Cougars Sophomore Shines in Victory

MAC Insider Staff Writer

December 17^th 2009

    At just 5'9" and weighing what can't be more than 140 pounds, Dakota sophomore Alec Tortamasi doesn't look like a typical varsity basketball star and maybe calling him a “star” is a bit premature, but there is no doubt that in what has already been an upside down start to the 2009-10 season that his performance Thursday Night against Grosse Pointe South was not one a typical sophomore turns in, regardless of size or how they look. With a closely shaved head and a uniform that fits more like a tent, Tortamasi looks like Drew Neitzel’s long lost little brother, but just one or two trips down the court and you see just how big his game is.

    In a game that featured four year varsity player and GPS captain Jarvis Wise and three year varsity player and Dakota Captain Evan Walker; plus a slew of second year juniors who made significant impact’s as sophomore’s including Will Stone, Deandre Smith and Mark Morris for the Cougars and Corbet Conroy, Victor Mattison and Ben Fry for the Blue Devils, it was the rookie playing in his third game who had control of the game from the moment he stepped on the court. The sophomore guard set a career high for the third straight game with 23 points including four triples and a couple acrobatic lay-ins. Tortamasi hit his first five shots and eight of his first ten helping Dakota build a 24-8 lead after one quarter and extending it to 59-39 by the end of the third quarter en route to a 75-50 win Thursday night.

   The Cougars jumped out early as mentioned behind Tortamasi (who came off the bench) and starters Deonte Rex (2 points 5 rebounds 7 assists) and Will Stone (13 points five rebounds) who picked up slack with Evan Walker sitting with foul trouble early. The Blue Devils battled back in the second as Jarvis Wise got it going off the dribble and a few jump shots starting falling for South. The Blue Devil’s (1-3) continued to shoot well to start the third with Victor Mattison (8 points) and Ben Fry (8 points) hitting jumpers but Dakota always had an answer, usually Tortamasi who 4-5 in the third or Deandre Smith who was strong inside off the bench finishing with 14 points and 9 rebounds.

   In all the Cougars got 47 points from their reserves compared to just 12 off the GPS bench. Dakota also hit 8-18 three-pointers compared to just 3-20 for South. Wise led the way for South with 12 points and five assists. Corbet Conroy struggled shooting but finished with eight along with Mattison and Fry. Matt Morris added 10 and five rebounds for Dakota (1-2).

Thursday Night Round-up

MAC Insider Staff Writer

December 17^th 2009

Thursday Night Round-up

MAC Insider Staff Writer

February 26^th 2009

Lake Shore Earns Share of MAC Silver Title

Lake Shore 64 Lamphere 58 – The Shorians didn’t always make it easy this season, but they always made it interesting and their final MAC silver contest pf the 2008-09 season was just that as they wrapped up a share of the MAC title with a come from behind six point win over Lamphere Thursday night. A sluggish start to each half found the Shorians down by double digits in the third quarter before sophomore Johnny Johnson made his mark helping Lake Shore rally to within one 43-42 by scoring nine third quarter points. Down the stretch Johnson along with seniors Arthur Coppola and Jake Simons took over. A Johnson triple finally put the Shorians up 51-50 with less then five minutes to play and The Shorians pushed their lead to five 59-54 behind a Coppola lay-up and six straight points from senior center Simons. Lamphere Sophomore Ryan Horvath nailed a triple to cut the lead to 3 61-58 late but Coppola and Johnson each hit a pair of free throws to ice the victory for Lake Shore. In all Johnson totaled 25 points and eight rebounds to lead the way; Simons scored 13, 10 in the fourth and Jordan Ivy added eight points and eight rebounds in place of still injured center Marcus Cribbs. Lake Shore will face #1 Grosse Pointe North in district play.

Ramblers Hang on Against Energetic Anchor Bay

Fraser 39 Anchor Bay 38 – Solid defense and worse then typical shooting led to a defensive standstill and 32 highly contested minutes before Fraser emerged with it’s seventh win in conference play of the upstart Tars. Tied at 7 after one a two point margin at the half and tied at 31 after three the Ramblers needed a little magic and some timely shooting to close it out. Anchor Bay went up four late on a three point play from Sophomore Taiwan Jones, before Fraser Anthony Tucci who had hit tow big three’s in the first half buried another long range bomb with 40 seconds to play. The Ramblers forced an Anchor Bay turnover and after a timeout with 11 seconds to play a broken play resulted in a Matt Carden lay-up to put the Rambler back on top another Anchor Bay turnover seemed to seal the deal but the Ramblers missed the front end of a one and one and Taiwan Jones got a look from half court as time expired. The shot however was no good and the Ramblers hung on to win. Tucci led the way with 11 for Fraser and Carden added nine. Jones led all scorers with 13 for the Tars.

Gouch Overwhelms Huskies; Roseville 15-3

Tuesday Night Round-up: Lemley, Eagles Clinch Share of MAC Red.

MAC Insider Staff Writer

February 24^th 2009

 Tomayko carries Eagles past Big Reds in Thriller

#3 Eisenhower 49 Chippewa Valley 47 – The Eisenhower Eagles have really been tested the past two weeks. Since the L’Anse Creuse lose they’ve gone down to the wire with L’Anse Creuse North and Chippewa Valley and escaped with victories but the narrowest of margins. Tuesday night senior Ryan Tomayko scored 25 points helping the Eagles overcome an onslaught of seven second half three-pointers by the Big Reds and hang on as Earl Harris’ floater rimmed out in the waning seconds for a 49-47 win. 

  The first quarter was a sluggish one as Chippewa Valley scored 8 of the games first 10 points with methodical execution on offense and inside scoring from juniors Christian Fincher and Kevin Nikkel. The Eagles responded with triples by Ryan Tomayko and Corey Petros and eventually led 13-11 after one. The Big Reds scored the first four points of the second quarter as well but were subsequently blitzed with Eisenhower’s zone trap for a 13-0 run featuring seven more points from Tomayko including the run capping three-pointer.  The Bigs Reds again regained their composure and buckled down defensively scoring the final four points of the half and cutting the margin to seven; 26-19 after sixteen minutes.

  Both teams were prolific shooting the ball in the third quarter each well over 50% from the field they combined for 37 points in a mostly half court game. The second half again started with the Big Red front court scoring effective and efficiently. A Fincher drop step and five points from Nikkel helped Chippewa keep pace with the red hot Ryan Tomayko and Corey Petros who scored ten of the Eagles first twelve in the third and helped them extended to a 36-27 lead. Then the Big Red shooters got hot. Triples on three straight possessions from Nikkel, Jake Geatches and Mark Grove tied the game 36-36. Tied at 38 in the final minutes of the stanza, Tomayko took over again, a falling down four point play from in front of the student section and a bullet jump pass to a wide open Joe Wirth accounted for the periods last six points and the Eagles 44-38 led heading down the stretch.

  But the Big Reds still had one more punch in them.  Another trio of triples sandwiched a Tomayko lay-up and the final bomb a 21 footer from Geatches with 4 minutes to play gave Chippewa a 47-46 lead, their first since early second quarter. The Eagles went back up by one when a batted ball landed right in Joe Wirth’s hands and he laid it in with three minutes to play. The Big Reds next possession took nearly 2 minutes off the clock and ended with a missed three pointer. The Eagles also used clock but a steal by Nikkel with 40 seconds remaining gave the Big Reds another shot at taking the lead back. Nikkel, confident having made a career high three triples already on the night fired from just in the side the arc just long with 20 seconds left. A few fouls later Tomayko made the front end of a one and one putting Ike up two. The second free throw was short and Fincher rebounded for the Big Reds and called timeout with just under 15 seconds remaining. The Eagles used their foul to give with eight seconds and Harris last second drive was a rushed and never got on line with the rim.

  Tomayko’s 25 points were game high he added three assists. Petros finished with 10 and six rebounds and Jeff Roegner tallied six points, eight assists. For Chippewa Valley Nikkel played his best game to date at the Varsity finishing with a career high 16 points along with a game high seven rebounds. Christian Fincher was next with 12, Jake Geatches had six and four feeds and Sky Jax added four rebounds and seven assists. Eisenhower improves to 14-4 clinches at worst a share of the MAC Red title (The long awaited well deserved first for Coach Brandon Lemley) and plays at Romeo Friday for the outright crown and to prevent the Bulldogs from grabbing a piece of their fourth straight championship. The Big Reds now 9-9 finish out the season with L’Anse Creuse and Anchor Bay before facing Utica to open district play.  The winner of which will most likely play Eisenhower in the Utica Ford hosted district final.

Friday Night Round-up

MAC Insider Staff Writer

February 20^th 2009

 Eagles Survive Scare, Top Crusaders

#3 Eisenhower 40 L’Anse Creuse North 39 – The Crusaders did everything they could to ground the Eagles and their high flying offense. (11^th in the MAC in scoring, 2^nd in the Red) at nearly 60 points a game going into Friday’s game) but eventually the wing span of 6’9” Corey Petros was too much. Petros scored a team high 12 points including his final two from the foul line with eight seconds left to lift Eisenhower to a 40-39 win and keep them a half game ahead of Romeo for first place. Petros added seven rebounds; senior Ryan Tomayko had nine points and four steals and point guard Jeff Roegner (5 points) added seven assists. Junior Mike Osterman scored a career high 16 points for L’Anse Creuse North (4-12) who led by six at the half.

Romeo Keeps Big Reds at Bay

#5 Romeo 49 Chippewa Valley 40 – The Bulldogs never trailed on the road against the Big Reds and went home happy awaiting a date with Eisenhower next Friday with at least a portion of the MAC Red title at stake.  Senior Nathan Saliga sparked Romeo with a fast break slam over the top of a Big Red defender in the first half and scored eight second half points to help Romeo hold of several Big Red Rally’s. The 6’7” center finished with 14 points 10 rebounds three blocks and three steals. Junior Ryan Thomas added 12 points and four steals also mostly after the break and senior Ricky Roth played a strong floor game finishing with five points four rebounds four assists and three steals. Christian Fincher led the way for the Big Reds with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Lake Shore Trips up Tower in Comeback Fashion

Lake Shore 62 Woods-Tower 57 – Down by double figures in the fourth quarter; Lake Shore led by its trio of guards compiled a 16-2 stretch run to keep their MAC Silver title hopes alive. (Clintondale who beat Marine City is 1 game up) Without Marcus Cribbs (Injury) for the second straight game the Shorians we’re also often without center Jacob Simons who was relegated to the bench with foul trouble early. The Titans outscored Lake Shore by 11 points in the games middle two quarters but could not hang on. Seniors Arthur Coppola and Kyle Nemitz led the way with 16 and 14 points respectively and sophomore Johnny Johnson added 13.

Down The Stretch They Come

MAC Insider Staff Writer

February 9^th 2009

   With the division races on their second trip round we thought we’d take some time to take a closer look at each division and the race for the title. We’ll be starting at the top with the Red division.

MAC Red

Defending Champion(s): Romeo; The Bulldogs at 5-2 are still in contention but have been struggling since their loss to Eisenhower two weeks ago. The senior trio of Nate Saliga, Kyle Maxwell and Brandon Hoenicke give the Bulldogs three double-double threats in the starting line-up while backcourt duo Rick Roth and Ryan Thomas are the team’s most explosive scorers.

Frontrunner(s): Eisenhower; The undefeated Eagles are almost impossible to match-up with for the MAC. 6’9” Corey Petros has emerged as their top scorer at 16 a game while wings Dragan Bijelic and Ryan Tomayko are both consistent double digit scorers capable of putting 25 up on any given night. Jeff Roegner is the leagues top assist man and Joe Wirth is an under rated power forward who has been a double digit scorer the past month. The Eagles will be tough to take down.

Top Challenger: Romeo is still just 1 1\2 back no one else is within two games.

Dark horse: Dakota; The Cougars sit at 4-3, but still have a shot at both Romeo and Eisenhower left on their schedule. They led in the second half against both the first time around. Inside\Out threat Matt Mullins has emerged as one of the top offensive post players in the MAC and along with Glen McIntosh and Evan Walker gives Dakota a substantial frontline and senior Tony D’olivio is a relentless force at the point.

MAC White

Defending Champion(s): Utica Ford and L’Anse Creuse North have both moved to the Red division.

Frontrunner(s): Grosse Pointe North; The Norseman’s only loss is to Michigan bound Jordan Morgan and UD Jesuit. They can thank the play of an experienced and talented senior class for there #1 ranking and MAC best 13-1 record. Eight seniors including four year player Paul Bramos, three year players Darrin Willis, Damien Davis, Greg and Matt Blunden and leading scorer Kyle Nadeau are the Norseman’s most productive offensive players.

Top Challenger: Roseville; The Panthers were worn out down the stretch against GPN last time around. Still their trio of juniors Brandon Gouch and Dominique Pointer and sophomore Traye Williams is the top scoring threesome in the conference. The supporting cast including Brian Kari, David Green and Deandre Turner have more then held their own for the 12-1 Mac white rookies.

Dark horse: Utica; No team has a player that means as much to their teams fate as Utica’s Mike Hollingsworth. His ability to take over a game keeps Utica in the hunt. Trevor Plizga, Brandon Vargo and Andy Orr have all had nice scoring games for the Chieftains and underclassmen Tim Wojniak, Robbie Korthals and Miguel Hollingsworth have all shown promise as well adding depth for Utica.

MAC Blue

Defending Champion(s): Roseville is in the MAC White, South Lake is rebuilding at 2-5.

Frontrunner(s): Madison; senior Ryan Aaron has elevated his play in the last week in explosive fashion including a 33 point eight dunk game. Ashton Curd has been the perimeter specialist for the Eagles and RT Merritt the floor general. Demetrius Moore, Tyler Turner and Kevin Blanton have also played major roles for Madison leading them to the top of another division.

Top Challenger: East Detroit; The Shamrocks have gotten big games out of a number of players including transfers Ethan and Evan Blackwell, sophomore Charles Baskin and returnees Joe McLaren and Melvin Ballestero as well as preseason All-MAC elite selection Montez Richardson. The Shamrocks have played everyone tough and also have a win over Warren Lincoln.

Dark horse: Fraser or Fitzgerald; Despite three league losses a piece the Ramblers and Spartans are still within hailing distance in the Blue where anyone can win on any given night. The Ramblers senior trio of Matt Carden, Etienne Boyer and Chris Wouters and the Spartans three upperclassmen Chris Hines, Kenny Enoex and Charles Wilson are the cores of there respective teams.

MAC Gold

Defending Champion(s): Madison; Leading the MAC Blue

Frontrunner(s): Marysville and Warren Mott are both 5-1 half way through the race. The Vikings and seniors Trey Curley, Jevon Glassnor and Kyle Brown have been able to win close games, Blowouts high scoring games and defensive struggles. Their only loss was to the Marauders. Mott has just one loss overall and that was to Mt. Clemens, they survived late rallies from Fitzgerald and Lincoln in rivalry games. Their twin towers Joey Asbury and C.J. Olaniyan are the centerpiece of their success as three year contributors, but guards Kevin Howze and Victor Sharpe have helped elevate their success this season.

Top Challenger: Warren Lincoln; The Abes have lost a few games they could have easily won. They outlasted Mt. Clemens, but came up short against Mott and Marysville. Anthony Williams has been playing at another level as of late and when the full complimentary cast including Charles Spann, Donovan Durham and Tremarius Campbell are active Lincoln is a force to be reckoned with.

Dark horse: Mt. Clemens; The youthful Bathers have learned valuable lessons in the first half of the season and just two games back with rematches against the top three still in the bag, the talented Bathers could still run the table and win the league. Juniors Leonard Perry and Kyle Capps upfront, sophomore Darius Wilson and Thomas Hannah in the backcourt and senior Zachary Arnold form a strong nucleus for Mt. Clemens.

MAC Silver

Defending Champion(s): Clintondale is atop the standings and Center Line is struggling at 3-5.

Frontrunner(s): Clintondale; The Dragons have recovered after dropping their division opener at home to Lake Shore. The Dragons ran the table the rest of the way and are coming up a win over the Shorians to take first place back. Senior James Bethea has been brilliant all season leading the way along with Denzel Rodgers providing several double-doubles. Michael Johnson, Anthony Brownlee, Cordaro Gaines and Letrrius Walton have all provided nice support for the defending co-champs

Top Challenger: Lake Shore; The Dragons have the interior strength while Lake Shore has the leagues best backcourt. Seniors Arthur Coppola and Kyle Nemitz have been consistent double figure threats all year while Sophomore Johnny Johnson is the team’s top scorer and the catalyst for their hot start in the league. Post players Marcus Cribbs and Jake Simons control the paint and the glass to keep the Shorians rolling. At one game back of Clintondale they’ll need the Dragons to drop one to have a chance, but are certainly still in it.

Dark horse: Woods-Tower; The Titans will need some serious help as they sit three games back at 4-4 but they have won three straight in the league and have a few nice scorers in John Patterson and Andrew Rumpz. Sophomore Jake Warwinsky and junior Andrew Kawam are a steady and improving young backcourt. They still have games against both Lake Shore and Clintondale on the docket.

Why You Should Never Miss a Chippewa Valley\Romeo Game

MAC Insider Staff Writer

January 21^st 2009

   In the past five years covering MAC basketball for the website and other area media outlets we’ve learned a few valuable lessons, maxim’s if you will, essential to maximizing your enjoyment of the game. Among them: “The same Twix bar that cost you 50 cents at Center Line might be $1.25 at Grosse Pointe South.” “Schools with stages in the gymnasium like Warren Lincoln and St. Clair provide great atmosphere to watch a game.” “The main ingredient in Ford High School’s Cheese Bread is bread, not cheese.” “Always park in the front and brave the extra 30 yard walk at Eisenhower High School.” “Plastic Bleachers may look nicer but are no more comfortable then their Wood or Metal counterparts, invest in a seat cushion.” And perhaps most apropos to this evening “Never miss a Chippewa Valley\Romeo game.” 

    The two teams are unquestioned rivals in the MAC Red, winners of six of the last seven championships (three each) tells you all you need to know. Since Romeo’s arrival and subsequent dominance of the Red in 2004-05, the Big Reds have the most wins in MAC red play (3) of any team against the Bulldogs. Coach Voss and the Big Reds are also the only team to have scored multiple victories at Romeo, where the Bulldogs have lost just five games the past four-plus seasons. All of this and a start that saw everything that could go wrong for Romeo, go wrong seemed to be pointing toward another Big Red upset but that’s why you never miss a Chippewa Valley\Romeo game.

     The Big Reds had all the momentum early, a technical foul was called on Romeo during warm-ups (not sure why, guessing basket interference) which gave Chippewa Valley two shots and possession to start the game. They took advantage riding the hot shooting of seniors Mark Sly and Jake Geatches who scored nine and five points respectively in the first stanza. Romeo on the contrary struggled as a team missing all eight free throw attempts they had and trailing 14-7 after eight minutes. The Big Reds stretched their lead to as many as 10 in the second quarter connecting on five first half three pointers. Romeo shot just 7-21 from the filed in the first half but we’re able to control the boards and stay within striking distance; 25-18 at the break.

     In the third quarter the Bulldogs made their move; senior Ricky Roth connected on two three point baskets before fellow senior Brandon Hoenicke’s triple finally brought Romeo all the way back tying the game at 29.  But the Big Reds had an answer; leading scorer Earl Harris scored, set up Christian Fincher for a deuce and Geatches beat the buzzer to extend the Chippewa margin three 35-32 after three. The fourth quarter was back and forth but the Big Reds always had an answer for each Bulldog run. Leading by five with less then two minutes to go, Chippewa Valley seemed to be on the verge of sealing the deal. But Romeo’s Ryan Thomas is developing a reputation for not letting his team lose. The junior guard canned a three pointer in front off his own bench to cut the margin to two then came up with a steal that resulted in Romeo junior Spencer Szwejk tying the game with a follow up basket and foul. Then with the game tied at 43 and just 10 seconds left; Romeo out off a time out turned to Thomas to do exactly what he did at L’Anse Creuse North, make a play. Senior Ricky Roth, quarterback of the football team made one more perfect hand off to Thomas in full stride in front off the Dawg Pound student section. Ryan took the ball two dribbles baseline and rose up for a floater which touched only nylon as time expired.

     The basket gave Thomas a game high 12 points despite an off shooting night (5-12 FG, 1-5 FT) he also had four assists and four steals. Roth finished with eight and five assists. The Bulldog big men were limited but effective; Nate Saliga had eight points eight rebounds and seven blocked shots and Kyle Maxwell had six points and 12 rebounds and three blocks. Brandon Hoenicke added nine points seven rebounds and four steals for the winners who are now 5-0 in league play. Earl Harris and Jake Geatches lead Chippewa Valley with 10 points each. Each had three steals as well. Fincher battled all night against Saliga and finished with six points and seven rebounds. Mark Sly was scoreless after the first quarter and finished with nine. Romeo is idle until next Tuesday’s showdown at Eisenhower. The Big Reds face the Eagles this Friday at home. You won’t want to miss that one either.   

This Week’s MAC Roundup

MAC Insider Staff Writer

January 21^st, 2009

     As the last leg of the first divisional round robin plays itself out this and next week there are several big-time games toping the docket in the Macomb Area Conference. First place in four of the five divisions is up for grabs. First tonight when Kyle Nadeau, Paul Bramos and the conference’s top scoring team Grosse Pointe North travels to Utica to face the conference top scoring player Michael Hollingsworth and the improving Chieftains. The #1 Norseman (9-0 overall) holds a one game lead on Utica, Cousino and Grosse Pointe South. In the MAC Red #4 Romeo (4-0) and #7 Chippewa Valley (2-1) meet tonight also. The Big Reds handed the Bulldogs their only home loss in MAC red play the last two-plus seasons and will be the toughest test this years Bulldogs have faced thus far. Diminutive guards 5’9” Ryan Thomas (RHS) and 5’8” Earl Harris (CVHS) are their teams leading scorers. In the MAC Blue preseason favorite Fitzgerald and their senior trio of Chris Hines, Charles Wilson and Kenny Enoex (1-2) look to regroup from a slow start with an upset of first place #8 Madison (3-0). The Eagles have few familiar faces but play the same intense style. Ryan Aaron, Ashton Curd and Demetrius Moore have emerged as scoring stars. The MAC’s other undefeated team, 9-0 #5 Warren Mott hosts the 7-2 Battling Bathers of Mt. Clemens tonight in a MAC Gold showdown. The leagues top junior frontcourt players will be in action as C.J. Olaniyan and Joey Asbury of Mott look to stifle Leonard Perry and upset minded Mt. Clemens.

     As good as tonight’s line-up is Friday Night might be even better the Big Reds of Chippewa Valley face another major test when they host #3 Eisenhower (3-0 Red). The Eagles skillful 6’9” Corey Petros is emerging as one of the leagues top scorers. How will fellow juniors Christian Fincher (6’7”) and Kevin Nikkel (6’4”) in containing him? In the MAC white #2 Roseville looks to rebound from the loss to Grosse Pointe North and climb in the standings against second place Cousino. The #10 Patriots pivot man Matt Balkema has been a force in the season first half averaging a double-double with nearly 18 points per game as well as more then 4 assists per contest. Roseville will look to escalate the pace and limit his effectiveness by running. Traye Williams is lightning with the ball, Brandon Gouch is a one man fast break and Dominique Pointer finishes as well as anyone in the area on the wing. A trio of MAC Blue match-ups that will go a long way to determining the eventual champion on our the Friday Night line-up Fitzgerald hosts #9 Fraser (2-1), Madison welcomes (2-2) Anchor Bay and East Detroit (2-0) travels to South Lake to face the Cavs (1-2). This week’s marquee match-up in the silver is a Friday night tussle between Lamphere (3-1) and defending co-champ Clintondale (3-1) both trail Lake Shore by one game. The Dragons rely on veterans James Bethea and Denzel Rodgers while the youthful Rams have gotten outstanding play of late from sophomore Ryan Horvath.

Nothing Better to Do: Our Picks

     Wednesday – Grosse Pointe North 67 Utica 60, Romeo 62 Chippewa Valley 58, Fitzgerald 57 Madison 55, Mott 63 Mt. Clemens 58 – Friday – Chippewa Valley 57 Eisenhower 56, Roseville 70 Cousino 64, Fitzgerald 59 Fraser 56, Madison 62 Anchor Bay 53, South Lake 49 East Detroit 47, Clintondale 61 Lamphere 55.

Injury Bug Has Bitten Several Stars

     It’s been a rough season around the conference for a lot of key players will high expectations for the season. It started even before the first game; Utica’s Mike Hollingsworth, Port Huron Northern’s Lance Cusac, L’Anse Creuse North’s Jesse Scheinke and Romeo’s Ricky Roth and Nate Saliga all missed at least one game to start the season. Holiday tournament injuries caused Grosse Pointe North four year player Paul Bramos to miss multiple games and cost Grosse Pointe North three year start Jarvis Wise the rest of his junior season. Currently L’Anse Creuse Willie Cruz, Center Line’s Jon Essenmacher and Eisenhower’s Ryan Tomayko all of whom were their teams leading scorer at the time of their injuries are out and it’s not known when they are expected back. Best wishes of good health to all on their way to recovery.

2009 Top Freshman and Sophomore List

     Coaches, Parents, Players and Fans send us nominations for the top underclassmen (freshman, sophomore’s) list for 2009. To be eligible a player need only be currently playing for his schools varsity team. We’re adding an honorable mention portion this year and all nominated players whose spot on varsity can be confirmed will be included. Send your nomination with players name school height position and any stats or information supporting their inclusion. We will make an effort to see each player at least once, if we haven’t already, before we finalize the list.

#1 vs. #2 As Good as it Gets

MAC Insider Staff Writer

     When Roseville and Grosse Pointe North tip off tonight at 8 mile and Vernier it will be a match-up between the two unquestionably most impressive teams of the season’s first month. Both were considered among the top teams in the conference coming into the season but I don’t know if anyone thought they’d be this good. A combined 13-0 record and the conferences top two offenses. In addition to bragging rights, more importantly first place in the MAC white is on the line in tonight’s clash. Grosse Pointe North has not finished above .500 in league play since winning the Red in 2004. Roseville has not claimed a division title since 2000.

     Here’s a somewhat in-depth look at the match-up and our not so scientific prediction.

On the Wing:  You have to start here. This is where the excitement and many of the marquee names are. The game’s most highly regarded player, Roseville junior Brandon Gouch (16.8 ppg) will be the focal point of the Norseman’s defense. GPN senior’s 6’4” Kyle Nadeau (18.2 ppg) and 6’3” Paul Bramos (13.0 ppg) provide excellent length and athleticism as well as offensive explosiveness and long range shooting.  Their play has been the catalyst for North’s early start. Roseville sophomore David Green has provided surprise double digit scoring for the Panthers and provides another threat for North to consider. Advantage: Even

In the Paint:  Roseville’s Dominique Pointer is probably the games best athlete, but that’s not unusual. His scoring is coming around again this year and his defense and shot changing abilities played a big role in the Panthers upset of Eisenhower and their 6’9” center Corey Petros. The Norseman have depth up front 6’6” seniors Greg and Matt Blunden are tough inside and can step out and shoot it. Roseville DeAndre Turner does the little things to help the Panthers compete inside. For North the more offensive minded Andrew Horne (11.2 ppg) is probably the x-factor long arms and quick jumping at 6’6” also, he might be the straw that breaks the Panthers back. Edge: Norsemen

On the Point:  Grosse Pointe North’s Darrin Willis is a capable playmaker, but the Norseman do it by committee in the half court. Damien Davis (6’4”) has also handled the ball at times for the undefeated Northsiders. Roseville’s Traye Williams has arguably been the conference MVP so far this season. Statistically he is the games top scorer at 19.5 a game and is the Panthers leader in assists and three pointers made. Gouch is also capable of playing the point and allowing Williams to get a break without coming out of the game. Gouch handled the point as a Freshman and is a big-time playmaker as much as he is a scorer. Edge: Panthers

Intangibles\Prediction: The Norseman have the deeper bench and the home court edge. The Panthers however are used to being counted out or supposedly overmatched; they win just about every game they’re not supposed to. We might regret it, be we have been burned by the Panthers when we’ve doubted them before. The Norseman are for real, but we give the edge to Roseville and their big game experience. Final Score: Roseville 73 Grosse Pointe North 70

Cruz, Lancers Find a Way

MAC Insider Staff Writer

December 30^th 2008

     Nobody played well on offense in this game. The defense was stifling and offense was, to be honest, bad or at least sporadic at best. In the end it took four extra minutes to decide but the Lancers got their second straight win and the 2008 Crusader Classic Championship Trophy. Willie Cruz, the tournaments MVP was not his typical outstanding self as L’Anse Creuse North’s team defense and man defense by Mike Osterman among others held Cruz to a season low 14 points and just one field goal in the final three quarters of regulation. Still he managed five points in overtime one more then the entire Crusader team and enough to get a 50-44 win and a .500 record heading into the New Year and league play.

     The first quarter, was like much of the game, pretty back and forth. Cruz led all scorers with four points and three rebounds in the first quarter. The Crusaders were led by six bench points in the opening stanza. The Lancers took a 13-11 edge into the second and that two point margin remained at the half as just twelve total points, six each, we’re mustered in the second quarter. The Crusaders took over 4 and a half minutes to score in the quarter before Osterman’s lay-up made it 17-13 with 3 minutes and change to play. Lancer sophomore Dejaun Henderson’s six points of the L’Anse Creuse bench were game high at the half. The Lancers began to stretch their lead in the third as seven different players combined for 15 points.  Only four points to end the quarter by Josh Brogan kept the Crusaders within striking distance.

     Brogan, North’s leading scorer, had been scoreless in the first half and the two baskets he closed the third with were his only of the game to that point. However with the Lancers leading 34-28 Brogan scored inside and hit two jumpers from the left baseline on consecutive possessions to tie the game at 34 with five minutes remaining.  Then Cruz, who had been silent since the first quarter got free from 22 feet and canned a three pointer without hesitation giving the visitors the lead again with 4 minutes to play. It was the last field goal made in regulation. The rest of the scoring came from the line and Jesse Schienke made the last two with 21 seconds to play tying the game at 40-40 and eventually sending it into overtime.

     Overtime belonged to the Lancers; after two Brogan free throws, Herman Washington answered with a pair from the stripe and up and under post move to give the Lancers the lead for good. Cruz sealed the deal with a leaner and three for six from the line. In addition to the 14 points, Willie grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out six assists. He finished the tournament with averages of 21.5 points 13 rebounds and five assists. Henderson had eight in total and Washington seven and six rebounds. Brogan matched Cruz for game-high with 14 and added four rebounds. Val Dimovski added eight and six rebounds off the bench and Schienke finished with six and ten rebounds.

Fraser 77 #4 Dakota 72 – The Ramblers bounced back from a frustrating loss to Chippewa Valley with an upset win over Macomb Dakota in overtime to open the final night of competition in the Chippewa Valley Holiday Invitational. It was, as things typically have been for Fraser the last few seasons, anything but easy. After 17 Matt Carden points and hot shooting from Chris Wouters (nine points on three triples) helped the Ramblers to a 13 point halftime lead the Cougars rallied and even took the lead on Glen McIntosh’s only field goal of the second half late in the fourth. The tow teams traded buckets down the stretch with Dakota’s Matt Morris and Fraser Chris Wouters even trading back to back threes before a Matt Mullins lay-in for the Cougars sent it to overtime knotted up at 66.

     Overtime began with a three point play by Carden and an Etienne Boyer triple in response to another Mullins basket. Free throw shooting allowed the Ramblers to hang onto their four point lead and win improving to 3-3. Matt Carden led the way finishing with 26 and 13 rebounds. Wouters was next with 15 including four more triples. Boyer had 11, all after the break and 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Drew Ulry also had 11 for the Ramblers. The loss drops Dakota to 4-2 entering league play. Mullins was the teams leading scorer again with 21. McIntosh added 13 and Tony D’Olivio 11.

Lake Shore 81 Michigan Collegiate 74 – The Shorians win the inaugural St. Clair Shores Coaches vs. Cancer Holiday Tournament defeating South Lake and Michigan Collegiate in back to back afternoons. Again it was Arthur Coppola leading the way out of the gates for the Shorians helping them build a 21-12 first quarter lead against the Cougars. But foul trouble relegated he and sophomore sensation Johnny Johnson to the bench. However reserves Ryan Mazmanian and Deonte Bridgeman continued their solid play and helped Lake Shore maintain a 38-28 halftime margin.

     The Cougars erased that deficit however by scoring the first ten points of the second half and even took the lead briefly in the fourth but the Shorians guards were too much and eventually prevailed. Coppola, the tournaments Most Outstanding Player scored 23 points and averaged 20 for the two games. Nemitz was next with 16 points and Mazmanian, known mostly as a defensive presence provided 14 points in a reserve role. The 3-2 Shorians are off until league play begins in January.

Anchor Bay 64 Port Huron 54 – Seven of Twenty-five free throw shooting and inability to get stops down the stretch doomed a Port Huron comeback attempt in the Crusader Classic consolation game. Anchor Bay scored the first eight points off the game, Port Huron the next ten and the Tars the final nine of the first quarter sparking a 28-8 run which put the game out of reach despite a valiant effort by Port Huron in the late stages of the game. A Devon Hawkins three pointer with two minutes to go brought the Big Reds within eight, but they never got closer. Sophomores Taiwan Jones and Brandon Padgett led the way for Anchor Bay (2-2). Jones has 20 points, 13 after the half and nine rebounds while Padgett finished with 18 and a game high four assists. Jason Marshell added 13 points and Matthew Robinet six and 13 rebounds. Port Huron was led by Hawkins’ 16 points 3-5 long range shooting and 25 benched points including 14 in the second half from junior Marcus Titus. David Foster had six points and 10 rebounds.

Roseville Rally’s in the Fourth to Top Eisenhower

MAC Insider Site Contributor

     They are for real. If there was anyone left doubting it, Roseville made a clear statement Tuesday Night that they are not just the team to beat in the MAC white but the team to beat in the entire MAC. The Panthers held their own for three quarters and then took it to the more experienced Eagles in the final quarter on the road. Trailing after the first quarter, at halftime and by six points after three, Roseville, led by sophomore Traye Williams scores 23 in the final stanza to take the game 74-71.

     Things started good for the Panthers junior standout Brandon Gouch was hitting early and the Panthers were able to keep pace despite 10 points from senior Dragan Bijelic for Eisenhower. Only a Jeff Roegner (7 assists) buzzer beating triple gave Ike a 19-17 edge after one. The second quarter also was back and forth with a slight edge to the Eagles; Corey Petros asserted himself inside with eight and Ryan Tomayko started to get on track scoring seven in the period; still the Panthers offense kept humming. Williams scored eight in the period; Gouch took a couple of defensive rebounds coast to coast for lay-ups and reserve Brian Kari made two big three point buckets to keep Roseville close.  

     In the third it looked like the Eagles size and depth was going to wear the Panthers down; even without starter Joe Wirth (DNP) and a second quarter injury to junior Dylan Valko. Eisenhower got 10 from Tomayko in the stanza and opened up a 52-45 led, the largest of the game, with less then two minutes to play in the quarter. It was shortly after that when the momentum shifted entirely. The Eagles went cold to start the fourth on offense, failing to score in the first four minutes of the quarter. The Panthers did not waste this opportunity.

     Roseville chipped the led down to one 57-56 with just under six minutes to play and on the following possession Dominique Pointer stole a pass intended for Petros and raced to the other end uncontested for a slam dunk that gave Roseville their first lead of the second half; a Gouch put back with 3:20 to play gave Roseville a 63-59 edge. But the Eagles rallied back again; Petros hit a turn around the next possession then collected a rebound which led to one of Ryan Tomayko’s three triples and a one point Ike lead. But it was short lived, Traye Williams took the inbounds pass and as he did all night had an answer for the Eagles. He tripled from the left wing giving the Panthers the led again; again with 1:45 to play he answered an Eagle basket with a drive and lay-in to stretch the margin to three.

     A Petros tip in with a minute and change left cut it to one again and set the stage for what looked like a free throw shooting contest. Having missed two free throws on the previous possession Dominique Pointer grabbed a front end one and one miss by Eisenhower and calmly knocked down two and gave Roseville a three point edge again. They’d need it. Eisenhower got the shot they wanted on the next possession as Roegner found Bijelic who hit his fourth triple of the night tying the game at 71 with 15 seconds left. But as it was on the Eagles last big three point bucket of the quarter the joy was short lived. A foolish foul at mid court put Traye Williams at the line and he again had an answer. Swishing both and the Eagles final offense possession ended when Pointer (10 points 8 rebounds 4 steals) swiped a long distance lob into Petros sealing the victory.

     One a night where several players had excellent offensive numbers and a small crowd was treated to an excellent show it was the youngest standout that made the biggest impact. Williams had 26 points for the Panthers and hit five triples. Gouch was excellent as well scoring 18 and pulling down 9 rebounds. For Eisenhower Tomayko was high man with 24 points and five rebounds. Corey Petros had 15 and nine rebounds and Dragan Bijelic had an excellent all-around game with 22 points eight rebounds and five assists. Roseville improves to 3-0 and Eisenhower drops to 2-2. The Eagles are off until the New Year, the Panthers will be in action next Tuesday and Wednesday in Madison’s holiday tournament.  

Twin Double-Doubles Help Dragons Down Stallions

MAC Insider Staff Writer

December 17^th 2008

     Tuesday Night’s battle between 2-0 Sterling Heights and MAC silver favorite Clintondale went right down to the wire. The Stallions controlled the first half tempo and held a four point lead at the half. Clintondale’s full court pressure wore the Stallions down in the third quarter; the Dragons outscored Sterling Heights 20-3 to take a double digit lead into the fourth. The Stallions however scored 15 of the first 20 points in the fourth quarter and even took the lead at one point in te fourth. In a game of runs it was the was the experience of the Dragons seniors James Bethea and Denzel Rodgers who each played the final five minutes with four fouls that put the Dragons over the top winning 57-53. Their leadership and rebounding was just too much. Bethea had 17 points and 14 rebounds and Rodgers 13 points and 15 rebounds. Steve McCoy had 16 points and four made three point shots and Frank Sanders 11 points for Sterling Heights (2-1) which plays Lake Shore Thursday. The Dragons (1-1) battle another class A foe, Fraser on Thursday Night.  

Chippewa Valley 48 Cousino 47 – This time Matt Balkema’s last second attempt came up short; Balkema’s missed tip was the third shot the Patriots got on the games final play against Chippewa Valley. The Big Reds hit seven three pointers for the game including one by Senior Mark Sly that ended up being the game winner. Sly had 13 to lead the Big Reds (2-1) who play at South Lake Thursday. Balkema had 20 points and 14 rebounds and Eric Van Buren 13 points and seven rebounds.  

Romeo 59 Grosse Pointe South 47 – Romeo’s defense lifted them to a 19 point half time lead before South cut the margin to as few as seven in the third. But the Bulldogs held on for the second consecutive win on the home floor. Senior Brandon Hoenicke was Romeo third different leading scorer in as many games with 12 points; he also had a team high eight rebounds. Ryan Thomas (11 points 7 assists) and Kyle Maxwell (10 points 7 rebounds) again had strong games for Romeo as well. Christian Conroy had 14 points and Leif Rodney 12 for the Blue Devils.

Stevenson 51 Madison 47 – The Titans showed improvement of offense, defense and on the glass and as a result improve to 1-1 with a win over two-time defending MAC Gold Champ Madison. It was the play of the bench that lifted Stevenson’s offense with reserves Josh Corbin and Dan Lydick coming off the pine to help Stevenson come back from a double digit first half deficit. Corbin finished with a team high 11 points and four rebounds, Lydick had 10 and six rebounds. Mike Puzzuoli led the Titan starters with seven points and seven rebounds. Ryan Aaron and Ashton Curd had 14 for the Eagles.

Port Huron Northern 45 Port Huron 43 (Triple Overtime) – Lance Cusac had 11 points and 13 rebounds in his first game back this season helping the Huskies prevail in a three overtime battle pf fruition against rival Port Huron. Tied at 33 after regulation both teams struggled to score in overtime and it was 35-35 heading into second OT. Having not made a field goal in the period, down three with time winding down, Chris Tatti made a 30 footer for Port Huron at the buzzer to end the second OT. Tony Perez scored five points in the third overtime one more then Port Huron and the Huskies prevailed. David Foster led Port Huron with 11.

Two of County’s Best Duel to the Buzzer

MAC Insider Staff Writer

December 12^th 2008

     Wow! That about says it all for what will likely go down as one of the games of the year in the MAC. The Red\White crossover played Friday Night in Harrison Township not only featured two of our top 10 teams in #5 L’Anse Creuse and #7 Cousino but two of the areas top players in “starting five” selections Willie Cruz and Matt Balkema. Both are slated to play division one basketball next season and they each was appropriately magnificent in trying to push their teams over the top tonight. It was a tale of two halves as the host Lancers took control behind the strength of Willie Cruz who hit nearly everything he took scoring 18 first half points in leading his team to a 33-26 margin sixteen minutes in.   

     The second half saw momentum swing as the Patriots moved to a zone defense and keyed on Cruz shading towards him at all times.  The results of the switch left a rattled L’Anse Creuse team to look elsewhere for scoring and find little, as Matt Balkema’s size continued to overwhelm the Lancers undersized front line. Still the Lancers led most of the way; were up six after three and still ahead with less than five minutes to play. The Patriots finally drew even at 50 on a basket by junior Eric Van Buren; from there it was back and forth and when Jerome Doggett’s shot dropped with 13 seconds to play the Lancers, leading 56-55 could taste victory. It was not to be though as the Patriots had one last rally in their tank. On a set play with three second remaining senior David Chasney found Balkema inside for an easy lay-in with just .7 seconds to play. Cruz finished with 24 points 11 rebounds and four assists; one more point then Balkema who added 12 rebounds and of course most importantly the win. Van Buren had nine, seven rebounds and four feeds in support.

Former MAC Players currently playing in College

This years list was contributed by a very dedicated contributor, thanks B... If you have any additions to our list please send them to machoops@inbox.com 

Freshman and Sophomores ‘09

MAC Insider Staff Writer

     Another season of MAC basketball and another batch of youngsters that make the future all the more intriguing and exciting. This is the deepest group of underclassmen we’ve found since we started this list and we’ve expanded from 15 to 20 spots. Below you’ll find the last two season’s lists which shows just how accurate and inaccurate some of our projections have been, but mostly give you a sense for just how good this years guys can be down the road. Remember these rankings are intended to reflect potential balanced with current level of performance. It favors sophomores for this reason but take note of just how successful each freshman to crack the list has become.

     This season’s list includes three freshman, six players averaging more then 10 points per game, three players whose older brothers have starred in the MAC recently and both of last season freshman selections now in the top five. We’ve been fortunate enough to have seen each of these players play either live or on tape in the past month and hope to give you a nice introduction to their games and all the more reason to go see them for yourselves. Thanks and enjoy this years list.

2007 List

T- 15. Michael Hollingsworth, Utica Sophomore (5’10”G)

T- 15.Matt Carden, Fraser Sophomore (6’5” F)

14. Jon Talos, East Detroit Sophomore (6’5”C)

13 Jon Essenmacher, Centerline Sophomore (6’4” W)

12 Paul Bramos, Grosse Pointe North (6’3” W)

11. Deandre Davis, Stevenson Sophomore (5’10” G)

10. Anthony Wash, Warren Mott Sophomore (5’10” G)

9. Brandon Gouch, Roseville Freshman (6’3” W)

8. Javon Glassnor, St. Clair Sophomore (5’10” G)

7. C.J. Olaynian, Warren Mott Freshman (6’3” F)

6. Cal Lane, Utica Sophomore (6’2” F)

5. James Bethea, Clintondale Sophomore (6’3” F)

4. Matt Balkema, Cousino Sophomore (6’9” C)

3. Willie Cruz, L’Anse Creuse Sophomore (6’2” W)

2. Jarvis Wise, Grosse Pointe South Freshman (5’11”G)

1. Glenn Bryant, Dakota Sophomore (6’7” F)

2008 List

#15 Will Bowles – South Lake Sophomore (6’5” C)

#14 Calvin Curry – L’Anse Creuse North Freshman (5’5” PG)

#13 Kyle Capps – Mount Clemens Sophomore (6’3” F)

#12 Jesse Schienke – L’Anse Creuse North Sophomore (6’5” C)

#11 Joseph Asbury – Warren Mott Sophomore (6’7” C)

#10 Herman Washington – L’Anse Creuse Sophomore (6’3” F)

#9 Ryan Thomas – Romeo Sophomore (5’9” G)

#8 Evan Walker – Dakota Sophomore (6’4” F)

#7 Dominique Pointer – Roseville Sophomore (6’4” F)

#6 Corey Petros – Eisenhower Sophomore (6’8” C)

#5 David Poole – Warren Mott Sophomore (6’4” F)

#4 Traye Williams – Roseville Freshman (5’10” PG)

#3 C.J. Olaniyan – Warren Mott Sophomore (6’6” C)

#2 Jarvis Wise – Grosse Pointe South Sophomore (5’10” PG)

#1 Brandon Gouch – Roseville Sophomore (6’3” W)

 2009 List

#20 Victor Sharpe – Warren Mott Freshman (5’10” PG)

-One of the highest potential players on the list; the freshman floor general helped Mott go from consecutive finishes near the bottom of the standings to contention for a title. Recently set career high with 16 points and is averaging five a game in his rookie campaign.

#19 Ryan Horvath – Lamphere Sophomore (6’2” F)

-Up and coming inside out threat for the Rams. Has had a couple major scoring displays so far this year; games of 16, 18 and a 25 point gem that included seven made three pointers. When he adds strength and epth to his game look out.

#18 CJ Bates – South Lake Sophomore (6’5”, F)

-Another talented young big man for the reloading Cavaliers. Bates and his seven points per game have been one of the encouraging signs in an up and down season for South Lake. 14 points against L’Anse Creuse North (A win for the Cavs) is his best scoring effort to date.

#17 Kevin Dunaj – Warren Cousino Sophomore (6’7”, F\C)

-Seven points and seven rebounds per contest for the raw post talent who’s first off the Patriot bench most games. Playing behind two senior posts his role and minutes should expand greatly next season. Still developing footwork and shooting touch but showing major potential.

#16 Austin Shell – Port Huron Northern Sophomore (6’4” F)

-Averaging 7.6 ppg for the Huskies so far. Shell provides inside outside offense and excellent athleticism and length to the Huskies line-up. Still rounding out his game adding ball handling skills and extending his range. His 14 points against Grosse Pointe South are a season best.

#15 Trent Jax – Chippewa Valley Freshman (5’9” G)

-One of just two Freshman on this years list; Jax has yet to see significant minutes but shows all the signs of being a big-time player down the road. He’s smooth and quick and very strong for a freshman and his jump shot looks very consistent inside the arc, range will come with age.

#14 Joel Seddon – St. Clair Sophomore (5’11” G)

-Handling the ball a lot as well as providing a secondary scoring option on the perimeter for the Saints. Called up late in his freshman season to prepare for his sophomore campaign, the maturation process has been accelerated as Seddon already has games of 18, 19 and 20 points and a 10 per game average.

#13 David Green – Roseville Sophomore (5’11” G)

-Another year, another list, another Roseville underclassmen on the list. Green has averaged nearly eight points per game in the season’s first two plus months. He provides outside shooting, ball handling and another scoring option when teams key on the big three. Has 17 points in his season debut.   

#12 Charles Baskin – East Detroit Sophomore (5’7” G)

-Sweet shooting sophomore has taken a lot of the MAC by storm early this season. Averaging 10 points per game after a 21 point performance against Warren Lincoln including three late triples to put the Shamrocks over the top. Averaging 16 a game in his last five contests.

#11 Brandon Padgett – Anchor Bay Sophomore (5’11” PG)

-One of two dynamic sophomores for Anchor Bay, point guard Padgett provides better then expected leadership and brings strength, shooting and playmaking to the table. Averaging over 11 points in this his rookie season, Padgett has games of 17, 18 and 20 points on the year.

#10 Mighael Hollingsworth – Utica Freshman (5’10” PG)

-The comparisons are unavoidable, he’s a different player but if he progresses athletically like his brother then he’ll be one of the premier players in the league his last two seasons. Fourth on the team providing five points per game so far this season as the Chieftains point guard. Season high 17 points vs. #1 GPN.

#9 Jon Sulek – Stevenson Sophomore (6’1” SF)

-A key contributor in Stevenson’s upset wins this season. Sulek has had games of 19, 15, 14 and three times 12 points on the way to a 10 point per game average through a little more then half of his rookie campaign at the varsity level. Upside is big for him and his young and improving team.

#8 Aaron Cox – Ford Sophomore (6’4” C)

-Rapidly improving; an undersized big-man with a little room to grow physically a ton of room to grow skill wise. Exploded for 27 points vs. Dakota. Has nice combination of simple moves and mostly gets by on toughness and determination in the paint. Jump shot shows signs as well; leading the Falcons in scoring at just under 10 a game this season.

#7 Mark Morris – Dakota Sophomore (5’11” G)

-Big time scoring potential; a pure shooter who teams all ready game plan around. Developing moves off the dribble will make him nearly unguardable at this level. Had 30 points including seven made three pointers in win over Fitzgerald. Had 15 in a half against Eisenhower. Overall is tied for third on the Cougars at 8.5 ppg.

#6 Johnny Johnson – Lake Shore Sophomore (5’11” G)

-The x-factor in the Shorians rise to league championship contenders. The shifty guard has been a major factor in league play with four straight 20+ games bursting onto the scene. Since then he has remained the Shorians top scorer as they battle for the league title. Averaging 14.3 ppg tops on his team. 

#5 Calvin Curry – L’Anse Creuse North Sophomore (5’6” PG)

-Will have three years to refine his game as the floor general for the Crusaders; already upped his scoring to seven a game second overall for North. Can control the tempo of a game as well as ignite a break; almost impossible to coral off the dribble.

#4 Joe Baker – Clawson Sophomore (6’3” F)

-Transfer who became eligible midway through the season and has averaged 20 a game since joining the team. 6’3” with a solid frame and dynamic all-around game, the sophomore Dragon has set the silver ablaze in his first month. Averaged 25.5 ppg in wins over Clintondale and Lake Shore the leagues top two teams. 

#3 Corbet Conroy – Grosse Pointe South Sophomore (6’3” W)

-After leading the team in scoring during the state playoffs as a freshman last season following a late season call-up the lanky sweet shooting Conroy has become a double digit scorer in the MAC white despite the loss of PG Jarvis Wise. At 10.5 ppg he is well on his way to a fine career.

#2 Taiwan Jones – Anchor Bay Sophomore (6’3” F)

-An explosive player with an all-around game that could really blossom in the years to come.  Already the Tars top scorer at over 15 points per game Jones adds an average of 8 rebounds and 4 assists each game helping Anchor Bay to a better then expected season and a very bright future.  

#1 Traye Williams – Roseville Sophomore (5’10” PG)

-One of the top point guards in the conference regardless of class. Has shown game breaking ability with his scoring and very dangerous accuracy on the three point shot. Averaging more then 15 points per game as well as four rebounds and five assists.

Fraser Rambles on Past East Detroit

MAC Insider Staff

January 21^st, 2009

     It’s been and up and down year for the Ramblers of Fraser, but there is no doubt that this team is much better for having survived the numerous heartbreaking losses of the past two seasons. A core of third year players from those teams form the Nucleus of this season #9 Ramblers which improve to 6-4 and 3-1 in the MAC Blue with a 62-54 win over East Detroit, previously unbeaten in league play. Those seniors Matt Carden, Etienne Boyer and Anthony Tucci along with fellow senior and 2007 Transfer Chris Wouters and junior Drew Ulry have given the Ramblers a balanced starting five as good as any in the MAC.  

     Against the Shamrocks, Fraser survived a shooting flurry in the first quarter and gradually pulled away for the win. East Detroit’s Joe McLaren scored a very impressive 16 points in the first quarter, including four three pointers, the Ramblers took notice; he did not score again the rest of the game. Tied at 18 after Matt Carden added six second quarter points to give Fraser a three point halftime edge 30-27. In a back and fourth third quarter Wouter’s two triples and eight points total helped Fraser extend to a 45-41 edge. East Detroit senior Montez Richardson had one of his best games of the year scoring 14 points including seven in the fourth but the Ramblers got contributions from everywhere. Drew Ulry led the way with nine points late, Wouters hit a clutch three pointer and Matt Carden sealed the deal with a three point play with less than two minutes to extend to a ten point edge.

     Carden finished with a game high 18 points nine rebounds and four assists. Wouters was next with 16 points five rebounds five assists and four steals, Ulry added 13 points five assists and four steals and Tucci had 10. Also in double figures Ethan Blackwell for East Detroit with 10.

It’s Official: Lake Shore is For Real

MAC Insider Staff Writer

January 7^th 2009

     If you’re a fan of Lake Shore basketball and you’ve attended their first six games this season; you’ve got your money’s worth and then some. The Shorians (4-2) took an early lead in the standings over favorite Clintondale with an upset win at the Dragons lair Wednesday night. The Shorians have made a habit of getting coming out very strong to start games this season and seem to relish the reputation they are developing. Though the offense sputtered at times in the first half in the Shorians played some of their best defense of the season in particular the efforts of senior Kyle Nemitz (six points) on Clintondale star and four year starter James Bethea who had just one first half field goal. The smothering defense helped Lake Shore to a seven point edge 20-13 after sixteen minutes.

       The Dragons made their run however in the third quarter netting 19 points and taking a one point edge, 32-31 into the final stanza. Momentum stayed on the home team’s side early in the fourth as host Clintondale extended to as much as a seven point margin. But as they have so much this season the Shorians fought back and pressure free throws by Johnny Johnson and Arthur Coppola gave them the lead again as the final seconds began to tick away. Clintondale sent the game to overtime scoring with six seconds left in regulation.

     A back and forth overtime period seemed to be fated for another tie until an Anthony Browlee three pointer gave Clintondale a one point lead 58-57 with 14 seconds remaining. On the Shorians final possession leading scorer Arthur Coppola’s jump shot rimmed out with but senior Jake Simons grabbed the rebound and in the melee was fouled on the put back attempt with .3 remaining. Simons scoreless to that point watched his first free throw rattle and roll in to tie the game. After a Clintondale timeout to ice the shooter Simons calmly swished the second shot and sent the Shorians home with a fourth straight win and the programs biggest win in years. The sophomore Johnson was the star of the night with 24 points. Coppola added 12 for Lake Shore. The Dragons played much of the late stages and all of overtime without Bethea who was injured earlier in the game.

Romeo 58 L’Anse Creuse 47 – The Bulldogs won their third straight at home upending L’Anse Creuse 58=47 Wednesday night. The Bulldogs withstood a 14 point first half from Willie Cruz holding the Lancers leading scorer without a basket in the second half. The defense of junior Jason Schirmer (four points) sparked the Romeo rally and the foul shooting of leading scorer Ryan Thomas (6-7 in the fourth quarter) put the game away. Thomas finished with 18 points and 5 assists. Kyle Maxwell had 10 points and nine rebounds and Nathan Saliga added 13 rebounds and five blocks on the night. Cruz topped the Lancers scoring with 14 and Herman Washington and Alonzo Chambry added season bests of 12. and 10 points respectively.

Utica 81 Cousino 75 - In the MAC white opener for both teams fourteen Utica three pointers and a 52 point second half overwhelmed the Patroits. The Cheiftains got their first win of the year and senior Mike Hollingsworth tallied an impressive 32 points and eight rebounds in his season debut. Trevor Plizga was nearly as spectacular finishing with 28 points. Senior Matt Balkema scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Cousino which led 33-29 at the half. David Chasney had his second straight strong game with 13 and Cody Taymore added 11.  

December 29th 2008

Complied and edited by

MAC Insider Staff Writer

Game accounts from Multiple Site Contributors

Chippewa Valley 67 Fraser 59 – A 12-0 run late in the fourth quarter propelled the Big Reds to their third win of the season 67-59 over Fraser (2-3) Monday Night. The Big Reds led by as many as seven early in the first half behind Kevin Nikkel’s seven first quarter points and Earl Harris’ two three point bombs. But the Ramblers scored 27 second quarter points nailing six three’s; three by Anthony Tucci, two by Chris Wouters and a late three by Etienne Boyer which gave the Ramblers a momentary lead before Jake Geatches beat the half time buzzer with three of his five second quarter points he and fellow senior Dave Busonick combined for 13 points off the Big Red bench in the quarter giving Chippewa a 39-38 halftime edge.

     The second half however belonged to the Chippewa Valley seniors Earl Harris and Mark Sly. Sly scored all 11 of Chippewa Valley’s third quarter points and hit the shot (a three pointer from in front of the Big Red bench with 2:45 to play) that put the Big Reds up for good in the fourth. Harris scored seven fourth quarter points and hit the free throws to ice the game.  Sly led the Big Reds with 18 and six rebounds. Harris had 17 points four rebounds and five assists. Busonick has eleven off the bench and Nikkel finished with seven and eight rebounds. For Fraser Matt Carden was high man with 18 and five rebounds. Boyer had 14 and five caroms, Drew Ulry scored nine to go with six assists, and Anthony Tucci tallied nine points with four feeds.

#4 Dakota 48 Port Huron Northern 41 – Tony D’Olivio was simply everywhere on the court Monday night and refused to let the Cougars lose despite an impressive offensive performance by Huskie senior Lance Cusac in opposition. The senior point guard for Dakota got a double-double the hard way with 12 points and 10 steals to go along with five assists in a seven point win over Port Huron Northern at Chippewa Valley. The Cougars built an early lead but watched it slip away as Cusac pilled up 13 points and six rebounds in the first half for Northern and had his team up 22-21 at the half.

     The supporting cast was not able to provide enough offensive support however as the Cougars pulled away in the second half. The Huskies managed just 19 points (12 from Cusac) in the second half while the Cougars featured a balanced attack with three in double figures. Matt Mullins was high man with 13 and eight rebounds for Dakota, then D’Olivio with 12 and finally a third senior Glen McIntosh with 10. Nigel Adams grabbed 10 rebounds for Dakota. Cusac finished with 25 and seven rebounds; Alex Hawkins had six points eight rebounds and five assists for Northern which falls to 2-2.

Lake Shore 54 #10 South Lake 49 – The Shorians continue to play well early in the season scoring their second straight win after two last minute defeats. Seniors Arthur Coppola and Kyle Nemitz combined for 33 points and was enough to overcome a decided advantage on the boards for the previously undefeated Cavaliers. It was another fast start for the Shorians netting 10 of the games first 11 points and carrying a 12-8 margin into the second quarter. The second quarter was a standstill with South Lake being outscored 11-10 and trailing by five at the break. The Cavs inability to hit from the outside kept them from establishing any sort of run on offense.

     The third quarter saw a hungry South Lake push the tempo and score 20 points for the stanza, however they cut into the lead by just two making it 41-38 heading into the closing quarter. South Lake continued to score on put backs and eventually took the lead but the now confident Shorians battled back and seized control late for a 54-49 win. Coppola, the teams leading scorer, was again fantastic with 17 points five rebounds and five assists. Kyle Nemitz added 16 points on his 18^th birthday and post players Marcus Cribbs and Jake Simons combined for 13 points and did all they could to keep South Lake off the boards. Will Bowles led the way with 16 points for the Cavs and Martinique Thornton had 15.

Durham Gets Three the Hard Way; Abes top Panthers

MAC Insider Staff Writer

December 19^th 2008

     Warren Lincoln felt like they were in control all night Thursday against Center Line and for much of the evening they were right. The Abes led from the start but could not put the game away; as the Panthers, behind a balanced attack cut the lead to one at the half. Anthony Williams sparked a third quarter run that put Lincoln up ten, but the Panthers again rallied and took the lead for the first time in the second half with less then three minutes to play. Still down by two Lincoln turned to senior Donovan Durham who went to the rim drew the foul and finished the play to tie the game. The proceeding free throw gave Lincoln the lead and the win 56-55. Williams had a game high 22 points and Durham 12 for Lincoln, which improves to 3-0 but is still not playing consistently at the level they believe they bare capable. Center Line (0-3) was led by John Essenmacher with 15 points.

#4 Fitzgerald 66 #6 L’Anse Creuse 49 – A game that was back and forth for the first twelve minutes turned in a rout when personal 8-2 run by Charles Wilson late in the second quarter put the Spartans in control for good. Wilson had 10 in the quarter and a team high 17 points to go with 5 rebounds for the game. A 21-6 third quarter edge for the Spartans put the game out of reach as they shadowed Lancer star Willie Cruz who struggled to shoot the ball but still finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Chris Hines added 13 points and 5 assists, Ken Enoex eight points and eight rebounds and Larry Masters seven points and eight rebounds off the Spartan bench which tallied 23 points for the game.

Lake Shore 68 Sterling Heights 52 – The Shorians win their first game of the season and first game outside of the division since 2005 and do it in impressive fashion. Shorians streaked to a 13 point halftime lead and held off a second half charge that saw the Stallions get as close as four before they ran out of steam. The Shorians deep backcourt that got the job done for them. Kyle Nemitz was high man with 18; Arthur Coppola had 13, sophomore Johnny Johnson 12 and reserve senior Ryan Mazmanian seven. Sterling Heights (2-2) was led by Pat Finnegan who scored 11.

South Lake 41 Chippewa Valley 38 – You’d think we’d learn our lesson,, but instead it’s the Cavs who are learning and fast. The admittedly young South Lake basketball team, which is now 3-0 with two wins over MAC red opponents was picked (by us) for sixth place in the Blue division and we took the Big Reds to win last night. Needless to say, we’re not enjoying our Crow. Coming off of emotional wins of Tuesday the teams were not as sharp as usual from start. A back and forth game throughout, the Cavaliers surged to a 10 point led late only to have to hold their breath as Chippewa Valley missed a contested three point shot to tie as time expired. Martinique Thornton continued his strong play leading all scorers with 16 points.

#9 Warren Mott 59 Lakeview 29 – C.J. Olaniyan posted his fourth double-double in as many games, with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Mott improves to 4-0 at the break. This one was never close; the Huskies had no answer for Olaniyan 6’6” and fellow junior Joey Asbury, 6’8”, who led all scorers with 19 including five three pointers. Adam Wells had nine and sophomore Zeke Vicchio six for Lakeview.

#1 Eisenhower at #2 Roseville top the Docket for Week Two Games

MAC Insider Staff Writer

December 15^th 2008

     There is no doubt that a match-up between the preseason MAC red and white favorites will garner the most attention of any game in the seasons first month, but it is not the only marquee match-up this week. Another battle of top teams pitts #3 Grosse Pointe North against #6 L'Anse Creuse. The Norsemen already have a win against the MAC red and the Lancers lost at the buzzer to Cousino in their season opener. Andrew Horne, Matt Bluden, Greg Bluden and the rest of the Norsemen frontline may to too much for Willie Cruz to overcome even with a deeper and more productive supporting cast then people expected. GAME POSTPONED

     Another game to watch is #4 Fitzgerlad traveling to Macomb Dakota in search of their second win against the MAC red and a 3-0 start. Senior Chris Hines has stepped into the primary guard role this season and Ken Enoex has emerged as an at times dominant presence. Still the Spartans may be on upset alert; Dakota has the size and athleticism along the frontline to match and even create problems for Fitzgerald, Matt Mullins, Evan Walker and Glenn McIntosh are capable of a double double any night. This will be a battle. Our Pick: Dakota 62 Fitzgerald 59

     On Thursday Center Line travels to Lincoln as another MAC silver power takes a shot at the team who has won their last 32 games against MAC silver foes. The Abes Anthony Williams and Panthers Jon Essenmacher are two of the premier players in the MAC; each capable of scoring a ton of points in a hurry. Clintondale's size did not bother Licoln, so the pressure will be on the Panthers D to step up and stop the Abes. Our Pick: Lincoln 59 Center Line 55

to be continued...

Blue Devils Rally; Deny Shorians Elusive Crossover Victory

MAC Insider Staff Writer

December 10^th 2008

     Close but no cigar once again for Lake Shores boys basketball program as they led most of the way against Grosse Pointe South of the MAC white before falling short; 52-49 Wednesday Night in their home and season opener. The Shorians came out hot scoring the games first eight points and stymieing the Blue Devils with swarming defense en route to a double digit lead for much of the first half. If not for a 5-0 flurry final thirty seconds the outcome of the game may have been different. As it was the run cut the lead to 25-17 at intermission and a 35 point second half and a six minute scoreless draught for the hosts propelled the visitors to victory.

     Among the highlights for the unbiased observer in this game are some of the MAC’s finest young players. A trio of underclassmen led the way for GPS. Leif Rodney (Junior) was the catalyst of the comeback finishing with game highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds. He along with the steady play of backcourt duo Jarvis Wise (Junior) and Corbet Conroy (Sophomore) which combined for 15 points nine assists and just one turnover. For the Shorians (Sophomore) Johnny Johnson was the top scorer with 14 in his first regular season varsity game. Third year senior Arthur Coppola (13 points) was also in double figures for the Shorians (0-1) who host MAC Gold favorite Warren Lincoln Tuesday while the Blue Devils (1-0) travel to Oakland County for a battle with Bloomfield Hills Andover.

MAC Insider Staff Writer

     On a night where Old Man Winter flexed his muscle on Macomb County, the Patriots of Cousino faced an Oakland County foe and ran into the red hot shooting Red Hawks of Athens High School and fell short in the season opener 65-54 Tuesday Night. Despite the dirty birds dexterity to dial long distance the Patriots controlled play for much of the first half and held a 29-28 lead on the visitors at half time.  However in the second half momentum shifted as Athens went to a zone trap and forced turnovers and wasted possessions initially for Cousino.

     Eventually the Patriots got comfortable navigating the zone and got several good looks at the basket. Nevertheless Cousino, which shot just over 40% for the game, missed 25 field goals attempts in the painted area, and made just 7 of their 12 foul shots, making it an uphill battle they were not able to climb. For Cousino junior Eric Van Buren led the way with 17 points and eight rebounds while Matt Balkema chipped in with 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The Patriots (0-1) travel to L’Anse Creuse Friday Night to battle the Lancers in one of three Red\White crossovers that evening.

     Hello and Welcome to the 2008-09 Mac Insider Macomb Area Conference Boys Basketball Preview. This is our third straight season releasing a preseason preview and this year we have covered the MAC like never before. We feel this is our most complete, comprehensive and enjoyable preview to date. We were able to contact representatives or fans from almost every MAC school and feel like we have prepared as accurate and insightful of information for each program as possible with out limited resources. There are bound to be errors, changes etc. however and if you notice any or have more accurate up to date information please contact us at machoops@inbox.com and we’ll make the necessary updates. Please be patient as we continue to amass and post schedules for all 36 MAC teams which will be posted on the season preview pages through Christmas on via links on the Division pages after the New Year. Thanks for all the support of MAC basketball and our site we appreciate your contributions and your input is very valuable to us; we ask that you take the time to rate our preview and provide any comments you have in the sectioned designated at the right of the home page. With no further delay please enjoy our 2008-09 MAC Basketball Preview.

-MAC Insider Staff