Notre Dame Preview

I would like to try a new format this year for the game previews. Instead of looking at each aspect of the game (rush offense vs defense, etc), I want to take more of a step back and just point out a few of the matchups to watch out for. Hopefully this new format can be more sustainable moving forward. 

Michigan heads to South Bend for what appears to be the last time for at least 15 years.  While it is a storied rivalry that has been chocked full of instant classics, I am excited to see Michigan try to replace the Irish with other big name programs (Florida, Oklahoma, UCLA, Virginia Tech). I think fans will miss these games more after we go a few years without.  This year looks to be an interesting matchup. Michigan desperately wants to put last year’s miserable season behind them and prove that they are in fact a B1G championship contender. Notre Dame wants to stay on the national scene from their BCS Championship game berth 2 years ago, but seem to be sliding backwards with an array of injuries and academic suspensions.

When Michigan has the ball…

There are two major matchups here that will swing tomorrow night’s game one way or the other. First off, Sheldon Day against Michigan’s interior offensive line.  While Jaylon Smith is the Irish’s best defender, Day is by far the most important. With Notre Dame’s depleted secondary they will be looking to put pressure on Gardner any way possible. This game plan starts with Day. He is capable of single-handedly dominating an offensive line. The interior defensive line is Day’s usual position, however they do split him out as a rush end at times as well.  I think the biggest area of concern for Michigan in this entire game is keeping Gardner protected.  Day will likely be able to overpower the left side of the Wolverine line (Cole/Magnusson), and is much quicker than the right side of the line (Glasgow/Kalis/Braden). He also lines up directly over the center at times, and will give Miller or Glasgow all they can handle.  If Day is consistently putting pressure on the quarterback, it will likely force Devin to rush some decisions and throws. And while he under attack all of last year but somehow still had one of the all-time great performances, Michigan cannot count on that again. On the flip side, if Day is not able to break into the backfield it will force Notre Dame to blitz linebackers because if the new 98 has time he will pick the Irish secondary apart. This leads me to the matchup number 2: Devin Funchess vs however Notre Dame tries to cover him.  Funchess repped the number 1 jersey perfectly last weekend. His performance showcased most of his incredible skills, and now Brian Kelly should be having nightmares of the future NFL-er.  If Gardner feels confident in the pocket tomorrow night it will not matter if the suspended Irish players are back or if Funchess is bracket covered all night, the Devin-Devin connection will be strong again. 

When Notre Dame has the ball…

The Irish offense starts and ends with Everett Golson. He is a much different (and better) quarterback than the one the Wolverines faced two years ago.  He has a very strong arm, and can keep plays alive with his feet. I would compare him to Russell Wilson. Of course both can beat you with their feet, but they choose to use their speed to allow more time for their receivers to break open.  Michigan will need to be very disciplined to contain him. This will be a struggle since many of the Wolverine defenders can be too aggressive sometimes (Clark, Henry, and Ryan come to mind). A breakdown in the front seven will result in a big play for Notre Dame. The matchup that I am also looking forward to seeing if how Michigan’s new found press coverage fairs against a real opponent. The Wolverine secondary depth is impressive, and I think they have the advantage on the outside if Notre Dame is indeed without Daniels.  Look for the corners to have a big game, even though the pass interference flags might be flying (remember MSU vs ND 2013).

Michigan seems to have a lot of the advantages across the board. The Irish offense is definitely their strength, but the Wolverine defense has all of the tools to be elite. The Michigan offensive line will still try to find their footing with the new schemes, but Notre Dame’s defensive depth is less than ideal. However, if the Wolverines can find some consistency in the trenches they have a stable of skill players who can shred the Irish back 7. Which team will be able to exploit the other’s biggest weaknesses?

Around the Country: Week 2

The B1G is on the nation’s center stage this week with 3 marquee matchups.  The only problem for fans is that all 3 games will be on at the same time. Not only does this mean that a certain fan base will have to miss two of the best non-conference contests, but also that the first 6.5 hours of football feature little to no excitement.  On top of the 2 B1G games (ND vs Michigan will get a more detailed preview), I was able to find 2 others that peak my interest.

USC @ Stanford 3:30 ABC

Even though both teams are ranked in the mid-teens, a win here could spring board a top 10 season.  USC is absolutely loaded with top end talent, but there are still questions about their overall depth. Stanford has built their very own powerhouse program, and the roster should be much more comfortable with the scheme at this point in the season than the young Trojans.  The Cardinal have to replace a lot up the middle of their defense, and I think USC will be able to take advantage with their superior skill players. While I do think Stanford is still a top tier program, I don’t think they will be able to keep up with the high flying Trojans.

MSU @ Oregon 6:30 FOX

This is a classic matchup of speed vs ball control, finesse vs power, West coast vs Midwest.  We didn’t learn too much from either team’s opening game, but the winner on Saturday will be a heavy favorite to be a part of the first college football playoff. Michigan State is trying to replace a lot of production on defense, and while the Spartans should still be very good I think it is nearly impossible for them to match last year’s output. Oregon on the other hand is trying to replace a lot of production on offense. The Ducks have been able to reload instead of rebuild in past years, but they seem to be lacking their normal elite level skill position players outside of Mariota. Oregon has struggled against talented power teams over the past couple of years, and it will be very interesting to see if that stereotype has changed this year. I think Oregon will be very aggressive on defense, and try to get a lot of pressure on Cook. This should set up a few big plays for the Spartans. On the other side of the ball, I don’t know if MSU has enough speed on the back end to be successful in their hyper-aggressive quarters defense to restrict Oregon’s sideline-to-sideline spread attack.  This game should be higher scoring than MSU would prefer, which makes me favor the Ducks. However, ESPN will have you believe that everyone in the B1G footprint will/should be cheering for the Spartans (as seen on their front page)

B1G Opportunity In Eugene

Everyone in Big Ten country is pulling for Michigan State this week against Oregon.

I just cannot willingly cheer for an outcome that would put MSU even more in the national spotlight.

East Carolina @ South Carolina 7:00 ESPNU

I know, I know, this game is not on the same level of magnitude as the other 3 highlighted, but I do think it can be a close game. South Carolina just got embarrassed at home in their opener, and just like that all of the talk about SEC East favorites or national title contender has been thrown out the window. The Gamecock defense brought a plastic knife to a gun fight, and Texas A&M was able to do anything they wanted all night.  On top of the disappointing outcome, South Carolina has to face Georgia next week. The Dawgs are now the heavy favorite in the SEC East.  I think the Old Ball Coach will have his hands full to stop the letdown.

Virginia Tech @ Ohio State 8:00 ESPN

I know the Hokies aren’t ranked heading into Columbus this week, but the Buckeyes barely looked like a ranked team last week when they squeaked by Navy.  It could be very dangerous to be a quarterback in this game as both defenses look to dominate and control the field position battle. I think Bud Foster will have the Hokies’ D firing on all cylinders which will confuse the inexperienced offensive line and force the Buckeye freshman quarterback into more mistakes than last week.  Look for a defensive or special teams touchdown to change momentum and determine the outcome.

Even though the B1G will be featured this week, I don’t think they will find much success. Will the outcomes hurt the conference’s national perception more?  Frankly, I’m not sure 3 wins would even help much at this point.

Roudtable Discussion: Team 135 Breakout Players

I admit last year’s tire fire of a football season really drained me of any excitement towards this season. However, thanks in large part to the 4 letter network, I have once again bought into the hype of college football.  And as my welcome back post I thought I would try a different approach. I asked a few of my friends to help me ease back into the blogging world. Also, if they are up for it I definitely would like to continue this roundtable throughout the season (and possibly into basketball). Anyways, without further rambling I would like to thank Chad and Shawn for helping me with this welcome back/breakout player article.

Koehn’s Lane asked me (Chad) to help kick off the college football season by predicting my breakout player on offense and defense.  No need to discuss special teams because we all know that will be Will Hagerup!

The break-out player is one of the great debates of any pre-season.  The time when we all try to take in the coach speak and random practice clips to discern who the next big thing is going to be.  There are a handful of guys you want to break out or at least match their pre-season hype.  My list of hopefuls for this season is Freddy Canteen, Mason Cole, Dennis Norfleet, Taco Charlton, Ondre Pipkins, and James Ross.  I’m not sure Canteen and Cole can really be considered break-outs even if they perform well as true freshman.  I also don’t find it very likely that they will outperform their pre-season hype.  Pipkins seems to be buried in the depth chart and, coming off of injury, I don’t think he’ll get enough playing time to break out.  James was given every opportunity to shine last year with mixed results.  I’ll listen to the past and lean to the side that he will again provide mixed results.  So that leaves me with Norfleet and Charlton as my picks for break out players for this year.  Both have seen limited playing time thus far but will be given a lot more opportunities and will be featured in a lot more standard looks.  Their athletic abilities got them on the field in the past but their technique and experience will keep them from being only situational players.

Offense
Dennis Norfleet (Chad)
Last year Norfleet had a very hard time finding any open space on the field once he got the ball.  This was obviously due to the fact that he got the ball pretty much anytime he was in the game.  I believe he should have been awarded entire series in which he could’ve been a part of the offense when he was in and not THE offense when he was in.  This year it seems he’ll have his chance to be a PART of the offense as the starting slot receiver.  This will force opposing teams out of “target Norfleet” mode and he should see him himself in space and with the ball a lot more often.  Another change that should greatly improve the predictability of not only Norfleet but the entire offense is a new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.  Maybe it was due to Al Borges attempting to blend the power and spread schemes but it seemed from my untrained eye that he only ran certain types of plays from certain formations.  With a change to a more cohesive scheme opposing defenses will be guessing more often and with less certainty.  My prediction…not worth much…41 catches 510 yards 4 TDs + 6 carries 60 yards 1 TD.

Derrick Green (Shawn)

Even though the offensive line will likely still remain a major question mark, I think the slimmed down sophomore version of Derrick Green is primed for a breakout season.  His freshman season reminded most people of Kevin Grady.  Green came in with other-worldly expectations and then he showed up for camp overweight and a power back without power.  Most of the grumblings around Ann Arbor have already written this youngster off, and have people wondering why Michigan can’t get production from their last two 5 star backs. Green had a major offseason where he lost weight, reduced his body fat, and from reports has regained his quick feet.  Another encouraging aspect that we can hopefully pull from coach speak is Derrick’s improvement in the pass protection area.  It was considered the major reason why he was slotted 3^rd on the depth chart behind Drake Johnson and DeVeon Smith. Fred Jackson has mentioned that the running back blocking assignments last year were very complex, and didn’t allow the true freshmen backs to be able to play without thinking too much.  Nussmeier has apparently reduced a lot of the expectations on the running backs in pass pro. All of the talk has said Green has really excelled in this new look offense.  I think Green eclipses the 1,000 yard mark this year.

Devin Gardner (Justin)

My original choices were Derrick Green and Dennis Norfleet, so I figured I should give people someone else to keep in mind.  You might be thinking how a 5th year senior quarterback could be considered my breakout player, but just stay with me for bit. Remember how many people were calling for Devin’s head by the end of last year, and all he did was play a half of football on a broken foot against our biggest rival? While converting that 2 point conversion would have cemented the legendary performance, it was still an incredible performance.  Devin showed glimpses of being a first round NFL talent while also resorting to high school mechanics, sometimes in the same drive. He has all of the tools to be the best quarterback in the B1G, even if Braxton Miller was healthy.  On top of that Michigan now has an offensive coordinator that has a track record of being a great quarterbacks coach.  In the first year of all of his coaching stops the quarterback play has greatly improved (Michigan State, Washington, Alabama, etc), and after he left the signal caller’s production slipped back. Devin spent last season either running for his life or getting crushed like a pop can, and he still finished near or at the top of the B1G in most quarterback stats.  When Devin wins B1G Offensive Player of the Year remember you heard it here first.

Defense
Taco Charlton (Chad)
Charlton enrolled early last year and had some hype coming out of spring camp.  He turned that into 8 game appearances but only 2 tackles.  Not anywhere close to what was hoped for out of him.   He’s behind Brennen Beyer on the depth chart but Beyer didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet last year, recording 0 sacks in B1G play plus ND.  If Charlton has improved his run defense, which at 6’6” 275, shouldn’t be too difficult, he should be primed for some serious production.  I don’t see a scenario besides injury where he hasn’t taken over playing during crunch time by B1G games.  With the change to the 4-3 over we’re expecting more sacks and TFLs all around and I don’t think Charlton will disappoint in these categories.  My prediction...again worth nothing…37 tackles 8 TFL 4 Sacks 2 ff.

Taco Charlton/ Mario Ojemudia (Shawn)

First I will start with a bonus pick. Even though Frank Clark came on a lot at the end of the season to warrant a lot of this offseason hype, I still think he will leave us wanting more. We will look back and think: what a great athlete, but could have felt him more as a football player. So it makes sense that my breakout performer would be along the defensive line (or at least I am hoping they will be). Even though Charlton and Ojemudia play different positions now (SDE and WDE respectively), I am looking for either one to get major snaps by midseason.  I don’t have any prediction stats, but I think either (or both) will be a much more consistent defensive lineman than they were last season. This will probably kick off the unrealistic offseason hype train for 2015.

Jourdan Lewis (Justin )

Charlton is a great pick, but I am going to focus my attention on the secondary.  Michigan suddenly has some of the best defensive secondary depth in the country.  When did that happen?!? The scheme is to be much more aggressive on the outside which plays more into Lewis’ skill set than the returning starters.  JD broke onto the scene last season as the most college ready prospect from Cass Tech in recent memory. He was consistently in good position only to get beat by perfect throws (I am looking at you Akron QB). The added strength and press coverage should really bring Lewis into the spotlight. The other side of the field will be manned by an upperclassman (Taylor or Countess), so expect teams to test Lewis early. My estimation is that the scouting report by B1G season is to avoid his half of the field.  

Again I would like to thank Chad and Shawn for their help with this post, and hopefully you will get to read more of their predictions, analysis, and opinions. Now, who do you think will be the breakout players this year?

High School Basketball Finals Preview

It’s that time of year again! It’s a weekend that is just overloaded with great basketball, and the conclusion of the high school basketball season.  This year’s run featured many upsets along the road to the Breslin, but the favorites are still standing.  It is also a very special weekend in East Lansing because of the overall talent remaining in the tournament. Not only did the 2014 Mr. Basketball winner, Deshaun Thrower, lead his top ranked Muskegon team to the semifinals, the favorites for the 2015 and 2016 awards will be on hand (Deyonta Davis, Josh Jackson, and Cassius Winston).

Class A:

Mount Pleasant (22-4) vs Muskegon (26-0)

This will be a marquee post matchup with Detroit-bound Jaleel Hogan and future pro Deyonta Davis. Hogan is a strong bodied 6’6” Mack truck that should be able to push around the still developing Davis. Hogan has put the Oilers on his back throughout this playoff run. He is averaging 17 points per game, but over 20 in the postseason.  The difference maker here is that Muskegon also has the Mr. Basketball to initiate the offense and be a leader. While Hogan should still have a good game, look for Thrower to bounce back from his average scoring night on Tuesday and have a big game.

U-D Jesuit (22-2) vs Bloomfield Hills (23-3)

Another matchup for U-D against a post-centered team.  Their lack of size was supposed to trip them up before now, but 2016 elite point guard Cassius Winston continues to lead his team to victories. They are led by 19 ppg from Winston and 13 from King a 6’4” senior forward. In the school’s first year, Bloomfield Hills has made quite a statement. B-H is led by 6’8” Mr. Basketball snub Yante Maten. He is coming off of a 31 point, 18 rebounds, 10 blocked shots, and 7 assists. You can bet he wants a shot at proving his value against Thrower and 2015 MSU commit Davis.  I keep picking against U-D, and it continues to bite me, but either team playing Muskegon would feature an intriguing matchup. 

Class B:

Benton Harbor (16-9) vs Cadillac (19-6)

Both teams with underwhelming records, but Benton Harbor is fresh off of beating two top 5 teams (Otsego and Godwin Heights). The Tigers are led by super sophomore Jator Gunn and 6’6” senior forward Cortez Moore.  BH is getting 40 points between these guys. Cadillac is making a return trip to the Breslin Center, and are still led by 6’4” Jalen Brooks and his 18 points and 8 rebounds. The Tigers have played the much tougher regular season schedule and have had the more difficult playoff road. I don’t think Cadillac will be able to stop both Gunn and Moore, and Benton Harbor should be playing Saturday night.

Detroit Douglass (17-9) vs Milan (23-3)

These teams were the Class B preseason number 1 and 2, then they both stumbled out of the gate and were mostly forgotten about. Both are hitting their stride now, and have pulled off upsets to make the semi-finals. Douglass is led by two division 1 guards. Mr. Basketball finalist, Darrell Davis, averages 25 points and 7 rebounds and Terrell Hales 15 points. Milan is led by a dynamite junior point guard-post combination. Latin Davis is only 5’9”  but averages 16 points while 6’7” Nick Perkins averages 15 point and 9 rebounds. I will stick with my preseason number 1, and think that the Class B final will be a matchup of athletic 9 loss teams.

Class C:

Pewamo-Westphalia (23-2) vs Muskegon Heights (20-3)

P-W plays in the best Class C conference, and are looking to put back-to-back entries into the finals.  They are one of the most experienced and best defensive teams left in the tournament. They are led by 5 senior starters, and 4 more off the bench. P-W is led by 6’2” guard Nick Spitzley who has had a memorable playoff run. While he leads the team with 19 points per game, he also has hit game winners over both Beecher and Shelby. And then there is Heights, who seem to live at the Breslin Center. You can close their school and change it to a public charter academy, yet here they are again.  Per usual, the Tigers have played a tough schedule and are very battle tested. They are led by multi-dimensional 6’3” guard Aaron Sydnor and 12 points a game from Eddrick Tornes.  While P-W has made it further than expected on the back of their defense, I just think Heights will be too athletic in this one.

Detroit Consortium (23-2) vs Negaunee (24-1)

Consortium finally made it past the quarterfinal round, and are making their first appearance at the Breslin. They are led by the best player in the state, regardless of class, Josh Jackson.  He is averaging 25 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 4 blocks, but is scoring more than 30 during the playoffs. On top of that, Consortium has a senior point guard that nearly averages a double double (12 points and 8 assists). Negaunee is making a return trip to the Breslin, but will run into another buzz saw in the semifinal round. They are led by all-state guard Tyler Jandron who averages 17.5 points a game and Eric Lori averaging 17 points a game. The Miners are a typical UP team that will look to push the pace and shoot a lot of threes. Detroit Consortium will not be overwhelmed by the quick pace, and will gladly go up and down the court. Consortium is just too athletic for Negaunee and most Class A teams.

Class D:

Frankfort (20-6) vs Southfield Christian (24-1)

Frankfort is led by all-state forward David Loney who averages 20 points and 11 rebounds, and they are making their first appearance to the semifinal round. On the other side, Southfield Christian is looking to be a 3-peat champion. The Eagles are just absolutely loaded with talent and experience. Bakari Evelyn (16 ppg & 8 apg), Lindsey Hunter IV (15 ppg), Damarco White (10 ppg & 8 rpg), and Marlo Brown (12 ppg & 9 rpg). The athleticism and experience will just overwhelm Frankfort as SC should capture another title.

Cedarville (23-2) vs Adrian Lenawee Christian (20-4)

Cedarville has run its way through a loaded UP crowd, and have advanced back to the Breslin for the first time since 2009. They are led by Joey Duncan at 21 ppg and 6’5” big man Dan Stenback 18 ppg.  Both scored 34 on Tuesday night to get past #2 Powers North Central.  ALC is led by Grant Holbein and a stifling 2-3 defense. The 2-3 is meant to pack the middle and stop dribble penetration, but Cedarville will be happy enough to launch threes. I don’t think ALC will be able to keep up with the scoring pace of Cedarville.

High School Basketball Regional Finals Preview (Class A)

The Regional Finals were scheduled for tonight, but with most of Michigan getting hit with snow-pocalypse 18.0 some have been delayed until tomorrow. Regardless of when the games will be played, here is a preview of all 8 Class A Regional Final matchups.

Howell (18-5) vs Grand Blanc (22-2)

Neither team has played a great schedule, but Grand Blanc has beat Howell twice this season. I think the Bobcats make it a third.

Mount Pleasant (20-4) vs #9 Flint Carman-Ainsworth (21-3)

C-A surprised a lot of people Monday by dominating Saginaw 80-51. Even though they lacked the size of the Trojans, the Cavaliers were able to neutralize Saginaw’s height advantage. They will have to use a similar strategy against Detroit bound, Jaleel Hogan. I think they will find a way to do it again behind the backcourt of Justice Green and Cameron Morse.

Ann Arbor Skyline (16-7) vs Kalamazoo Central (20-3)

While this isn’t the Central squad loaded with Division 1 talent, they are going to be a tough out.  After beating a very good Holt team, the Giants shouldn’t have as much problem with Skyline. 

#1 Muskegon (24-0) vs Hudsonville (15-8)

Muskegon's path to the Breslin could not be much easier as Hudsonville will do little to challenge the Big Red. 

#5 Romulus (20-4) vs #4 Ypsilanti (21-2)  

This is probably the best game of the night, regardless of class. Romulus is the defending champions, while Ypsilanti was my preseason choice to win in Class A.  After getting a wake-up call from losing to cross town rival Ypsilanti Lincoln, Community has just been dominant. Jaylen Johnson anchors one of the best defenses in the entire state, and the underclassmen backcourt will provide a lot of problems for the Eagles. I like Ypsilanti to move on. 

#3 U-D Jesuit (20-2) vs Detroit Cass Tech (18-5)

I keep saying U-D's lack of height will bite them at some point in this tournament, but they keep finding ways to win.  They can complete an impressive week sweep of PSL teams with a win over the Technicians. Jesuit has the dominant backcourt while Cass Tech is another team with length.  I think Cassisus Winston finds a way to lead his team into the quarterfinals. 

Utica Eisenhower (18-6) vs Warren Mott (20-4)

These two teams have played a lot of the same competition, but strangely haven't squared off themselves. I like Mott to advance in this game. 

#8 Clarkston (20-4) vs #7 Bloomfield Hills (21-3)

Bloomfield Hills has already given Clarkston two of their losses, but beating Coach Fife three times in one season is extremely tough to do. BH will have the best player on the floor, Yante Maten (A recent Georgia offer and MSU target). I think Maten is looking to make a statement after being left off of the Mr. Basketball ledger.  

High School Basketball Regional Finals Preview (Class B)

The Regional Finals were scheduled for tonight, but with most of Michigan getting hit with snow-pocalypse 18.0 some have been delayed until tomorrow. Regardless of when the games will be played, here is a preview of all 8 Class B Regional Final matchups.

#5 Otsego (21-2) vs Benton Harbor (14-9)

Otsego overcame a slow start on Monday, and after trailing by 20+ they managed to recover and survive. The Bulldogs are very talented, and should advance to the quarterfinals.

Spring Lake (18-6) vs #1 Wyoming Godwin Heights (24-0)

Spring Lake is playing its best basketball right now, but they haven’t faced a team as talented as Godwin Heights. The Wolverines struggled with Holland Christian on Monday, but should win in a much more comfortable way tonight.

Big Rapids (19-4) vs Saginaw Swan Valley (15-6)

Neither team played a particularly tough schedule, but Big Rapids has been tested more. They should be able to use that experience to carry them into Finals Week.

Cadillac (17-6) vs Mason County Central (19-4)

Cadillac’s Jalen Brooks will be the best player on the floor, and even though MCC has the better record I like the Vikings to keep playing.

#9 Detroit Country Day (17-7) vs Detroit Douglass (14-9)  

Both teams are playing like we expected them to before the season, and both Mr. Basketball candidates are shouldering most of the load.  Douglass has more overall backcourt talent, but the Edmund Sumner vs Darrell Davis matchup will be very exciting. I think Davis can play more physical than Sumner at this point in their careers, which could lead to a surprise upset.

#2 Millington (22-1) vs Goodrich (19-5)

Millington is led by another coaches son, and has a lot of weapons in their back court. I doubt Goodrich will be able to keep up.

Detroit Community (14-7) vs #8 Milan (21-3)

Community is trying to bottle the magic from last year’s title run, but the talent level is not nearly the same. Meanwhile has their own college prospect this year in Nick Perkins. I think Milan keeps rolling on.

Wayland Union (20-4) vs #3 Jackson Lumen Christi (23-1)

This should be a very exciting basketball game. Both teams are led by junior guards (Dilon Aten, Wayland and Khari Willis, JLC). Wayland’s claim to fame this year was that it gave South Christian their only regular season loss of the season.  Outside of that, they look like a team primed to be a favorite for the next few years as they play 3 freshmen.  Lumen-Christi has been here before, and are the more experienced team.  Look for Willis and Aten to even each other out, and the difference to be JLC’s senior forward Matt Bullinger.

High School Basketball Regional Final Preview (Class C)

The Regional Finals were scheduled for tonight, but with most of Michigan getting hit with snow-pocalypse 18.0 some have been delayed until tomorrow. Regardless of when the games will be played, here is a preview of all 8 Class C Regional Final matchups.

 Montrose (20-3) vs Flint Beecher (20-3)

Another game where the same records do not equal the same talent. Beecher has beat Montrose twice this year, and should advance to their 5^th straight quarterfinal.   

#5 Shelby (22-2) vs Pewamo-Westphalia (20-2)

P-W plays in a very good conference, and they boast a very experienced team and an elite defense. Shelby will have the best player on the floor, Jason Beckman, who just scored 37 on Monday. I think team defense will be able to limit a great individual performance, but Beckman has been outstanding so far in the playoffs and I think that will continue.

#7 Muskegon Heights (18-3) vs New Buffalo (16-8)

Heights has been a fixture in the Breslin for the past decade, and that was when they were in Class B. Even though a lot of their talent and coach left for Muskegon, they are still one of the teams to beat in Class C. The Tigers should be moving on.

Vermontville Maple Valley (20-4) vs Hillsdale (23-1)

Hillsdale hasn’t lost a game in over 4 months, and just dispatched a very good Hanover-Horton team.  Look for the Hornets to keep their win streak alive.

#2 Detroit Consortium (20-2) vs Ottawa Lake Whiteford (19-4)  

Consortium is one of the best teams in the state, with the best player in the state. I will say it again, this was like Chris Webber in Class C.

#1 Mt. Clemens (21-1) vs Madison Heights Bishop Foley (12-11)

Mt. Clemens is on a collision course with Consortium while Bishop Foley is just happy to still be playing.

East Jordan (18-4) vs Beaverton (21-2)

East Jordan has had some impressive wins in the playoffs, and are led by coaches son Jordan Weber. Beaverton has the more impressive record, but little quality wins to back it up.  They are led by coaches grandson Spencer Johnston. I think East Jordan will continue playing quality basketball, and beat another good opponent.

Ironwood Luther L. Wright (20-3) vs #4 Negaunee (22-1)

The Tyler Jandron led Negaunee is experienced and knows how to win in March.  I don’t think this game will be all that close.