MHSAA Preview: Final Preseason Division II Top Ten

December 1st is here, so lets wrap things up. If you are a regular reader you are familiar with my thought process. I will link the two previous rollouts from the summer and fall. Consequently, these capsules will be brief. You can find more detail at those links below if you would like

Initial Ten here

The Next Seven here

1. Romulus Summit Academy North (24-4)

Overview: This group was number one with a bullet after a huge team camp season. It’s tempered a bit by a recent transfer. However I can’t unsee what I saw in June. This unit plays very well together with plenty of perimeter firepower. They also get after it on defensive end.

Concerns: With the aforementioned transfer. They are smaller on the frontline. Might not matter much in the regular season. That being said, if you keep reading further on this list. You will see some serious size in the teams below.

Key Players: Jordan Fuller 6-0 Sr (Tiffin commit) Marquan White 6-1 Sr, Demetri Campbell 6-3 Sr, Tylon Pitts Jr 6-5 Sr King Pierce-Black 6-8 Soph, Codey Bush 6-2 Fr,

2. Ferndale (10-14)

Overview: Might have the best collection of top level talent in the division. Has arguably the top player in Michigan’s 2027 class (Vinyard, pictured at top) Plenty of size outside of this. Explosive playmakers on the perimeter. All helmed by a state championship head coach. That is quite a package to work with.

Concerns: Those 14 losses came for a reason. They consistently play a brutally tough schedule. The ranking indicates they are up for it. However, their progress will something to monitor against this gauntlet. Opening against Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice is a prime example. That early game could be telling early.

Key Players: Eden Vinyard 6-7 Jr, Kari Ouwinga 6-6 Jr, Julian Cardenas 6-1 Sr, Toriano Adams 6-1 Jr, Carter Williams 5-11 Soph Darrelle Cochran 6-4 Sr

3. Hudsonville Unity Christian (20-3)

Overview: Group that is extremely familiar to the Crusaders 2019 state championship team. They don’t have a “no doubt about it” Division I college player. But they are loaded with players who will make contributions somewhere at the next level. A true unit that almost exclusively plays together during the AAU season as well. Most of them have committed to the same college. They clearly enjoy playing together. Plenty of size and perimeter firepower. A total package.

Concerns: First world problems here… who is the go to guy? Where do they go when they need a bucket? Frankly, it very well might not be an issue. However it can be issue with teams that are this balanced. Not the best three point shooting team you will ever see. But I’m picking knits at this point.

Key Players: Owen VanderWaal 6-7 Sr (Calvin commit) Kyler Berghuis 6-2 Sr (Calvin commit) Jack Kamminga 6-3 Sr (Calvin commit) Brogan Sherd 6-0 Sr Luke Tubergen 6-9 Sr

4. Grand Rapids Christian (15-10)

Overview: While Ferndale might have the best top level talent. I’m going get rid of the might for the Eagles descriptor. Christian has the top duo in the state (Thomspon and Johnson) They are about three deep with serious size on the block. They also return their point guard.

Concerns: They got off to an excellent start last year coming off a state finals appearance. Then things seemed to go haywire after Christmas. Perhaps it was just growing pains for a young group. They will need to be more consistent for a full campaign.

Key Players: Carl Thompson 6-4 Sr (IPFW commit) Connor Johnson 6-7 Sr (Northern Michigan commit) Braylon Taylor 5-10 Jr Ajak Gieu 5-11 Sr, Will Doezema 6-6 Sr, Pabegg Anyijong 6-7 Fr

5. Lansing Sexton (19-6)

Overview: The J-Dubbs made a thrilling run to the quarterfinals last year before losing to #1 on this list. They return much of their core and look primed for another big year. They have a very good four year starting point helming things. Along with plenty of other perimeter options as well. Senior laden group is loaded with big game experience.

Concerns: While they have a lengthy frontline, it’s not a beefy frontline. If they can use their perimeter speed to turn teams over, this will not be issue. But this is easily the slimmest team in the top five. The backcourt while extremely dynamic, isn’t the tallest group either.

Key Players: Keyshawn Summerville 5-11 Sr, Mario Murray 5-11 Sr, Markese Murray 5-11 Sr, Korey Jackson 6-6 Jr, Terryon Skipwith 6-4 Sr

6. Freeland (22-4)

Overview: The “tush push” of the list. You know what is coming from this group. However they execute so well, you are not going to stop it. Well run regimented sets for the top shooter in the state. Based off of bruising picks from a Big 10 offensive lineman. They have added a dynamic point guard via transfer, so on ball playmaking is no longer a concern. Like Sexton, an experienced senior laden group that has won a lot of basketball games together.

Concerns: This is group of good athletes. That being said, not sure how comfortable they are playing out transition. Seemed to struggle at times when they got sped up during the team camp season. Controlling pace and tempo will be important for this unit.

Key Players: Wilson Huckeby 6-4 Sr (Saginaw Valley St commit) Tristan Comer 6-6 Sr (Michigan St FB commit) Cooper Wagner 6-0 Sr

7. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (21-8)

Overview: Defending state semifinalists should be more comfortable in year two of their coaches system. Resilient group, to say they successfully dealt with a lot change last year would be understatement. They have a deep and very talented and rotation.

Concerns: That resilience will be tested once again. They have lost their leading scorer and college commitment to an injury. They also have an extremely talented group underclassmen. Working them in can always pose challenges to chemistry.

Key Players: Jordan McCoy 6-1 Sr Brieland Watkins 6-2 Sr, Ty Moody 6-5 Sr, Zay Larthridge 6-5 Sr (Northern Michigan commit injured)

8. Detroit University Prep (19-6)

Overview: The Panthers just keep pumping out strong teams in the Detroit Charter School League. They will feature two dynamic and athletic wing prospects this year. Playing in a strong in conference and for an experienced coach. They should be well tested by March.

Concerns: A few years removed from one of the biggest frontlines in the state. They will not be very big down low. Like Catholic working in some highly touted young players into the rotation could be challenging.

Key Players: Maurice Jackson 6-5 Sr, Chris Byrd 6-4 Sr

9. Warren Lincoln (23-4)

Overview: I simply can’t quit the two time defending state champions. It’s not just stubborn familiarity. They are reloading with some quality young talent. Coach Wydell Henry has used this playbook before, as this was how he built his last group. The results might not be pretty early, but they should be playing their best basketball in March

Concerns: The youth movement is talented but redundancy alert, they are quite.. young. Additionally with the Abe”s playing in so many high leverage games. While they were on team, they do not have a ton of in game experience. Not a lot of size with this group either.

Key Players Ignire Muhammed-El 6-4 Soph, Julian Edison 6-3 Soph, Coby Bruce 6-0 Soph

10. Paw Paw (19-4)

Overview: Perhaps I’m a prisoner of the moment here. The last spot is going to go to a squad that looked very good in a recent preseason scrimmage. A group that is just loaded with perimeter weapons. They also compete very hard on the defensive end. It’s a varied offensive attack as well. They have distributors, penetrators, and shooters.

Concerns: You don’t need an advanced scouting degree (does that exist) to see it. They are not very big. Will they able to speed teams up defensively to make up for this deficiency? In the era of small ball. This squad will be an interesting test case to watch.

Key Players: Truman Brennan 5-11 Sr, Eli Sonnenberg 5-10 Sr, Caden Bowen 6-2 Sr, Kaelin Tate 5-11 Jr