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Will he or won't he? That is the question that four lucky college coaches are awaiting the answer to in regards to where Birmingham Detroit Country Day All-American senior point guard, Ray McCallum, Jr. will decide to play his college hoops and in turn, if they will end up landing his much-coveted services. Sean Miller at Arizona, Billy Donovan at Florida, Ben Howling at UCLA, and Ray's dad's, Ray McCallum, Sr. at the University of Detroit-Mercy, are the quad of coaches jockeying to sign DCD's dazzling floor general - 21 ppg, 6 apg, 6 rpg, 3.5 stls per game so far this season.

Alright, I've waited long enough, standing idly by holding my tongue, it's time for Burney to drop some knowledge and perspective and give you prep recruiting fiends my very own prediction on what school "Big Play Ray" will end up selecting and signing with in April.

From Burney has been told from his various sources, this recruiting derby is a two team-race. Thus, you can throw out Howling at UCLA and Donovan at Florida. The street is talking and the word is that McCallum has it narrowed down to either Wildcat U at Arizona and going to play for dear old dad at UofD-Mercy at legendary Calihan Hall.

Having personally spoken to Ray about AZ back in December, I could tell he was very high on young and spunky Wildcats head coach Sean Miller. The pair related well on his visit down to 'Zona late last year and McCallum has an obvious respect for Miller's experience-factor and his skills as a "pitchman". Miller point-guarded a very good Pitt team back in the late-90s-early-80s and had tremendous success with his stable of guards in his previous coaching life at mid-major powerhouse, Xavier in Cincinnati. He is also known as a magnetic recruiter who develops solid personal relationships with the kids he coaches.

Now that said, much to my surprise and contrary to what I had anticipated earlier in the recruiting process, U-of-D-Mercy is a real contender in this recruiting race, possibly even the front runner at this point in time. I've personally spoken to more than one prep prospect being courted by McCallum, Sr.'s up and coming Titans program and they have all told me the Mercy staff is telling them the younger McCallum is 99 percent committed to signing with his pops.

If that's the case, the push to get the program back to the heights it once achieved under Perry Watson last decade and current sports broadcast icon, Dick Vitale back in the mid to late-1970s is about to get a heck of a lot stronger.  Second if McCallum actually did end up at Mercy and took the Titans to the possible success scouts equate his talent with, he could easily wind up being a local college hoops legend, enshrined in the hallowed annals of Motor City bball history along other UofD greats like Dave De Busschere, John Long, Terry Tyler, Terry Duerod, Jermaine Jackson, and Rashad Phillips. McCallum, Jr. could bring a serious jolt of electricity back to Calihan Hall and with that, most-likely an exciting buzz surrounding the Titans program not felt around here in over a decade and in reality probably dating back as late as the Vitale era when Calihan was the hottest ticket in town.

To play devil's advocate, a decision like that – McCallum, Jr. selecting UofD – would be a huge risk. He would be putting it all on the line to go help out his dad turn Mercy into a winner and in turn probably get his pops a top tier D1 job. And if it fails, if he goes there and doesn't elevate the program to the heights expected, it could be a disaster of epic proportions. He could end up falling under what I call, "The Lavell Blanchard Quandary" or more aptly titled, "Great player-Bad Program Quandary." Mark my words, if Blanchard would have gone to MSU instead of UofM a decade ago, he would be making a living in the NBA right now. He might not be a star or a starter, but he'd be in the league crafting out a role as a poor man's Shane Battier-type. But he didn't. Blanchard went to Ann Arbor got stuck with a pair of horrendous head coaches inside a highly-dysfunctional program and wound up having a forgettable but very solid college career because of his surroundings and thus never got a real chance to get drafted.

So that's what I know as of right now. And with that, I'm going tell you what I think he's going to end up doing. Personally, I think he'll wind up inking with Miller and Arizona. I don't think Ray likes the Midwest and prefers a warm weather environment to play in evidenced by his three choices not coached by his dad. Plus, as confident Ray is as a ballplayer, I don't think he wants the extreme pressure and certain immense-anticipation and expectation that would accompany the commitment. Not that he couldn't handle it, because I think he could, but I just don't think he wants it. He just wants to play without having deal with distractions, which playing for his dad at UofD would be full of.

I don't foresee this being an easy decision, but I think it's what he will do and I think its ultimately what's best for his future career. Would I be surprised if he went the other way and decided to take on the Big Enchillada and sign with Mercy? Not at all. Either way, I wish Big Play Ray the best of luck on both his college decision and all his future endeavors.

I am in serious awe of Hazel Park's inside-outside tandem of Wesley Ellis and Dakota Ogles, These two have been, as L.L. Cool J once said, "Doing it and doing it and doing it well," ever since the beginning of the season. The 10-3 Vikings are off to their best start in quite a while and sit in second place in the OAA Blue with a 6-2 conference record. On Friday night, Ellis (a prolific passer with a season-high of 16 dimes) sank the game-winner in the closing seconds of the HP's 82-80 victory over a tough-as-nails Farmington Hills Harrison team and Ogles went ITZ for the second time in two weeks, matching his season-high of 37 points. Ogles was also a beast on the boards, collecting 13 rebounds in the win.

PONTIAC- ARE U FREAKING KIDDING ME? BACK-T0-BACK 35-FOOT 3-POINT SHOTS - Juwaan Moody to tie it up and De Brian Lewis to win it at the horn - TO DOWN C-TOWN AT THE BUZZER! WOW, AREN'T HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AWESOME!

Oak Park apparently has West Bloomfield's number this season, as the Knights boys hoop squad took down the Lakers for the second time in the 2009-2010 campaign, punking the WB in its own crib, 68-63. Jalen Crawford continued to impress the college scouts with his play by dropping a 21 point, five assist, five rebound performance on the host-Lake show. Burney has to admit, while watching Crawford as a junior last season, he didn't think much of his opportunity to play at a formidable D1 school at the next level. Upon further review however, Burney sees how very wrong he was and after seeing him play on a number of occasions this season, Burney is convinced that Crawford is a bonafide college hoopster. Don't sleep on the Knights Kenny Harper either. Harper is versatile and a "go all out, all the time" type of player that could also end up helping some form of program – whether small-time D1 or big time D2 – at the next level.

Walled Lake Central's front-court of Joe Zurbrickas and Jake Paulson are playing like modern-day high school versions of Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. Paulson tallied 22 points and 20 boards in the Vikings, 54-48 overtime win against crosstown-foe Walled Lake Western on Friday night. Denny Butcher's Vikes are 12-2.

Don't look now but Farmington's boys basketball squad is starting to round into shape and with Friday's 53-47 road win over Birmingham Groves the Falcons are riding a two-game win streak. Farmington's victory also raises its record above the .500 mark at 7-6. Jason Wilson, a two-sport star who also excels on the football field as a wide receiver and defensive back, has been coming into his own this season and put in a game-high 18 points for the winners.

And finally what about RH Adams, avoiding the letdown and triumphing over GP South by double-digits on Friday night. Adams beat a then-undefeated Seaholm squad on Tuesday and could have been prone for the fall, but came out strong against South and ran away with it thanks to Junior forward Andrew Hammett, who scored a career-high 31 points and hauled down 11 rebounds. Senior Connor Boyle, a steadying presence in the Adams backcourt these past two seasons adding 10 points and four assists, the Highlanders improve to 10-3.

I am in serious awe of Hazel Park's inside-outside tandem of Wesley Ellis and Dakota Ogles, These two have been, as L.L. Cool J once said, "Doing it and doing it and doing it well," ever since the beginning of the season. The 10-3 Vikings are off to their best start in quite a while and sit in second place in the OAA Blue with a 6-2 conference record. On Friday night, Ellis (a prolific passer with a season-high of 16 dimes) sank the game-winner in the closing seconds of the HP's 82-80 victory over a tough-as-nails Farmington Hills Harrison team and Ogles went ITZ for the second time in two weeks, matching his season-high of 37 points. Ogles was also a beast on the boards, collecting 13 rebounds in the win.

PONTIAC - ARE U FREAKING KIDDING ME? BACK-TO-BACK 35-FOOTERS - Juwaan Moody to tie and De Brian Lewis to win - TO BEAT C-TOWN IN THE FINAL 4 and a HALF SECONDS, DON"T U JUST LOVE PREP BASKETBALL!!!!!!

Oak Park apparently has West Bloomfield's number this season, as the Knights boys hoop squad took down the Lakers for the second time in the 2009-2010 campaign, punking the WB in its own crib, 68-63. Jalen Crawford continued to impress the college scouts with his play by dropping a 21 point, five assist, five rebound performance on the host-Lake show. Burney has to admit, while watching Crawford as a junior last season, he didn't think much of his opportunity to play at a formidable D1 school at the next level. Upon further review however, Burney sees how very wrong he was and after seeing him play on a number of occasions this season, Burney is convinced that Crawford is a bonafide college hoopster. Don't sleep on the Knights Kenny Harper either. Harper is versatile and a "go all out, all the time" type of player that could also end up helping some form of program – whether small-time D1 or big time D2 – at the next level.

Walled Lake Central's front-court of Joe Zurbrickas and Jake Paulson are playing like modern-day high school versions of Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. Paulson tallied 22 points and 20 boards in the Vikings, 54-48 overtime win against crosstown-foe Walled Lake Western on Friday night. Denny Butcher's Vikes are 12-2.

Don't look now but Farmington's boys basketball squad is starting to round into shape and with Friday's 53-47 road win over Birmingham Groves the Falcons are riding a two-game win streak. Farmington's victory also raises its record above the .500 mark at 7-6. Jason Wilson, a two-sport star who also excels on the football field as a wide receiver and defensive back, has been coming into his own this season and put in a game-high 18 points for the winners.

And finally what about RH Adams, avoiding the letdown and triumphing over GP South by double-digits on Friday night. Adams beat a then-undefeated Seaholm squad on Tuesday and could have been prone for the fall, but came out strong against South and ran away with it thanks to Junior forward Andrew Hammett, who scored a career-high 31 points and hauled down 11 rebounds. Senior Connor Boyle, a steadying presence in the Adams backcourt these past two seasons adding 10 points and four assists, the Highlanders improve to 10-3.

Please, don't get me started on what happened to Southfield's Maurice "Big Mo" Davenport earlier this week. Oh, alright, if you insist:

This kid got the shaft with a capital "S" in the recruiting process by those "winners" over in Ypsilanti at Eastern Michigan. Thanks a lot, Ron English and Tyrone Wheatley! Or shall I say, thanks for nothing guys and see ya at the bottom of the MAC once again over the next few years when I play my ass off and perform at the highest level for my new team, Wayne State U. The situation that development in regards to Davenport's recruiting process tells you all you need to know about the state of the EMU program. These former Wolverine "class acts", offered Davenport a scholarship back in October, which he accepted (and in turn informed all the other D1 schools that were recruiting him to stop – which they did), and then pulled it away from him in the hours leading up to signing day on Wednesday for no good reason at all.

And did Wheatley – who recruited him – or English, the Lloyd Carr-endorsed sideline general who leads the beleaguered Eagles program, have the human decency to call and inform Davenport of their decision to pull their offer off the table and leave him hanging in the wind sans parachute?. Of course not, that would have been the professional thing to do. That's how things are done at well-run, well-disciplined, classy programs – which are few and far between these days, as well as ever, for that matter. Davenport, a relentlessly-aggressive fullback-linebacker, with a heart of a champion and the will of a warrior, had to call the EMU football office himself to be informed why none of his recruiters had been returning his calls and that he no longer had a place on the Eagles 2010 roster. The EMU staff even had the audacity to tell Davenport that one of the reasons the scholarship offer was being taken away was due to him "not playing up to his capabilities." REALLY,? Cause that statement couldn't be more false.  Davenport played like a man possessed in the Bluejays run to a district title last fall and helped Southfield advance all the way to the Division Two Final Four in 2008. His leadership, effort, and playmaking were major reasons for his team's recent successes. To say there was some sort of drop off in his play, is ridiculous and downright offensive. It's obvious to me the Eagles coaching staff didn't properly complete their due diligence in regard to Davenport, fell in love with some JUCO they perceived as a better fit for their recruiting class and then used a BS excuse to blame him for the entire ordeal. What a bunch of sleaze balls!!!

 Way to go, Coach English, you've done your program and mentor, Carr, very proud. Why don't you just go kick a dog or push an old lady carrying a walker into oncoming traffic while you're at it?  All sarcasm aside, I truly hope that they way you and your program treated such a great kid like Davenport, is the exception rather than the rule and that this type of behavior isn't becoming the status quo in Ypsilanti these days. If it is the norm, than the school's AD needs to do some serious re-evaluating of whether or not they want English roaming the sidelines on their behalf in the future.

This has been a very special week for the great number of Metro Detroit student athletes who got the opportunity to sign National Letters of Intent and accept scholarships to play sports at the next level.

Although each signing is special in their own right, there are a few notable signings that I want to write a couple things about:

First off, freshly-anointed head coach Matt Mitchell's new regime at Grand Valley State got a few late-additions to its 2010 signing class in the form of a trio of gridiron gladiators from Oakland County. Justin Davis of Southfield-Lathrup, Sam Welch of Walled Lake Western and John Westfall of Milford all got in on the Laker party at the last-minute and all three are great lands for Mitchell's first incoming recruiting class. Davis is one of those multi-purpose athletes with a "high-ceiling" in the development department, a kid who will probably end up being a better college player than he was a prepster. Welch is an old fashioned gun slinger behind center and one of the most prolific passers ever in the history of prep sports in Walled Lake. Unfortunately Welch's team had a sub-par season this past fall and that probably cost him a shot at a D1 ride. Nonetheless, Welch has the chance to be a special player at the next level and Mitchell's offense is practically a perfect fit with Welch's skill set.     

Word on the street is that Devon Bailey will be joining his high school teammate, Taylor Calero (upstart Defensive End/Linebacking prospect) at Michigan State next year as a preferred walk-on. Before an injury plagued senior campaign, Bailey had several mid-major D1 schools interested in giving him full rides. In the end, however, things might turn out the best for Bailey without the initial scholarship in hand, but at a major DI school like MSU, a program that needs added depth at the running back position……er if things go well, Bailey could very well work his way onto the field and into some carries, if not a larger role all together, in the next few seasons in the EL.

It was nice to see local soccer studs Lake Orion's Derek Schrauben and RH Adams' Joey Dillon both ending up with scholarships that will allow them to keep getting their "kicks-on" in college. Schrauben, whose a major reason why the Lake Orion hoops team is doing as well as it has been doing this season, inked with Western Michigan on Wednesday morning and Dillon signed with Georgtown. Dillon helped lead the Highlanders to a magical season on the field in 2009.

Dillon's classmates at Adams Jordan Sanders, Nick Di Miro, and Matt Rea, each landed themselves with spots on college rosters next year too. Sanders and Di Miro, who I personally believe could easily be mid-major D1 offensive lineman if given the shot, penned with Saginaw Valley State and Northwood, respectively. Rea, a rugged fullback/linebacker combo, will be suiting up for the Quakers of University of Penn.

Speaking of Ivy League football, DCD's Jason Ray, a hard-playing and highly-intelligent linebacker/safety/tight end, has chose Princeton as his destination to go play college football. In his first year on the varsity hoops squad this season, Ray has been an integral reserve post player for the nationally-ranked Yellowjackets.

Injured hand and all, OLSM multi-talented playmaker, Gary Hunter, was offered and accepted a scholarship from the University of Dayton. Hunter sparked the Eaglets special teams unit as a lethal return specialist and anchored the team's secondary from his cornerback spot, in their '09 run to the state finals at Ford Field.

MADISON MAULS STERLING HEIGHTS FOR NON-CONFERENCE 'W'

 

By SCOTT M. BURNSTEIN

MADISON HEIGHTS

The scoreboard in the Madison Heights Madison gymnasium was malfunctioning on Wednesday night, in stark contrast to the Madison boys basketball team, which was functioning at the highest of levels in its non-conference showdown with a considerably taller Sterling Heights squad. Utilizing a frenetic transition game and some sticky defense, the Eagles trounced the visiting-Stallions, 72-49 and dialed up their overall record to a not so shabby 10-2.

In a game which had a scrimmage-like feel to it as a result of the defective scoreboard requiring the score to be tallied by hand with a plastic number display and time intervals to be shouted out by officials every three minutes, Madison surged in front of a physically-bigger Sterling Heights squad and never looked back.

Leading the way for the Eagles was sophomore sensation, Damon Bozeman, who put in another supreme outing for Madison on both ends of the floor by posting his sixth double-double of the season. Bozeman scored a game-high 22 points, while hauling down 11 rebounds. He also played very strong defense against a larger Stallions' front court, helping limit Sterling Heights 6-9 center Adam Ring to just six points and five rebounds.

"I just love playing the game of basketball," said Bozeman, a second year varsity letterman following the triumph. "Everything is going well for us as a team right now and we need to ride that momentum as far as we can. We can't get cocky. If we keep preparing and playing hard, we'll be okay."

Madison's mini, yet mighty backcourt of seniors R.T. Merritt and Ashton Curd, gave their opponents fits all night long too. Merritt finished with 11 points, six assists, and five steals. Curd joined Bozeman in the double-double department, by contributing 10 points, 10 dimes, and four steals.

"I can't tell you how much fun it is playing with R.T. and Ashton," Bozeman said of the two guards who routinely feed him the ball on the break so he can finish with the deuce. "They're both like big brothers to me. They've showed me the ropes these last two years. When we get in the open court together, we're dangerous. They set me up and let me make plays. I owe them a lot of credit for the kind of season I'm having."

Tevin Washington, another super sophomore forward like Bozeman, made it into double figures with 10 points and added five boards.

Going ahead 36-27 at halftime, the Eagles brought down the proverbial hammer midway through the second half, outscoring Sterling Heights 18-6 in a key stretch of the late-third and early-fourth quarter. In a sign of things to come, Madison opened the second half on an 8-0 run courtesy of two hoops apiece by Washington and Merritt.

The Stallions weren't dead yet though and made a ploy to get back into the game, responding with an 8-0 run of their own. After Julius Wade drained a 3-pointer and Ring slammed one home off a well-executed in-bounds play, Sterling Heights had the Eagles' lead trimmed down into single digits, at a score of 44-35.

Taking their opponents' scoring barrage in stride, Madison closed out the quarter in dominating fashion, running and gunning to a 52-37 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Back-to-back fast break baskets by Bozeman and Curd's twisting, double-pump lay-up off a steal ended the quarter's scoring onslaught. It didn't stop there, either. The Eagles kicked-off the game's final stanza with a 6-0 run that effectively took away the Stallions spirit.

Two more Bozeman buckets via the transition game made it 58-37 and Curd's floater in the lane ratcheted up the lead to 63-41 with 5:12 remaining.

Sterling Heights was led in the scoring column by Wade's 11 points. The loss moves the Stallions overall record to 5-7 on the year.

Eagles head coach, Steve Rhoads, in his first year on the job, likes the direction his team is headed in. "We play unselfish basketball and make the extra pass and that's why we're winning," he said. "We try to play quick, without hurrying, as the expression goes. There were still a little too many turnovers this game for my liking but we'll get that corrected in practice. These guys love to play the game and they play it with energy and enthusiasm. We're at a good place right now and hopefully we'll continue to get better."

A legend in local coaching circles since the 1970's, Rhoads is back on the sidelines after a 10 year absence from the head coaching ranks. Rhoads retired from his successful 30-year tenure at Berkley in 2000 after coaching such future professional athletes like Bruce Flowers (NBA-Knicks) and Aric Morris (NFL-Tennessee Titans). Brought out of retirement as an assistant coach in 2005 by ex-player, Brian Canfield, who had just taken over the program at Madison, Rhoads was on the bench for five consecutive conference championships and a district title win in 2008. Upon Canfield's departure last spring, Rhoads was hired as the Eagles new head coach and as evidenced by the current record hasn't let his team miss a beat.

"It feels good to be back," Rhoads said. "It's a different setting and a new community environment, but I embrace that. I look forward to helping bring the community and team together and keep building something special here just like we did in Berkley back in the day."

DRAGONS & MAYO STAY HOT, FIRE OFF WIN AT TROY

By SCOTT M. BURNSTEIN

TROY

Lake Orion's Alex Mayo is a survivor. Two seasons ago as a sophomore, Mayo, a soft-stroking 6-foot-2 swingman, was a top reserve on a very good Dragons varsity hoops squad that featured All-Stat superstud and current Oakland University forward, Drew Maynard. Then the bottom fell out. Last year was an all-out disaster. With Maynard graduating, starting point guard Anthony Fields – who should be a senior this year – bolting to the PSL and Detroit Southeastern, head coach Jim Manzo resigning and starting guard Jeff Heath deciding not to come out for his senior year due to wanting to concentrate on his college football career, Lake Orion stumbled to a paltry four-win campaign.

This year, on the other hand, has been a whole different story. Led by Mayo's high-scoring ways and a boatload of rugged role players, the Dragons are in the process of fighting it out for a conference championship. Mayo was at it again on Tuesday night, recording a game-high 25 points and propelling Lake Orion to a hard-fought 60-59 road victory over Troy. The win sends the Dragons into a three way -tie with RH Adams and Stoney Creek for second place in the OAA White Division.

The comeback-win raises Lake Orion's overall record to 8-4. After starting the season 1-3 under first year head coach Mike Shafkalis, the Dragons have now won seven of their last eight contests. Adams, Stoney Creek, and Lake Orion each stand at 5-2 in league play, one game behind first place Birmingham Seaholm (11-1, 6-1), who got upset by Adams on Tuesday.

Eight of Mayo's 25 points came in the frantic-paced fourth quarter which saw the Dragons rally back from a 6 point-deficit. Also a wide receiver on Lake Orion's highly-vaunted football team these past two seasons – in '08 he played in Ford Field in the Class A state title game – Mayo is averaging 17.5 points per game so far this year.

Behind the play of the Colts' painfully-potent "May-December"-combo of senior captain and all-conference forward, Bobby Wunderlich (set to play football next year at Grand Valley State) and freshman phenom, James Young, Troy staked claim to a 34-28 halftime lead and a 48-45 advantage after three quarters of play, but failed to hold on at the end. Two straight baskets by Mayo put Lake Orion on top 60-55 with under 90 seconds left on the clock. However, the Colts made it interesting late, scoring two straight hoops to get within one possession down and securing an opportunity for a game-winning shot in the game's final seconds. Coming out of a timeout, Wunderlich's shot at the buzzer fell just short and Lake Orion took home the 'W.'

Wunderlich scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Young scored 15 points by way of sinking 5-of-7 3-point shots and corralled seven boards to headline Troy's offensive output for the night. Sophomore point guard Evan Mahone contributed 10 points and five assists to the Colts effort. Troy drops its overall record to 5-8, 2-5 in the conference.

Besides Mayo, Lake Orion also got top of the line performances from senior guard Derek Schrauben (a D1 soccer recruit) and senior center Ian Monk. Schrauben tallied 13 points for the Dragons and Monk, patrolled the paint with poise and passion to the tune of six points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots.

PALAZETI'S WISH COMES THROUGH AT LAST MINUTE

It came down to the wire, but Novi Detroit Catholic Central's mega-fullback/human bulldozer, Niko "Big Poppa" Palazetti has finally secured himself a more than well-deserved D1 college football scholarship. Palazetti, a 6-foot-2, 250 pound battering ram of a ball carrier who is as classy off the field as he is volatile on in, was offered and accepted a full ride to Michigan State University on Monday, wrapping a bow on what will go down as one of the best seasons for a Oakland County running back in quite some time. When it was all said and done and the CC state championship banner had been raised, the Shamrocks' consummate workhorse had rushed for over 1400 yards and 25 TDS. In the state title game at Ford Field – a 31-21 defeat of a high-powered SH Stevenson squad led by the state's all-time leading passer in Jason Fracassa – he pummeled the competition for 145 yards on the ground and two big time scores. Oh, yeah, let's not forget about his stalwart effort in the trenches helping spark an exceptional CC defense and his outstanding leadership displayed in the huddle, in the lockeroom, and in the class room (Big Poppa is "NOTORIOUS" for getting his "book on" as well as getting his "TD on" to the tune of a 3.5 gpa). He will sign his official National Letter of Intent on Wednesday morning at the CC campus off Wixom Road in a ceremony which will include his all-state teammate, Mike Kinville, a Shamrocks linebacker slated to ink with Central Michigan.

This is a great story about a great kid. Before the 2009 prep football campaign, Palazetti only had a few offers to play college ball and they were all from D2 and D3 schools. His monstrosity of a senior year on the gridiron got some of the bigger college programs in the area talking and then, eventually lurking in his direction. At first, MSU and Michigan both floated the idea of brining Palazetti into their respective programs as a preferred walk-on. However, as the clock clicked down to the wire in the 2010 recruiting game, Spartans head honcho, Mark D'antonio, decided to offer Palazetti an all out full-ride. To say D'antonio and the Sparty faithful got themselves a diamond in the rough would be a gross understatement. Mark my words, you're going to be hearing about this kid at the next level and in a major way. He's got that "X-factor" intangible as a player that transcends numbers and rankings and that trait will make him successful in East Lansing. His will to achieve is colossal and it shines through in the way he plays the game – inspired, steely-eyed and with high-impact.

Prior to the big boys smarting up, Palazetti was knocked for his lack of speed. HELLO, MCFLY. IS THERE ANYONE HOME? (Back to the Future reference). Of course, he lacks speed. He's a bruising fullback, he's not supposed to be fast. But what he is, if not speedy, is a hard-blocking, gutty grinder of a ball-toter and a true throwback of a football player in general. Basically, the kind of guy you want on your team when you're battling out for the Big Ten title every year (which is where Sparty will hopefully be soon under the D'antonio regime). Just think, Mike Alstott with a little more of an instinctive nose for the end zone. That's what this kid is and will be in college if given the opportunity.  Congrats, Big POPPA! You've earned every bit of success you have received this last six months and in the process, done Burney proud. Now, Go know' em dead in Spartytown over the next four years!

OC Top 10

1 Birmingham Detroit Country Day (12-1) – The 'Jackets have been playing well with 6-11 junior center Amir Williams out of the line-up and his return could come as early as the team's huge game with Ohio-powerhouse Columbus Northland on Saturday night in Saginaw at Delta Community College. If Williams makes it back on the court for the Northland game, Saturday will act as a true test and a barometer of how Keener's Kage Krew match-up with the nation's elite of the elite.

2 Clarkston (8-2) – Senior forward Matt Kamieniecki can hurt a team so many ways. He's a beast in the post and if overplay his interior game, he'll step out and knock down the outside "J" or back-breaking 3-pointer. He plays extra-hard on defense too!

3 Birmingham Seaholm (11-0) – The Maples' "CrazyFreshCool Cuz Connection" of Richaud Pack and Shawn Conway are the best "1-2 punch," in the county, bar none. Burney wishes he could see the Seaholm hoopsters have a showdown or two with a couple top teams from the OAA Red just to see how the Maples would fare. Well, I guess I'll have to wait to the Regionals.

4 North Farmington (7-5) – Not many players in the whole state can stake a claim to being as consistently en fuego as the Raiders' Kyle Vinales. This kid can drop a 30-spot in his sleep ( that's how good of a scorer he is). Chris Stewart only scored one hoop last Thursday night against Southfield, but it was arguably the most important hoop of the entire game – a game-winning fastbreak lay-up off a feed from Vinales, who had just swiped a Southfield pass.

5 Southfield (8-4) – Head coach Gary Teasley's batch of Bluejay ballers have hit a few bumps in the roads as of late, but Burney has no doubt that the Brundidge Bunch will be back in top form very soon.

6 Pontiac (5-6) – You can't stop the Phoenix's Juwaan Moody, you can only hope to contain him!!!! Jamal Barr is underrated, he'll hurt you if you don't pay attention to him. Jabari Martin is one of the hardest working guards in the area.

7 Waterford Mott (9-2) – John Schaeffer and Devontay Green are on the verge of reaching a collective Swagger Level of two hundred thousand trillion!!!!

8 Birmingham Brother Rice (7-5) – Junior Warriors small forward Joey Alessi is no longer a rising star, he's officially gradutated to a full-blown hoops superstud under the tuteledge of Rice's grizzled coaching staff. Kevonte Martin-Manley has been living large, residing at the corner of Awesome and Amazing ever since his return from injury in early-January.

9 a. Holly (10-2) – Transfer shooting guard Josh Fugate – in only his fourth game in the Red and White – finally got back into the swing of things, banging home three trifectas on his way to a season-high 13 points on Friday night in a Bronchos' win. Thomas "The L-Train" Lovachis is AS ADVERTISED, to say the least!

9 b. Novi Detroit Catholic Central (7-5) – CC head coach Billy Dyer is a genius motivator and a very overlooked, yet always dangerous sideline tactician no matter what hand he's dealt in terms of player personnel. The Shammies are the hardest working team in the state! Like Van Wilder might say, "Write that down!"

10 a. Walled Lake Central (10-2) – Justin Kucera has that Boom Boom Pow lately and the Vikings are going to ride the inside-outside tandem of him and Justin "The Brickhouse" Zubrikas as far as they can – Which if you ask Burney, will be very far! Great sports year for boys sports at Central and that makes Burney happy!  

10 b. Novi (10-2) – The Wildcats are picking up steam and beginning to look as good as last year's 16-4 team. Brandon Rydzewski has looked very solid in the backcourt for Novi after returning from a separated shoulder suffered as a quarterback with the 'Cats football squad this past fall.

10 c. Southfield Lathrup (6-6) – Burney's telling some of the Midwest's smaller D1 programs to not sleep on Chargers forward Bryan Coleman, a long, lanky, and physically gifted lefty who is smooth inside and out, as well as has a huge growth ceiling on the hardwood.

In case you haven't been checking the box scores in the paper, Birmingham Detroit Country Day's resident football star, Jason Ray, has been excelling on the basketball court this season while playing his first season on the Yellowjackets' nationally-ranked varsity hoop squad. Ray, who will be going to play college football next season in the Ivy League (he has a number of offers and will make an announcement on his final decision this Wednesday on National Signing Day) logged an impressive double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds on Friday night in the 'Jackets 73-50  defeat of Orchard Lake St. Mary's.

Although he's only about 6 foot one inch tall, Ray is adept at playing in the paint and mixing it up with opposing team's larger power forwards and centers. He's active and scrappy and provides an energetic and grit-infused spark off the bench. The transfer of Urban Bingham to North Farmington over the summer opened up a spot in the bball team's playing rotation. A one-time starter on the Junior Varsity squad as a sophomore two years ago, Ray, coming off an all-state senior campaign on the gridiron, decided to step in and fill the void.

"He missed the game and we were more than happy to welcome him back into the program earlier in the school year," said Country Day's 32^nd year head coach, Kurt Keener, in an interview back in late-December. "Not many athletes in all of Oakland County work as hard as Jason does, whether it's in football or basketball. He's the consummate team player and the ultimate dirty work guy. His presence in our line-up and in our lockeroom has been a tremendous lift."

On opening night against Holly on the road in a very hostile environment and playing in his first organized basketball game in almost two years, Ray looked like a savvy veteran the minute he came into the game for Keener's 'Jackets in the second quarter. When it was all said and done, DCD came out of Holly with the win and Ray had a rock solid outing of six points and five rebounds in his first career varsity action. With an injury bug hitting the team's frontcourt over the past few weeks, the senior pepper pot reserve has proved just what the doctor ordered and has played dutiful in the absence of starters Amir Williams and Kenny Knight and ace sub-Carter Elliott, who have all missed recent time.

The emotional leader of the Country Day football team's defense the past two years, Ray was a playmaker whether he was lining up at safety, linebacker or on the other side of the ball as a shifty and hard blocking tight end. Behind his leadership, the Yellowjackets advanced all the way to the Class B state championship game in 2008 for the second year in a row and then last fall, they took home their third straight district championship. Needless to say with his choice of college destinations, this kid is a winner in the classroom too! Here's hoping "The Ray Bomb" is a major reason Keener and the DCD'ers are able to claim the program's eighth state title in March.  Before he goes off to college, Ray has been selected to participate in the annual Michigan Coaches Association East-West All-Star, this July at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.  Over a dozen other OC ballers will be joining him on the East squad in a few months

They Are:

Justin Cherocchi (Brother Rice), Dequan "DJ" Cook (Farmington Hills Harrison), Rob Feeman (Clawson), Dana Harris (MH Madison), Bryan Haslinger (Clarkston), Gary Hunter (OL St. Mary's), Matt Judon (West Bloomfield), Mike Kinville (Catholic Central), D.J. Lynch (AH Avondale), Jordan Sanders (RH Adams), Mike Schiano (WOLL), Ben Walker (Lake Orion), John Westfall (Milford), Bobby Wunderlich (Troy)    

The East squad's coaching staff will also have a little OC flavor. Clawson's Jim Sparks will don the headphones for the Eastsiders and coach the 'Jackets "Ray Bomn" as well as the others for the week of practice on campus at MSU and in the game which will be played in front a slew of college recruiters.