MHSAA Misfires: Division III Misses
Despite what my penchant for missed personal deadlines might belie. I spend a lot of time on my preseason ranking rollouts. Accordingly, I feel pretty good about them and I’m not going update the lists until after the holidays.
That being said, there will invariably be mistakes and oversights. Do not consider these to be amendments or full-scale mea culpas. It’s still very early in the season. However, following are six more teams that deserve early recognition. I will provide the links for the previous lists. If you put them all together you will have full watch list of 20 plus teams for the season in Division III.
Final Preseason Top 10 here
Additional Group of Six here
…and if you want the first group of ten from way back in the summer you can find that here
Beal City (3-0)
This group was on the cusp of making one of the three lists above. I held off for one reason. I thought they would get off to slow start. The Aggies graduated a 1,000 point scorer from last year and are usually shaking off the rust from a gridiron state final appearance. After getting beat in football by a Harbor Beach squad that appears on a above listing. They have had the rare 9for them) full complement of preseason practices. Beyond the fast regular season start, they played very well in a Thanksgiving scrimmage against a preseason ranked Glen Lake unit and a solid Division I outfit in Cadillac. Senior Drake Gatrell and juniors Avery Small and Cuyler Smith will head up a deep backcourt rotation. Not a big rotation though as all three stand about 5-11. Gatrell and Small are products of the REAL Basketball AAU program, while Smith is multi-sport standout who was the quarterback of the aforementioned football team. The x-factor will be the development of 6-4 freshman Grady Gatrell. He is an advanced athlete who played up an age group in AAU basketball. They can open some eyes statewide with tomorrow night’s contest at ranked McBain. That is also a rematch from last year’s close regional final loss.
Beaverton (4-0)
I have long been a fan of the Beavers junior guard Ian Roberts. The 6-4 junior is a dynamic athlete and arguably the top shooter in Michigan’s 2027 class. I wondered if he would have enough help from a team that went 12-11 last year. Early on, the answer is a resounding yes. The answer has come in the form of Landon Love. The 6-3 senior has been red hot to start the season. He has flown a little under the radar as the lefty is slated to play baseball at the next level. Also watch out for 6-1 junior Alex Wheeler and three other sophomores. Beaverton recently avenged a season ending distrct loss to Pinconning. They also have a win over Division II Midland Bullock Creek as well. In the second year of the post the Roy Johnston era. The Beavers could break out from the Jack Pine conference if the young rotation jells.
Gobles (5-0)
Tucked away in the far Southwestern corner of the state. I haven’t caught this team in action. However, I have seen enough of 6-6 senior Aden Newberry to know there is next level talent on this squad. Newberry has good size for the division but also has the skillset to play out on the perimeter as well. He has committed to play at Grace Christian University next year. Support on the perimeter comes from junior point guard Carter Crippin. While not very big (5-10), Crippin is fast and has tested himself against quality competition in AAU basketball. The Tigers has size outside of Newberry in senior Jayden Otis (6-4) down low.
Leslie (4-0)
I thought I might be a year early with this young group. However, the early results beg to differ. I was very impressed with sophomore Roman DeRose on the School Days AAU squad. Like Ian Roberts (see above) the 6-3 wing is getting some help from the diamond. Jackson Fossitt, only a junior is one of the top baseball players in the state. He has already committed to Kentucky. The 6-3 lefty is doing work on the hardwood as well. A young but experienced group, as junior guards Joel Cranmore and Braydin Johnson earned varsity experience as sophomores as well. Both check in at about 6-0. The schedule will stiffen up in the second half of the season. It could all come together for a talented Blackhawks squad this year.
New Haven (5-0)
The Rockets are starting to become one of those programs that doesn’t rebuild, it just reloads. They appear to have the full package this year. Strong senior leadership in the backcourt, youthful size in the frontcourt, along with state championship winning head coach. Seniors Ryan Auban (5-8) and Darrien Wilmer (6-1) head up the backcourt attack. Sophomores Kayden Harmon (6-7) and Journey Parker (6-3) are dynamic athletes on the block. Harmon has an especially bright future. I caught him with The Family (EYBL) squad this spring/summer. He has the talent to play on the perimeter as well. He could be a Romeo Weems (DePaul) type prospect for the Rockets if he continues to develop. This is a deep rotation with talent up and down the roster.
Niles Brandywine (5-0)
Like Gobles, tucked away in the far Southwestern corner of the state. Unlike Gobles, I’ve seen these guys a lot. Mainly due to the fact that the Bobcats are only two years removed from raising a state championship banner. Much of that team graduated, leading to rebuilding year last season. One player that remains is now senior point guard Nylen Goins (pictured above) Criminally underrated, the 5-11 tightly wound athlete can do it all. Including finish with ease above the rim. He is in the conversation for top overall talent in the division. They are off to an excellent start. Defeating two quality Division II opponents in Battle Creek Pennfield and Niles (proper) They do not play in a large conference and the schedule is going to get even tougher in the second half of the season (Benton Harbor, Schoolcraft among others) If Goins can continue to get perimeter help from senior Ryder Richard and 6-5 junior Sam Hubbard on the block. The Bobcats could return to the Breslin Center for the third time in four years.
