Burney's Bytes

Welcomed Return

2012-01-29T00:54:00.001-05:00

North Farmington's Jerron Rogers, one of the top freshman boys basketball players in the state, will enter the Raiders starting lineup this week.

The 6-foot-6, soft-stroking Rogers, who people call "Buda", opened the year as a reserve on North Farmington's varsity squad, however, for seasoning purposes he has been playing on the Raiders JV the past month.

Well, maybe playing is not the right word – DOMINATING is more like it.

After kicking off his prep varsity career in style with a 22-point, 6-rebound performance against Southfield-Lathrup back in December, Rogers went down to the JV as a means of getting more action on the court and has been averaging 20 points and 15 boards an outing.

ESPN ranks Rogers as one of the nation's most intriguing college prospects in the Class of 2015. He is the son of former NBA vet Carlos Rogers and could easily add at least another 3 inches and 25 pounds to his frame over the next few years.

First-year NF head coach Todd Negoshian has determined that the Big Buda is once again ready for the primetime stage and will waste little time in utilizing his skill in the lineup. With Rogers becoming a starter, he will team with his first cousin and Raiders forward Dorrell Foster (24 pts, 12 reb per contest) and senior center Greg Joyce (5 pts, 5 reb) to give Little Nogo a quite intimidating frontcourt.

Entering its league game with Southfield on Tuesday, North Farmington is 8-5 overall, 3-2 in the ever ultra-competitive OAA Red Division.

Ignition Complete

2012-01-28T19:52:00.001-05:00

HIGHLANDERS RIDE EMOTIONAL TIDE TO COMEBACK WIN

The Rochester Adams boys basketball team needed a spark on Thursday night in its game against Oak Park.

Down by double-digits in the second half, the Highlanders found that spark by seeing their head coach, John Hall, get tossed from the heated contest late in the third quarter when he received his second technical foul of night.

Playing inspired ball for their dear departed coach, the Highlanders rallied for a 60-58 win on their own home floor, moving their overall record to 7-4 and a perfect 3-0 in action from the Oakland Activities Association White Division.

Following the free throws spawning from Hall's second tech, Oak Park held a 13-point lead.

Then, as if sticking to the exact script the always-motivating Hall had penned himself, Adams started to chip away at its deficit

The comeback was ignited by a 3-pointer by junior Zack Littleson. A steal and lay-up by star sophomore guard Akhemji Williams with just under three minutes remaining gave the Highlanders their first lead of the game at 51-49.

It would be an advantage the Adams hoop squad wouldn't look back from. Press Kampe, the Highlanders' other standout sophomore in the backcourt, drilled four straight free throws in the final seconds to close out the victory.

Williams put in team-high 19 points for Adams, while Littleson scored 17 points and Kampe notched 8. All three were key members of last year's Highlanders team that captured a district title and made a memorable run into the Class A Sweet 16 by upsetting Pontiac in the regionals.

Kampe is the youngest son of Oakland University Golden Grizzlies men's hoop coach Greg Kampe. His older brother, Branch, was an all-state quarterback at Royal Oak Shrine and is currently playing in college at LSU.

Oak Park got a game-high 25 points from junior Bryan Williams. The Knights are now 4-1, 1-2 in league play.

Mid-Season Player Reports

2012-01-27T09:23:00.002-05:00

Here is a breakdown of my mid-season report card from the local prep boys basketball scene:

MVP

1 (tie) Jon-Jon Williams (Southfield-Lathrup)

1 (tie) Damon Bozeman (MH Madison)

2 Corey Green (MH Bishop Foley)

3 Dorrell Foster (North Farmington)

4 Nick Tatu (Clarkston)

5 James Young (Troy)

MIP

1 Marcarius Coakley (Troy Athens)

2 Dorrell Foster (North Farmington)

3 Gavin Toma (Southfield Christian)

4 (tie) Chuck Taylor (WL Central)

4 (tie) Dijon Cogdel (Pontiac)

5 Jacques Tousiant (Oxford)

Best PG

1 Mitch Baenziger (Clarkston)

2 Paris Pereira (Rochester)

3 Caleb Hogans (North Farmington)

4 Ben Benford (Southfield-Lathrup)

5 Caleb McIntosh (Troy Athens)

Best outside shooters

1 Nick Tatu (Clarkston)

2 Jamerea Samples (Pontiac)

3 Jared Ocampo (Clawson)

4 (tie) Gage Throgmorton (WL Northern)

4 (tie) Jodan & Austin Price (Birmingham DCD)

5 James Berger (RH Adams)

Top Slam Dunkers

1 Corey Green (MH Bishop Foley)

2 James Young (Troy)

3 Sterling Sharp (North Farmington)

4 Dorrell Foster (North Farmington)

5 Aaron Prim (WL Western)

Top sir-grind-a-lots

1 Brandon Bean (Southfield)

2 Matt Dellinger (Clarkston)

3 (tie) Zac Leimbach (WL Central)

3 (tie) Danny Larkins (MH Madison)

4 Poet Thomas (Birmingham DCD)

5 Jack Dillon (Novi Detroit CC)

Best big fellas

1 Kellen McCormick (Pontiac NDP)

2 (tie) Miroslav Jaksic-WL Western/Robert Pulekis-DCD

2 (tie) Nic Stoll (Holly)

3 Yante Maten (BH Lahser)

4 John McCarty-Brad Watterworth (Lake Orion)

5 (tie) Poet Thomas (Birmingham DCD)

5 (tie) Jacob Dotson-Germaine King (Ferndale)

Best combo-guards

1 Jon-Jon Williams (Southfield-Lathrup)

2 Akhemji Williams (RH Adams)

3 Jarod Jones (Pontiac)

4 Austin Price (Birmingham DCD)

5 Gavin Toma & the Hunter Bros (Southfield Christian)

Best forwards

1 James Young (Troy)

2 (tie) Dorrell Foster (North Farmington)

2 (tie) Corey Green (MH Bishop Foley)

3 Taylor Perry (Rochester)

4 Nate Stepney (Ferndale)

5 Kyle Cooper-Matt Doneth (Novi Detroit CC)

Coach of the Year

1 Chip Lutz (Milford)

2 (tie) Todd Negoshian (North Farmington)

2 (tie) Mike Avery (Southfield-Lathrup)

3 Jeff Jayson (Waterford Mott)

4 Steve Rhoades (MH Madison)
5 (tie) Denny Butcher (WL Central)-Ron Thompson (WL Northern)

Bonus Bytes - This & That

2012-01-26T00:37:00.004-05:00

West Bloomfield football star C.J. Brathwaite de-committed to Washington State this week and has decided to instead play in the MAC next year at Kent State. The lightning-fast Brathwaite was one of the more undervalued running back commodities in the state's Class of 2012 recruiting crop.

Southfield-Lathrup's boys hoop squad is really going to benefit from the recent addition of all-state football stud JAMAL LYLES to its lineup. Lyles (signed with Michigan State) will give the Chargers some much-needed muscle and size in the post in the race for the OAA Red crown and the program's first district in three years.

I know the guy has won a couple of league titles, but Birmingham Seaholm head boys basketball coach Jose Andrades is doing the best job of his career on the sidelines with his current Maples squad (7-5) that has come out of nowhere and is impressing more and more each time it hits the floor.......Junior swingman Paris Bass is a burgeoning killer on the court

Southfield Bradford cager extraordinaire Erik Murphy (6-4, long, athletic and passionate about the game) is going to be a STAR at the next level, so it would be nice to see some more schools get in on the mix to nab this under-the-radar talent.

Although he recently committed to Grand Valley State, Orchard Lake St. Mary's football star David Talley (LB) received a D1 offer this week from Akron. NOTE TO OTHER MAC SCHOOLS – get in on the action before its too late, this kid is for REAL!!!

Novi Detroit Catholic Central football standout Jake Widmer (OL) has committed to Saginaw Valley State.

Pontiac NDP football star "Good Looking Jake" Romeo (RB/DB) has committed to the University of Chicago (don't be surprised if OLSM's Joe Eroyan winds up landing in Chitown with Romeo at UC)

Big Mac Attack

2012-01-25T00:30:00.003-05:00

Orchard Lake St. Mary's football star Spencer McInnis committed to play in college at Miami (OH) earlier this week.

McInnis was a three-year starter in the Eaglets backfield, helping take them to three consecutive trips to the state finals at Ford Field and a state championship back in November.

The 5-foot-10, 190 pound McInnis has deceptive speed, having been timed as fast as 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. Last season, he rushed for 1,544 yards and 25 tds, in addition to a monster performance in the state title tilt, where he ran for 215 yards and three scores.

Parker McInnis, Spencer's little brother, will return to rep the family name in the St. Mary's backfield rotation next fall. Flanking his brother admirably, Parker ran for 95 yards and a dazzling 60-yard touchdown scamper in the second half of the state finals.

The McInnis brothers' father played college football at Eastern Michigan.

Recent Recruiting Roundup

2012-01-24T07:24:00.001-05:00

There's been a flurry of activity on the local prep football recruiting scene as of late;

Here's an update;

Farmington RB Bryan Green committed to Akron of the Mid-American Conference

Fun fact – In Green's only year starting on the offensive side of the ball, he ran for almost 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns, with a sparkling average of 8 yards per carry

Birmingham Brother Rice RB Devin Church de-committed from Northern Illinois and accepted a scholarship offer from Illinois of the Big 10.

Fun fact – Church ended his career in the Orange and Black as the all-time single-season rushing leader in the long and illustrious history of Warriors football…..really tells you all you need about this kid!!!!

Auburn Hills QB Mitch Robinson committed to Northwood

Fun fact – Robinson's junior campaign under center was the most prolific in STATE HISTORY!!!!!!

Clarkston OL Lucas Sanders and Farmington DL Marvin Jefferson both committed to Wayne State

Fun fact – Under-the-radar steals for WSU

The Brother Rice dynamic cornerback tandem of Eddie Kidd and James Hendrix both committed to Northern Michigan

Fun fact – Will be joining former Rice teammate and fellow secondary stud Loran Jaddou in the Wildcats' defensive backfield next fall

Grand Valley State wrangled itself 5 recent commitments from OC grid studs:

Lake Orion QB Sean Charette, OL St. Mary's LB David Talley, Pontiac NDP WR Troy Sassack, BH Lahser DB Nate Cole and Brother Rice TE Joey Warner.

Fun Fact – Another great OC recruiting crop!!!!

Burney's Boys Hoops Rankings - Top Notch

2012-01-23T08:28:00.001-05:00

OC Top 10

1 Clarkston – Loss to Detroit Community was an aberation

2 Birmingham DCD – Super soph Maury Diane is finally healthy and about to start torching the comp!!!

3 Southfield-Lathrup – Chargers starting shooting guard Jordan Denham is one of the best "No. 2" guys in the area!!!!

4 Novi Detroit CC – Jack Dillon is in the running for OC MIP!!!

5 (tie) Ferndale – The Eagles shot into the rankings this week with a bullet…..another outstanding job on the bench by Tom Staton this year!!!

5 (tie) North Farmington – The Raiders shot back into the rankings this week with a bullet, too!!!

6 MH Bishop Foley – FAB FROSH Gary Perry is a VERY SCARY prospect in the post!!!

7 (tie) Rochester – TEAM PLEASANT is playing some really good ball right now!!!

7 (tie) Pontiac – The Yacktown cage crew needs a tad more consistency this season if they want to keep that district title streak alive and well come March

8 Southfield Bradford – Best team in the state that nobody knows about!!!

9 MH Madison – You literally can't stop or contain Eagles stud senior and point monger Damon Bozeman!!!!!

10 (tie) Milford – M-Town simply out-grinds and out-grits its opponents….its football disguised as basketball….gridiron coach Pat Fox is beaming with pride with the job TEAM LUTZ does repping the MAVS on the hardwood

10 (tie) Walled Lake Central – Vikings head coach Denny Butcher continues to amaze his boy Burney with his prowess on the sidelines year-in and year-out!!!!

10 (tie) Southfield Christian – I love me some Eagles head coach Josh Baker, but I'm not sure I agree with his decision to try to run and gun with perennial prep hoops SUPERPOWER DCD back on Saturday……..no matter SCS will get back on track this week!!

HM: Troy, Troy Athens, RH Adams, BH Lahser, Clawson, Holly, Pontiac NDP, OLSM, Waterford Mott, WL Northern

Late Summer Delight

2012-01-22T02:51:00.002-05:00

This year's Prep Football Kickoff Classic, the annual multi-game event to open the high school season, is being moved from Eastern Michigan to Wayne State.

There are six high-profile matchups on the slate for Friday August 24 and Saturday August 25, three of which include some of the best teams in Oakland County.

All three of the OC throwdowns take place on Saturday:

At 11:00 am to open the second day of action, Oak Park will take on Detroit Crockett, followed by Southfield going up against Detroit King at 4:30 and defending D2 state champ Birmingham Brother Rice finishing things up in the nightcap against defending D1 crown-holder Detroit Cass Tech at 7:30.

Here are some players Burney will be most excited to see hit the gridiron come kickoff time in late August:

Bryan Williams (Oak Park) – Sly and sticky-handed wideout poised for big year for the Knights

Tre Walton (Southfield) – The all-league receiver will move under center and quarterback the Bluejays in 2012…..Can you say WICKED DUAL THREAT in the pocket?

Jeff Madison & Willie Duncan (Southfield) – This speedy and ferocious pair will spearhead both the linebacking unit and offensive backfield for the Eagles

Brandon Bean (Southfield) – TEAM CONLEY's crafty split end is the hardest working man in the OC……'NUFF SAID!!!!!

Jonny Reschke & Luke Cherocci (Brother Rice) – best linebacker tandem in the area!!!!

De Shun Brown & Brian Walker (Brother Rice) – SUPER SLICK running back duo that will step into departing superstar Devin Church's shoes and make sure the Warriors don't miss a single beat in their march to the REPEAT!!

Instant Feedback - Getting After It

2012-01-21T02:37:00.003-05:00

Thoughts from Friday's night on the boys prep hardwood;

WL Central's Chuck Taylor (game-winning 3 in the Vikings defeat of Waterford Mott) is just like the Converse shoe, Chuck Taylor – A TRUE HARDWOOD CLASSIC!!!!!

Going on the road and knocking off Troy, Ferndale might be the hottest team in the area right now – The Eagles are currently riding a 6-game winning streak. Against Troy, senior transfer Jacob Dotson (22 points, 15 rebounds) had his second straight double-double since becoming eligible.

Love the job Billy Shellenbarger is doing over at Clawson these past couple of years – Clawville bested MH Lamphere 57-50 on the road on Friday. This guy was a genuine sparkplug as a player and is doing the same on the sideline, jumpstarting the Trojans hoop program back to the prominence it held two decades ago in the Jon Jansen era.

My boys out in H-Town aka TEAM HORSE aka TEAM BAYLIS aka the rough, rugged and raw Holly Bronchos, showed off their depth on Friday in their 52-37 lambasting of Linden by registering 10 players in the score sheet.

UPSET ALERT; congrats to TEAM SHECKELL aka the Birmingham Groves Falcons for taking down Oxford

TEAM LUTZ aka Milford keeps getting it done in the trenches, gutting out another win on Friday – 42-40 over Pinckney –, to remain undefeated at 10-0. Halfway through the campaign, it's a no-brainer for Chip Lutz to be the frontrunner for Coach of the Year in the KLAA.

When its all said and done on his career at RH Adams, Akhemji Williams might be the best Highlanders hoopster of all-time!!!!! Yeah, I said it & U can TAKE IT 2 THE BANK!!!

RH Lutheran NW, upset-winners over AH Oakland Christian on Friday, has one of the most underappreciated two-sport stars in the state in Nate Drews, a beast behind center as a quarterback on the gridiron and a true menace of an inside-outside threat on the hardwood. Drews scored 15 points and collected 10 rebounds against Oakland Christian.

North Farmington's Dorrell Foster (31 pts, 16 reb in win over Pontiac) is a human, walking, talking DOUBLE-DOUBLE!!!!

You can't stop Pontiac NDP's Vinnie Famularo (career-high 17 pts in the Fighting Irish upset of MH Bishop Foley on the road), you can only hope to contain him?

Oakland County has two players in Jon-Jon Williams (Southfield-Lathrup) and Damon Bozeman (MH Madison) averaging 30-plus a night. I can't remember the last time the OC had two hoop hounds averaging that much apiece this far into the season. Jon-Jon (averaging 31) busted up West Bloomfield for 30 points, 8 boards and 5 dimes in Chargers win on Friday, while Bozeman (averaging 33) torched SH Stevenson for 35 points and the game-winning trey at the buzzer on Thursday.

Coming On Board

2012-01-20T00:49:00.001-05:00

A handful of local boys basketball teams are poised to benefit from the recent addition of second-semester transfers.

The two most celebrated of the crop are both European big men in Walled Lake Western's Miroslav Jaksic and Birmingham DCD's Robert Pulekis.

Jaksic, a slender 6-foot-11 inside-out threat that comes to the U.S. from Canada via Serbia, is one of the state's top recruits in the Class of 2013. He was impressive in his debut back on Tuesday in a loss to Waterford Mott, connecting on 7-of-9 from the field for 14 points to go along with eight rebounds and three blocks. Western, a squad that has been struggling to generate offense as of late and is a mired in a mid-season funk, will be looking to Jaksic to jumpstart the Warriors' stretch run.

Sturdily-built and standing 6-foot-10, Pulekis, from Lithuania, is a more traditional post player. His debut won't come until Saturday when the Yellowjackets taken on Southfield Christian. Once on the court patrolling the paint, Pulekis will team with fellow DCD interior brutes like Poet Thomas and Chazz Miller, to give the 'Jackets a considerably more formidable frontcourt in their quest for a third straight trip to the final four.

When Class B superpower Country Day faces up-and-coming Class D goliath Southfield Christian on Saturday night, the underdog Eagles will have some added depth in their already-stacked backcourt with the recently-eligible tandem of Kameron Garner and Ben Cookingham. In Southfield Christian's 79-72 downing of RH Lutheran NW on Tuesday, Garner, a sparkplug combo guard, looked solid in reserve duty, scoring five points and swiping away two steals. Cookingham was steady off the bench as well and will be another zone buster for the hot-shooting Eagles.

Ferndale is another team that will be getting an infusion of talented transfers. Senior Jacob Dotson and sophomore Jermaine King will solidify an intimidating Ferndale frontline. Dotson, who prepped on the JV level at Southfield before moving to Tennessee last year with his parents and excelling on the varsity level. Back in Michigan and wearing the Brown and Gold, Dotson, a wide and athletic 6-6, excelled in his debut on Tuesday, putting in a double-double 13 points and 10 boards in an Eagles victory over Oak Park. King, a spry and agile 6-7 jumping-jack, shot-blocking machine, is battling some minor injuries and will be in Ferndale's lineup soon.

Young, Running & Gunning

2012-01-19T01:15:00.004-05:00

KNIGHTS BOYS HOOP SQUAD SQUEAKS PAST LINCOLN ON SHOULDERS OF SUPER SOPHS

The Bloomfield Hills Lahser young baller brigade made another loud statement Wednesday night with its play.

That statement was; We're FOR REAL, we're here to stay for a while, so GET USED TO IT!!!!

Behind clutch outings from the sizzling sophomore trio Armand Cartwright, Yante Maten and Khalil Gracey, the host Knights weathered the fatigue of playing on consecutive evenings to rally for a pulse-pounding 54-50 victory over a speedy and spunky Ypsilanti Lincoln team.

Battling rubber legs as a result of a hard-fought defeat of crosstown rival Bloomfield Hills Andover on Tuesday, Lahser trailed 24-22 at the break and fell behind by as many as six points late in the fourth quarter.

That's when, per standard operating procedure for the season, Knights head coach Duane Graves, turned to his youth contingent to close things out.

With the score 50-46 in Lincoln's favor with a minute left, Cartwright, Graves' fearsome floor general, converted a rare four-point play, taking contact while in the process of drilling a long 3-ball from the left wing and then sinking the ensuing free throws to knot it all up at 50-50.

Following a stop on the other end, Maten, Lahser's explosive 6-foot-7 big fella, got fouled and knocked down a pair of free throws with 34 seconds remaining that proved the game-winners. Gracey, a smooth and agile small forward hit two free throws in the final moments of the contest to close out the win for the Knights, who moved their overall record to 8-3, 1-0 in league play.

Thanks to the leadership and structure that has been implemented by Graves, in his second year at the helm, Wednesday's victory gives Lahser more wins this campaign than they had all of last season, when the Knights finished 7-14.

Cartwright led Lahser in the scoring column by registering 15 points to add to his six assists and three steals. On the heels of a colossal effort on Tuesday against Andover where he put up 17 points, 18 boards and 8 blocks, Maten scored nine points, snared 12 rebounds and swatted away four Lincoln shots.

While Cartwright and Maten started on varsity last year as freshmen, Gracey (5 points, 6 rebounds) played JV and is in his first year in the starting lineup this season.

Competing in the brand new OAA Gold, Lahser's performance in the first half of the year has established the Knights as one of the frontrunners in the race for the league crown along with Oxford and Royal Oak.

Lahser hits the court next on Friday night against Royal Oak. Back on Tuesday, the Ravens lost 73-68 to Oxford at home. Royal Oak is 5-4, 1-0 in league action, Oxford is 6-3 overall, 1-0 in the OAA Gold.

The Knights are seeking their first league title in five years. The last time Lahser captured a district crown was in 2000.

He's Got Cat Scratch Fever

2012-01-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team is 13-5 overall and in the midst of making a serious run at the program's first ever berth in the Big Dance aka the NCAA Tournament.

One of the biggest reasons for the Wildcats success this year has been because of the play of former Oakland County prep star Dave Curletti out of Orchard Lake St. Mary's, Northwestern's sixth-man.

Curletti, a rangy and active 6-foot-8 forward, put up a 17-point, 7-board outing in the Wildcats upset of Michigan State over the weekend, which included a Sportscenter-esque JAM over a Spartans' defender in the second half.

When he was hooping in the OC for the Eaglets, Curletti was a prototypical SIR-GRIND-A-LOT, averaging 15 points and 10 boards a game as a senior in 2008, helping take OLSM to district, regional and league crowns and a spot in the Class Elite 8. In his time in the red and white, he played on three straight CHSL-title winning squads.

Burney's Boys Hoops Rankings - Rock Solid

2012-01-16T19:51:00.002-05:00

OC Top 10

1 Clarkston – Might be the best team in the whole state!!!!

2 Birmingham DCD – A little less lethal than in recent years, but still pretty darn good!!!

3 Southfield-Lathrup – Chargers senior point guard Ben Benford could be the OAA Red Comeback Player of the Year when its all said and done on the 2012 campaign.....He's a BAD MAN!

4 MH Bishop Foley – Ventures might be catching a break with the self-inflicted meltdown of Class C state-champion favorite Detroit Consortium, which could face severe sanctions spawning from a bench-clearing brawl on Saturday up in Saginaw

5 Pontiac – I'm a big fan of the Phoenix's underrated frontcourt of Isaac Phlegm, Derek Kirk-Turner, Roosevelt Wheeler and Blakestan Samuels

6 (tie) Novi Detroit CC – The Shamrocks getting their basketball legs back…..WATCH OUT CHSL!

6 (tie) OL St. Mary's – Played tough against CHSL Superpower De La Salle, good sign!

7 (tie) Troy Athens – Caleb McIntosh is such a tough match up at the point for other teams!!!

7 (tie) Rochester – Brought the PAIN vs. crosstown rival Adams, preview of state tourney time?

8 Troy – Starting to play up to potential

9 (tie) Southfield Christian – Man, does the city of Southfield have some KILLER HOOP SQUADS this season or what?

9 (tie) Southfield Bradford – See above!!!

10 Milford – TEAM LUTZ is ULTRA-TENACIOUS!!!

Bulldog Mentality

2012-01-15T01:14:00.001-05:00

The past couple of years Birmingham Detroit Country Day football star Marlon Hairston has made a name for himself by playing with Bulldog-like tenacity on the gridiron.

In retrospect, it's no wonder, since Hairston, a cat-quick and Herculean-strong outside linebacker, was destined to be a Bulldog in real life.

On Saturday, Hairston committed to Butler University and will be wearing Butler's black Bulldog uniform for the next four years on the college level.

With Hairston in the starting line-up, DCD made the playoffs in both 2010 and 2011. As a senior in '11, he made 90 tackles and collected six sacks, as well as serving as a team captain.

Currently, Butler has two OC football studs on its roster in senior defensive back Andy Dauch (BH Lahser) and freshman defensive lineman Nick McInally (Clarkston).

Look for Hairston to join forces with McInally these next few years, bringing heavy helpings of that undeniable OC flavor to the Bulldogs 'D'!!!!

Where Eagles Fly

2012-01-14T22:59:00.002-05:00

UNDERMANNED SCS UNFAZED, RACKS UP ANOTHER VICTORY ON THE ROAD

Not having Chris Dewberry in the lineup on Friday night did nothing to slow Southfield Christian down on the boys basketball court.

Playing without Dewberry, their superstar transfer, who was out with the flu, the Eagles traveled to league foe Birmingham Roeper and had little trouble dispatching the host Roughriders 69-55 in a game they held a 20-point lead throughout much of the action.

Friday's win runs Southfield Christian's overall record to a flawless 6-0, 2-0 in the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference.

"It's a good victory," said Eagles first-year head coach Josh Baker of the triumph. "There are still improvements to make, but we're taking nice strides towards where we need to be."

Spending the past eight years as an assistant at Class A power Romulus, Baker was hired by Southfield Christian in the summer and has his Class D Eagles off to the best start in school history.

Baker's squad registered an evenly distributed stat sheet Friday to make up for the loss of Dewberry on offense. Senior Lindsey Hunter III scored a team-high 17 points, while his brother, sophomore Lindsey IV and freshman point guard Bakari Evelyn put up 16 points and five assists apiece. Captain Gavin Toma netted 13 points to go along with six assists for Southfield Christian, too.

"We pick each other up,"Toma said. "This team likes to spread the ball around. Nobody cares who scores what or how many shots they get. Everybody is invested in one common goal which is winning. The rest of the stuff doesn't really matter to us that much."

Dewberry, a prolific offensive threat the last two years at Class A Waterford Mott, is averaging 16 points per game this season for the Eagles and is expected back in uniform when Southfield Christian faces high-scoring Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest on Tuesday.

Roeper got big efforts from its frontcourt of senior center Jack Gorland and junior forward Garrett House. Both Gorland and House had double-doubles. Gorland scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and House scored a game-high 25 points and corralled 14 boards.

Despite being down by a large margin for most of the game, the feisty Roughriders kept attacking late in the game with aggressive play on both ends of the floor, outscoring the Eagles 14-7 in the fourth quarter.

Late last week, longtime Roeper head coach Ernie Righetti garnered his 700^th career win on the prep hardwood, a milestone that has only been reached three other times in state history.

Righetti and his Roughriders travel to Sterling Heights Parkway Christian on Tuesday for their next ball game.

Five For Fighting - Friday's Best

2012-01-14T02:07:00.002-05:00

Five For Fighting – Best Prep Hardwood Outings From Friday Night

1 Damon Bozeman (MH Madison) – Busted up the Warren Lincoln 'D' for a career-high and OC season-high 43 points………WOW!!!! ........Bozeman is the OC's own Kevin Durant!!!!

2 Kyle Cooper (Novi Detroit CC) – Coop dug deep and came up with a PRIMETIME PERFORMANCE of 15 points and 10 boards in a much-needed Shamrocks victory against favored UofD-Jesuit on the road.

3 Poet Thomas (Birmingham DCD) – Thomas went all AMIR WILLIAMS by posting a devastating double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds in the 'Jackets win over Belleville

4 Jacques Toussiant (Oxford) – Showing off his versatility, my main O-Town hoop'n homeboy JT dropped a 22 point, 5 dime, 5 rebound, four steal spot in the Wildcats takedown of Ortonville Brandon.

5 Jay Junkin (MH Lamphere) – Quietly developing into one of the best outside shooters in the area, Junkin banged home four trifectas en route to a game-high 27 points in the Rams defeat of Center Line

Hoopster Homecoming

2012-01-13T00:57:00.002-05:00

The Packman is back!

Following a season playing D1 hoops down in Florida at Florida International, former prep superstar Richaud Pack (Birmingham Seaholm), has returned to his home state of Michigan and is currently tearing up the twine for the Adrian College Bulldogs.

In just six games, the 6-foot-4, sweet-stroking Pack is off and running to a great start, averaging over 16 points a night. Adrian is 9-4.

Back in his prep days with the Maples, The OC Packman was a straight menace on the court, shattering the school's all-time scoring record while leading Seaholm to back-to-back league titles. When he was a senior in 2010, he averaged 26 points, six rebounds and four assists per game. Pack is also the last local player to top the 50-point plateau, putting up 56 on an immaculate 24-of-27 shooting from the floor in a Maples OT win a few years back.

Kaija Pack, Richaud's little sister, is currently the leading scorer on Seaholm's girls squad this year.

These Two Are Going Places

2012-01-12T00:41:00.002-05:00

Two of the area's best small school senior boys hoopsters have found homes at the next level.

Birmingham Roeper's Jack Gorland has decided to play his college ball at Oberlin College while Auburn Hills Oakland Christian's Charles Hayden will be playing at Aquinas College.

Gorland, a 6-foot-7 center with good footwork and the ability to step outside and bang home the long ball, is a four-year varsity letter-winner and a three-year starter with the Roughriders. The past two seasons, he's helped lead the Roeper cage crew to back-to-back district titles.

Hayden, a super-quick 6-foot-4 point guard with raw athleticism and a killer instinct on the floor, came over to Oakland Christian last year after playing at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep as a freshmen and sophomore. With Hayden joining a veteran Lancer mix in 2011, OCS took home league and district championships before losing to Detroit Westside Christian in the Sweet 16 on a heartbreaking buzzer-beater. When he was a sophomore at NDP, he was part of a Fighting Irish squad that raised a district title banner as well.

Winning Big

2012-01-11T01:22:00.001-05:00

CORSAIRS PULL UPSET, MOTT'S WINNING EFFORT CONTINUES VS KNIGHTS

The Waterford Mott boys basketball squad lost quite a bit from its arsenal heading into the 2012 campaign.

That's where most of the losing stopped for the gutty Corsair hoopsters.

Since the opening of the season, Mott has been surprising a lot of people by doing very little but winning.

On Tuesday, the upstart Corsairs took to the road and kept up their winning ways, handily defeating heavily favored Walled Lake Northern 65-54, to move their record to 5-2 and a perfect 2-0 in the KLAA North.

Coming off a league title in 2010, last year's Mott squad had a disappointing season, finishing below the .500 mark while losing both their leading scorer (Chris Dewberry) to transfer and their head coach (Derek Wiley) to an unexpected resignation.

This year's team has shaken off any residual hangover from the departures and is playing at a high-level, appearing ready to challenge to reclaim the league crown they relinquished 10 months ago.

Against Northern on Tuesday night, Mott roared back from a 38-30 halftime deficit. Exhibiting an aggressive and opportunistic defense, the Corsairs outscored the host Knights 17-3 in the third quarter to secure a lead on the scoreboard they wouldn't give up.

Junior point guard Khalil Malone led Mott's offensive charge, scoring a team-high 18 points and dishing seven assists. Hunter Reiche scored 14 and Drew Hovsepian tallied 11 for the Corairs as well. Mott senior forward and captain, Davonte Daniel posted a solid outing of eight points and nine rebounds. As sophomores, Hovsepian and Daniel were reserves on the Corsairs 2010 league championship ball club.

The Knights, who collected an emotionally-charged win versus crosstown rival Walled Lake Western back on Friday, falls to 6-1 after Tuesday's defeat. The Knights were paced by junior Gage Throgmorton's 21 points, all of which came in the first half of action.

Pair of Aces

2012-01-10T01:04:00.003-05:00

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)

Burney's Boys Hoops Rankings - 2 Legit 2 Quit

2012-01-09T00:12:00.001-05:00

OC Top 10

1 Clarkston – WILL run the table on the regular season (at least!)

2 Birmingham DCD – Football stars Reid McManus (PG) and Poet Thomas (C) bring the toughness the 'Jackets need to round into shape……PULEKIS WATCH – T-MINUS one week and counting until the debut of Robert "The Lethal Lithuanian" Puleklis!!!! Can't wait…..

3 Southfield-Lathrup – You can't stop Jon Jon Williams, you can't even hope to contain him!!!!

4 MH Bishop Foley – Junior floor general De Andre Jackson quietly running the Foley offense with poise & precision…Kid's obviously a BALLER & a SHOT CALLER!!!

5 Pontiac – The Phoenix have a bit of Jeckyl & Hide in them this year…….need to iron those wrinkles out before March, fellas!!

6 (tie) OL St. Mary's – TEAM PORRITT looking quite dangerous entering its Catholic League schedule

6 (tie) Novi Detroit CC – Chase Janer is going to chase away the Pilots from SHAMROCKVILLE Tuesday night, drilling the game-winner at the BUZZER for a HUGE CC 'W'

7 (tie) Troy Athens – Marcarius Coakley had officially reached SWAGGER LEVEL THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND TRILLION, now it's FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND TRILLION!!!

7 (tie) Rochester – My main Falcons hooping homeboy Taylor Perry just keeps going all TAYLOR PERRY!!!! Attn; OAA Blue= Be afraid, be VERY afraid!!

8 Southfield Christian – I'm going to start calling the Hunter brothers "The FROSTY Twins," because their play for the Eagles has been so, so, so STONE COLD!!!!

9 WL Northern – Ryan Soulet is a BAD, BAD Man!!!!

10 Southfield Bradford – Foley better be ready for these battle-tested Bradford Bulldogs come district time……these kids can straight HOOP!!!

The Shooting Gallery

2012-01-08T15:24:00.002-05:00

There are loads of outstanding outside shooters on the local boys basketball scene this year.

Here is a list some of the best;

Jamerea Samples (Pontiac)

Just so PURE!!

Jared Ocampo (Clawson)

Could be best shooter in the OC next season (might be now!)

Marcarious Coakley (Troy Athens)

Rhythm shooter who goes into "Heat Check" mode quite often

Maurice Green & Chris Boatman (Southfield Bradford)

Versatile guard tandem that can stroke it from deep with mad accuracy

Mike Oravetz & Max Aleshire (MH Bishop Foley)

The definition of consistent from beyond the arc

Jodan & Austin Price (Birmingham DCD)

Man, this family can shoot the heck out of the ball!

Nick Tatu & Jordan Dasuqi (Clarkston)

These guys got to start playing in a bank vault that's how MONEY they are from downtown!!

Hunter Reiche (Waterford Mott)

Underrated outside assassin!!

Jon-Jon Williams & Jordan Denham (Southfield-Lathrup)

Deadly as deadly can be from distance!!!

Nik Manzukhy & Lawrence Pukhranbam (West Bloomfield)

Underrated pair of outside assassins!!!

Josh Corey (Milford)

Continues to keep defenses honest for TEAM LUTZ!!

Robert Diez (Ferndale)

Textbook form, very rarely hits anything but the bottom of the net

Chris Dewberry (Southfield Christian)

I think I've seen this kid miss 2 shots from 3-point range my entire 4 years watching him play…..I'm serious!!!!

Dre Smith (Royal Oak)

Could be the hottest 3-point marksman in the OC right now!

Jason Alessi (Birmingham Brother Rice)

It must run in the family!!!!

Sam McClendon (OL St. Mary's)

Can pop'em from deep with the best around!!

Mike Kitchner & Mark Hazelwood (Oxford)

Keep a watch out for this pair of gunners this season in league play

Jared Sheena & Gage Throgmorton (WL Northern)

I've decided to nickname this tandem "Smooth and Smoother"!!!!! (They must take after their coach RT!)

Ben Temrowski (Stoney Creek)

Would give Creek girls all-state marksman Gabby Yurik a run for her money in a 3-ball contest

Paris Pereira (Rochester)

Shoots over 40 percent from his career from beyond the arc….'NUFF SAID!!

Chris Morgan (Farmington)

Just as good as a shooter then he is as a quarterback!

Sterling Sharp (North Farmington)

A straight stud from distance that needs to shoot MORE!!!

Kellen McCormick & Ryan Pierce (Pontiac NDP)

Headliners of the Fighting Irish firing squad this winter!!

Isaac Casillas (Holly)

Best freshman shooter in the county!!!

James Berger (RH Adams)

I've decided to nickname this Highlanders' riflemen "Bang Bang" because Berger bangs home so many 3-balls!!!

Heavy Lifting

2012-01-07T01:36:00.001-05:00

TROY BOYS HOOPSTERS GET HEALTHY, FIND SALVATION ON A WING & A PRAYER

The Troy Colts were in a tailspin after a pair of listless efforts and embarrassing losses in their last two games heading into Friday night's contest with Birmingham Seaholm.

They were in desperate need of a lift or risk their season going out the window before the halfway point.

On Friday, they got it – in a colossal way.

Down three points in the final seconds, Troy's junior guard Joe Leonard drained a 3-pointer to tie the game and was fouled in the process, sending him to the line for a chance to win it.

With ice running through his veins, Leonard buried his attempt from the charity stripe giving the host Colts an improbable 57-56 victory over the upset-minded Maples, taking his squad off life support and providing hope for a new day.

Ranked as one of the top teams in the state to open the campaign, Troy, defending champions in the OAA White, has had troubling gelling on the court so far this year. Friday's win evens up the Colts record at 3-3 and will hopefully get things moving in the right direction for head coach Gary Fralick and his troops.

Junior swingman James Young, considered one of the best prepsters in the nation, led Troy in the scoring column with 13 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Maceo Baston, Jr. put up 12 points and senior Jeff Holmes had nine points and eight rebounds on the night for the Colts.

Besides his game-winning heroics, Leonard finished with seven points, three assists and three steals. In his second year on varsity, Leonard has been a pleasant surprise this season, providing Fralick with spunky and smart play on both ends of the floor. He poured in a career-high 22 points in Troy's defeat of Utica Ford back in December.

Seaholm had a 26-24 halftime lead and went in front 37-32 entering the fourth quarter of action on Friday. Junior Paris Bass continued his impressive first season on the Maples varsity by tallying 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists and playing sticky defense on Young the whole way.

Blazing Away

2012-01-06T01:02:00.001-05:00

GILBERT & OCAMPO SHINE AGAIN AS TROJANS TOP CLINTONDALE

Clawson's backcourt can hurt you in so many ways.

Senior point guard Deshawn Gilbert has one of the quickest moves to the hoop you'll ever see. Sophomore shooting guard Jared Ocampo can drain outside shots from anywhere on the floor.

Combining for another stellar outing Thursday night, Gilbert and Ocampo sparked the Trojans to a 59-51 road victory over Clinton Township Clintondale in boys basketball action from the MAC Silver.

Ocampo tickled the twine for a game-high 14 points, banging home 3-of-6 from 3-point range. Gilbert scored 12 points, delved off six assists and made three steals.

Both Ocampo and Gilbert helped take Clawson (5-1, 1-0) to a first-place finish in its own holiday tournament last week, each being selected to the all-tourney team.

In his first year on the Trojans varsity, Ocampo canned 9-of-13 from long distance over the two games, including knocking down five critical trifectas in the tournament title game win versus Bloomfield Hills Lahser.

Jasper Ocampo, Jared's dad and Clawson's assistant coach, was one of Oakland County's all-time great 3-point shooters as a local prepster at Madison Heights Bishop Foley in the early-1990s, connecting on 65 percent of his bombs beyond the arc over the course of a three-year varsity career.

Last season, Gilbert was the Trojans starting floor general for a Clawson squad that won the school's first league title in 16 years. The past two falls, he's been an all-league wide receiver-defensive back for the Trojans football team.

On Thursday, Clawson held a 31-29 lead at halftime, however fell behind 42-40 after three quarters of play. Motivated coming out of the huddle to start the fourth, the fast and versatile Trojans closed the game on a 19-9 run to collect the victory, their fifth straight.

Jalen Harrison chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds for the Trojans.

Clintondale (1-4) was paced by Jeremy Gordon, who put up a team-high 11 points.

Head of the Class

2012-01-05T14:55:00.001-05:00

BOZEMAN KEEPS FILLING IT UP, TRIGGERS EAGLES TRIUMPH

Oakland County's leading scorer was at it again Wednesday night.

Madison Heights Madison's Damon Bozeman poured in 30 points to lead the Eagles to a come from behind 65-58 win over Warren Woods Tower.

Madison, now 3-1 on the year, fell behind at halftime only to roar back strong late to snatch the victory behind the play of Bozeman and senior guard Nick Wallace, who scored a season-high 22 points.

Wallace put up 12 points in the third quarter, where Madison outscored WWT 22-14.

As a junior last season on the football field, Wallace quarterbacked the Eagles to a district title.

Bozeman is averaging 28 points per game. A four-year varsity letter-winner on the hardwood, Bozeman has made a successful transition from the post to the perimeter the past year and a half. When he started at the power forward spot as a sophomore back in 2010, he was a virtual walking double-double on the block.

Realizing he would need to play in the backcourt at the college level, Bozeman worked to sharpen up his outside game and has done so in spades. Last year, he averaged 24 points per night and hit over 40 percent from 3-point range.

On Wednesday, Bozeman threw down the first slam dunk of his career on a second-half breakaway.

Senior floor general William Bradley registered an overall solid outing running Madison offense and recorded eight points, eight assists and four steals on the evening.

Starting to Come Around

2012-01-05T00:31:00.002-05:00

Well, it looks like a couple of D1 schools woke up and smelled the coffee regarding the recruitment of Madison Heights Bishop Foley senior forward Corey Green.

After getting ignored the past few months by the big boys at the next level, Green is finally getting the respect that he deserves. Averaging 24 points and 14 rebounds a game and leading your team to a perfect 5-0 start to the season can do that.

According to Burney's well-placed sources, both Central Connecticut State and Bryant University are showing interest in Green, a powerful and fast-improving presence on the wing.

CCS is quite acquainted with hoopsters from the area. The team's starting point guard this year is former North Farmington star Kyle Vinales. Bryant is located in Rhode Island and competes in the Northeast Conference.

Attn: Eastern Michigan, Oakland U and UofD-Mercy

Don't sleep on this kid. He has a tremendous upside. Besides his natural athleticism and innate grace running the floor, Green has improved his outside shot incredibly since last year. He is currently shooting 40 percent from 3-point distance and demonstrating his stroke at the most clutch opportunities as exampled by his back-breaking triples in the fourth quarter of the Ventures win over Melvindale in Foley's own holiday tournament late last week.

Oh, did I mention he dropped a double-double of 33 points and 10 rebounds, too?

Yeah, mark that down!

Coming over from UofD-Jesuit last season, Green helped take the Ventures to the first Catholic League title in school history and the program's fourth district crown in a row. His slam dunks this year have been things of beauty, posterizing several opponents while doing his best LeBron James impression viciously attacking the rim.

If you want to catch my man MONEY aka CGreen in action this week, you can check him and the Foley cage crew doing battle with Royal Oak Shrine on Friday

Sly As a Fox

2012-01-04T16:19:00.000-05:00

Aaron Fox is a happy young man.

On Wednesday, Fox, a senior basketball star at Troy Athens, verbally committed to play his college ball at Concordia University up in Ann Arbor.

The cagey and always-determined Fox is a two-year starting guard for the Red Hawks hoops squad. He might not be a scoring machine, but he is a standout on defense, a leader, a pace-setter, and one of the toughest kids you'll ever find.

So far this season, Fox, a team captain, and the Red Hawks are an impressive 6-1.

Last year in an upset win over Clarkston, he hit the game-winning jump shot.

Concordia is currently 7-8 on the 2012 campaign. As soon as Fox officially becomes a Cardinal next fall, he will join former Oakland County cage studs Josh Fugate and Thomas Lovachis of Holly, Corbin Newman of Ferndale and John Schaeffer of Waterford Mott on the Concordia roster.

Eastbound & Up

2012-01-03T00:40:00.003-05:00

Ithaca, New York doesn't get a lot of sun during the year. The upstate location is a virtual snowdrift in the winter months and summers and springs don't last very long, compared to the good 'ole Midwest.

Well, the city will be getting just a little bit sunnier with Troy Athens' Sunny Shettigar coming to town next year to play his college soccer in the Ivy League smack dab in the center of Ithaca at Cornell University.

Starring on the prep pitch for the Red Hawks the last four years, Shettigar, a fleet-footed and savvy forward, recently signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Big Red, starting next fall.

This past fall, he helped lead Athens to a Division 1 district title and a spot in the Elite 8. In the Red Hawks district championship game victory against Sterling Heights Stevenson, Shettigar posted a hat trick.

For the 2011 season, he registered 18 goals and 12 assists. Since he was 14, Shettigar has been a member of the local US development squad.

Shettigar is the second area prep athlete to commit to play his college sports at Cornell in the last 6 weeks. Novi Detroit Catholic Central football star Matt Doneth (TE) committed to the Big Red back in December as well.

A Tearful Goodbye

2012-01-02T00:45:00.004-05:00

Royal Oak Shrine athletics and the last name Wangler have been synonymous with each over for over four decades.

Not anymore.

Brothers Jack and Jared Wangler, a pair of two-sport stars for the Knights and sons of Shrine legend Johnny Wangler, have decided to leave the school mid-year and transfer to Warren De La Salle for second semester.

Jack, a junior and Jared, a sophomore, have been starters on the Knights football and basketball teams for the last two years. An all-league pick in both sports, Jack will have one full season of eligibility at De La Salle, while Jared, an all-league selection in hoops last year as a freshman, will have two.

This past fall, Jack was one of the most productive wide receivers in the area. Both brothers are great shooters and rugged defenders on the basketball court.

"I will always love Shrine and the Shrine community," said John Wangler Sunday night. "I am a Knight forever in my heart and soul and I would honestly do anything for that school that I could possibly do. But people have to understand this isn't about me, it's about my kids."

The nationally well-respected Wangler sounded conflicted, yet at the same time content throughout the conversation.

"This was a choice made by Jack and Jared," he said. "They weren't happy and I wasn't going to force them to stay there just because I'm an notable alum and that's what's expected of them. The bottom line is I want my sons to be happy and if this is the decision that they want to make and a choice that will make them happy, than I support them 100 percent."

The elder Wangler was named all-state in both football and basketball as a prepster at Shrine in the mid-1970s. While in college he would go on to quarterback the University of Michigan Wolverines football team throughout the late-1970s and early-1980s. Exactly 31 years ago this week, Wangler and his high-profile target at wide receiver, future NFL all-pro Anthony Carter led legendary Maize and Blue head coach Bo Schembechler to his first-ever win in the Rose Bowl in January 1981.

Halle Wangler, John's daughter and Jack and Jared's older sister, was an all-state basketball player for Shrine who graduated last spring and is currently playing hoops at Oakland University.

Burney's Boys Hoops Rankings - New Year Nitro

2012-01-01T01:11:00.001-05:00

OC Top 10

1 Clarkston – Best team in Oakland County by a significant margin!!!

2 Pontiac – Even with a much-less experienced squad this year, the 2012 Phoenix will be better than the 2011 team!!!

3 Birmingham DCD – Going through growing pains that will make the 'Jackets tougher come tourney time!!!

4 Madison Heights Bishop Foley – Class C cage crew that is better than most area Class A & B squads from around the area!!!

5 (tie) WL Western – T-Minus three weeks and counting until the debut of "The BLUEPRINT" himself, the Warriors' EURO DYNAMO Miroslav Jakisk

5 (tie) Southfield-Lathrup – Chargers junior Jon Jon Williams is SO SO SO DEF on the basketball court, his mother had to name him TWICE!!!

6 OL St. Mary's – My main Eaglets' homeboy Ethan Woelke has been getting STRAIGHT BUSY on the hardwood lately!!!!

7 (tie) Troy Athens – TEAM SCOTT on a collision course with Rochester for the OAA Blue crown!!

7 (tie) Rochester – TEAM PLEASANT is on a collision course with Athens for the OAA Blue crown!!

8 Novi Detroit CC – Turning the corner soon!!!!

9 (tie) Troy – Colts need to respond this week from drubbing at the hands of Okemos on Friday

9 (tie) North Farmington – Simply BRUTAL early-season schedule, considerably better than their current record

10 Southfield Christian – TEAM BAKER about to take the MIAC Red by storm!!!

Foley Fever

2011-12-31T19:32:00.001-05:00

VENTURES KEEP RECORD UNBLEMISHED, ENTER THE NEW YEAR ON WIN STREAK

The Madison Heights Bishop Foley boys basketball team is in cruise-control mode entering 2012.

The defending Catholic League-champion Ventures got an emphatic 70-57 win over previously-undefeated Melvindale on Friday night in the championship game of their own holiday tournament, pushing their record to a perfect 4-0, while not having beat a team all season by less than double-digits.

"We're playing real good basketball right now," said Bishop Foley head coach Marc West of his squad's early-season performance. "Our offense is in a nice groove and our defense has been very opportunistic and aggressive. That's a tough combination to deal with."

Heading the charge for the Ventures once again on Friday was senior forward Corey Green, a powerful and spry wing, in the midst of a monster start to the year. Against a big and athletic Melvindale defensive scheme designed to stop him, Green turned the tables and torched the Cardinals for 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

"Corey's just playing great in every which way you can think of," West said. "Every game, he does things on the court that amaze and impress me as his coach."

Green put the game on ice for Bishop Foley down the stretch. After Melvindale's Javon Thomas (28 points) drilled a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer to make it 49-45, he drained a long 3 of his own to open the fourth and then connected of 5-of-5 free throws in the closing three minutes to sew things up.

As a team, Bishop Foley sank 12-of-15 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter.

Ventures senior guard Mike Oravetz put up 19 points, 17 of which came in the second half of play, to augment Green's dominant outing.

Last season as juniors, both Green and Oravetz were starters on the first-ever Bishop Foley boys hoops team to capture a Catholic League crown. One of the top young coaches in the area, West has guided the Ventures to four straight district championships.

Back on Wednesday, Bishop Foley throttled Stoney Creek 70-38 in one semifinal and Melvindale snuck past Birmingham Brother Rice in the other on a buzzer-beating lay-up off an out-of-bounds play.

West and the Ventures have a week off before they hit the court next for a showdown with neighboring-city rival Royal Oak Shrine at home on January 7.

Five For Fighting - Motor City Madness

2011-12-31T01:20:00.002-05:00

Five For Fighting – Best Performances at the Motor City Roundball Classic

1 "Jon Jon" Williams (Southfield-Lathrup) – This kid is plain NASTY!!! Jon Jon busted up the opposing Bradford Bulldogs defense for 34 points to go along with his seven boards and seven dimes in a down-to-the-wire Chargers' W on Monday

2 Amber Deane (Birmingham DCD) – The cagey and sleek combo-guard pumped in 29 points in the 'Jackets defeat of Midland on Thursday……Her backcourt partner Aerial Powers gets more pub, but make no mistake about it my main hooping homegirl AD is a STRAIGHT ASSASSIN on the court!!!!

3 Jamerea Samples & Jarod Jones (Pontiac) – Each scored 15 points in the Phoenix's overtime win against Detroit Renaissance on Friday. Samples was 3 for 5 from 3-point distance and buried a pair of game-winning free throws, while Jones posted a double-double, hauling down 11 rebounds, dishing off five assists and swiping away five steals

4 Dre Smith (Royal Oak) – The Ravens smooth and steady point guard scored 24 points, including seven straight in the final 90 seconds to break open a tie game and send RO to an impressive victory over Detroit Kettering on Tuesday.

5 Southfield Bradford – The whole Bulldog boys hoops crew should be proud of itself for showing everyone that they can play with the big boys, hanging tough in a slim, last-second loss to Southfield-Lathrup and snaring a GRADE-A win against Inkster courtesy of a game-winner by Ellis Martin on Friday.

Men at Work

2011-12-30T01:45:00.002-05:00

MAVERICKS COAST TO TOURNEY TITLE ON ANOTHER NO-NONSENSE PERFORMANCE

There's not a lot of flash or pizazz to the Milford boys basketball team this year.

They don't need it.

The 2011-2012 Mavericks' cage crew is all guts and grit.

Displaying its usual brand of workmanlike-toughness, Milford remained undefeated on the season and captured the Northville Holiday Tournament in resounding fashion, topping the host Mustangs 49-34 in the tourney championship game on Thursday night.

Doing most of the damage for the Mavs was the crafty and hot-shooting backcourt of senior point guard Brandon Wallace and junior off-guard Josh Corey. Wallace registered a game-high 15 points to go along with six assists, five rebounds and three steals, while Corey, a dangerous threat from the perimeter, put up 12 points and connected on 3-for-5 attempts from long range.

Senior center Steve Sloboda, the squad's primary presence in the post, came through with another rock steady outing for Milford and head coach Chip Lutz by scoring eight points and snatching eight boards. Chris Orr, one of the Mavericks' key emotional leaders, tallied seven points, four assists and four rebounds.

The hard-nosed victory, a typical effort from the current Milford hoop contingent, raises the team's overall record to a perfect 5-0.

Last year, the Mavs went .500 on the season, finishing at 10-10.

The continuing stellar play by Wallace at the point guard slot this year has been an integral component to Milford's early-season success. As a junior last year, Wallace, also a star running back for the school on the football field, started at shooting guard, however has been forced to switch to being the team's floor general in lieu of starting point guard Alex Larson breaking his hand in the preseason.

Back in the fall, Wallace and Larson (quarterback) took the Mavs football squad into the playoffs, breaking a two-year draught for the program from postseason play.

In its semifinal hoop contest on Wednesday, Milford snuck past Farmington 53-46 in overtime to advance into Thursday's championship tilt.

Winner Takes All

2011-12-29T00:31:00.003-05:00

ST. MARY'S CAGE CONTINGENT ROMPS ITS WAY TO TOURNEY CROWN

Sometimes a final score can be deceiving, and a game can be more of a blowout in real time than it actually looks on paper.

Wednesday's championship game of the 9^th annual Crusaders Classic, the yearly Holiday tournament held at Mount Clemens L'Anse Creuse North High School, was one of those times.

Jumping out on top with ferocious intensity, the Orchard Lake St. Mary's boys basketball team crushed the host Crusaders, holding a 42-24 lead heading into the fourth quarter, before cruising to the finish line for a 57-48 victory and claiming another in a long line of trophies for the school's trophy case.

The star of the game for the Eaglets was senior guard Ethan Woelke, who scored a game-high 20 points. Fellow seniors Chewy Ukandu and Justin Barrows put up 11 points and nine rebounds apiece for St. Mary's.

Barrows was the standout Tuesday in the Eaglets 56-54 takedown of Warren Cousino in the tourney semifinals, tallying a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds and reeling off three straight hoops late in the fourth quarter to catapult St. Mary's into a lead they would never relinquish.

Showing off their balance in Wednesday's final, the Eaglets placed four players in double figures in the scorebook. Besides Woelke, Barrows and Ukandu, junior Sam McClendon notched 10 points for the winners, too.

Since losing its opener in disappointing fashion against Clarkston two weeks ago, St. Mary's has won four straight games and holds a 4-1 overall record heading into the start of the Catholic League schedule next week.

McClendon and Barrows started for the Eaglets last season when they won district and regional titles on their way to an appearance in the Class A Elite 8. Both Woelke and Ukandu came off the bench last year.

Starting to get looks from a number of colleges for his prowess on the hardwood, Barrows, a 6-foot-7 forward that can hurt opponents inside and out, came over to St. Mary's as a sophomore from Auburn Hills Oakland Christian. A dangerous shooter and playmaker, McClendon has been on the Eaglets varsity since he was freshman.

Hanging Tough

2011-12-28T00:34:00.002-05:00

If there was ever a loss on the basketball floor that a coach and a fan-base can be proud of it was North Farmington's bitterly contested 62-53 defeat at the hands of Madison Memorial out of Wisconsin, the No. 17 ranked boys high school hoops squad in the entire country, on Tuesday night in the 17^th annual Motor City Roundball Classic.

Not considered one of the favorites in its league, North Farmington played neck and neck with the defending Division 1 Wisconsin state champions until the closing few minutes.

The game was tied 22-22 at the half and knotted at 42-42 apiece entering the fourth quarter, with the pesky Raiders challenging the powerful and athletically-gifted Memorial cage crew at every turn.

Memorial, winners of three of the past five WHSAA state crowns, went on top for keeps with 7:46 remaining courtesy of a beautifully-executed three-point play by all-state senior forward Junior Lomomba. Splitting two defenders, Lomomba forced contact in the air, finger-rolled in the lay-up and then sank the ensuing free throw.

Junior swingman Jester Wear's fastbreak basket with a little less than four minutes left to go made it 54-45 in Memorial's favor.

But North Farmington kept scratching and clawing and made things interesting until the very end.

A long 3-pointer from the left wing by junior point guard Caleb Hogans and a turnaround jumper in the lane by senior center Greg Joyce brought the Raiders to within only two possessions behind at a score of 57-51 in the game's final 50 seconds.

However, a basket by Wear and free throws by Lomomba and Nigel Songola wrapped things up for Memorial down the stretch in the closing moments. Jamar Moss (16 points, 10 rebounds) also converted some critical buckets in the fourth quarter for Memorial, which out-boarded its opponents by a 2-1 margin.

Hogans headed North Farmington's admirable effort by dropping in a game-high 20 points, to go along with six assists and three steals on the night. This is Hogans second year as the Raiders' starting floor general. His older brother Robert, now playing at Spring Arbor, was an all-league pick at the school as a senior in 2010, when he teamed with Kyle Vinales (Central Connecticut State) and Urbane Bingham (JUCCO/Houston Baptist) to take TEAM NOGO to a district title.

The senior frontcourt of Joyce and Dorrell Foster did all that they could in the post to keep their team in the mix. Joyce scored 10 points and hauled down eight rebounds. Foster, one of the area's early-season surprises, scored 11 points and had 10 boards.

After snaring the hard-fought victory, Memorial bumps its record up to perfect 8-0 on the season. On Monday night, Memorial snared a win over a very good Detroit King team.

Seeing its record fall to the .500 mark at 3-3, North Farmington entered Tuesday's game riding a two-game winning streak. The Raiders return to action in the Roundball Classic on Thursday afternoon when they are slated to square off with Detroit Renaissance.

Lomomba and Wear sparked the Memorial offense by each posting a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds. Next year, Lomomba will be playing in college at Cleveland State.

Diaper Dandy Dozen

2011-12-27T01:11:00.001-05:00

The Top Freshman Boys Hoopsters in Oakland County

Class of 2015 – The Diaper Dandy Dozen

1 Jalin Gardner (WL Western G) – Has an extremely complete game for such a youngster

2 Jarron Rogers (North Farmington F/C) – Colossal upside for this soft-shooting big fella

3 Bakari Evelyn (Southfield Christian G) – One of the purest point guards around as only a frosh

4 Deshawn Lewis (Birmingham DCD F) – Dealing w/ early-year injuries, will show his stuff soon

5 Glacier Wallington (Oxford G) – This three-sport star is just a GREAT overall athlete

6 Keyshawn Gilmore (Southfield F) – Active wing who can bang and run the floor

7 Isaiah Green (Southfield C) – Intriguing "big" with raw size, strength and athleticism

8 Timmy Shayoka (Troy Athens G) – Flowering floor general in REDHAWKSNATION!!!

9 Isaac Cassilas (Holly G) – Superior shooter from downtown

10 Parker Rowse (Holly G/F) – Dynamic playmaker

11 Kier Maxwell (MH Madison F/C) – Jumping jack post stud that is long & aggressive by the rim

12 Morgan Baylis (Holly G) – Comes from rich hoop stock

Burney's Boys Hoops Rankings - Moving Ahead

2011-12-26T14:11:00.001-05:00

OC Top 10

1 Clarkston – Balance, depth, leadership, playmaking……..typical TEAM FIFE!!!

2 Birmingham DCD – Much better than their 3-2 record indicates

3 Pontiac – Can't wait for my 'Yaktown boys to go head-to-head w/ my C-Town boys next month…..gonna be another epic!!!

4 (tie) Troy – I want to see more of Colts junior point guard, Zak Noor!!!

4 (tie) WL Western – The Warriors almost have as many wins in the first two weeks of this season then they had all of last year……Great job, TEAM MURRAY!!!

5 Southfield-Lathrup – Burney is having a difficult time figuring out if the Chargers Johnny Slater is a better basketball player or baseball player?

6 North Farmington – Senior Dorrell Foster has officially reached SWAGGER LEVEL THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND TRILLION!!!!

7 MH Bishop Foley – Feeling bad for the Ventures opponents in their upcoming holiday tourney

8 (tie) Novi Detroit CC – Chase Janer is a BAD MAN!!!!

8 (tie) OL St. Mary's – The Eaglets getting ready to take flight!!!

9 Troy Athens – Everything's Jolly in RedHawksNation with Jolly Grehwal getting busy on the court for the Athens cage crew!!

10 Southfield Christian – Small school, BIG hoop squad

Sophomore Sensations

2011-12-25T00:35:00.002-05:00

The Top Sophomore Boys Hoopsters in Oakland County

Class of 2014 – The Tantalizing 20

1 Maury Diane (Birmingham DCD G/F) – Has battled injuries early this season, but when healthy this fantastically talented wing will shine very, very bright!!!!

2 Edmond Sumner (Birmingham DCD G) – Unbelievably impressive in early-season action in the 'Jackets backcourt…..just a PURE GAMER in every way possible!!!!

3 Maceo Baston, Jr. (Troy G/F) – This wiry and smooth swingman has really upped his game so far this year. WILL ONLY KEEP GETTING BETTER!!!

4 Armand Cartwright (BH Lahser G) – Heady and hardworking combo guard that can score, shoot, create and lead………Can you say BRIGHT FUTURE for TEAM BLACK&YELLOW?

5 Akemji Williams (RH Adams G) – Speedy and smart floor general that has the heart and drive of a CHAMPION!!!

6 Yante Maten (BH Lahser F/C) – Rugged, raw and athletic post presence with a tremendous upside!!!

7 John McCarty (Lake Orion (F/C) – The best boys hoopster to hits DRAGONLAND since three-time all-stater Drew Maynard (Oakland University/Valdosta State)

8 Khalil Gracey (BH Lahser (F) – Fast-improving wing with a silky-soft touch from the outside and an ultra-quick first step to the rack………….WICKED COMBO!!!!

9 Lindsey Hunter IV (Southfield Christian G) – Very versatile and exhibits a high hoop IQ for a kid his age

10 Jason Alessi (Birmingham Brother Rice G) – Deadeye shooter with BIG-TIME PLAYMAKER written all over him

11 Vezzie Carthane (Pontiac G) – Has had big shoes to fill as the Phoenix's new starting point guard, replacing three-year all-league floor general Ant Adams, and has been doing one fine job keeping the standard of 'Yaktown backcourt play at a high level

12 Nick Owens (Clarkston G) – Simply put a flat-out AWESOME shooter!!!

13 Marquan Johnson (Clawson F) – Rangy and athletically-gifted wing that could wind up being quite the cage phenom in TROJANSLAND!!

14 Jermaine King (Ferndale F) – Possesses both grace and power around the rim, will really make a significant impact once eligible next month

15 Press Kampe (RH Adams G) – Rock solid point guard with rock solid bloodline

16 Jason Lee (Rochester G) – Can run an offense just as well as his counterpart, Falcons senior starting floor general Paris Pereira.

17 Rob Diez (Ferndale G/F) – Shoots it so well from downtown, Burney thinks he needs to be checked for bullets and lead running through his system

18 D.J. Stevens (AH Oakland Christian G/F) – This bulldog-style wing that has a nice 'J' and a nails-tough move to the hoop plays great in the shadow of a headline-grabbing senior class…..when the team officially becomes "his" next year and the year after…WATCH OUT

19 David Lett (North Farmington G/F) – Pleasant surprise early on bringing his tenacious and inspiring play off the bench for TEAM LITTLE NOGO!!!

20 Maurice Ways (Birmingham DCD G/F) – Part of a super sophomore class for the 'Jackets !

Holiday Hoop Extavaganza

2011-12-24T16:36:00.002-05:00

Here is a list of prep basketball games Burney is most excited to see next week in the 17^th annual Motor City Roundball Classic played at Birmingham Detroit Country Day;

Pontiac v. Detroit Midtown (Monday 12:45)

The Phoenix looking for revenge from being upset by Midtown two years ago……Burney thinks they're going to get it!!!

Rochester v. Detroit Cody (Monday 4:00)

HUGE test for TEAM PLEASANT….will be good measuring stick if Falcons can hang

Troy Athens v. Detroit City (Monday 3:15)

Red Hawks need big rebound-win after getting run by Clarkston on Thursday. City, a perennial Class D power won't be an easy opponent, but I think Athens walks away with the victory

Southfield-Lathrup v. Southfield Bradford (Monday 6:45)

Lots of boasting coming out of the Bradford camp early in the season, how they fare against OAA Red contender Lathrup will be the ultimate barometer…….Expect Class C Bradford to be one of the better small school squads in the area this winter.

Royal Oak v. Detroit Kettering (Tuesday 2:20)

RO hoops stud Martell Porter is a MONSTER!! Ravens really turning things around lately!!!

North Farmington v. Madison (WI) Memorial (Tuesday 9:00 @ Marian)

Man, do the Raiders play a grueling non-conference schedule or what? The Raiders will be the definition of battle-tested when the hunt for the OAA Red gets into high gear after the New Year

Southfield-Lathrup v. Dearborn Divine Child (Thursday 11:00)

You cannot stop Chargers junior Jon Jon Williams, you can only hope to contain him!!!

North Farmington v. Detroit Renaissance (Thursday 12:40)

If Raiders star senior forward Dorrell Foster keeps playing like he has been recently (24.5 pts, 10 rebounds per game through 5 contests), he'll earn himself a D1 scholarship!!!

Novi Detroit CC v. Chicago Orr (Thursday 5:45)

Burney can't wait to watch Shamrocks senior point guard Richie Katkic, one of the most undervalued floor generals in the OC, show his stuff

Southfield Bradford v. Inkster (Friday 11:00)

Bradford's Erik Murphy and Chris Boatman are a brutally effective inside-outside tandem

Pontiac NDP v. Ecorse (Friday 2:20)

NDP and "Mr. Do-Everything" Kellen McCormick on the big stage going up against dowriver power E-Town…..Burney is psyched to watch him do his THANG…note; look for Ecorse big fella Quaran Jones, formerly of OL St. Mary's, showing his progress in the paint for head coach and one-time UofM hoops standout Michael Talley

Pontiac v. Detroit Renaissance (Friday 4:00)

Junior 'Yaktown swingman Jarod Jones is flourishing into the star Burney knew he would be

Birmingham DCD v. Chicago Orr (Friday 9:00)

CLASH OF THE INTER-STATE TITANS………'Nuff said!!!!!

Five For Fighting - X-Mas Season Surprises

2011-12-23T01:38:00.004-05:00

Five For Fighting – Most Surprising Early-Season Efforts In The OC

1 Dorrell Foster (North Farmington) – Practically out of nowhere, this sly, powerful and exciting 6-5 wing has been playing at an unbelievably high clip right out of the gate, averaging close to 25 pts-10 rebs per game. He will be one of the top 3 individual players in the OAA Red this winter, arguably the best Class A league in the state.

2 Jordan Dasuqi (Clarkston) – Has really coming into his own this year, playing a brand of hoops that is that rare combination of flashy and fundamentally-sound at the same time. Only a junior, look for my man JD to be putting up 25+ a night next year when the C-Town 'Big 3' aka the Wolfpack terrorizing trifecta of Nick Tatu, Mitch Baenizger and Matt Dellinger, graduates.

3 Gavin Toma (Southfield Christian) – A member of the Eagles varsity since he was a freshman, this multi-faceted swingman hadn't seen the court much the last three years due to injury. Surrounded by higher-profile teammates for a SCS squad that is one of the best in the state in Class D, he's been making up for lost time in a major way; he's arguably been the Eagles best player so far, averaging an impressive 20 points, six assists and seven rebounds per game.

4 (tie) Marcarius Coakley (Troy Athens) – Judging by his outstanding early-season performance, he will challenge for MVP honors in the OAA Blue

4 (tie) Gage Throgmorton (WL Northern) – Establishing himself as a bonafide college prospect by shooting the lights out for TEAM THOMPSON in the NorthSiders first three games of the campaign. Like Dasuqi, Throgmorton is only a junior and before it's all said and done on his prep career as a Knight, he might end up the best hoopster in school history.

5 Zak Noor-Joe Leonard (Troy) – The Colts reserve backcourt has been forced to step up in lieu of all-league senior point guard Evan Mahone being on the shelf as a result of internal issues and boy, have they been up to the task. Without Mahone in the lineup, Troy is 2-1, in large part because of the play of this excellent back-up duo. Noor (8 points, 6 asst per outing) is a lethally quick and heady pure point guard. Leonard (13.5 pts, 4 asst per outing) is a combo-guard that has acted as a human sparkplug for TEAM FRALICK, scoring the ball in bunches and playing lockdown defense.

Senior Specimens

2011-12-22T10:02:00.002-05:00

Best Senior Boys Hoopsters in Oakland County

Class of 2012 – The Hot 25

1 Corey Green (MH Bishop Foley F)

Exploded up the charts since start of the year…DOMINATING!

2 Kellen McCormick (Pontiac NDP F)

Just keeps improving!!

3 Jodan Price (Birmingham DCD F)

Becoming a more complete player

4 Taylor Perry (Rochester G/F)

Keeps showing his worth on the perimeter

5 Dorrell Foster (North Farmington F)

The surprise of the early season

6 Kyle Cooper (Novi Detroit CC F)

With the football wear-and-tear subsiding, this CC hoops monster is just getting started

7 Damon Bozeman (MH Madison G/F)

Doesn't get enough respect!! This kid is a WARRIOR!!! Will be a steal at next level!!

8 Robert Puleikis (Birmingham DCD C)

Can't wait to see this electrifying EURO DYNAMO play in the 'Jackets frontcourt

9 The Clarkston 3 (Tatu-Baenziger-Dellinger G)

The consummate prep athletes!!! Burney sees Final Four in the future!!

10 Chris Dewberry-Lindsay Hunter III (Southfield Christian G)

Dynamic scoring tandem that will give the Eagles legit shot at a state title

11 (tie) Justin Barrows (OL St. Mary's F) – Upside by the boatload at the next level!!

11 (tie) Matt Doneth (Novi Detroit CC F) – Competes in "BEAST MODE" every second!!

12 Mike Oravetz-Max Aleshire (MH Bishop Foley G) – Most underrated backcourt in area?

13 Marcarius Coakley (Troy Athens G/F) – HUGE opening two weeks……THE REAL DEAL!!!

14 Aaron Prim (WL Western F) – A human double-double!

15 Jamarea Samples (Pontiac G) – Most pure jumper in the OC!

16 Nate Stepney (Ferndale G/F) – Can hurt opponents in multiple ways

17 Caleb McIntosh (Troy Athens G) – Could be most underappreciated PG in the OC

18 (tie) Evan Mahone (Troy G) - Once out of the doghouse, WATCH OUT!!

18 (tie) Mark Hazelwood (Oxford G) – Great scorer!

19 Sterling Morrow (BH Cranbrook G) – Prepschool Powerhouse!!!

20 Jared Sheena (WL Northern G) – Leader of the Knights cage reclamation project

21 Darren Byrd (West Bloomfield G) – Will show the OAA Red his stuff this year!!

22 Gavin Toma (Southfield Christian G/F) – Burney's early season MIP

23 Paris Pereira (Rochester G) – FLAT OUT FABULOUS floor general!!

24 James Berger (RH Adams G) – JB has a 'J' like PB&J…SMOOTH and SWEET!!

25 Chris Hare (Farmington G) – Diamond in the rough in FALCONLAND!

Northern Comfort

2011-12-21T01:29:00.002-05:00

RIDING BALANCED EFFORT, WOLFPACK HOOPSTERS HEAD NORTH & SNAG VICTORY

The Clarkston boys basketball team went on the road on Tuesday and got some vengeance for a defeat last year at the hands of Flint Northern while at the same time staying perfect on the current campaign by beating the host Vikings 75-69.

Running their record to 4-0, Clarkston showed off its versatility and balance, battering Northern from all angles.

Wolfpack senior guard Nick Tatu led Clarkston's scoring charge with a game-high 25 points. Matt Dellinger and Jordan Dasuqi put up 17 apiece and Mitch Baenziger posted 16.

Dellinger and Baenziger, both seniors, and Dasuqi, a standout junior, registered five assists each as well.

TEAM FIFE will have precious little time to savor and celebrate its win over Northern, since the Wolfpack are slated for a tough game on Thursday night with upstart Troy Athens, a squad which ran its record to 4-0 as well on Tuesday by blowing out Oxford.

Thursday showdown in the Wolfden provides Clarkston another opportunity to avenge a loss from last winter when the Red Hawks took down C-Town for the first time in school history.

As freshman, Dellinger and Tatu were members of Clarkston's 2009 final four team. Dan Fife-coached teams have captured an eyebrow-raising 18 consecutive district titles.

Next year, Dellinger, the Wolves' starting point guard, will be playing football in college at Kent State, where he's expected to join the Golden Flashes as an outside linebacker.

Back in the fall, with Dellinger and C-Town starting center Zach Collins, holding down the school's defense on the gridiron, Baenziger captained the offense, starting at quarterback on the Wolves' state-power football squad.

Junior Juggernauts

2011-12-20T14:55:00.003-05:00

Burney's Top Junior Boys Hoopsters

Class of 2013 - The Oakland County Hot 25

1 James Young (Troy G/F) – "The Chosen One" aka one of the best players in the NATION!

2 Miroslav Jakisic (WL Western C) – Definition of the word "Upside"

3 Austin Price (Birmingham DCD G) – Just a GREAT lead guard that can create,shoot & score

4 Jon Jon Williams (Southfield-Lathrup G) – Keeps improving and that's SCARY!!!

5 Caleb Hogans (North Farmington G) – The perfect OAA RED floor general

6 Chris Boatman (Southfield Bradford G) – Under the radar super stud at the point guard spot

7 Jordan Dasuqui (Clarkston G) – Next in the line of outstanding C-Town backcourt specimens

8 Jarod Jones (Pontiac G/F) – Typical 'Yaktown gem, tough and smooth at the same time

9 Sam McClendon (OL St. Mary's G) – His nickname is "McClutch" for a reason

10 Gage Throgmorton (WL Northern F) – Lanky swingman blossoming into a star this year

11 Jeff Koch (Troy Athens F/C) – Love this kid in the post, superior footwork and touch

12 Zach Littleson (RH Adams G/F) – Simply solid in a slew of different ways

13 Earl Swift-Brandon Bean (Southfield F) – this pair of Bluejays ballers are building for 2013

14 Garrett Ross (Waterford Lakes F) – His mom is a Robak….'Nuff Said!!!!

15 Chuck Sanders (Lakeland F) – RAW & REALLY GOOD!!

16 Kyle Irvin (Birmingham Groves F) – RAW & REALLY GOOD!!

17 Paris Bass (Birmingham Seaholm G/F) – The next Maples hoop stud!!

18 Khalil Malone (Waterford Mott G) – Excellent point guard

19 Martez Jones (BH Lahser G/F) – Part of the Knights' current cage resurgence

20 Quinton Cook (Ortonville Brandon G/F) – One of the better players in the Flint Metro

21 Poet Thomas (Birmingham DCD C) – Football star that can hoop it up at a high level

22 Deandre Jackson (MH Bishop Foley G) – Steady floor general that runs the ship for Foley

23 Garrett House (Birmingham Roeper F) – SUPER Raw talent on the wing, great athleticism

24 Ben Temrowski (Stoney Creek G) – Might be the best outside shooter in the area

25 Josh Corey (Milford G) – One of the better long range assassins in the KLAA

Burney's Boys Hoops Rankings - Long December

2011-12-19T00:02:00.001-05:00

OC Top 10

1 Clarkston – The 2012 Wolfpack's depth, leadership and overall tenacity and playmaking could easily culminate into a trip for C-Town to the BRESLIN Center in March…..Mark that down!!

2 Birmingham DCD – Sophomore guard Edmund Sumner is a budding star in the backcourt for the ever-lethal KEENER KAGE KREW!!

3 Pontiac – If you want to see a sample of perfect form on a jump shot, come out to 'Yaktown and check out Phoenix senior sniper Jamerea Samples, possibly the best outside shooter in the area!!!

4 WL Western – Warriors junior point guard Korey Wade looked more like Dwayne Wade on Friday night against Brighton, burying the game-winner against the Bulldogs as time expired

5 (tie) Troy Athens – Marcarius Coakley might be the most exciting player in the OC that not a lot of people know about….his averaging 27 points and 10 rebounds in the Red Hawks last two wins doesn't hurt his case either

5 (tie) Troy – Expect a breakout game from Colts senior center Leo Aryault very soon!!! TAKE IT 2 THE BANK!

6 Southfield-Lathrup – The Chargers three-guard assault of "Jon Jon" Williams, Jordan Denham and Ben Benford will cause headaches for opposing OAA Red coaches all season long….COUNT ON IT!!!

7 Madison Heights Bishop Foley – You cannot stop the Foley guard tandem of Mike Oravetz and Max Aleshire, you can only hope to contain them!!!!

8 Novi Detroit CC – Burney knows the Shamrocks' football-lagged hoops squad will round into form very soon following some early-season struggles scoring the basketball

9 OL St. Mary's – I call junior Eaglets guard Sam McClendon……wait for it……….."McClutch"

10 North Farmington – Having a hard time figuring out if the Raiders' Sterling Sharp's game on the hardwood can be better categorized as more sterling or sharpe?

One Fine Day

2011-12-18T14:38:00.003-05:00

There are few things in the sports world more intriguing than a great homecoming story.

Well, there's one brewing in our state that could wind up being dandy.

Former local prep football star Alex Fine has decided to transfer from Pittsburgh's Robert Morris University back home to Central Michigan for the upcoming semester.

Fine, an agile and instinctive free safety, helped take Lake Orion to a Division 1 state championship back in 2010.

Making the move from one playing destination to another will not be a new experience for him. As a sophomore and junior, Fine played varsity ball down in Cincinnati before moving with his family to Lake Orion where he joined the DRAGONSNATION, went buck wild on the gridiron and was one of the leaders of a shutdown Green MONSTER 'D.'

Once on campus in January, Fine will join a CMU roster loaded with Oakland County GRID STUDS. There are currently 15 players who prepped in the OC on the team.

Don't be surprised if you see Burney's boy "A-TRAIN" FINE bringing the noise in his new Chippewas' uniform very soon!!

The Color of Money

2011-12-17T21:10:00.005-05:00

GREEN SHINES BRIGHT, SPEAKS VOLUMES WITH HIS PLAY AS VENTURES DISPATCH NOUVEL TO STAY UNBEATEN

Outside of Troy's nationally-ranked James Young, Madison Heights Bishop Foley's Corey Green might be the best boys hoopster in Oakland County.

Green, a spry, smooth and aggressive 6-foot-4 wing, put on a show on Friday night in leading the host Ventures to a 64-48 win over traditional state power Saginaw Nouvel, displaying his full arsenal of moves by posting a sterling effort of 22 points, 15 rebounds, six steals, five assists and three blocks.

His outing was emphatically punctuated by three highlight reel-worthy slam dunks over helpless Nouvel defenders, the final of which was a thunderous baseline-tomahawk jam in the fourth quarter that put the game to bed.

With the high-quality victory, Bishop Foley improves its record to 2-0 on the season.

Last year as a junior, Green came over to the Ventures program from UofD-Jesuit and once becoming eligible second semester helped spark the team to its first-ever Catholic League championship and its fourth straight district crown.

"Corey is a rare talent," Bishop Foley head coach Marc West said following the win. "He has the skill and the desire to make it big at the next level. The things he can do on the basketball floor aren't abundant in many people his age. He'll continue to do what he does and we'll continue to feed off it."

According to both West and Rochester head coach John Pleasant, Green outplayed Western Michigan-bound Rochester G/F Taylor Perry in a pre-season scrimmage. Because of his limited exposure, Green has yet to land a Division I scholarship.

The Ventures can hurt teams in a variety of other ways in addition to Green's prowess in the open floor. West's three-guard attack featuring junior point guard De Shawn Jackson and senior gunners Mike Oravetz and Max Aleshire is one of the top backcourts in the area and brings constant pressure on both sides of the ball.

Oravetz had 14 points, four assists and a whopping eight steals against Nouvel. Aleshire, who pumped in a career-high 36 points in Bishop Foley's opening night defeat of Warren Michigan Collegiate, put up 10 on Friday.

Leading 33-26 at halftime, Foley pushed its advantage over Nouvel to 51-36 going into the fourth quarter.

Next up for the Ventures is their own Christmas tournament starting up December 28 in a semifinal throwdown with Stoney Creek. Oddly, despite having good squads, Bishop Foley has failed to win its own Holiday invitational the past three years.

As Advertised

2011-12-16T01:49:00.002-05:00

Once she got the green light to hit the hardwood, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes SUPER TRANSFER aka Tori Duffey wasted little time making an impact on the court with the two-time defending Class D state champion Lake Show

Debuting in style, the multi-faceted Duffey scored 15 points in her first game in her new BLU CRU duds, a 71-43 lambasting of Adrian Lenawee Christian on Thursday.

Her presence on the floor paid immediate dividends and saw the Lakers jump out to a 38-10 lead at the break and coast to the finish line with ease.

As soon as she sufficiently sheds all the rust off – she missed an uncommon six free throws in the resounding WOLL victory– it's going to be LIGHTS OUT for the comp!!!

Duffey, who played the last three seasons at Walled Lake Central, being named all-conference twice, thought she would have to sit-out until January. But due to an appeal to the MHSAA being granted early last week, she was granted full eligibility and was more than ready on Thursday to jump in the Lakers heavily-loaded line-up and aid pumping the team's record to an unblemished 2-0.

Adding Duffey to veteran Lake Show talents like Lexie Robak (a game-high 24 points on Thursday), Ava Doetsch (10 points) and Carlee Cottrell (10 points), head coach Steve Robak and his troops will be favorites to 4-peat in the CHSL when league play gets underway following the holiday break and 3-peat when the state tourney starts up in March.

Robak and Doetsch are both juniors and three-year starters. Coming over from Auburn Hills Oakland Christian last year, Cottrell, a senior and expert long-range assassin, joined the Blu Cru and helped them grab a second consecutive state crown with her big play down the stretch.

Cottrell and Duffey will each be playing at the college level next season, with Cottrell getting ready to suit up at Indiana Wesleyan and Duffey at the University of New Hampshire.

Capital Gain

2011-12-15T00:24:00.001-05:00

Our nation's capital gained some additional weaponry for its defense…….on the college gridiron that is.

Farmington Hills Harrison standout senior safety Ken Russ, a two-year starter in the secondary and one of the leaders of a vicious Hawks defense that helped the team go a combined 24-1 in his time on the field, committed to play his college football at Howard University in Washington D.C.

The Bison went 5-6 this fall. Russ will be the only player from the state of Michigan on the Howard U roster when he arrives on campus next summer.

His performance and leadership in the Harrison secondary the past two seasons was a big reason the Hawks won a state title in 2010 and ran the table on their schedule this year before getting upset in the district finals by eventual state champion Birmingham Brother Rice.

A bonafide playmaker, Russ is big, standing 6-foot-1 and fast, clocked as fast as a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. There's no doubt, his upside at the college level is quite high.

Unfortunately, sometimes over the last couple years, Russ has been overlooked due to him playing alongside such high-profile teammates like WR Aaron Burbridge (Michigan State), DE Mario Ojemudia (Michigan) and TE Devin Funchess (Michigan).

But make no mistake about it, this kid can flat out get his pigskin on with the best there is in this area at his position……Burney says…TAKE it 2 THE BANK!

Back on Track

2011-12-14T23:37:00.002-05:00

STUD SOPH GETS HOT LATE, HELPS DCD BOYS BALLERS REFIND WINNING WAYS IN HOSTILE WATERS

Edmond Sumner showed his stuff on Tuesday, proving he's more than ready to play big with the big boys on a big stage.

With his team behind 50-42 with four minutes to play, Birmingham Detroit Country Day's standout sophomore guard scored eight straight points to ignite a Yellowjackets' rally and send Country Day to a much-needed 60-52 win on the road over Ann Arbor Pioneer.

The four consecutive buckets were Sumner's only of the night and sparked an 18-2 run to close the game. Last season as a highly-regarded freshman, Sumner was the school's JV squad's leading scorer and assist man.

"He's fearless," said Yellowjackets head coach Kurt Keener of his budding star in the backcourt. "No matter the situation, Edmond is very composed for his age and I have faith in him with the ball in his hands."

Over the weekend, the Keener Kage Krew dropped its first contest of the year, a heartbreaking 60-58 loss to Detroit King where Country Day blew a double-digit lead in the final four minutes of the game after being on top the entire way previous.

Following Tuesday's emotionally-charged come-from-behind victory, the Yellowjackets are 3-1 as they prepare to face fellow state power Detroit Consortium for their next game on December 23.

Senior forward Jodan Price (signed with DePaul) rebounded from a down outing against King on Saturday by posting a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards on Tuesday. Junior center Poet Thomas, also bouncing back from a rough night at the office against King over the weekend, played well on the blocks, scoring 11 points – eight coming in the second half – and grabbing nine rebounds.

Thomas is a Division I football recruit at the defensive lineman position.

Reid McManus, Country Day's starting senior point guard, registered a steady floor game of nine points, five assists and three steals.

Both Thomas and McManus, a running back on the gridiron, led the football team into the playoffs back in the fall.

As role players last year, Price, McManus and Thomas were part of a Country Day team that was nationally-ranked and advanced to the Class B final four before losing to eventual state champion Lansing Sexton.

Pioneer fell to 2-1 with the Tuesday's defeat.

In The Line of Fire

2011-12-14T00:09:00.001-05:00

The hallowed Clarkston boys hoops program has seen its share of dead-eye marksman.

Names like current Blue and Gold Baller Nick Tatu and former long distance specialists like Robbie Clarke, Brad Goodman, Timmy Wasilk, the three Fife brothers and Brandon Pokely are some of the first to come to mind.

The art of draining the bomb from downtown has always been a staple of Wolfpack squads through the years.

Well, next in line to head the C-Town shooting gallery, is sophomore Nick Owens, younger brother of one-time Wolfpack gunner Danny Owens.

Showing off his form, timeliness, and accuracy, my man Nicky O has drilled seven trifectas in Clarkston's opening two games of the season. He knocked down four 3-balls in a win over Orchard Lake St. Mary's last Friday night and then three more on Tuesday in a stomping of Flint Carmen-Ainsworth.

ATTN; OAA – This kid can't STRAIGHT PULL and he will be doing some serious damage from the outside for the foreseeable near future aka the next 3 years!!!!

Oversight Committee

2011-12-13T00:28:00.002-05:00

Burney somehow left MH Madison senior guard/forward Damon Bozeman off his list of Top 25 boys basketball players in Oakland County. This was a huge oversight on my part. Bozeman is OBVIOUSLY one of the best players in the area, a tenacious and high-scoring swingman that grinds and shines with the best around. This kid can go inside and out as well as anybody in Metro Detroit.

With that said, here's my new list, with my man "D-Nice" Bozeman (four-year varsity member, three-year starter, two-time all-league pick) checking in at No. 11.

New & IMPROVED OC Top 10

1 James Young (Troy Jr F/G)

2 Miroslav Jaksic (WL Western Jr C)

3 Jodan Price (Birmingham DCD Sr F)

4 Kellen McCormick (Pontiac NDP Sr F)

5 Taylor Perry (Rochester Sr F/G)

6 Jon Jon Williams (Southfield-Lathrup Jr G)

7 Corey Green (MH Bishop Foley Sr F)

8 Robert Puleikis (Birmingham DCD Sr C)

9 Kyle Cooper (Novi Detroit CC Sr F)

10 The Clarkston 3 (Tatu-Baenziger-Dellinger-Sr G)

11 Damon Bozeman (MH Madison Sr G/F)

12 Justin Barrows (OL St. Mary's Sr F)

13 Nic Stoll (Holly Sr C)

14 Austin Price-Maury Diane (Birmingham DCD-Jr/SophG)

15 Chris Dewberry (Southfield Christian Sr G)

16 Matt Doneth (Novi Detroit CC Sr F)

17 Dorrell Foster (North Farmington Sr F)

18 Mark Hazelwood (Oxford Sr G)

19 Jared Sheena (WL North Sr G)

20 Armand Cartwright (BH Lahser Soph G)

21 Lindsay Hunter III (Southfield Christian Sr G)

22 Mike Oravetz (MH Bishop Foley Sr G)

23 Sterling Morrow (BH Cranbrook Sr G)

24 Caleb Hogans (North Farmington Jr G)

25 Sam McClendon (OL St. Mary's Jr G)

Burney's Boys Hoop Rankings - Starting Off

2011-12-12T00:11:00.005-05:00

OC TOP 10

1 Clarkston – Sophomore gunner Nick Owens did his best Nick Tatu impression and sank four triples in his first varsity game last Friday in the Wolfpack's season-opening win over OLSM

2 Birmingham DCD – Austin Price will be a steal for whichever mid-major college program nabs his services for the next level…..A PURE GAMER!!!!

3 Novi Detroit CC – You cannot stop Shamrocks star Kyle Cooper, you can only hope to contain him!!!

4 Pontiac – New cast of characters, but showing that same old 'Yaktown power on the hardwood

5 WL Western – Senior forward Aaron Prim is a SAVAGE in the paint….just start calling this kid PICASO!!!!

6 Troy Athens – Caleb McIntosh and Marcarius Coakley WILL make it a magical season in REDHAWKSLAND this year!!!

7 Troy – Can't wait to see my main man Evan Mahone back on the floor doing his thang in the Colts Black and Silver!!!

8 MH Bishop Foley – Ventures senior wing Corey Green lives up to his name on the court 'cause he's nothing but MONEY!!!

9 (tie) OL St. Mary's – I can just here the Eaglets student section cheering, CHEWY, CHEWY, CHEWY, CHEWY, CHEWY, CHEWY!!!!!!

9 (tie) North Farmington – Tough early season schedule will pay dividends down the stretch for TEAM LITTLE NOGO and CO. per tradition at NF started by his pops BIG NOGO back in the 80s

10 (tie) RH Adams – Another super job brewing on the bench for Coach Hall and his staff!!

10 (tie) Rochester – Paris Pereira=Little guy, HUMUNGUOUS HEART!!!!

That's More Like It

2011-12-11T18:14:00.001-05:00

EAGLES' HOOPSTERS FINALLY TAKE FLIGHT, TROUNCE POWERS IN NEUTRAL COURT CLASH

Returning most of it lineup from a very good team last year and making the move down from Class B to Class C, Madison Heights Madison's 87-64 lackluster loss at the hands of Macomb Dakota on opening night wasn't exactly what Eagles fans expected for the start of the 2012 campaign.

Bouncing back with fearsome resolve and flawless execution, the team's 68-53 dismantling of state hoops heavyweight Flint Powers for its first win of the season was more what the Madison faithful had in mind.

The Eagles led from the opening tip to the final buzzer, showing everyone in attendance at the slate of showcase games held at West Bloomfield High School on Saturday, why they will be one of the top cage squads in the area this winter.

Two-time all-league pick Damon Bozeman headlined Madison's winning effort with a double-double of 27 points and 14 rebounds. On Tuesday against Dakota, he had 26 points and 10 boards. Bozeman, a 6-foot-3 bulldog of a competitor is getting looks from various small-level and mid-major D1 programs. He has been on varsity for four years and started as a sophomore on the Eagles' league championship team in 2010.

Last season, Bozeman and Madison compiled a record of 16-5 overall and finished in second place in the MAC Silver standings behind state quarterfinalist East Detroit.

Over the summer, Bozeman considered leaving Madison and transferring to Walled Lake Western, even playing with the Warriors in summer league action. However, by the end of the summer, he had experienced a change of heart and returned to the Eagles for his senior year.

The team is far from a one-man show and in addition to Bozeman have a series of talented complimentary pieces, almost all of them members of the school's successful football program.

Danny Larkins, Tevin Washington and Jermaine O' Bryant put in eight points apiece on Saturday. Washington and Larkins were the football team's starting wide receivers this year and Larkins will be playing next year in college at the University of Toledo.

Senior point guard William Bradley, the Eagles starting quarterback back in the fall on the gridiron, chipped in with a solid outing on Saturday with six points, eight assists and five steals.

Fellow football studs Nick Wallace, Denzel Manning and Alvin Mingo all fill roles as "glue guys" on the hardwood and will be x-factor guys that don't necessarily light up the stat sheet. Wallace had five points against Powers, while Manning and Mingo scored a bucket each.

The tactical attack for the Eagles is led by sideline veteran Steve Rhoads, who has been coaching in the area for four decades.

Rhoades cage crew was in front 37-28 at halftime and 48-27 entering the fourth quarter.

Madison will face-off with crosstown rival Lamphere for its next game on Thursday at home.

Hitting The Ground Running

2011-12-10T02:14:00.001-05:00

A pair of head boys basketball coaches new to the area recorded their first wins at the helm of their respective hoop programs Friday night.

North Farmington's Todd Negoshian's Raiders defeated Ecorse 58-55 and Ra' Redding Murray's Walled Lake Western squad upended Novi Franklin Road Christian 69-29.

This is Negoshian's first head coaching job, replacing his father Tom after 25 years leading North Farmington on the hardwood. Murray was the head coach at Detroit Crockett in the early-to-mid-2000s, taking the Rockets to a final four in 2003 before taking a brief respite from the game and returning this year to resurrect the Western cage contingent.

While they were prepsters themselves, both Murray and Little Nogo were star players – with Murray playing at Detroit Mumford in the 1980s and Negoshian at Walled Lake Central in the late 1990s.

Both North Farmington and Walled Lake Western are expected to contend for league crowns this season.

North Farmington lost on Tuesday by three points down at River Rouge. Friday was Western's opening contest of the campaign.

Coming off a 28-point effort in North Farmington's opener, senior forward Dorrell Foster registered a double-double against Ecorse of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Junior point guard Caleb Hogans, who had 18 points on Tuesday, put in a game-high 20 points and dished five assists in the Raiders' win on Friday. Sterling Sharp, North Farmington's spry junior wing, knocked down four straight trifectas to open the second half.

Without the services of star junior center Miroslav Jaksic until January, Western showed off its various other weapons on Friday, seeing three players of its own reach double figures in the stat sheet.

Warriors' senior forwards Aaron Prim and Cam Vieaux were all over the floor against Franklin Road doing damage. Prim, like Jaksic, a high-profile transfer, racked up a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Vieaux, a star wide receiver on Western's final four football team this past fall notched 18 points and grabbed five boards, on the night. Western's junior floor general, Korey Wade, scored 10 points and gave out five assists.

Next up for Coach Murray and his Warriors is another out of conference battle with Farmington Hills Harrison, followed by a tough match up with Brighton. Little Nogo and the Raiders face-off with league foe Southfield-Lathrup for their next game on Tuesday

Helping The Cause

2011-12-09T00:44:00.003-05:00

Wayne State University's football team is in the midst of an epic playoff run.

The Warriors are set to face off with Winston-Salem University down in North Carolina in the Division II national semifinals aka THE FINAL 4 this weekend.

Not surprisingly, Wayne State's grind-it-out-at-all-costs gridiron assault has a little Oakland County flavor to it, again proving why this area is one of the country's elite breeding grounds for Grade-A prep talent.

There are 19 OC studs in all dotting the Warriors 2011 roster.

On the offensive side of the ball there's Josh Renel of RH Adams, a workhorse in the WSU backfield who has already run for 1300 yards and 14 touchdowns so far this fall. He's also caught 22 passes for 200 yards, giving him 1,500 total yards from scrimmage and when you throw in his return yardage on special teams over 2,000 all-purpose yards.

Going over to the defense, Oakland County's pigskin prowess really starts to shine.

Southfield's Antwon Robinson (S), South Lyon's Aaron Cornett (CB) and Birmingham Brother Rice'a Mazen Jaddou (S) all start in the Warriors secondary. Robinson has 4 picks already and Cornett three picks and 80 tackles, second best on the team. Jaddou has 62 wrap-ups and two interceptions.

Brother Rice's Eddie Viverette (LB) leads the squad in tackles from non-secondary members with 70 to go along with a team-high seven sacks.

Maurice Davenport, also of Southfield, starts for WSU at linebacker alongside Viverette and has racked up 45 tackles.

Here is the rest of the OC Express charging the Warriors attack

William Lyons (Southfield) Donald Brown (Southfield), Kaunda Hancock (Brother Rice), Anthony Baskin (South Lyon), Ryan Moulding (South Lyon), Jordan Kidd (Milford), Rocky Mikulec (Milford), Tim MacLean (Birmingham DCD), Kenny Loney (Walled Lake Western), Chris Pyant (Farmington Hills Harrison), Ben Walker (Lake Orion), Jimmy Kinaia (Troy Athens) and Nate Theaker (Lakeland)

Up and Coming

2011-12-08T00:08:00.002-05:00

Look for ittle known Southfield Bradford Academy to be a force to be reckoned with on the local prep boys basketball scene this year. Expected to be one of the state's top teams in Class C, tiny Bradford has shot out of the gate to an early 2-0 start.

Seniors Eric Murphy and Chris Boatman ignite Bradford's well-stocked attack. Both are college prospects and compliment each other well on the court.

Murphy is a beast in the paint, killing opponents with a nasty demeanor on the glass and on defense and a soft touch around the rim.

Boatman is an intelligent and crafty point guard that runs his team's offense with efficiency and standout leadership.

They each posted monster outings in Bradford's season-opening win on Tuesday, with Murphy going for 30 points (10-for-10 from the charity stripe) and eight rebounds and Boatman putting up a double-double of 13 points and 10 assists. Last night, Murphy equaled his teammates accomplishment in the stat sheet by recording a double-double of his own, dropping in 19 points and snatching 10 boards.

The only stumbling block lingering in the near future for Murphy, Boatman and the Bradford Baller crew is the fact that they will most likely find themselves in the same state tournament district than Catholic League power Madison Heights Bishop Foley and small school hoop stalwart Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, a squad that returns basically its entire lineup from a run into the Sweet 16 last season where they dropped a heartbreaker at the buzzer to Final Four participant Detroit Westside Christian.

No matter what happens, Bradford will have to be taken seriously on the high school hardwood in 2012 and is certain to be a seriously dangerous sleeper to contend with come March Madness time.

Five For Fighting - Tip Off Time

2011-12-07T02:08:00.002-05:00

Five For Fighting – Top Season-Opening Boys Basketball Outings

1 Joe Leonard (Troy) – Tapped as a last-minute starter at the point, Leonard exploded for a career-high 22 points, hitting 4 of 5 from long distance, dished five assists and made four steals in the Colts 81-45 dusting of Utica Ford.

2 Kyle Irvin (Birmingham Groves) – The definition of RAW TALENT and MAJOR LEAGUE UPSIDE. With very little organized playing experience, Irvin had a coming out party in the Groves opening-night 57-52 downing of Waterford Mott, going for a double-double of 21 points and 18 rebounds.

3 Dre Smith (Royal Oak) – Did his best DWAYNE WADE impression by busting up the Stoney Creek 'D' for 29 points, draining 6-of-9 from downtown, in the Ravens' 56-53 victory.

4 Brandon Bean (Southfield) – A force of nature in the paint, the undersized Bean is a master rebounder. In the first start of his varsity career, B-Double blitzed Ferndale for 18 points and 14 boards in the Bluejays' 69-60 win

5 Nathan Drews (RH Lutheran NW) – This junior juggernaut dropped a 38-point spot in the Crusaders' opening-night loss