By Jared Field
Just for kicks, I thought it would be fun to rank my top 10 favorite players that I’ve covered in five seasons as GLH editor. Keep in mind that these aren’t (necessarily) the best players I’ve covered, just the ones I’d love to go back and cover again.
Ah, l’ll just level with you: I love lists.
(This is ironic.)
10.) Jared and Aaron List, Frankenmuth: High-energy players who seemed to love the game as much or more than anyone on the court.
9.) Jonathon Jones, Okemos and Oakland University: A relative unknown as a junior, Jones had a flair for the dramatic and has become one of the best players to come out of Lansing this decade.
8.) Bobby Lewis, Saginaw High and Mott Community College: A lock-down player in the truest sense of the term. Lewis checked them all in high school and made defense fun again.
7.) Shane Moreland, Flint Powers: Made plays almost magically for the Chargers. He was never the quickest or most athletic guard on the court, but he always made more plays than the other guy.
6.) Russell hope, Swartz Creek: Hope was a 4-year starter at Creek and had the mind of a basketball professor.
5.) Zach McGee, Flint Carman-Ainsworth and Carl Sandburg College: Was an undersized post for the Cavs and a warrior on the glass. Get five guys with his heart and you won’t lose a game.
4.) Torian Harris, Saginaw High and Lansing CC: Didn’t get a whole lot of tick in high school, but pound-for-pound might be the best athlete I’ve seen on a basketball court.
3.) Nathan Turner, Haslett: Tremendous competitor and prototype high school guard.
2.) Dar Tucker, Saginaw Arthur Hilland Depaul: Probably the most crowd-pleasing player I’ve ever covered, with the possible exception of Doug Anderson.
1.) Brad Redford, Frankenmuthand Xavier: Probably the most fun I’ve ever had covering basketball. Redford’s traveling circus of shooting was something I’ll never forget.
And just for fun, how about my five favorite coaches?
5.) Lance Baylis, Holly: High-energy coach who has breathed life into a program that used to make embarrassment blush.
4.) Greg Hebden, Perry: The former coach of the Ramblers is now and assistant at Lansing CC. To many fans he looked like a nut, but to me he better resembled a great coach getting the most out of his team.
3.) Darren Zwick, Lansing Catholic: He’s a winner; his players are winners; he has a great program.
2.) Rory Mattar, Flint Carman-Ainsworth: Probably the most underrated coach in Michigan while he was at C-A. He’s scary as hell, too.
1.) Lou Dawkins, Saginaw High: This was easy. He turns out the best talent and his teams win, plain and simple.