Written Sunday December 24th at 10:30 AM
Updated Sunday December 31st at 12:30 PM
What we learned about each team.
West Bloomfield: The Lakers have been on a roll to start the season. West Bloomfield has had four wins over Plymouth Salem, Utica Ford II, Chicago Wendell Phillips, and Chicago Butler Prep. The Davis twins have been very good especially Indya as of late but Summer has had her moments. Destiny Washington and Sheridan Beal have been very good along with Kendall Hendrix for Coach Daryelle McAllister. West Bloomfield comes into 2024 riding with a ton of confidence but there are several questions when it comes to these blowout wins that the Lakers have had this season. They are a very talented team but they haven't been that tested and that's the big question going forward.
Rochester: The Falcons have been
unusually struggling with really tough losses to Wixom St. Catherine Sienna Academy,
Dearborn Fordson, and Utica Ford II, all be it all of them are really good
teams and they beat Adams. They have relied a ton on Alice Max scoring a
double-double per night but it’s clear she needs help, she needs a robin, it’s the
same situation it is with the boys basketball team at Oxford with Jake
Champagne. Kylie Robinson is expected to be back in January which should help
but the bigger concern for Coach Bill Thurston has to be which guard can step
up and take the pressure off of Max. Thurston has Kaitlyn Guiola and Lucy Cook,
among others but the problem has been trying to find that guard that can take
the pressure off of Max before league play starts. Thurston has to address this or they are in trouble.
Stoney Creek: The Cougars have been on a roll which has pleased Coach Columbus Williams who is in his first year with the program. Stoney Creek has been dominant against Macomb County foes Romeo and Utica Eisenhower winning by 14 and 13 points respectively. They have also had to survive upset traps against Bloomfield Hills and Brighton. Defense has been the strength for Williams especially the press whether it’s the 1-2-2 or the 2-2-1 full court trap. The changing defenses has really confused offensives that Stoney Creek has faced thus far. Sarah LaPrarie, Merrick Schlawbach, and Izzy Ivezaj has played very well for Williams and they have had others that have stepped up as well. The Cougars should be tested when 2024 starts when they have Royal Oak. It’s been a good for Williams and company thus far.
Lake Orion: The word resilient is perfect to describe the Dragons and their 4-0 start. Lake Orion has been through the ringer with gutsy wins over Plymouth and Bay City Western along with wins over Adams and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Izzy Woltinski is back to being herself being a double-double machine every night. Ryann Pawlacyzk, Charlotte Peplowski, and Lexi Stroshein have been very good as well. Ellie Britt has been that stabilizer. Nevaeh Wood fits right in with this team especially in clutch time and that’s not mentioning Grace Hoenshien, Lauren LaForge, Xana Cuesda, and Dani Heck who’ve been very good off the bench for Coach Bob Brydges. This is much different team than they were in the summer and even last season when they lost nine seniors to graduation. Lake Orion has a ton of room for improvement as well. This will be a team to watch in 2024.
Clarkston: The Wolves have been battle tested which it has shown in recent weeks. They have wins over Saginaw Heritage, Novi, Haslett, Howell, and Lake Fenton along with a blowout of Macomb L’Anse Creuse. Clarkston has two losses, one to Chelsea where they're ranked the top team in Division Two, and Birmingham Detroit Country Day where they had a rough third quarter and were held to 23 points. Coach Aaron Goodnough has had several players step up and make crucial plays in crucial times in Brooklyn Covert, Emily Valencia, Claire Walker, and Elliana Robak. The Wolves have been very competitive which is a great sign heading into league play and their likely postseason clash with Lake Orion.
Oxford: The Wildcats have been around 500 despite playing a really tough schedule. They have wins over Flushing, Warren Regina, and Davison but really tough losses to Saginaw Heritage, Belleville, and Macomb Dakota. Peyton Ritcher, Sophia Rabb, Lexie Yankee, Emma Beggs, Braydee Elling, and Alison Huffstedler have been the glue for Coach Rachel Bryer. Mia Champagne has started to develop into her own as of late. The non-conference Oxford has played should help them especially going into the postseason where they have beaten Davison but they don’t see Lapeer or Grand Blanc until the postseason. The Wildcats are in a really good place heading into 2024.
Royal Oak: The Ravens have used their balance to win games and they have been battle tested. Royal Oak has had three close games against Livonia Stevenson, Walled Lake Northern, and Berkley which resulted in wins but it prepares them for the road ahead. 2024 should be a fun year for Coach Brian Sopota and company.
Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks have been very competitive for Coach Kristen Massey despite two early losses to Stoney Creek and Plymouth Canton. They have had no issues with Farmington and Ferndale University winning by a combined 128-24 in both meetings. Bloomfield Hills has a really interesting week to start 2024 with Lansing Waverly followed by Oxford and Lake Orion. We’ll see where they stand after the first week of January but the Blackhawks are heading in the right direction.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers haven’t really played in a long while which is a concern heading into 2024. They sit at 3-1 right now but they have to start playing some games. Harper Woods has a tough January looming starting with Canton. That matchup to start 2024 should test Coach LaTonya Tate’s team big time.
Seaholm: The Maples have been up and down lately with their 3-2 record. Addy Flynn has been solid for Seaholm. They earned blowout wins over Farmington, Livonia Franklin, and Clawson but two tough losses to Saline and Warren Cousino. We’ll know a lot about Coach Chris Manchester’s team in January when they play Clarkston and Stoney Creek, it’s a perfect barometer to see where the Maples are at.
Groves: The Falcons have been a
really hard team to figure out. Coach Allison Hidey’s team was blown out by
Hartland and Birmingham Detroit Country Day, and lost a tough one to Livonia Churchill. They have two wins against Troy and Avondale. Groves needs to find a way to
be very competitive against really good teams heading into 2024 especially with the district they are in this postseason. They have a really tough January which includes Novi, Arbor Prep, and West Bloomfield.
North Farmington: The Raiders have
been on a roll winning five straight games but they haven’t been battle tested
so to some experts the jury is out on Coach Michael Allin’s team. North
Farmington has a big test awaiting them when they head to Lake Orion, that game
will be a good indicator to see where the Raiders are at. North Farmington is off to a strong start after having a great 2023. Lets see what 2024 brings for the Raiders.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors are back to their scoring ways which is a good sign for Coach Shaquita Coltrane. Southfield Arts and Tech has a ton of proven experience and it has shown in their wins over Warren Michigan, Collegiate, Detroit Denby Tech, and Avondale. The loss to Livonia Stevenson is a concern especially that the Warriors are in the same district with the Spartans. Southfield Arts and Tech has a lot to be excited about heading into 2024.
Troy: The Colts have a young team going through a transition period and for Coach Laura Guzman the transition had to happen during the season. Troy is 2-1 vs Macomb County teams which includes wins over Sterling Heights Stevenson and a monster win over St. Clair Shores Lakeview but they have had some really tough losses to Groves, Orchard Lake St. Marys where they were very competitive, and blowout losses to Novi, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood, and Romeo. It’s been very rough for the Colts but they have the players and the time to turn this around. They could be a dangerous team come postseason time with the experience and they could sneak up on some people in the Blue.
Berkley: The Bears are in a much better place despite their 4-3 record with tough losses to Royal Oak, Plymouth, and Madison Heights Foley but they have a monster win against Utica Eisenhower which is huge at the moment. They have been very competitive in each of their losses and have been improving under Coach Clay Shaver. Berkley has built program strength as well which should help heading into the future. This is a darkhorse team in the Blue and in the district. I don’t think a ton of teams will like to play the Bears in 2024, they are getting better and better.
Adams: The Highlanders have been very competitive for Coach Joe Malburg but it was a really tough week with losses to Lake Orion and North Farmington. They had another blowout loss to Rochester and a tough one to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood. Adams has two wins over Waterford Kettering and Northville which is a huge win for Malburg. Samantha Blaine has been Malburg’s top player but his top players are very young and are gaining a ton of experience. They are a scrappy group defensively. The Highlanders will be fine but they have a brutal January coming up.
Troy Athens: The Red Hawks have had a rough December but ended the month on a high note winning 40-25 over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Coach Stacie Klump’s team were very competitive against Utica Eisenhower and South Lyon but were blown out by North Farmington and Wayne Memorial. Troy Athens started to get some consistency and will look for some more consistency which should lead into wins heading into 2024.
Farmington: It has been a really rough 2023 for Coach Natalie Nowak and the Falcons. Farmington is really struggling, no sugar coating that. They have been blown out in each game this season which is very concerning. Nowak needs to change something in 2024 if the Falcons are to be competitive.
Avondale: The injury bug has really hurt Coach Roy Christmon’s team. The Yellow Jackets has lost three straight to Dearborn, Chippewa Valley, and Southfield Arts and Tech. The defense has been the problem for Avondale. They have allowed over 50 points in each of their five losses. Christmon needs to focus on the defensive end with his proven squad. The Yellow Jackets have a tough schedule coming up with features Berkley, Bloomfield Hills, Harper Woods, Rochester, Seaholm, and Lake Orion along with the Gold schedule. Defense is something that Christmon needs to address heading into 2024.
Ferndale: The Eagles have made a statement which included a win over Detroit Cass Tech in Detroit. Ferndale has played proven teams in Macomb Dakota and Dexter also tough as well. Coach Keith Paris has built this program. They bounced back and won over Ann Arbor Pioneer coming back from 11 points down to win. The Eagles are a much different team than last season. They could be the favorite in the Gold in 2024.
Ferndale University: The Eagles were very competitive in their first two games and especially against Detroit Old Redford Academy where they lost by nine but they have only scored nine points in two games. This is something where Coach Brianna Rowe needs to correct heading into 2024.
Oak Park: The Knights have some issues scoring which has shown in their three losses, two of them were blowout losses to Harper Woods and South Lyon but they were very competitive despite their loss to Walled Lake Central by three points. If Oak Park can develop scoring and play aggressive defense then they could surprise some people but it’s one game at a time for Coach Tyler Washington and company.
Pontiac: The Phoenix have three wins over Hazel Park, Marine City Cardinal Mooney, and Brighton Stockwood Prep. They have been very competitive in their losses to Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, Bloomfield Hills Sacred Heart, Westland John Glenn, and Waterford Kettering. Pontiac didn’t win a game last season and having three wins is a great sign for a young program that Coach Corray Lett has. The Phoenix still have Troy Athens and Royal Oak with every non-conference game being winnable. They still have a long way to go but Lett has this program heading in the right direction heading into 2024.
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