Basketball Way Too Early OAA Teams to Watch.

Written Sunday September 21st at 3:52 PM

Here are some teams to watch out for heading into the season.

Boys

Pontiac: If there is one program that is primed to be a serious contender in not only in the present but in the future this is it. The Phoenix have a new coach in former Michigan player Dion Harris. Pontiac has JJ Claudio and Jaiden Price coming back among others but the focus is program strength where the Phoenix have a strong freshman class that are very talented. The eighth grade levels will be something to watch with Pontiac. The Phoenix could be the team that makes the biggest jump heading into this season.

Bloomfield Hills: The Black Hawks have a lot of proven experience that could challenge for the Blue this season although there are some questions that Bloomfield Hills has heading into the season. The Black Hawks have Da'Ron Mason, Carter Canfield, Carter Hartfield, Brennan Bies, and Mason Hitchcock coming back for Coach Brian Canfield. Program strength will be something to watch with Bloomfield Hills. The Black Hawks could be in for a strong season with their proven guards and with what they have done this summer although the interior is a question mark heading into the season.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets could be primed to have a strong year this season. Avondale has Jakobe Louris, Noah Bonds, Anthony Burton, among others coming back and they added Rochester transfer Max Muhl this offseason. Muhl gives the Yellow Jackets another proven scoring option but they will have a new coach as Coach Jaret Thomas left the program to become an associate head coach at Oakland Community College. They have former interim coach Aaron Fox taking over the program. Avondale looks to be in the Red conversation and could be the favorite in the division. Program strength should be solid but it's something to watch for heading into the season.

Lake Orion: The Dragons have been very consistent since Coach Jose Andrades came to Lake Orion. The Dragons relied a lot on team ball which makes this team more dangerous. Lake Orion lost Zack Parks, Nick Galben, and Gabe Scott to graduation along with several other key players. They will likely lose Ryan Rocheleau who is playing football at Western Michigan. Lake Orion has a lot of proven talent in Nate Giacolone, Max Neering, Will Farmer, Joey Duggan, and Jackson Shoskey coming back for Andrades along with key players ready to make some noise. Program strength looks solid for the Dragons. Lake Orion should be a player to watch for this season. 

Stoney Creek: The Cougars might be the team that takes a big jump this season. Stoney Creek changed coaches as Marko Tomich takes over the program and former North Farmington Coach Todd Negoshian is the athletic director. The Cougars have a lot of proven talent in Anthony Arlinghaus, Quentin Rangi, Jack Fredenburg, Charlie Carson. among others coming back. Program strength looks solid but Tomich will have to bring in different coaches and learn a new system. Stoney Creek should be in the conversation to make some noise.

Clarkston: The Wolves are in a very interesting spot. They have had great summers but have struggled at times during the season. Clarkston should be much improved this season with a lot of proven experience in Cole Charter, Drew French, Ace Walters, Luke French, and Hayden Barlow, among others coming back for Coach Tim Waslik. Program strength has been solid for the Wolves and it's something they will rely on this season. Clarkston could be a team to watch for this season.

Rochester: The Falcons are going to be very interesting to watch this season. Rochester has program strength which helps and some proven experience coming back. The Falcons did well in games when they did not have Max Muhl who is now at Avondale. Rochester has Logan Pleasant, Anthony Chirio, Andrew Smith, Luke Lower, and Ben Bissett coming back for Coach Nick Evola along with a player in Nate Tandy who made noise in Junior Varsity last season. Program strength is strong as mentioned. The Falcons could be a player this season.

Oxford: What is life going to be without Jake Champagne for Coach Joe Fedorchik and the Wildcats will be something to watch. Oxford lost a lot of proven talent from last season but they have Brady Hasslebring, Brody Casper, and Brennan Elling coming back. Elling looks to be the Wildcats top player this season. Program strength is something to watch with the Wildcats. Oxford could be in for a long year early with the transition period. 

Royal Oak: The Ravens could be a team to watch with what they have done last season getting to the district finals. Royal Oak has a lot of talent coming back which includes CJ Hariston and Sam Zeller among others for Coach Aaron Smith. Program strength is a concern for Smith and will be something to watch. The Ravens could be a team to watch this season.

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks are coming off  a district championship last season and will look to build off of that under second year Coach Mitchell Vercellino. It is very unlikely that Troy Athens will have Nathan Piggott coming back because of football. The Red Hawks have a proven player in Caidan Hainbury along with other proven talents in Alan Spahic, Enjr Fjolla, among others coming back. Program strength looks solid as well for Troy Athens. The Red Hawks should be one of those teams to watch for in the Blue.

Adams: The Highlanders have been very consistent especially when going from Coach Jaret Thomas to Isiah Novak. Novak has done a great job keeping Adams consistent with program strength and proven talent. The Highlanders have Cannon Flynn, Brady Lindstrom, and Zeke Wilson coming back. Program strength has been solid under Novak. Adams should be in the conversation in what should be a very competitive White.

Ferndale: The Eagles are coming into the season as one of the favorites in the Red. Ferndale has Eden Vinyard and Torriano Adams coming back among others for Coach and Athletic Director Juan Rickman. The Eagles have a tough schedule and being in the Red is no picnic either. Program strength will be something to watch with Ferndale if they can address, long term they will be in the hunt for their second Division Two State crown in five years.

Farmington: The Falcons are in a very interesting spot in their final year in the OAA. Farmington has the majority of their team coming back in Anthony Bailey, Randall Rice, and Myles Smith for Coach Byron Johnson. Program strength looks solid for Johnson. The Falcons should be a player in the Red this season and beyond.

North Farmington: The Raiders are in a transition period heading into their final year in the OAA. Coach Todd Negoshian stepped down and is the new athletic director at Stoney Creek. According to a source it looks like Pete Matayla has taken over the reigns at North Farmington. The Raiders lost some key players from last season but they have several key players in Jayden Glinz, Troy Waldron, DJ Morgan, Quran Creary, among others coming back. Program strength will be the key for the Raiders going forward. It will be very interesting to see what North Farmington does this season.

Groves: The Falcons are going through a long list of changes this season. Groves lost most of their team after a stunning district final loss to Birmingham Brother Rice last season. The Falcons have David Upshaw, David Jones, and Beau Kennard coming back for Coach Marc West. Program strength is a concern and will be something to watch. Groves could be in for some growing pains early as everyone adjusts to the transition period which has to happen during the season.

Seaholm: The Maples are in a very interesting spot heading into this season. Seaholm had a transition year under Coach Spenser Adams but this season Adams should have his program fully installed. The Maples have Patrick Hughes, Everett Wertz, Aiden Pero, and Brody Fieldmaker coming back. Program strength has been solid for Adams and it will be key for him to keep building on program strength heading into the future.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers could be a team to watch for in the Red this season. West Bloomfield lost about half of their team to graduation but they have several proven returners like Curtis Britton and Willie Edwards coming back for Coach Arnette Jordan. Program strength is a concern for the Lakers but they will find a way to address that issue. West Bloomfield should be in the mix to have a strong season this season.

Troy: How will the post Mason Parker era look like for newly crowned hall of famer in Coach Gary Fralick. The Colts also lost Leo Penoza as well. Troy will be a lot younger heading into this season returning Blake Kuiper among others coming back. Program strength is a concern for Fralick as well. It will take some time but when they do look out.

Waterford Mott: The Corsairs enter the OAA having to replace a lot of talent from last season but they have Tori Robinson, DaMari Stephens, Greg White, Geno Sheets, among others coming back for Coach Jeff Jayson and it's unknown if Max Jansenvanvuren is coming back with football. Program strength is a concern for Waterford Mott and will be something to watch. There are some concerns with the Corsairs but the talent is there.

 

Girls

Clarkston: The Wolves have a lot of potential heading into this season to make a deep postseason run. Clarkston has their two top guards in Elianna Robak and Brooklyn Covert along with a rising big in Bella Flavin coming back for Coach Aaron Goodnough. The Wolves have also several promising supporting cast players as well. Biggest question for Clarkston is staleness, almost everyone knows what Robak and Covert can do and who steps up. Clarkston has a ton of program strength and a strong eighth grade class coming up in the future. The future is bright for the Wolves.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers were fresh off making it back to the Division One State Semifinals last season lost about half of their roster but Coach Darin McAllister does have two proven players in Sheridan Beal and Londyn Hall among several others coming back. West Bloomfield added several players from Ferndale in Beal's cousin Iyanna Davis along with several incoming freshmen who were suppose to be going to Ferndale but with the program in turmoil they are at West Bloomfield. Program strength is a concern for McAllister but they should be in the conversation again this season.

Lake Orion: The Dragons lost their two top scorers in Izzy Wotlinski and Charlotte Peplowski last season so there is an expected drop off after losing two top scorers but Coach Bob Brydges has been a proven winner especially with younger talent. Players like Kara Veeder and LaLa Hill are going to be players to watch and take on bigger roles among others that could make some noise. Brydges has a strong supporting cast and has been one of the best coaches when it comes to developing multi-sport athletes. It may take some time for this team to grow but under Brydges this program has gotten the best and there is no reason why they should do that again. Also program strength is there along with a strong eighth grade class coming in the future. The future is bright for the Dragons.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars are a very interesting team coming into this season. Stoney Creek lost several key players including Merrick Schlawbach and Taylor Fulkerson to graduation but they have several key players in all three Ivezaj sisters (Calista, Abigail, and Izzy) along with Samantha Fulkerson and Jadelynn Freeman coming back for Coach Columbus Williams. Depth and program strength are major concerns to watch with the Cougars. The ceiling could be high if they stay healthy and live up to their full potential but the warning signs are there if things don't go right. Stoney Creek will be a team to watch this season.

Oxford: The Wildcats are a very interesting team to watch this season with what to expect. Oxford lost about a half of their roster to graduation but have Kaitlyn Brockway, Mia Champagne, and Tegan O'Connor among others coming back for Coach Trevor Marshall. Marshall has to rebuild program strength which is something to watch now and into the future. The numbers are a bit down in the middle school levels with the Wildcats and has to be monitoring heading into the season.

Troy: If there is huge pressure on a team with lofty expectations, this is it. The Colts have had a ton of ups and downs lately but if they want to make some noise this is their chance. Troy has a healthy Diamond Prince coming back from injury along with Maci Zeiter who has had a strong summer along with Olivia Sprangler and a solid big in Carly Higginbottom coming back for Coach Laura Guzman. The Colts have a strong sophomore class but program strength is a big concern. If Troy wants to have a season what many experts are predicting they would have, they have to stay healthy and live up to that potential.

Groves: The Falcons have been very impressive this offseason. Groves has Harlem Simpson and Jacey Roy along with several others coming back for Coach Jessica Duebla but interior and program strength are big question marks for Duebla. The Falcons should be one of those teams that could make some noise in the White this season.

Rochester: The Falcons are going to be a different team than they were in prior years. Rochester lost Alice Max and Kylie Robinson to graduation but they have players like Angela Cichowski, Stella Marlow, Arisara MacDonald, Taylor Parsons, and Emma Max among others coming back for second year Coach Andy Toppie. Program strength is a question mark in future years for the Falcons and will be something to watch. Rochester should be a player in the Red but could struggle early.

Berkley: The Bears have been a rising program and has been growing the past few years. Berkley have an impact freshman in Nicqo Shoulders coming into the program along with proven talents in Nadia Watt among others for Coach Clay Shaver. The Bears have done a wonderful job in building program strength. The key for Shaver will be matching up against teams like Detroit Renaissance who they will likely see in their district and the styles they run. If they can address this issue expect Berkley to be one of the perennial powers in Girls Basketball for years to come.

Adams: The Highlanders are a really interesting team to keep an eye on this season. Adams has a new coach in Justin Howard taking over the program and has several key players in Faith Zoldus, Jordan Jarrell, Layla Tomezak, and Nadia Heppner among others coming back from a team that was decimated by injuries last season. Program strength is a big concern for Howard and will be something to watch heading into this season.

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks might be the most interesting when it comes to teams. They lost four key players including Alex Link to graduation but they have some key pieces coming back led by Katrina Tasich for Coach Stacie Klumpp. Program strength looks to be solid for the Red Hawks. They could be a sleeper to watch in the Blue.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets are in a very interesting spot heading into this season. Coach Roy Christmon lost almost three quarters of his team to graduation last season and program strength is a concern heading into this season. Avondale has their point guard in Sasha McClellan coming back. McClellan is going to have to do a lot for the Yellow Jackets with a new team around her. They also have Germani Hall as another player to watch. Avondale will be as good as McClellan takes them this season.

Royal Oak: The Ravens have been an up and down team as of late but Coach Brian Sopota has found ways to win especially when the talent hasn't been there. Royal Oak has a lot of proven talent led by Lydia Dickens and Vivian Lawrence coming back among others. Program strength is a concern for Sopota and something to watch. The Ravens will always be in the conversation because of their stability. 

Waterford: Waterford comes into the OAA with a lot of confidence and should be a really interesting team to watch in the Gold. They have Morgan Koskinen, Sophie Munro, Ahmya Gulley, Paytin Eakin, and Savannah Sartorius coming back for Coach Andrew Wellman. Sartorius has been getting a ton of attention lately and could be a player to watch this season. Program strength is a concern to watch for. Waterford should be a very interesting team to watch.

North Farmington: The Raiders were very young and went through a transition period for Coach Michael Allin last season. North Farmington should be improved in their final season in the OAA. They have Shylah Tarin, Hailey Webley, Lucy Nemeth, and Julia Nothstein coming back. Program strength is a concern and something to watch with the Raiders. North Farmington looks to be one of those teams that should be in contention in the Gold this season.

Farmington: The Falcons were a young team last season and will look to have a bounce back season. Farmington has Sydney Nogas, Kate Martin, Jaden Kuderka, Anaya Carter, Gaia DeMeester, Sophia Potterfield, Grace Lamott, Brittany Perry, Breanna Drake, and Emma Mohr coming back for Coach Natalie Nowak. Farmington is in their final year in the OAA before heading off to the Lakes Valley Conference next season.