the OUT OF NOWHERE DEPARTMENT: A couple of unheralded former OC prep hoop studs have worked their way on to Big 10 rosters this season.

Alan Wisniewski, who played his high school ball at Madison Heights Bishop Foley, is on the roster at Penn State and Stephen McCarty, who prepped at West Bloomfield, is playing at Iowa.

Both are sophomores and earned walk-on spots with timely and tenacious efforts in tryouts.

A 6-foot-8 forward with a soft shooting stroke from downtown and a long, lanky frame that swats away shots and plays in-your-shorts defense, Wisniewski helped take Bishop Foley to back-to-back district titles on the high school hardwood. When he graduated in 2010, he was the Ventures' all-time leader in blocks. As a senior, he was team captain, averaging a commendable 7 points, 7 boards, and 2 blocks a game. Since his time with the Foley cage squad, Wisniewski has put on 30 pounds of muscle.

McCarty is a heady floor general that started for two years at West Bloomfield (11 points, 6 asst per game as a senior in 2010) and is currently the roommate of Hawkeyes starting point guard and fellow OC'er Roy Marble, Jr. (Southfield-Lathrup). Marble and McCarty are first-cousins as well and go all-out against each other every day in practice, both pushing the other to be the best they can possibly be.

Wisniewski also starred on the soccer pitch at Bishop Foley, leading the Ventures to consecutive Catholic League crowns as a junior and senior.

OC HOOP HOUNDS BALLING IN THE BIG 10:

Michigan: Carlton Brundidge (Southfield)

Ohio State: Amir Williams (Birmingham DCD)

Iowa: Roy Marble, Jr. (Southfield-Lathrup)

Iowa: Stephen McCarty (West Bloomfield)

Northwestern: Dave Curletti (OL St. Mary's)

Penn State; Alan Wisniewski (MH Bishop Foley)