Falling To Niagara

The hardest working superstar in Oakland County, Auburn Hills Avondale's senior boys basketball star Chris Barton, is DI bound.

Barton, a smart, gritty and high-scoring 6-foot-4 two-guard, signed with Niagara University this week. What a stupendous late-signing period steal! Can you say GRAND LARCENY? Niagara is located in New York and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Back in March, Barton was selected to The Oakland Press' postseason Dream Team.

This past winter, CB led his Yellow Jackets to an unexpected league title, torching the twine for 22 points per game to go along with eight rebounds, four dimes and FIVE FLOOR BURNS a night. And boy, you want to talk about in-your-shorts defense, that's what Barton's all about. He loves mixing it up on both ends of the court and that's why he's so valuable – think if Carmello Anthony had Michael Jordan defensive commitment. That's the kind of talent we're talking about at the small-school DI level for Barton these next four years. The Niagara Purple Eagles program last went dancing in the NCAA Tournament in 2007.