Tuesday night state storylines: Michael Talley nets 54

– Michael Talley, Jr., one of the state’s top senior guards, may not be as far behind Ray MaCallum and Maurice Jones as many had thought. Talley has been a scoring machine this season for Melvindale AB&T, the top team in class C. Last night, he scored 54 points in a win over Ecorse. Talley averaged 26 points per game as a junior, 25 as a sophomore and 24 as a freshman. I’ll bet he averages more than 27 this season.

– Flint Powers’ Demarco Sanders scored 25 points last night in Powers’ five-point loss to Bridgeport. Sanders now leads Powers in scoring at nearly 20 points per game. I know at least one coach from Northwood was in attendance. I’m sure he came away impressed with Sanders and Bridgeport’s big two — Darvin Ham and Derrick Davis

– Senior  forward Chris Anderson, one of the top athletes in the state, had a huge performance for Reeths-Puffer last night in a win over East Grand Rapids. Anderson poured in 25 points with 22 rebounds and three blocks. He will play for the University of Toledo next season. I’d stop short of saying he handles the ball like a point guard, but there’s no denying that Anderson has gobs of potential at 6-foot-6.

– Montrose senior guard William Sams gets another sympathy card from me this week. Sams, who transferred from Grand Blanc to Montrose this school year, is enduring basketball that’s not for the faint of heart in the doldrums of the GAC Blue. Sams’ Rams scored 34 points last night and lost by 22 to a very average Birch Run from a very average TVC.

– Sanford Meridian, who? The S-M boys from the “up north” Jack Pine conference are rolling at 7-0 after last night’s 19-point win over Beaverton. Brandon Krause and Alan Van Nortwick have been lighting it up for S-M of late. Both players are averaging double-figures this season. S-M is currently ranked fifth in the latest AP poll, and may gain another spot soon after no. 3 Detroit City’s loss last night

– I found out yesterday afternoon that Saginaw Heritage’s best 2012 prospect, 6-1 guard PJ walker, transferred to Ann Arbor Pioneer. Walker, if memory serves, was the only sophomore on varsity at Heritage this season.

– Jon Horford, the 6-8 (and uncommitted) senior forward at Grand Ledge, had a huge performance last night in a win over Portland. Horford had 24 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks. Is he UM bound? Another of Lansing’s bigs, Holt’s 6-7 Cole Darling, matched Horford in a win over Haslett with 24 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks.