MHSAA Way-to-Early Ranking: Division I Top Ten

<p>Three down, one to go. I will wrap up this early ranking rollout series with Michigan's largest classification. The big boys in Division I. I'm going to keep it to ten teams and for the sake of brevity limit the capsules to 2-3 players listed per team. </p>   <p>That is a challenge with this division. Bigger enrollments mean deeper teams and more talent. Also easily the most difficult cut line at ten. </p>   <p><em>**Last year's record in pretheses**</em></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Rockford (25-3) </h2>   <p>I've said it before in other rankings from this series. Not going to over think it here. When the defending state champions return three players who fall within the top five of their respective class. You get the top spot. Similarly to last year, the big question is health. How does junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2140494' first='Eli' last='Wolfe'] bounce back from a serious injury that kept him out through the entire summer?</p>   <p>While I believe the answer to that question is just fine. With or without Wolfe. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2539741' first='Josh' last='Bascom'] (pictured) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2844038' first='Jace' last='Opoku-Agyeman'] have enough talent to earn the top spot by themselves. While Opoku-Agyeman collected much earned national plaudits. The growth in Bascom's game was just as striking this summer. With an improved outside shot and handle. Bascom has moved from a "jack of all trades post" into a legitimate 6-5 college wing prospect. The Rans are much more than just the "big three" and there is talent up and down the entire roster.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Detroit Catholic Central (17-7) </h2>   <p>Similarly to Rockford, not to going to overthink this one too much. If your rotation has two of the top five seniors in the state. Your ranking is going to be pretty high. [player_tooltip player_id='2561198' first='Andrew' last='Walker'] and recent Central Michigan commit [player_tooltip player_id='2872591' first='Wycell' last='Davis'] look to be poised for big senior years. Around the rest if the perimeter. The rotation is talented and deep as well.</p>   <p>Will the Shamrocks have enough size on the low block? That is where the name of freshman [player_tooltip player_id='3704179' first='Austin' last='Ockerman'] could come into play. If he is ready to go down low, that would allow to everyone to slide more easily into their natural positions. Waker to the three, Davis to the two and so forth. They should be well tested in the Detroit Catholic League, which has morphed into one of top basketball conferences in the state in the 2020's.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. East Kentwood (22-3) </h2>   <p>By the numbers this is the most talented and deepest rotation in state. A difficult team to summarize in the 2-3 player cap I have placed on myself. If point guard play develops this group pretty much has everything else. The wing tandem of [player_tooltip player_id='2378345' first='CJ' last='Reynolds'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2381130' first='Samuel' last='Makuag'] complements each other well. Reynolds is a skilled and composed scorer. While Makuag is a long and lanky 6-7 high flyer who is arguably the most explosive above the rim finisher in the state.</p>   <p>Few teams in the state can claim a 6-10 starting center. [player_tooltip player_id='2378348' first='Andrew' last='Kenyi'] fills that role for the Falcons. Beyond the eye opening size he is skilled and well tested. In terms of bulk and girth. Kenyi has actually gotten thinner as his career has progressed. That has only helped as he is now a top ten player in his class. Oh yeah, I almost forgot 6-8 Wayne Sr commit [player_tooltip player_id='3629886' first='Dau' last='Dau'] joins Kenyi in the frontcourt. The "forget" part of that last sentence is of course sarcasm. In all seriousness though you forget how much talent is on the team. (I know that was 4th player too, the depth of the group makes it tough)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"> 4. Detroit Cass Tech (18-7)</h2>   <p>As long as I'm doing this. The top team in the rugged Detroit Public School League is going to have a spot in the top 10. When that team has arguably the top senior in the state. They are going to get a spot in the top five. Senior point [player_tooltip player_id='2276974' first='Stevie' last='Hall'] looks to cap off a stellar four year career. A career that began with difficult task of taking over for eventual lottery pick <strong>Darius Acuff.</strong> The coaches son has handled all the pressure under the microscope well. This might be the most talented supporting cast he has had in his four years. </p>   <p>Fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id='3574640' first='Ransom' last='Thomas'] will join Hall to form a dynamic 1-2 punch in the backcourt. The next wave of talent for the Technicians should also be ready to contribute and provide some depth. That wave is led by Stevie's younger (but bigger) brother [player_tooltip player_id='2875554' first='Sheldon' last='Hall'] who should provide additional firepower on the wing. The lengthy 2030 6-4 wing could be an x-factor for Cass Tech in his first year. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (22-6) </h2>   <p>A few weeks ago, this group would not have been here. The transfer portal and freshmen enrollment date has changed things mightily. With the fickle MHSAA transfer rules, I try to not write about transfers until I see them come to fruition... so I won't. That being said, last year a highly touted freshmen led a talented the Warriors to a semifinal appearance. That could easily happen once again. Freshman point guard [player_tooltip player_id='3703241' first='Braylan' last='Davis'] is simply that good.</p>   <p>Transfers and newcomers are going to get a lot of the attention and deservedly so. I was impressed with junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='3558790' first='Kilen' last='Murray'] this summer in grassroots play. It will be interesting to see what type of role the talented 6-2 guard can carve out amidst the new faces. [player_tooltip player_id='2757571' first='Adam' last='Tribul'] is also a talented junior guard who already earned time in last year's deep rotation.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. River Rogue (15-11) </h2>   <p>I saw River Rogue last year in the regular season. As the 11-loss season would indicate, I was not very impressed. Returning much of that same core. How do they slide into the 6th spot this year? Last year, they looked like program that was still getting used to each other. Because frankly they were with a transfer heavy lineup. First and foremost, they should be better with the continuity of playing more games together. Accordingly, they looked very good during the June team camp season.</p>   <p>The second development has been the summer leap taken by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2446083' first='Kordell' last='Robinson'] The 6-5 point guard has begun to generate plenty of Division interest with his play on both the Puma and Under Armour circuits. While Robinson has excellent positional size at the point. He will have the freedom to slide over to the wing due to the presence of [player_tooltip player_id='3659336' first='Ken' last='White Jr'] I have long been a fan of the sub 6-foot point guard's game. He should be more comfortable in the program after transferring over Ypsilanti Arbor Prep. There is plenty of depth beyond those top two as 6-5 junior [player_tooltip player_id='3668577' first='Jayden' last='Charles'] is an explosive wing who can also play down low. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. Hudsonville (17-7) </h2>   <p>Coming into the summer I was leaning towards this program taking a bit of a step back. I was quite mistaken. Then the summer of [player_tooltip player_id='2387301' first='Alex' last='Armstrong'] happened with West Michigan Premier on the Made Hoops Circuit. The 6-6 wing fulfilled his long held potential and is generating ample Division I interest and offers. There are not many weaknesses in his game, and he is good enough to carry a team by himself. Fortunately, he won't need to with the presence [player_tooltip player_id='2746378' first='Levi' last='Vanderveen'] a similarly versatile wing who play above the rim with ease.</p>   <p>Part of the reason I thought there might be a bit of step back is for the first in about six years the Eagles might be without college bound point guard play. <strong>Brayden Szamrej </strong>(Northwood) and <strong>Jovaan Daniels </strong>(Ferris St) were two of my favorites to cover and point guard stalwarts for the program. Once again, I might have jumped the gun on that assumption. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2844030' first='Cortae' last='Towns'] look improved and capable of handling that role at the Prep Hoops Sophomore ID camp recently. If that happens, this team has a chance to be better than last year's group.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">8. Grand Blanc (17-5) </h2>   <p>If you are regular reader, you know I often cite as math as a struggle for me. However, 17-5 represents the bare minimum of games the MSHAA allows. Meaning after a strong regular season. Grand Blanc was upset in their opening game of the state tournament by Oxford. One of the more surprising outcomes of an always surprising March. That happens to young teams though, and the Bobcats were very young last year.</p>   <p>Meaning virtually their entire rotation returns from last season. It will be one year older but still largely devoid of seniors. Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2757574' first='Emmanuel' last='Cooley'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2540262' first='Max' last='O'Mara'] are the headliners. Cooley is an explosive 5-11 point guard who gets to the basket at will. While O'Mara is a multifaceted 6-6 forward who can play both inside and out. There is plenty depth up and down the roster. Watch out for a newcomer in sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='3678903' first='Reed' last='Cotton'] who will provide much needed shooting to the rotation. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">9. Ann Arbor Huron (21-3) </h2>   <p>Program that keeps graduating next level guards and replenishing them with unheralded prospects who end in the same spot by the end of the season. This year [player_tooltip player_id='2761734' first='Nathaniel' last='Sidney'] will step in for <strong>Kaiden Morning</strong> (Lake Superior St) Sidney is stocky 6-2 guard wired to score who will be more than up to this task. He put together a strong grassroots run with Bates Fundamentals this spring/summer.</p>   <p>With a continually reloading program like the River Rats (great mascot) you tend to look ahead to what is on the horizon. There is a talented 2029 class coming up led guard [player_tooltip player_id='3678909' first='Sam' last='Fluker'] and forward [player_tooltip player_id='2958587' first='Maverick' last='Flagg'] If they can develop and take the next step. This program will continue to be successful and put another cog in their long running restocking cycle.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">10. Grand Rapids Northview (22-5) </h2>   <p>The good news... the Wildcats persevered through quite a bit of program change and still came within a whisker of reaching the Breslin Center. Losing to the Rockford in a heartbreaking quarterfinal. They also handed defending champion East Lansing their only regular season loss. This is clearly a state championship caliber team that returns much of their rotation.</p>   <p>The bad news... for the first time in seven years Northview will not feature a Ryans brother on the court (EJ, Cameron) That is a huge loss. Helping to make up for it will be senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2141008' first='Brayden' last='Williams'] who I have long held is one of the more underrated players in the state. Even with Williams in tow, the focus of the team might shift to the froncourt. Where bouncy 6-5 forward <strong>Izzy Hatibu</strong> looks to take on a larger role. Few in state get off the ground quicker. He will be joined 6-5 sopohomore [player_tooltip player_id='3678934' first='Melo' last='Garcia'] who earned spot minutes as freshmen in a deep rotation.</p>

Three down, one to go. I will wrap up this early ranking rollout series with Michigan's largest classification. The big boys in Division I. I'm going to keep it to ten teams and for the sake of brevity limit the capsules to 2-3 players listed per team.