The Southfield Blue Jays will tip-off the 2009-2010 hoops season this Tuesday night against Macomb Dakota with a re-shaped line-up and aspirations of bypassing the limited success experienced by the program last season when they finished up at 11-11.

Last year, the Blue Jays were a one man-team – that one man being all-state junior combo-guard Carlton Brundidge, who led the OC in scoring as a sophomore. With the new season upon us, Southfield has undergone a face-lift and is sporting newfound vigor.  No longer is it accurate to categorize the Blue Jays as having a one dimensional attack. Injected with an influx of talented transfers to combine with his mega-star Brundidge, head coach Gary Teasley knows another .500 season won't be acceptable and that this is the season for the Blue Jays to take flight.

Expectations around campus and within prep pundit circles are high - and rightfully so. Joining Brundidge (verbally committed to UofM) in the backcourt this season will be crafty and cagey junior point guard Desmond "Pee Wee" Barnes, a highly-touted transfer from Detroit Community. The addition of Barnes, a best friend and AAU teammate of Brundidge's for the past eight years, gives Southfield two of the top ten ranked guards in the state's recruiting class of 2011 and arguably the best back backcourt combination in all of Michigan.

The presence of Barnes (16 pts, 7 asst per game as a sophomore at Detroit Community) in the Blue Jays' lineup will allow Brundidge to play off ball and get fed and created for instead of having the pressure to have to create for himself every time down the floor like was the case last season. Brundidge and Barnes existing chemistry and innate knowledge of each other's games spells mountains of pending doom for all opposing defenders.

Barnes is thrilled to be coming on board at Southfield. "I know I can come in immediately and take some of the pressure of CB and help the team right off the bat, so that makes it an exciting situation," he said recently in a phone interview. "Carlton is probably the best scorer in the state and its' my job to get him the ball in the right spots. Each of us knows how the other likes to play and we have an unspoken bond on the floor that makes both of us better as individuals."

Teasley will be running a lot of three guard-sets thus season to try to take advantage of his two junior thoroughbreds. Senior Trey Ware (10 pts, 4 asst per game last season) will start alongside Brundidge and Barnes in Teasley's 3-headed monster of a backcourt. Ware can shoot the rock and has a gritty mentality to his game that is often contagious. For a small guy, he likes getting into the lane and initiating contacts. Getting to the line where he strokes it with a high percentage is his forte'.

Southfield's frontcourt will be athletic and physical. Junior center Patrick Owenu is long, lean, and active near the rim.  He looked good in spot minutes last season as a sophomore and should only improve.  Senior power forward Kevin Kelly, a transfer from Detroit Henry Ford, will be the team's bruiser and banger. Kelly is a lunch pail kind of player and displays unbridled tenacity when going to the glass. He will also serve as the Blue Jays' resident protector of star players, Brundidge and Barnes. In return, whenever his two star guards get in trouble driving the lane, he will be the first option for the dish and easy score.   

Coming off the bench will be senior guard/forward William Lyons, a good defender and role player and high flying junior jumping jacks, Jalen Floyd and De Juan Williams, who will bring energy, spirit and rim-rattling aerial maneuvers every time they hit the floor. Antonio Wright, a transfer from crosstown at Southfield-Lathrup, will be eligible in January and will most likely join the playing rotation second semester.

"I got the commitment out of the way and now I can focus on the season," said Brundidge in a recent phone interview. "I chose UofM, mostly because it's close to home and I feel a strong connection with coach Beline and the whole coaching staff and I like the style they play. Now that Pee Wee's hear and we're going to be playing together for the rest of our high school careers, I really like our chances at doing some nice things. Everyone will contribute this season and the new guys give us some fresh legs and the ability to mix things up a bit more than we've been able to do previously. I can't wait to get started."

 

All-Oakland County 2009

Handing Out The Hardware:

MVP (offense) – Tyler Scarlett QB Sr. Clarkston

MVP (defense) – Justin Cherocchi LB Sr. Brother Rice

MIP – Vince Salatino QB Sr. Farmington Hills Harrison

Coach of The Year – Tom Mach (Catholic Central – 10^th state title in 2009)

OC Dream Team

QB Tyler Scarlett                    Clarkston (1700 passing, 1300 rushing 28 td)

QB Robert Bolden                   OL St. Mary's (scholarship to Penn State)

RB Niko Palazeti                      Catholic Central (1300 yds, 24 td's)

RB Dakota Bender                  Clarkston (1250 yds rushing, 24 total TD's)

RB Terrell Porter                     Berkley 25 rushing td's (tops in the OC)

RB Valdez Showers                MH Madison (23 rushing TD's)

RB Dominic Wiggins               Hazel Park (24 rushing td's)

RB Dae'von Robinson            Southfield (1400 yds, 22 TD's)

WR Kevonte Martin-Manley   Brother Rice (over 2500 all-purpose yards and 22 td's in career)

WR Dominique Shaw              Pontiac (670 yds, 12 td's)

WR Montrell Robinson           SL Lathrup

WR Mitch Kozlowski             MH Lamphere

WR Ray Tillman                      AH Avondale

Flex Cameron Fields              West Bloomfield (over 1000 all-purpose yards, 10 td's)

Flex Ernest Thomas               OL St. Mary's (13 TD's on ground, scholarship to UCLA)

Flex D.J. Lynch                        AH Avondale (scholarship to Bowling Green)

C Bryan Haslinger                  Clarkston

L Joe Synder                            Catholic Central (10 sacks, 55 tackles)

L Jeff Sherman                        Catholic Central

L Nick Di Miro                         RH Adams (scholarship offer from NAVY)

L Jordan Sanders                     RH Adams

L Jeff Dean                              Clarkston

L Bryan Bell                             WL Central

L Ben Walker                          Lake Orion

L Pat Felhberg                         Lake Orion

LB Justin Cherocchi                 Brother Rice (top LB in state, an amazing 220 tackles)

LB Maurice Davenport           Southfield

LB Mike Kinville                      Catholic Central

LB Matt Berkseth                    RH Lutheran Northwest

CB Gary Hunter                       OL St. Mary's

CB Dustin Gamble                   Clarkston

CB Jon Savakus                        Catholic Central

CB Alonso Graham                  Southfield

S Jimmy Pickens                      Brother Rice

S Kevin Harmon                      Southfield (21 sacks)

S Martez Shelton                     Pontiac

S Vince Booker                        Lake Orion

 

 

If you're a football team and in you're in a do-or-die game and you have the ball and the lead with a first down in the final 90 seconds of the contest, please for the love of a god, TAKE A KNEE!

 

DCD's Ray McCallum is about to get all McNasty on Holly when the Yellowjackets head to north on 1-75 to open the season visiting the Broncos

 

Kurt Keener, McCallum's and DCD's head coach, is the OC's version of NBA hoops guru and coaching legend, Phil Jackson. A master motivator, Keener's form of bball karma has brought seven state championships to the corner of 13 Mile and Lahser (granting having future pro's and college all-americans Chris Webber and Shane Battier for 6 of the 7 didn't hurt his cause).

 

Southfield's scintilating junior backcourt of high-scoring Carlton Brundidge (verbally committed to Michigan) and silky smooth Desmond "Pee Wee" Barnes is the best guard combination in the state and will be next year as well. Burney says, "Take it to the bank, baby!"

 

WARNING: If you see Stoney Creek's cold-hearted assassin of a lady hoopster, Gabby Yurik, walking around town engulfed in smoke and flames, don't be alarmed. Hitting a scorching hot 9 three point baskets in her team's double OT victory over crosstown rival Rochester can do that to a girl.

 

Will some D1 school PLEASE give CC mega-fullback and state champion Niko Palazeti a scholarship right now. This kid has "sleeper" written all over him. Recruiters might question his speed, but the certain raw intangibles that he possess as a player and the nose he has for the goal line are valued attributes that can't be taught and need to be recognized.

 

Question of The Upcoming Week: Which on -the -court tenacious tandem is the more deadly "Killer B" combo:

 

A. Southfield's Brundidge and Barnes (resume speaks for itself, no introduction needed)

 

or

 

B. N. Farmington's multi-talented forward Jenna Bachrouche (committed to Oakland and accumulating 33 points, 21 rebounds in first two games of the year) and Lyndsey Booker (Loyola), the consummate female prep point guard

 

 

 

 

Southfield-Lathrup head coach Mike Avery and his Chargers boys hoop squad are all charged-up for the start of the 2009-2010 basketball season. Returning All-State senior swingman Roy Marble, Jr. along with a nice mix of young talent and veteran players off last season's district championship-winning team, Avery and his troops will be revving and roaring to go when they tip off their season on Dec 12 against Detroit King.

The sweet-stroking and high scoring Marble, is a 6-7 "do everything" type who will most certainly go down as one of the best to ever play in the Lathrup program – move over Chappell brothers, Greg Grays (Penn State/UofD-Mercy), Jason Jones (EMU/NFL), etc…there's another mega-hoopster about to join the ranks of the all-time Charger greats.

The fact that Marble is a top scale bonafide baller should really come to no surprise to hoop enthusiasts, since he comes from such a choice gene pool. For those who don't know, Roy Marble, Sr, Baby Roy Jr.'s proud papa, is a University of Iowa and Big Ten Conference legend from his playing career back in the day. Roy Sr., a prep phenom himself from Flint some 25 years ago, was an All-American guard for the Hawkeyes in the late-1980's and a first round NBA draft selection of the Atlanta Hawks. Despite having the same name, father and son have styles of play that are quite opposite of one another's. While Roy Sr. was more of a slasher, stuff-it-in-you-face type of player, Roy Jr. has a bit more finesse to his game and is more of a playmaker than his pops – he can distribute the ball almost as well as he can score it.

Last year led by Marble's 23.5 points (fourth best in the county) and 4.5 assists per game, Southfield-Lathrup finished the season 12-12. On the surface that record might not be that impressive, but if you look deeper and put it into context, the season can be categorized as a genuine success. After working out some early-season kinks regarding team chemistry, the Chargers came on strong late, winning a Class A district title by beating Ferndale last March prior to losing to eventual state champ, Detroit Pershing, and bowing from the tournament in the regionals.

Marble, signed with Iowa and entering his fourth year starting on the SL varsity, will headline would could end up being a vicious and multi-faceted Chargers' attack. Augmenting the always reliable Marble will be fellow seniors and returning starters, Bryan Coleman, one of the area's top forwards, and Drew Gilchrest, a hard-nosed and heady point guard.

Joining the tenacious trifecta of Marble, Coleman, and Gilchrest in the starting-line up this season will most likely be junior forward Jemetrius Way, a rangy, athletic wing, and freshman Jonathon "John John" Williams, a slick and slithery combo-guard who has earned a spot in the playing rotation in pre-season camp by competing at a level way beyond his young age.

Senior Anthony Nelson and junior Mario Pearson will anchor the Chargers' bench unit. The S-Lathrup coaching staff intends to use Marble a portion of the game as a "point forward", having him share ball-handling duties with Gilchrest, the theory being that it would allow him a little more freedom to dictate certain offensive sets that play to his strengths on the court.

Avery, entering his tenth season on the sidelines for the Chargers, acknowledges the groundswell of anticipation surrounding his team this year.

"There are some pretty high expectations there for us to try to reach this season," he said during a recent practice as he watched his squad scrimmage in front of him. "But I like it that way. And I think the team does too. The core of this group are kids that have been with me on varsity for three years now. The experience is there. The desire and talent are there. We just need to put it all together and we could have a special season in front of us. What's encouraging to see is that we're focused and committed and I honestly feel this bunch of players want to put the work in to be the best they can be. They want to keep improving and getting better every time they hit the court. I'd say I the only thing I would like to see is a little more vocal leadership out of some of the seniors but other than that I'm pretty excited for what this team could end up accomplishing. These are unselfish kids and that have a true love for the game. That's always a great combination."

The 42-year old head coach with five district crowns under his belt is quite the expert on excellence in prep basketball. As a high schooler growing up in Flint – on the roster of the original "Flintstones" of the working class city's first glory era of prep hoops dominance in the 1970's and early-1980's – , Avery was a starter on what was arguably the best high school basketball team in the history of the state.  Well, it was actually two teams to be exact: the 1984 and 1985 Flint Northwestern squads featuring seven future D1 ballers and a number of future pro athletes like Glen Rice (Michigan/NBA), Jeff Grayer (Iowa State/NBA), and Andre Rison (Michigan State/NFL), that finished 55-1 with two Class A state championship banners over the course of two seasons. He played collegiately himself at Central Michigan and first came to S-Lathrup as an assistant coach under Bob Herm in the mid-1990's before taking over the program upon Herm's retirement in 1996 following the Chargers run all the way to the Class A state title game.

HARPER SHOWS MERIT, OAK PARK TAKES 68-64 OT PRE-SEASON SCRIMMAGE

By Scott M. Burnstein

Special to The Oakland Press

OAK PARK

On a team that has a great deal of new faces, it was old familiar jersey number 11 that got the job done for the Oak Park boys basketball team on Wednesday night in a highly-competitive pre-season scrimmage against Mount Clemens. Senior swingman Kenny Harper, a reserve role player for the Knights the past two seasons, stepped to the forefront and dropped a game-high 32 points, including delivering a number of key baskets in the clutch, to lead Oak Park to a 68-64 overtime defeat of the visiting Bathers, in front of a sizeable and boisterous home crowd.

With the score knotted at 55-55 in the final minute of the game, Harper scored four straight points – a 10-foot jumper and two free throws – to give the Knights a 59-55 advantage.  Then in the extra-session with his team clinging to a four point lead, he stayed blazing hot and drained a tough jump shot in the lane that hit nothing but net and gave Oak Park a 68-62 lead with 48.9 seconds left in overtime. His steal of a Mount Clemens inbounds pass in the game's closing seconds sewed up the win.

Harper and fellow starters and co-captains, Jalen Crawford (wing) and Jamar Durhal (center) are the only returning players from a 2008 team that was stacked with Division 1-caliber talent but failed to live up to expectations. After being a mainstay in early-season top ten polls, the '08 Knights, led by high-scoring forward Kallante Miller (scholarship to Central Michigan which was revoked due to legal problems) and whirling dervish of a point guard, Sam Burton (lots of DI offers, but due to test score eligibility he's playing JUCO this year), faltered down the stretch and never lived up to expectations, finishing out the scandal-filled campaign a meager 10-11. Besides losing Miller and Burton to graduation off last year's team, Oak Park has also lost starting guard Daryl Flemister and top reserve Chris Dewberry, both who transferred out of the school district last summer.

Durhal was held out of the scrimmage by new head coach Denolius Burkes because of a minor injury, however, Crawford, had a solid outing for the squad and contributed 16 points and four assists.

"I've got to pick up the slack this year with Kallante (Miller) and Sam (Burton) gone and tonight was a good start," Harper said in the locker room following the game. "I'm the leader of this team and along with Jalen (Crawford), I've got to take care of it and protect it like it's my family. We can be good this season if everyone just plays hard and smart every time we hit the court. There's no question we have the talent. People might not know about us like they did last year, but it's my job to make them know."

The 6-1 slasher's outing is even more impressive when you add in the fact that he almost didn't suit up to play in the scrimmage since he's still battling the effects of a flu virus he caught over the Thanksgiving holiday. 

"I just fought through the sickness," Harper said of the effort.  "I put it out of mind and just played hard. In the end, my adrenaline and motivation shined through. I need to set an example for the younger guys. That's what I tried to do. Hopefully, this game will set a tone for the rest of the season."

Almost just as hot as Harper, Bathers' junior shooting guard Thomas Hannah, very nearly stole the spotlight and the game. Hannah scored 28 points and sank a toasty six-of-nine 3-balls. Down four in the game's final 10 seconds he drilled a long 3-pointer from deep in the left corner to pull Mount Clemens to within one point at 59-58. He then went to the free throw line with 1.5 seconds remaining in regulation – via a technical foul on Oak Park for having too many players on the floor – with a chance to win it for the Bathers.  But Hannah split the pair and the contest went into overtime.

Sporting new life, Oak Park started the overtime with pep in its step and an ironclad desire to claim victory on its home court. Hoops by Joe Glover and Bobby McPherson in the first minute of OT put the Knights in front 63-59 and Harper's heroics took over from there. Brand new starting point guard Terry Starks, who had a crucial three point-play in the extra stanza as well, looked good running the Oak Park offense throughout the course of the scrimmage and registered 12 points, six assists, and three steals.

Forward Keith Johnson, an athletic-banger type, rounds out the Knights starting line-up. Slinky and steady sophomore guards, Jeremy Armstrong and Denolius "Little D" Burkes III, the coach's son and namesake, will spell Harper, Crawford, and Starks in the backcourt.

"We're going to be a little younger this year but I really like the mix of players we have to work with," said Burkes, taking over the Knights varsity hoops program after coaching the junior varsity and being a varsity assistant the last two seasons. "I think this year will be different and fun. We'll be more balanced and disciplined and I think we're going to be playing harder defense. Our team chemistry is at its best that it's been since I got here two years ago.

Burkes prepped at Detroit Central and as a senior in 1988 led his team to the PSL finals at Calihan Hall. Overseeing and coaching the "Team Legion" AAU program over the last decade, Burkes has a strong relationship with a majority of his players due to having coached them previously either on the JV or with his summer travel squad. Burkes thinks this familiarity will aid the team in adapting to its new lineup.

"The continuity is already there," he said. "From a coach-player perspective, we actually probably know each other better than most other teams that have been together at the varsity level for longer than we have. I'm excited to get going next week."

The Knights kick-off the 2009-2010 campaign next Monday night when they play Willow Run.

A few things I will miss from this past season:

CC's Niko Palazeti playing the part of human bowling ball and rolling down the opposing defenders like The Big Lebowski himself

The CC's "Cy Squad" defense, led by seniors Mike Kinville, Butch Herzog, Jeff Sherman, and Joe Snyder, pitching shutouts like they were the new millennium re-incarnation of the sack happy and Super Bowl winning 1985 Chicago Bears. (Thank god some of the "Cy'ers" like ace linebacker/kicker Justin D'Agostino and big play blanket-corner Andrew Nelson will be back so Burney can a least see some pieces to that special state championship puzzle next season)

St. Mary's gruesome twosome of Penn St-bound QB Robert "Big Play Bob" Bolden and UCLA-bound Ernest "The Furnace" Thomas and FH Harrison's "Fun Bunch" passing attack consisting of seniors Vince "The Prince' Salatino (QB), Sidney Coleman (WR), David Evans (TE), Steve Slobin (TB), Will Ferguson (TB), Derek Head (FB), DJ Cook (WR), and Jalin Kelly (WR), and super soph Aaron Burbridge (WR)

Watching Brother Rice LB Justin Cherocchi wreck havoc with any and all ball carriers anywhere near his general vicinity

The elusive and electrifying play of Cameron Fields (West Bloomfield)

The tremendous moxie of Clarkston seniors Tyler Scarlett, Dakota Bender, Dustin Gamble, and Jeff Dean

WL Central field general, Joe Diamond and the machine-like efficiency of the Vikings old school offense

The beefy and brawny RH Adams line anchored by Nick Di Miro and Jordan Sanders

The raw determination, unbreakable spirit, and clutch play ability of departing Southfield Blue Jays Maurice "Mo Knows" Davenport, Alonso Graham, and Kevin Harmon (18 sacks)

The powerful 1-2 punch of Hazel Park's "Killer D" backfield of Dominic Wiggins and Dustin O'Malley

The out-of-nowhere big play ability of Pontiac's Dominique Shaw, the OC's very own Randy Moss in '09

The underrated and underappreciated play of Troy's Chris "The Wizard" Wheeler, Bobby "The Wonderboy" Wunderlich and Bobby Pardun

 

 

OC Pre-Season Top 10 – Girls Basketball

1 Birmingham Detroit Country Day – The Yellowjackets' two decades of dominance will continue with this new batch of ballers who are a perfect mix of season veterans (Maddie Williams, Imari Redfield, and Troy Hambric) and fresh faced phenoms (super sophs Aerial Powers and Amber Deab)

2 North Farmington –  The Raiders are a well-balanced group with tons of big game experience. Senior PF Jenna Bachrouche (Oakland) and senior point guard Lyndsey Booker (Loyola) make up the best "inside-outside" tandem in the county. Sophmore Jasmine Harris is a rising star.

3 Southfield-Lathrup – A Big and physical front court (Amber McCann and Gennesica Lawlor) will combine with a lightning quick backcourt (Michelle Hayes and Kyra Littlejohn) to make last season's sub-par season seem like a distant memory.

4 Birmingham Marian – Rachel Melcher will carry on the tradition of great Marian guards as she finishes out a stellar career this season.

5 Novi – Caroline Johnson, Carolina Johnson, Caroline Johnson!!!!!!!

6 Lakeland – Stephanie Locke, Stephanie Locke, Stephanie Locke!!!!!!

7 Waterford Our Lady of The Lakes – Junior scoring machine Lauren Robak (verbally committed to Oakland) and senior center Alexis Doetch, a walking "double-double", are small-school clones of N. Farmington's "Killer B's", Bachrouche and Booker.

8 Auburn Hills Avondale – New coach plus junior star Jailyn Hamilton equals Yellow Jackets success this year.

9 AH Oakland Christian – The hot-shooting Carlee Cottrell and the offensively-skilled Emily Sweet are a small-school version of DCD's Powers and Dean.

10 (a) Clarkston – Kaliegh Kenny brings the the jelly, bread, and spreading knife to the Wolves' peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

10 (b) Walled Lake Northern – A senior-laden Knights girls hoop squad could end up following in the boys soccer team's footsteps – no pun intended – from the fall and end up making history this winter.