MHSAA June Outlook: Intriguing Teams to Watch
With the conclusion of the spring grassroots season. The June team camp portion of the offseason is upon us. It’s time to see which transfers are fitting in at new places. How new coaches are implementing their systems. And if AAU improvement translates for individual players.
Below I will identify a group of teams that I am excited to see play for those reasons stated above. It would be easy to go with the traditional powers and champs like Orchard Lake St Mary’s and Warren Lincoln. However I’m going to a little off the board for the first one. Then follow with four more programs to watch for various reasons.
Saginaw United
For my interest, there is really no other place to start. A brand new combined program in one of the hoops hotbeds of the state. Will this experiment work? In the early aughts if you could have combined Saginaw High with Arthur Hill. You would have had arguably had one of the more talented and deep programs in Michigan history.
United will be helmed by head coach Julian Taylor. The Saginaw High leader for the last 13 years. He has a state championship on his resume. So there is plenty familiarity and experience within the program. I’m told Taylor will be assisted by members of the Arthur Hill staff as well.
Technically the Phoenix have gotten a head start as Torrion (TJ) Stevenson (High) and Dion’Quavis “Boop” Hardy (Arthur Hill) have been playing together with a Young Hustle AAU squad on the Puma circuit. That is a pretty good backcourt to build a new program on.
I do not have a concrete June schedule for this program at this time. They are slated to be at both the DZone Shootout this weekend and the BCAM event at Grand Valley at the end of the month. Be sure to check them out.
Detroit Old Redford
The question with this group this year will not be talent. It will be health, and how they adjust to moving up a division. Headlining junior forward Jaquan Stennis was hurt during the Division III state final game. Curtailing his grassroots participation. I’m told the 6-8 do everything star is back to full strength. I will be looking forward to that.
With their aggressive scheduling, moving up to Division II should not be much an issue until March. As you can see from the graphic below. They will be well tested in the summer. I will be watching to see how sophomore prospects Edward Johnson and Devin Brown step up into increased roles. Johnson is a young point guard with promise. While Brown is uber athletic prospect with sky high potential.
Byron Center
The top of the Grand Rapids area food chain has been static for quite some time. With the traditional parochial school powers and north side public schools ruling the roost. Coming off season that had a ton of late momentum. Byron Center is going to look to break up that hegemony.
The Bulldogs will feature a big and athletic lineup fronted by 6-9 senior center Camden Karel. In the backcourt seniors Isaac Lee and Keane Hinkle have had excellent springs with the West Michigan Lakers. Lee is a next level athlete with gridiron accolades to back that up. Hinkle is a sharp shooting lefty who is starting to come into his own physically. I have also heard some transfer rumblings, so I will also be watching to see who they run out with in June.
East Kentwood
As one of the largest Michigan high schools by enrollment. There will always be talent in this program. They should feature possibly the best backcourt in the entire state. Seniors Jah Hatchett (pictured below) and Darryl Thompkins Jr. are an elite sub six foot duo that can really go. You cannot leave out the versatile 6-2 Landon Storms who will man the three spot.
About the front court. Will sophomore prospects like Samuel Makaug (6-5) and Andrew Kenyi (6-7) be ready to fill the void left by Christian Humphrey-Rembert (Brown)? Will junior guards RJ Chapman and Ahman Edmunds be ready to take the next step in their development? What is the health status of sophomore standout CJ Reynolds?
That is a LOT of questions. Getting some of the answers in June. Will make the Falcons a program to watch.
*June 18th East Kentwood is going to be in Detroit at the Horatio Williams shootout*
Hudsonville
If you follow my social media or are a regular reader. You know there might not be bigger Brayden Szamrej fan than this writer. With their standout point guard off to Northwood. The Eagles have some big shoes to fill. Fortunately they appear to have the depth to do so.
Junior Jovaan Daniels should step into the primary playmaking role. I’ve been told injuries have kept him out thus far in the spring. If he can’t go, senior Joey Miller is more than capable of stepping into that role. Even as a multifaceted forward and not a traditional true point guard.
They also should add some new contributors from a talented JV program. I never want to assume a player like sophomore Alex Armstrong will be on varsity. However the versatile 6-5 prospect just finished off an excellent spring with Northcoast Premier and has a lot of talent and potential. Junior Seth Aukeman is another name to watch out for from the Northcoast Premier program.
