Saginaw Buena Vista at Flint Carman-Ainsworth and Flint Southwestern at Goodrich have both been cancelled tonight due to inclement weather.
February 9, 2010
Find your name: Michigan’s 2010 McDonald’s All-America nominees
Here are your 2010 Mickey D’s All-America nominees:
Chris Anderson Reeths-Puffer High School Muskegon
Keith Appling Detroit Pershing High School Detroit
Joe Blanchett Owosso High School Owosso
Bryan Bollin Brighton High School Brighton
February 9, 2010
Game of the night: Can Glenn Cosey stop George Goodman?
The game of the night in Mid-Michigan is at Flint Carman-Ainsworth where the Cavaliers will attempt to bounce back after yet another embarrassing loss to Flint Powers. The problem, of course, is that Saginaw Buena Vista is almost as good as Powers. The Knights are among the top class C teams in the state with wins over class A schools like Flint Northwestern and Ypsilanti.
The big question, however, is whether C-A’s Glenn Cosey can stop George Goodman. Goodman, a junior, is one of the top guards in the state in the 2011 class and is lightning quick. Cosey needs to put Friday night’s poor performance behind him and prove that he’s a legit next-level player.
Prediction: C-A by five. I think the Cavs’ senior big men, 6-7 Jaylen Larry and 6-6 Dee Chapman, should have their way with Buena Vista. Then again, I said the same thing about Flint Hamady’s forwards and we all know how that turned out. In the final analysis, a good class A team should always beat a great class C team.
February 8, 2010
Jackson CC’s Nick Minnerath verbals to University of Detroit Mercy
JACKSON, Michigan — Jackson Community College stud sophomore Nick Minnerath has made a verbal commitment to the University of Detroit Mercy.
Minnerath has been arguably the MCCAA’s most dominant force this season. The 6-8 forward orginally from Massachusetts is averaging 21 points per game with 7.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. Better still are his field goal percentages: 57 percent from the field and a ridiculous 47 percent from 3-point range.
Minnerath will replace former Mott Community College standout Thomas Kennedy at UDM. Kennedy has filled the hybrid forward role for Coach Ray McCallum and the Titans for the last two seasons.
Best of luck to Jackson Head Coach Steve Finamore, who will have to go out and find the talent to replace him.
“It’s a great boost for our program,” Finamore said on 1450 AM in Jackson on Monday. ”I think this is going to help us big-time now.”
February 7, 2010
Sanders, Haney, Arnett, Hawkins and more: Player notes from the weekend
East Lansing freshman Steve Haney, Jr.
I had the opportunity to see a lot of top tier recruits this weekend and rather than writing individual game stories where everyone already knows the result, I just thought I would do a quick rundown of the individuals.
Deanthony Arnett 6′0′ Junior Saginaw High
He’s probably the fastest point guard in the state, period. Even though he missed the game winner against Powers on Sunday, it should be noted that Arnette made it almost the length of the court in three seconds flat. This kid has football offers from almost everywhere, but he’s legit on the hardwood as well.
Travon Baker 5’10” Sophomore Detroit Consortium
Travon is a sick point guard. Ultra quick with the strength and touch to finish in the lane. Needs to work on his shot mechanics, but the kid is one of the top sophomore point guards out there. Keep reading →
February 7, 2010
Judge for yourself: Does this look like dirty basketball to you?
Does this look like a dirty play to you? Probably not, unless you're looking at it through rose-colored glasses.
After Swartz Creek’s 63-59 win over Holly Friday night, many Bronchos fans expressed anger over what I deemed to be the “play of the game” in the second half.
I wrote this: “Aaron Wascha gets the play of the game for running down (Thomas) Lovachis (who everyone in the gym knew was going to slam the ball with two hands) and putting a hard-foul stamp on his forehead. It was not intentional or flagrant, only decisive. That’s what players with pride do.”
I took seven different kinds of smoke from Holly fans (go read the comments attached to the story) for supposedly praising an attempt to hurt another player. They said the foul was flagrant, intentional and downright dirty.
The difficult thing for homer fans in 2010 is that there’s always someone watching. Take a look at the photos of the play in question, and tell me if it looks like Wascha is trying to make a play on the ball. Oh, and take note of the unbiased observer watching the play. Hint: It’s the guy in the striped shirt.
February 7, 2010
A real prospect: Saginaw’s Christian Vaughn-Dawkins
MaxPreps recently published a well-written feature on Saginaw High’s Christian Vaughn-Dawkins.
I must say that CVD is probably the best prospect on Saginaw High’s basketball team, and I’m not being the least bit cheeky. He’s a good basketball player in his own right, but I’m talking about the bigger picture: the game of life, many call it. In that game he’s a blue-chipper.
CVD is a go-getter, a young man with probably more ambition than any 17 year old I know. This weekend’s “Show Your Heart” tournament in Saginaw, CVD’s tribute to his late brother Dorian, is just the latest example of why being young isn’t a worthy excuse for much of anything.
He’s setting a good example for his peers; I hope they’re watching.
– Jared Field
February 6, 2010
Face the music: Swartz Creek downs Holly in clash of Metro powers
HOLLY, Michigan – After Friday night’s battle between two of the Flint Metro League’s best teams, it won’t be easy for Swartz Creek to root for Holly the rest of the way.
But, they will.
After Swartz Creek’s 63-59 win over the Bronchos, my preseason pick to win the conference, the Dragons will need to run the table and hope that Holly has enough left in the tank to beat a one-loss Fenton squad. And it’d be just like Holly to do it.
Swartz Creek entered the locker room at halftime nursing an eight-point lead and jumped out early in the third. The Dragons, who beat Holly in their prior meeting, led by as many as 13 in the quarter before the Bronchos charged back.
Holly cut Swartz Creek’s lead to five, then to three and finally to one; but, every Holly challenge was met by a timely steal, clutch basket or free throw. In the final seconds, senior forward Trevor Black snared the rebound on a missed Justin Fowler 3-pointer to seal the victory.
Swartz Creek celebrated at mid-court like they’d just won the conference championship. Now only time will tell if they did.
February 5, 2010
Predicting the big Mid-Michigan matchups this weekend
My ability to prognositicate has not been recession-proof so far this season, but here are a few more to whet your appetite for a weekend of good games…
Friday:
Flint Powers over Flint Carman-Ainsworth: If Powers hadn’t lost to Flint Northern Tuesday night, I’d have picked the Cavs at home. That being said, I can’t see the Chargers dropping two straight. Powers by three.
Swartz Creek over Holly: This is the game of the week in the Flint Metro League. I’ve gone back and forth with this prediction, but the team I watched beat Fenton last Friday night didn’t play like a typical Metro League team. Holly has the talent advantage, but I’m calling the upset. Creek by two.
Saturday:
Detroit Consortium over East Lansing: The Trojans are well-coached but too young to run with Consortium. Freshman Steve Haney will make this game worth watching, though. Consortium by 12.
February 5, 2010
UPLOAD: Lapeer West’s Anthony Sisson is latest Mid-Michigan Youtube star
Youtube might just be the best recruiting tool there is these days. With college budgets tightening, especially at lower levels, more and more players who want to get noticed are making highlight reels and putting them online. (Let’s be honest, most players don’t have college recruiters coming to their games.)
Lapeer West senior guard Anthony Sisson is the latest to use the power of the Internet for recruiting purposes. (Holly senior guard Thomas Lovachis got his Youtube on earlier this season.) Sisson joins current and former mid-Michigan players like Joey Jerisk (Burton Bentley), Michael Martin (Flint Northern), Shane Moreland (Flint Powers), Brad Redford (Frankenmuth), Tyler Gray (Frankenmuth), Spencer Jennings (Midland Dow), Kieon Arkwright (Flint Carman-Ainsworth) and even his little brother, Jaylon, have posted videos on Youtube.
Give me a shout if you know of others…
