Five Players the will Decide (Spoil) Division II

We are now in the most wonderful time of the year. Not Christmas— but the madness that is the month of March (I'm told the real name is copyrighted) Let's continue our preview of the bracket and do some forecasting.   I'm going to change things up a bit as we get into divisions 1 and 2. The intent of this series is to highlight the individuals who can single handedly carry their teams to championships. That is a lot harder to do in the upper divisions. The teams are just deeper and more balanced. And to be frank the players that capable of doing so fall into two categories. One— they are already on really good teams and do not need to do it themselves. Two— they have excellent statewide reputations and have already been covered at length.   So I'm going to try and identify the individual performances and their corresponding teams that could play a spoiler role and knock off one of the aforementioned teams and players with bigger statewide reputations.   [player_tooltip player_id='1356985' first='Jakobie' last='Boose'] 6-1 2024 Flint Hamady Boose is a bouncy two guard poised to take the Hawks on a deep March run. Hamady took their lumps last year as an extremely young squad. While they remain young. Boose has taken the next step as a prospect and his team has followed suit. Somewhat undersized for his position. Makes up for it with a extreme level of bounce and explosiveness. One of the best finishers around the rim that you will see statewide. Has a slightly easier road to the Breslin Center than the other prospects on this list. Division III favorite Beecher has dominated the Red portion of the Genesee Area Conference for quite some time. Boose and his fellow young teammates could change that next year. However before doing so they could open some eyes by advancing to the semi finals.   [player_tooltip player_id='1076038' first='Trey' last='Kolakovich'] 5-11 2023 Croswell-Lexington It's hard to imagine a team from outside of the Detroit area emerging from this particular part of the draw. Ferndale, Warren Lincoln, and Michigan Collegiate are a pretty formative triumvirate. If anyone can do it. It would be a Pioneer program that has been on quite a multi year run. Cros-Lex has lost seven games in the last four years. At the center of most of the run has been this dynamic point guard. Kolakovich balances scoring and ball distribution well. Along with 6-7 post [player_tooltip player_id='1076004' first='Donovan' last='McDonald'] forms a potent inside out duo. Has more athleticism than would think at first glance. Is explosive and can get to the rim quickly. A good outside shot forces defenses to stay honest. Gets to his spots easily on the perimeter. As previously stated. It is not out the realm of possibility that this Thumb area school could break the Motor City stranglehold on this portion of the bracket. The Pioneers took the aforementioned Ferndale squad into OT at the quarterfinals just two years ago. Kolakovich was a contributor on that squad. Now in a featured role. He could be poised to lead an upset this time around.   [player_tooltip player_id='987285' first='Grant' last='Gondrezick'] 6-0 2023 Benton Harbor Scoring guard who recently notched his 1,000th career point. Playing for high profile regular season and AAU teams. Gondrezick has a pretty significant statewide reputation. Accordingly has a Division 1 offer from Northern Illinois as well. However what he does not have this year is the same caliber of supporting cast as he has had in past years. That accounts for their higher than usual seven losses. That being said. These losses came against a brutal schedule and the Tigers were competitive in almost all of them. The cupboard is far from bare. There is plenty of talent still on the roster. But if Benton Harbor is going to make a deep run it is going to come from Gondrezick's hot hand. Despite being slightly undersized at the two. He can score in bunches. Simply glides around the court at a different pace than most players. Has a smooth and easy release from beyond the arc. Makes up for the lack of vertical size with quick burst and elevation. Like Kolakovich's pod. It's hard to see a team from outside of the big three Grand Rapids parochial schools emerging. Catholic Central, Christian, and South Christian are just that good. But if anyone can do it. It is this storied program behind this high scoring guard.   [player_tooltip player_id='1223485' first='Jake' last='Stephens'] 6-3 2024 Chelsea (pictured) Stephens is a “jack of all trades” type forward. Forms a lethal 2024 duo with [player_tooltip player_id='1111936' first='Joey' last='Cabana']. On the surface a team led by two juniors would seem a year away. However that is where the uniqueness of Stephens' comes into play. Doesn't play like a junior—or even a senior for that matter. Has a “wise beyond his years” game. Good scorer but doesn't need to do it to impact the game. Excellent passer who plays with his head up. Even on hard penetration. Really excels passing out of the high post and in long kicks outs from the block. Fortunately Chelsea is loaded with shooters who know what to do with those kicks outs. Beyond Cabana, [player_tooltip player_id='986256' first='Carter' last='Alexander'] and [player_tooltip player_id='986257' first='Matt' last='Blanton'] are other Bulldogs who can fill it up. They do not have an easy road to the Breslin. The Dragons of Romulus Summit North Academy are probably considered the favorites However if anyone can knock them off it is this balanced bunch led by Stephens.   [player_tooltip player_id='1223488' first='Ayden' last='Davis'] 6-9 2024 Onsted If there is a team that can keep Chelsea from advancing. It's another balanced and deep group led by a 2024 prospect. Davis has a higher statewide reputation that either Cabana or Stephens. Size and skill level for his position make him one the top 10 prospects in the state for his class. However it's not a one man show for the Wildcats. Many of Davis' good looks on the block are set up by [player_tooltip player_id='1587457' first='Bradlee' last='Van Brunt'] a rangy 6-2 senior point guard prospect. But there is talent up and down the entire lineup. Simply put if Davis catches it on the low block it's a bucket. Is too big and too skilled for most defenders at the high school level. Excellent mobility despite having a sturdy thickly built frame. Has broad shoulders and does not appear to mind contact. Long arms also make him a plus defender. In a period of time largely bereft of big men in Michigan. Davis is the type of rare prospect that could lead his team on a deep run.

We are now in the most wonderful time of the year. Not Christmas— but the madness that is the month of March (I'm told the real name is copyrighted) Let's continue our preview of the bracket and do some forecasting.