FLINT, Michigan — Down nearly 20 points in the first half, Team Detroit drilled Dorian’s Pride in the second half to win the first annual Great Lakes Summer Championship in the U-16 division, 82-71.
Flint Beecher may just have the best backcourt in the state this coming season after what I saw today. Sophomore to be Monte Morris and junior-to-be Antuan Burks dominated this game in the second half on both ends of the floor. Burks is a tireless defender and Morris is a straight killer with the ball. The pair, along with another Flint area guard, Denzel Watts (Flint C-A), spearheaded the comeback. Watts might not be as explosive as some of the other guards in his class, but physically he’s on another level.
Flint Powers junior-to-be Javontae Hawkins had a very poor outing in the finale, but had a great tournament overall. For the basketball pundits who continually label Hawkins as a shooter, please stop. You’re doing him a disservice. Please wait until he really develops a consistent outside shot before granting him that moniker.
Dorian’s Pride is the more talented of the two teams, at least when it’s at full strength. Pride was without Steve Haney Jr. (Lansing Eastern) and Matt Costello (Bay City Western). Their best and most efficient player was 6-3 Rochester junior Taylor Perry, who recently picked up an offer from Western Michigan. He’s a high-energy player who’s way more advanced than I had imagined. Nice mid-range game. 6-6 Saginaw junior-to-be Kevin Marshall was also a pleasant surprise. He’s filled out a little and showed the ability to make the turnaround in the paint against TD.
5-11 sophomore-to-be Richie Lewis (Flint Northern) had a nice first half against TD, showing off some range on his outside shot. I was surprised, however, to see him getting beat off the dribble against the Beecher guards. Junior-to-be Anton Wilson (Flint C-A), a 6-4 small forward, also had a strong first half for Pride. Physically, he reminds me of former Flint Northern all-stater Jaquan Hart –tall, lanky and somewhat frail. He also shoots like Hart, who was among the best shooters in the state as a senior. Hart never filled out, or panned out. Here’s hoping Wilson does. He has great potential.
Morris led all scorers with 20. Watts added 15 for TD and Wilson led Pride with 18.
As if you hadn’t noticed, these Saginaw and Detroit-based programs are loaded with Flint talent. Things are looking up around here.
Burks and Morris are tough. Great guard matchup between them and Pellston’s Chris Hass in the 16U semifinals. Burks had 20 and great D, Morris 19 and Hass 32, showing why Oakland, Wisconsin, CMU, Detroit are recruiting him.
Don’t you mean Team “Flint”?
What happened to Haney and Costello – why did they not play in the Finals?
Costello was with the 17s. Not sure about Haney.
Kids need to pick a team and play for a team – too much team and age jumping in the summer for me. Kids basically do not even know the word ROSTER anymore.
Yeah. It’s getting out of control. Some teams didn’t even have rosters submitted to the NCAA until a day or two before the tournament started. That’s a joke.
also im getting looks from usc ucla wisconsin OU u of d georgetown iowa clevland state pitt UF usf and also um and msu
That’s not Monte Morris commenting on this page.
Kids definitely do need to figure out what the meaning of ‘roster’ is. Seriously, they should take pride in what a team is, and what they stand for. Remain loyal. See Derek Fisher this off-season.
I don’t see why these Flint kids just play for one team in Flint and dominate the state. Here would be a good roster for 16s…
Burks and Fields at guard…
Anton Wilson and Hawkins at forward…
And Donald Fisher at post [if he can get his head on straight]…
Add guys like Marcus Forward, Corey Jones, and the Hickoffs for depth.
For the 15s…
Morris, Lewis, Watts and Eric Cooper at guard…
Bart Williams, JD Tisdale, Rayshon Thomas, Mitchell Rubio and Zeshawn Jones at forward…
Those would be some sick teams.
Flint needs a couple sponsors and this all would be possible….
Sponsorships would not be needed if unemplyment in Flint was not so high – i.e. parents would have more disposable income ot pay their kids way.
Trust me, even with disposable and/or discretionary income, people want things for free. As a coach of a grassroots program, I can tell you that from experience. People want the “glamour” or “glitz” of an Adidas or Nike symbol on the jersey and shoes, warmups, etc.
Really…if and a borrowed player or two from the suburbs. How about every city or neighboring city/suburb took their best players and made a team?
Flint would be no better than three or four.
They couldn’t beat the Lansing players, Detroit players, probably not even a Romulus-Ann Arbor based team. I doubt a Flint 17u team could beat a Kalamazoo 17u team this year.
Get real.
With all due respect, Harry, I’m not so sure you know your subject matter.
For its size, Flint has a disproportionate number of elite players in the 2012 and 2013 classes. This is in stark contrast to 2011, which is bereft of big-name guys.
I know the subject matter and the entire state has talent in 2012 and 2013. Slow down, it’s not the water or the Halo Burgers.
A U17 team of Jaylen McGee, Dominez Burnett, Shaquille Smith, Deandre Parks, Syrus McDonald, Dalvin David, Patrick Lucas-Perry, Pierre Brackett, big Nate (GB), etc. would certainly be formidable.
Vince Adams as well. It’s not about big names, but rather a talented group.
They would be very competitive at the state level. Their counterparts in 2012 and 2013 would compete regionally, even nationally.
Just a hunch: This is not Mitchell Rubio.
Yeah, probably not…