Here's a three-pack of new OC prep quarterbacks expected to make some noise on the football field in the OAA Red this fall.

Anthony Reiner (Clarkston) – The D.J. Zezula Era is over & Reiner is more than ready and able to take the reins of the Wolfpack offense…….my main man AR is rock solid, lock-and-loaded and on the verge of igniting the repeat effort under center for Team K-Rich

Brenden Lewis (Oxford) – The Glacier Wallington Era is over & Lewis is more than ready and able to take the reins of the Wildcats offense…..he's a steady eddie field general who learned the tricks of the trade in the shadow of the O-Town Iceman the past couple seasons

Caden Prieskhorn (Lake Orion) – This Super Sophomore has emerged as THE guy under center for Team Victory Bell and Max Horneffer is making the move to receiver…..Preikshorn is big, overly savvy for his young age and right about to BLAST OFF into the OC signal-calling stratosphere…..Yeah, I Said It!! (remember you heard it from your boy Burney first)

With The Human Hologram aka all-state burner Josh Holloman off to college in Cincinnati, Auburn Hills Avondale will be filling some pretty big shoes in the backfield this fall on the gridiron.

No worries, Team Deutsch is ready to roll out a gruesome twosome of ball-toters in Vince Wright and Ahmad Sharon and they could be on the verge of joining forces with senior captain and third-year starting quarterback Travis Janes and spurring the Yellow Jackets' back into the playoffs after a two-year absence.

Wright is a workhorse, in other words a Straight G rushing the rock right up the gut. But he also possesses the breakaway speed and instinct that should allow him to exploit gaps in defenses for potential chunk plays

Sharon is a multi-purpose slotback, the kind of kid that has future star written all over him. He'll line up all over the field in 2015, showing off his versatility. Strictly from the "TD-in-an-instant" department, Sharon has the chance to be Hologram 2:0....you blink, he scores WILL BE a common theme come fall......Please, make a note!!

Janes is the "given" in this situation – you know what you're going to get from him every snap of every single outing, plain and simple game-changing intelligence, athleticism, a soft touch on his passes and a jitterbug quickness that always makes him a threat to take off from the pocket and hurt opposing clubs with his feet.

So to sum it all up: the 'Jackets will be back stinging with supreme efficiency in about a month and although The OC Heavenly Hologram will be missed the cupboard in the Avondale backfield is far from bare.

Out of local summer league hoops action Wednesday night, Pontiac topped Walled Lake Central 58-52. I realize this is just summer league ball, but it no doubt represents yet another sign of why the Ben Kelso hire at The Yak was so crucial. As he showed last winter in his first season on the bench with the Phoenix (as he's had almost everywhere he's coached at), Kelso has that magic touch. Yaktown needed it and is back on the upswing, surging again on the hardwood.

Any dub coming versus this particular Walled Lake Central cage crew, summer league or not, is a confidence booster. Central is returning virtually its' whole squad off a Class A quarterfinalist club last year.

The suddenly rising Phoenix are led by a superb inside-outside tandem made up of sizzling sophomore point guard Jalen Kelso and MEGA SIR-GRIND-A-LOT SPECIAL senior forward Israel Williams. There aren't many two-headed monster perimeter-post combo attacks in the entire OAA as flat-out consistent and complimentary to the other's skill set as these two.....That's a Burney-Certified Fact!! Only sunny skies ahead for the Yaktown Baller Brigade. Ya know, the way it used to be. The way it should ALWAYS be!

Burney's ALL-HEAVEN team

Darius Cooley (Southfield) - Mr. Cool as the Other Side of My Pillow!! HE WILL BE MISSED!!

David Widzinski (Novi Detroit CC) - Monster legacy in the making cut short by painful twist of fate.....SHAMROCK PRIDE HAS BEEN REPPING THIS GUY'S SPIRIT EVERY DAY!!

Justin Husson (WL Western) - Mound menace, his name adorns a little league field in Walled Lake

Cullen Haffey (Brother Rice) - Longsnapping Legend in the Orange and Black...'NUFF SAID!!

Kevin Penny (North Farmington) - The Epitome of a Sir-Grind-A-Lot Special, left an imprint on several Raiders sports programs

Orchard Lake St. Mary's could be on the verge of unleashing THE most explosive wide receiving corps in the OC on the prep football field this fall. The Eaglets are defending D2 state champs and are adding a boatload of talent in the JV call-up department. To say the arsenal is far from bare is a vast understatement. This group has everything: depth, wheels, sticky hands and home-run potential on every throw in their direction.

All right, let's Roll Call it…..Team Porritt Style

K.J. Hamler – No. 1 slot receiver in the state…..Take it 2 Tha Bank!!

Griffin Sheposh – No. 1 possession-receiver in the OC…….Yeah, I said it!!!

Richard Bowens – Mark my words, Bowens will be the breakout performer in the Catholic League in 2015, blazing-fast gamebreaker, simply NASTY

Tyler Cochran – Just plain rock steady, smart, a leader, loves contact

Ky'ren Cunningham – Straight speed demon with playmaker written all over him

Kenyon McElway – Crafty, clever, natural athlete who is evolving technician on the gridiron

After a year at a prep school, Southfield Christian alum Lindsey Hunter IV is set to follow in his father's footsteps on the basketball floor.

Hunter IV, an all-state gunner in the backcourt at SCS who left the prep ranks in Metro Detroit with a whopping 3 straight state-title rings, signed a National Letter of Intent with Jackson State in Mississippi this week.

Lil' Lin is a true force of nature – a lightning-quick first step and blink-of-an-eye release on his 'J'. Oh, and he's PRIMETIME all the way and already has Pro Range in his 3-point game.

His dad, the original Lindsey Hunter was an All-American at Jackson State in the early 1990s, leading NCAA Division I hoops in scoring before being chosen in the first round of the 1993 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Playing in the league for well over a decade, he grabbed World Championships with the Pistons and L.A. Lakers.

Novi's Naji Ozier aka The Little Sham Wow aka the Lebanese LeBron 2:0 is ready to keep the Novi Cage Revival alive and well in 2016. The 6-foot-7 inside-outside threat with a knack for the big play is the baby bro of legendary Novi hoops alum Samir "The Big Sham Wow" Ozier. These two are near mirror images of each other on the hardwood. Human Hot Sauce is the most accurate description of the collective Ozier family game.

The Wildcats will be in mighty good hands with Little Sham Wow Ozier and his running mate Kameron Hankerson steering the ship this winter. They'll be a fun club to watch and Burney's confident they will build off of a solid 2015 campaign and go NEXT LEVEL in 2016, as in be in the mix for multiple crowninngs come March.... Yeah I said It!!

With Ozier, its' pick your poison. He'll shake and bake you on the outside or in the paint and then he'll make it rain from downtown like an OC Klay Thompson. On the glass, he's relentless. On defense, he isn't afraid to get after it. In other words, he's a Mega-IMPACT baller-shot caller combo and the ultimate torch-holder for his family tradition of MONSTER HOOPAGE!!

Novi boys basketball player Kameron Hankerson is a fast-riser on the recruiting trail. Like a bomb, he's blowing up the comp!! There's no doubt he's a name you need to know about going into next season.

The 6-foot-5 guard-wing combo is making quite a bit of noise with his offseason effort so far, garnering interest from small DI and DII college programs alike. Hankerson had a breakout campaign last winter and Novi was a true feel-good storyline to follow. He can do a little bit of everything. He's got athleticism, length and natural instinct. I like his handle and his move to the hoop – a quick first step and finishing skill on transition and in the halfcourt set. His outside shot can't be overlooked either. Expect Kam to be a killer in 2016 and snag a scholarship to boot soon.

Tragedy struck the Southfield Bluejays football program this week with the drowning death of starting defensive end Darius Cooley Monday. As a junior last fall, Cooley was a high-energy pass-rush presence for the 'Jays on a squad that claimed league, district and regional crowns and made a run into the D2 final four.

Burney's heart aches for the entire Southfield community. This is truly terrible in so many ways, something 16 and 17 year old shouldn't have to deal with. Sadly, the whole 'Jays Nation will be forced to grow up way faster than they should in dealing with this untimely loss, a passing I myself am still trying to wrap my head around after getting the news earlier today. Memories of the 1992 drowning deaths of Birmingham Detroit Country Day athletes Corey Jones and Paul Bradley can't help be evoked – a local prep sports cultural touchstone for those of us that grew up in the 1990s. Like with Jones and Bradley, Darius Cooley is gone way too soon. And will be missed dearly by those who knew and loved him. RIP, brother!!

Burney senses some restlessness in the Southfield boys basketball program over the fact that the Bluejays have yet to name a head coach and it appears if the hire won't be made until August. I'm hearing a number of players are discussing transferring due to this uncertainty on the bench

That would be a shame because the 'Jays cage crew constructed as is has the opportunity to be very dangerous come tipoff in December.

Now, this is a complicated job-fill there's no question about it. I sympathize with those in charge of what I'm certain is an arduous process. The pending merger with crosstown foe Southfield-Lathrup is surely a factor in the decision and probably plays into the process' length issue.

Regardless, the current roster is bearing the brunt of the fallout from the slow hire. Here's hoping it doesn't derail a potential special season in 2016.

The post-Alex Malzone begins at Birmingham Brother Rice in just a couple of weeks. A few names to look out for anchoring the transition:

Luke Cappetto (QB-WR) – Rich Rice bloodline, showed flashes of brilliance in spot duty last year, diverse skill-set, determined and dogged in attitude and performance

Carter Dunaway (TE-DE) – Michigan-bound already, equally-rich Rice bloodline, brings the noise in everything he does, Swagger Level that has already exceeded Lethal Marks, I'm talking 25 HUNDRED THOUSAND TRILLION levels……caution WarriorsNation, caution!!

Jeff Timko (S) – Sir-Grind-A-Lot Special in the secondary, the tiger will totally be out of the cage this fall...can you say ready to erupt aka show out aka get crazy busy!!

Ryan McWood & Riley Maher (LB) – "Heart&Soul-types," intelligent, agile and aggressive sideline-to-sideline, leaders, wall-to-wall winners, masters at their craft

Liam Lynch (WR-DB) – Ready to Rip It and Grip It in a feature role in '15, has the talent to be the type that is ALWAYS as cool as the other side of the pillow and ALWAYS ready to rock-and-roll in crunch time

Sterling McCarrall (DL-OL) – A BOSS&A HOSS at the point of attack, He'll be the Belly of the Orange&Black Beast these next two seasons

Five For Fighting – The Top 5 WL Central Vikings Gridiron Gladiators Burney Has Covered

1 Zac Leimbach (QB) – Playmaker personified, the definition of a winner and leader, willed his club to victory on the field and a pair of long tourney runs (back-to-back district titles, final four berth), great competitor, class act, total package as a person and athlete

2 Ade Ogundeji (DE) – Most natural pass-rushing prodigy Burney's ever laid eyes on in the KLAA, possesses an upside that's in the stratosphere, smart, hungry and ready to blast the comp for his upcoming senior season

3 Nick Krumm (QB-S) – And they called him MR. TOUCHDOWN!!! This kid could find the end zone like few I've witnessed in the prep ranks, cerebral player on both sides of the pigskin, made a lasting mark on the program

4 K.J. Schultz (RB-SB-DB) – Did a little bit of everything and did them all oh so well, tough-as-nails, game-changing in so many different ways, limitless motor, "blood, sweat & tears" type

5 Joe Diamond (QB) – A true gem and genuine SIR-GRIND-A-LOT under center running an offense for TEAM MEYER

Bryce Washington, don't worry, bro, I see you out there doing your thang!

Burney's been shouting out Southfield Christian boys basketball standout Brock Washington lately. But what about baby bro Bryce, the other OC WASHINGTON MONUMENT?

Bryce is a MEGA-HOOP KING as well. He very well might end up leading the Eagles cage crew in scoring this upcoming winter, where he'll only be a sophomore. This kid has got MAD GAME, a high-quality work ethic and a knack for reaching the ZONE at just the right time as in he can go BONKERS in the blink of an eye.

Unlike his big bro Brock, Bryce doesn't have any BLING,BLING (state title ring). Burney can see these two bastions of BALLERDOM getting one in tandem before its all said and done on their prep careers at SCS.

Comments from Wednesday's Reaching Higher boys ball showcase camp at Milford HS

Trishton Jackson (West Bloomfield) – Might be committed to MSU for football, but Action Jackson was all business on the basketball court Wednesday, showing why he's probably the point guard in Metro Detroit not named Cassius Winston

Dylan Alderson (Davison-Clarkston) – Does the term REAL DEAL HOLYFIELD mean anything to you people? C-TOWN & D-TOWN represent!! Note to OAA: Be afraid, be very afraid!!

Miguel Priest (Southfield) – The BlueJay Baller Beast aka Miguel Priest aka the Southpaw Cage Prowler aka the fastest-rising hoop prospect in the OC...YEAH I SAID IT!!

Brock Washington (Southfield Christian) – Keeps making HUGE strides in his games, on the verge of the DANGER ZONE, alas where his teammate Marlow Brown currently resides……Take it 2 tha bank!!

Joey Ziniti (RH Adams) – Showed why he's that rare breed of a master marksman and a SIR-GRIND-A-LOT SPECIAL, guts and finesse makes for a tasty combo in HIGHLANDERLAND 

Local boys hoopsters slated to be on hand at the annual Reaching Higher Showcase this week hosted by Milford High School:

Tariq Derrickson (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Jr. PG) – Maybe THE most underrated SUPERSTAR in the OC and definitely the Sleeper Stud of the Catholic League, standing at the doorstep of dominance

Michael Flowers (Southfield Jr. SG) – Blooming into a star in the backcourt

Miguel Priest (Southfield Sr. F) – Wonder on the wing just reaching his stride, really impressing the scouts this summer

Jordan Graham (Farmington Sr. F) – Simply a STRAIGHT G, savvy swingman putting in work for TEAM PORTER

Spencer Littleson (RH Adams Sr. G/F) – Swagger Level has hit the stratosphere, please spread the word

Joey Ziniti (RH Adams Sr. G) – Za Za = Bang Bang from DOWNTOWN, any questions?

David Rinke (RH Adams Sr. C) – Quiet and injury-plagued transfer year last season as a junior but could be the best pure big fella in the OAA in 2016

Kevin McAdoo (West Bloomfield Jr. F) – Can you say an ALL-OF-A-SUDDEN Scottie Pippen to Action Jackson's MJ this winter?

Cass Phillips (Lakeland Soph C) – Emerging force in the paint for TEAM BRUGGER, expect major things from this major-league riser on the blocks

Eric Unger (AH Oakland Christian Sr. G/F) – Quiet assassin in the area's small-school ranks

Brock Washington (Southfield Christian Jr. F) – All-State-bound, active around the rim and on the wing,  

Kyle Woodruff (Holly Sr. G) – CASH MONEY is the best way to describe this kid's game!!

 

 

One of the top "SUPER SLEEPERS" on the local prep baseball scene is Stoney Creek's Jordan Skidmore. This kid is a double-duty doozy – he's a standout at the dish with his stick and on the mound as a pitcher. When he's not throwing strikes toeing the slab, he's behind the plate as a reliable and cannon-armed catcher.

During his junior season in 2015, Skidmore led the Cougars in batting average (415), hits (41) and RBI (30), being named all-league, all-district and all-region. He decimates in the classroom as well, flashing close to a 4.0 GPA. Not surprisingly, the college scouts are sniffing: DI, DII and DIII.

His times throwing on the hill were limited this past spring, due to a unforeseen injury resulting in the club needing him more managing the Cougars pitching staff from the catcher position than actually pitching himself. Don't expect that to stay the norm in 2016.

DA Creek Cheat Sheet: Burney's PRIMETIME Cougars Den Diamond Dazler Jor- TOO GOOD 2 B TRU-dan Skidmore is the BOMB and blows up the comp like a cluster of dynamite every time he steps foot on the field

With all the hype flying around Clarkston these days regarding the arrival of Dylan Alderson, a DI boys basketball recruit from Davison ready to team with Foster Loyer (soph PG) to give TEAM FIFE the No. 1 backcourt in Oakland County, my main C-Town hooping homeboy Tabin "T-RAW" Throgmorton is getting a little lost in the shuffle. Make no mistake about though and all due respect to Alderson, who is a MONSTER STUD of a combo guard and one of the best juniors in Metro Detroit, T-RAW is going to be the difference between the Wolfpack pocketing their first trip to the final four since 2009 this upcoming season or going home prior to the annual late-March CAGE BASH at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Yeah, I SAID IT!! So far this summer he's slicing and dicing the comp (looking mighty sharp on the AAU and team camp circuit). Expect more of the same come December and tipoff to his senior year on the hardwood.

This silky smooth and oh-so-deadly wing man is a fundamentally-sound GAME-CHANGER at the small forward spot, a 6-foot-4 ASSASSIN with a killer instinct and a sugar-sweet stroke from deep. His diverse skill set – long, wiry, hardworking, sturdy handle, high bball IQ, finishing ability on the break and on his move to the hole, both mid-range and long-range lethality and an underrated first step on his dribble drive – will allow for an easy transition to a guard spot at the college level. In other words, he's a BALLER & SHOT CALLER and someone you need to account for every second he's on the floor. To say T-RAW ain't your normal No. 3 option is the understatement of the century. He'd literally putting up 25 a night on 75 percent of the squads in the OC, but instead he's sacrificing his own stats for the ultimate goal : a shot at the crown. His play was integral in the Wolfpack's 2015 campaign which saw THE C-TOWN CAGE CREW claim its' ninth league title in a row and appear in the Class A quarterfinals.

ROLL CALL TIME:

Foster "The Phenom" Loyer –No. 1 player in the OC…..'NUFF SAID!!

Dylan "A-TEAM" Alderson – Total terror in the backcourt at both the 1 & the 2, crafty, gritty

Tabin "T-Raw" Throgmorton – COLDBLOODED is the best way to describe his game

CONCLUSION: These guys are about to give a whole new meaning to the term BIG 3…..it's about to be LEGEN……WAIT FOR IT…….DARY!!

 

The heavily prolific Ty Sparks era under center at Clawson is over. It's time to start anew in the signal-calling department in TrojanLand.

Introducing the Next Man Up: junior Kourtney Manley. He'll be CLAWVILLE's starting quarterback come kickoff to the 2015 campaign in just about six weeks. With the stat-mongering Sparks torching the comp from the pocket, carving apart opposing secondaries, the Trojans have qualified for the playoffs in the past two straight seasons (4 of the last 5).

Expect for the agile, athletic and READY-TO-DETONATE Manley to keep the ship cruising in the same direction. He's a playmaker in the making, a touchdown hound in training. His natural tidal wave of talent at the position has been evident in offseason workouts.

What should be extra cool in CLAWVILLE these next two years is that he'll be throwing to his baby bro, Kamarial Manley, a freshman slated to contribute greatly this fall in the Trojans vertical passing attack. The younger Manley will be mentored in the wide receiver trade by returning all-league split end Quinton Johnson. In other words, there should be no slowing down the high-flying Clawson offense in 2015. Plenty of toys left to play with.....play on PLAYAZ, play on!!

The quarterback race at FH Harrison is an interesting one to watch. Who will be TEAM HARRISON's field general is up for grabs.

Two seniors David Vinsky and Anthony Giovanni appear to be the top two candidates. Both saw time under center in the Hawks run to the D2 final four after starter Jevon Shaw went down with an injury.

Either would be a solid choice. They are a pair of cool, calm customers with ALL THE RIGHT MOVES. With grit, leadership and moxie to spare, Vinsky and Giovanni get the job done at ALL COSTS. I guess ALL& ALL we're talking about a couple of GRADE-A GRIDIRON GLADIATORS.

Vinsky was an all-state selection on the baseball diamond in the spring, setting a new Harrison school record for hits in a single season. Giovanni is just a plain and simple 'G' in everything he does.

Let the best man win!!

 

A trio of fast-rising Walled Lake GRIDIRON WONDERS to keep an eye out for

Ethan Rodriguez (WL Central RB) – Tough-as-nails runner, true Sir-Grind-A-Lot Special if I've ever seen one

Javon Gabriel (WL Western WR) – Ready to erupt this fall stretching the field and making those difficult catches, about to become a THRILL-A-MINUTE big-play receiver

Mike Nelson (WL Northern WR) – Tall and athletic frame, sturdily built and hungry for a breakout campaign

Quick NorthernKnights note: expect GIGANTIC seasons from the A-Squared Swagger Squad, as in seniors A.J. Chuchla and Adam Rabaut

Burney thinks the OC will soon see its first-ever WNBA player.

Her name is Aerial Powers. She prepped at Birmingham Detroit Country Day and is currently an All-Big 10 point guard at Michigan State. Right now, she's spearheading Team USA in the World University Games in South Korea. On Tuesday in a victory over the Czech Republic, Powers went all DIANA TAURASI on the comp, pumping in 17 points to go along with seven boards, five dimes and three steals. WOW!! Can you say MEGA-BALLER Alert?

This girl is a whirling dervish on the court, the smartest and most dynamic girls hoopster I've had the pleasure of watching perform in recent memory.

Powers, the Spartans own female version of Lebron James (Queen Aerial!!) will lead her RED, WHITE & BLUE into the medal round of the international cage tourney this weekend where Team USA is scheduled to tussle with Hungary in the Elite 8

All-OC 2015

DREAM TEAM: DIAMOND-CUTTERS EDITION

P Karl Kauffmann (Brother Rice)

P Drake Titus (OL St. Mary's)

P Chandler Sedat (West Bloomfield)

P Luke Shilling (Pontiac NDP)

P Alex Darden (N. Farmington)

IF Mitch Weber (Rochester)

IF Perry Klemanski (Bloomfield Hills)

IF John Van Hoef (Troy Athens)

IF Eric Gilgenbach (Stoney Creek)

C Harrison Salter (OL St. Mary's)

C Robert Iacobelli (Brother Rice)

OF Nick Plummer (Brother Rice)

OF Christian Jaworski (Bloomfield Hills)

OF Nate Grys (MH Madison)

OF Robbie Jones (West Bloomfield)

UTL – Matt Lerdahl (Troy Athens)

UTL – David Vinsky (FH Harrison)

UTL – Davis Feldman (Brother Rice)

UTL – Steve Mann (DCD)

Awards:

MVP: Drake Titus

MIP: Robert Iacobelli

Silver Slugger: Nick Plummer

Sir Grind-A lot-Award: Griffin Sheposh (OLSM)

Gold Glove: Troy Saruna (Bloomfield Hills)

Coach of the Year: Frank DiVito (Bloomfield Hills) & Mike Morris (Troy Athens)

 

Some more college connections on the OC prep gridiron

Nolan Given (Berkley WR) – This split end has wheels, hands and work ethic and is rising at warp speed on the recruiting charts….committed to Fordham

Justin Clark (West Bloomfield CB) – Prototypical "cover corner" with a major-league season on the horizon and a permanent residence at the corner of AWESOME & AMAZING for the rest of 2015 …..committed to Toledo

Tamarion Johnson (Southfield Bradford DE) – SUPER SLEEPER as a rush end, high-intensity, high-octane, high-upside……committed to Miami (OH)

 

A four-pack of under-the-radar local HS gridiron-standout duos

Dwayne Chapman-P.J. Bauer (OL St. Mary's) – high motors and high football IQs are distinctive traits that both these two linebacker prospects possess by the boatload. We've got a BALELR-&-SHOT CALLER alert brewing along Commerce Road these days cuz these guys are just so so BADDDDDDD, as in REALLY, REALLY GOOD!! Plain winners in life and in the trenches on the field

Nolan Given-Austen Wood (Berkley) – It's a GIVEN that Given is a "sky's-the-limit" talent at wide receiver or safety spot and Wood is the Bears heart in soul, whether at linebacker as QB of the club's 'D' or running the rock up between the tackles with his consistently relentless effort….the kind of kid that craves contact on both sides of the ball....TEAM SIKORA is in rock-solid hands again in 2015 with Given and Wood heading the attack

Tyler Santangelo-Jalen Allen (BH Cranbrook) – A tandem of junior-to-be's who each cuts an imposing figure for opposing defensive coordinators to worry about for another two seasons after blasting onto the scene last fall as super sophs when they sparked the Cranes into the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade….Can you say PRIMETIME PLAYMAKERS? Santangelo is a fearless field general with a soft touch on his deep balls, composure in the pocket and the word LEADER ingrained in his DNA. Allen is a blazer in the backfield with a nose for the end zone and the shot to get there with every touch he sees

Jamison Scarber-Ovi Oghoufo (FH Harrison) – Watch out here comes another pair of 0-100 HawksNation Hustlers: Scarber is a wideout ready to break out in his senior campaign. Oghoufo has true STAR potential, either as a linebacker or split end

Five For Fighting – Most Underrated Boys Hoopsters In The OC

1 Joey Ziniti (RH Adams) – Can sometime get lost in the shadow of superstar classmate Spencer Littleson, but think of it like this, Litteson is Steph Curry, Joey ZAZA is Klay Thompson, yeah you read that right, the Highlanders unleash the OC Splash Brothers Show for Year No. 3 come this upcoming season: Ziniti is just as good as of a shooter as Littleson, with just as much heart, hustle and determination….when my homeboy ZaZa goes all 'Z-Factor' its lights out, as in ITZ, as in unconscious from downtown, as in no defense can stop him when he finds his rhythm

2 Anton Lukaj (WL Central) – This kid will be a D2 steal in the college recruiting process, fundamentally-sound warrior on the wing, relentless spirit, tireless work ethic (has improved steadily every year)

3 J.P. Sinacola (Stoney Creek) – Maybe the best pure shooter in the OC….Yeah I said it!!

4 Andrew Klein (Waterford Lakes) – Gives SCS's Marlow Brown a serious run for his money in the No. 1 small-school player in the state debate!!!!......That's a Burney-certified fact!!

5 (tie) Israel Williams (Pontiac) – Most active post player in the OAA White, a prep-version of a young Dennis Rodman, high-energy type with a nice touch in the lane and finishing skills in transition, notches double-doubles with consistent fervor in his play around the rim

5 (tie) Gavin Boswell & Cordell Dupree (Royal Oak) – The top local backcourt that nobody knows enough about…..about to take 2016 season by storm!!.....Make a note!!