Michigan VS Illinois Border Battle

The battle for bragging rights is here. These two states have put out some of the best players in history   Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas. So the rivalry is heating up again this Saturday May 7th  Illinois Flames, Illinois Prymetyme,Detroit Spartans and Michigan Hurricanes are some of the teams that have already committed. This even will only have 1 age group 17U so there will be alot of top talent in the gym. Two of the best point guards in the country will be going at each other with Fred Van Bleet ( Illinois Prymetyme) and Jonathan Campbell ( Detroit Spartans) showing off there skills. For more info on the event or to register your team contact . Coach Shawn 248-238-4822 or Coach Doc 815-608-5100

Some of the best and brightest from the Mid- Atlantic

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Daijon Womack "The Reason"
Daijon Womack is currently in 5th grade.
He's a 5'0 Combo-Guard from South West Philly.
This kid is one of the next Stars from the city of brotherly love.
He can shoot the 3,finish with both hands @ the rim and locks up on D.
His trainer Braheim Wilson of E.T.G Sports helps Daijon work hard on his game.
He's has a B-Average in school. Plays football wants to play in ACC or Big East in college.
There will be much more from Mr.Womack for years to  come.
AAU Club(s): Each One Teach One/Philly Freedom Stars

Fahmir Ali "Mirdy"
Famir is a stocky 4'11 4th grader who plays 11 &12u basketball on the circut.
He's really been making a name for himself traveling with Delaware Royalty 11u.
He's one of their Big 3. After seeing him play, you would never believe he's only 10 years old.
Check him out on (http://www.bballspotlight.com/) He's a scoring guard. He has good size that allows him
to get to the rim and a nice stroke on his shot. Like Daijon he too is a football stud. He's captain of the
No Limit Hurricanes. On the court he reminds you of UCONN Standot Khalid El-Amin.
Catch Fahmir on the circut. You won't be disappointed.
AAU Club(s): Delaware Royalty

Jamal Whittlesey "The Biggest Baby"
Jamal is something you don't see in Delaware a lot. SIZE!
Jamal is in 5th grade. He's about 5'10 200 pound anchor.
He's a tad mythotical on the floor, but with his large wingspan and his wide frame,
it allows him to grab loads rebounds, change shots and score the ball. The upside for him is scary.
The word is he's going to be at least 6'6. With him being another 2 sport athlete the D1 offer should be pouring in for him in the future.
AAU Club(s) Delaware Royalty

Kiyon Johnson "Big Guard"
Kiyon is a coaches dream. Big, Strong, Athletic and multi-talented.
Kyion presents match up problems for any youth team in his age group,
He's a 5'6 lefty who can do it all. There are a lot of 11 & 12u programs tugging at
Kiyon, but you can catch him on the circut with DE Royalty or DC ASSAULT.
He reminds you on Lamar Odom....If he gets to his fathers height of 6'5. His ticket to
college will be punched and he's also a 2.8 student.
AAU Club(s): Delaware Royalty / D.C. Assault

DaQuan Smallwood "DayDay"
DaQuan has really came along. the 6'2 1/2 Forward is currenlty in 8th grade.
He's a 3.5 student, who attends P.S. DuPont in Wilmington,Delaware
DaQuan has made leaps and bounds since late october. He's long, lanky and athletic.
He runs the floor, blocks shots and has begun dunking the ball on a regular basis.
He's currently being sought after by some of Delaware's top programs. However he's only interested in
The Sanford School, Wilmington Christian School and Concord High School a top public school.
If he gets to 6'5-6'6 he will be a nice prospect from the 1st State.
AAU Club(s): East Coast Elite-Thoroughbreds

Top 15 High School Basketball programs in Metro Detroit (not a ranking)

1. Detroit Consortium
2 Detroit Community
3. Detroit Pershing
4. Livonia Stevenson
5. Melvindale ABT
6. Detroit Cody
7. Detroit Westside Chrisitan
8. Detroit Denby
9. Detroit Southeastern
10. Southfield High
11. Novi High
12. Chandler Park Academy
13. Detroit Mumford
14. Detroit Country Day
15. Warren De Lasalle

I am sure after everyone looks at the list they will say how did so many Detroit teams make it. Well truth is if they didn't have to play each other in the state playoffs they would all win there districts and most likely regionals.

Top Ten AAU Programs in Metro Detroit (these are not rankings)

Let me start by saying these aren't rankings, but if I had to choose a program for my kid I would definitely pick from this list.

1. R.E,A,C.H Legends
2. Michigan Playmakers
3. Southfield Transition
4. The Family
5. Detroit Spartans
6. Team Detroit
7. Michigan Hurricanes
8. Michigan Warriors
9. Michigan Mustangs
10.Southfield Lakers

Top 12 Middle School Players in Metro Detroit

1 Isiah Green ( Macarthur Southfield)
2.DeShawn Brocks ( John R. King - Detroit)
3. Jordan Carter ( Levy- Southfield)
4. Terrez Garrett ( Palmer Park Prep-Detroit)
5. Justin Carter ( Levy- Southfield)
6. Marvin Stewart ( John R, King- Detroit)
7. Joshua Jackson ( Levy-Southfield)
8. Kerry Fanning (Levy-Southfield)
9.Jaylin Golson ( Marquette-Detroit)
10. John Flowers (Nataki Talibah-Detroit)
11. Lavell Russell ( Melvindale ABT)
12. Nikeem Merchant ( Ferndale middle School)

Will Rob Murphy turn Eastern Michigan into the next Butler?

When we think of mid major programs that have been successful, for the most part Butler is the first school that pops in our mind.   This is mainly due to their recent back to back trips to the national title game.   We also remember the runs of Gonzaga in the past, but everyone seems to forget that the original mid major to pop onto the scene is Georgetown.  Yes, I said Georgetown.  Now, let’s consider Eastern Michigan. 

The recent hire of Rob Murphy as men’s head coach may catapult them into this conversation very soon. Rob Murphy is a perfect hire for Eastern Michigan because he will be able to recruit from two of the top recruiting areas in the country:   Michigan and Ohio. With his ties to the Detroit Public School League and travel teams in Detroit you should start seeing recruits going there fairly soon. He also has ties in the Cleveland area because of his time at Kent State. Not very many first time head coaches can walk into a home visit and be able to say that they have coached athletes that have made it to the pros.  Rob Murphy, might I add, has won on the high school and collegiate level. Coach Murphy’s resume is very impressive and the list of players that he has coached may be more impressive to a recruit.   Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers - yes he was a college basketball player) and Maurice Ager (Michigan State) are just a couple of the athletes that Coach Murphy has coached that have gone on to the pros.   Within the coaching ranks, Murphy is known to run a tight ship; have very organized practices; and to never accept an excuse from his players.

With all this being said, it is safe to say that with fertile recruiting ground like Michigan and Ohio to glean players from;  Eastern Michigan should be battling for a conference title in the next two years and should remain atop the Mid -American Conference until a bigger program lures Coach Murphy away.  So stay tuned…

Basketball is Back in Southeast Michigan

Rise fall and Resurrection of the I-75 Pipeline

For years you could look on major college rosters and NBA teams and find the best of the I-75 players (Detroit, Flint and Saginaw) Some of its alumni include Jalen Rose, Howard Eisley, Anderson Hunt, Chris Webber, Shane Battier, Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell, and Jason Richardson; but as of the last few years the area hasn’t produced much partly due to the fact that AAU or travel basketball didn’t catch on quite as fast there. The area had some of the best high school coaches in the country so there was no need.  But times have changed. Ben Kelso, Perry Watson and Lou Dawkins are no longer the staples of the basketball scene up and down I-75. Travel basketball can be a wonderful supplement but in no way can it ever replace high school basketball. Well it seems that finally the two powers are getting on the same page instead of fighting against one another. Programs like University of Michigan, Michigan State and other colleges in Michigan lived off of home grown talent. There was basically a closed community when it came to recruiting talent from the area. So then you started to see the I-75 players all over the college landscape.  Michigan State has been able to get top talent from the area as of late. Then all of a sudden players began to choose out of state programs over the in state powers. In its “hay day” the only question was if you were going to be a Spartan, Wolverine and occasionally but rare a Titan.  The Michigan basketball community was shocked a few years back when Joe Crawford and Malik Hairston chose Kentucky and Oregon. The last time the area had top level recruits their name were Rose and Webber or Cleaves and Richardson and we all know how their college careers went. So it seems that the area has finally caught up to what the rest of the country is doing:  a complete farm system merging travel, high school and college all in one. The past few years Central Michigan has hired a coach with local ties to the area and within the past week Eastern Michigan has done the same, not to mention the aforementioned Lou Dawkins is now an assistant at Northern Illinois. So I feel safe is saying in the next few years the I-75 area will reclaim its throne atop the basketball world.  So look for Brandon Kearney, Zedric Sadler, Carlton Brundridge,  Percy Gibson, and Tommie Mccune to make major contributions to big time programs over the next four years The talent level has been resurrected so make sure you stay tuned and watch all of these future players ( not in any order)

1.       Damon Bozeman Madison High

2.       Jordan Hare Saginaw Arthur Hill

3.       Lloyd Neely Detroit Crocket

4.       Monte Morris Flint Beecher

5.       Taron Ramsey Melvindale ABT

6.       Denzel Watts Flint Carman-ainsworth

7.       Cameron Fowler University of Detroit Jesuit

8.       James Young Troy Athens

9.       Derrick Walton Chandler Park

10.   Johnathan Campbell Livonia Stevenson

11.   Kaion Seals Detroit Westside Chrisitan

12.   Matt Costello Bay City Western

Top Freshmen in Detroit

These guys showed everyone during the year that they were able to make the transistion from Middle school to High School I am looking for big things from all of them over the next 3 years.

1. Terrence Jones Detroit Denby Travel Tea,: Detroit Spartans
2 Dayvon Austin Detroit King Travel Team: R.E.AC.H.
3. Robert Diez Ferndale High Travel Team: Team Detroit
4.Aaron Rice Ferndale High Travel Team: Team Detroit
5. Charles Brooks Detroit Mumford
6. Ricky Watson U of D Jesuit Travel Team: R.E.A.C.H
7. Damon Williams Detroit Denby Travel Team: Detroit Spartans
8.Justin Kearney Ferndale High Travel Team: Super Friends

Players To Watch out for in the Metro Detroit Area

1. Damon Bozeman 6'3 combo gaurd Madison High: He is a true throwback player nothing flashy about this guy at all. With his high socks and mini -fro he looks like a players from the 80's and  in my opionion plays like it as well. I have sat and watched this guy  for hours and  he reminds me of ex-NBA great Bernard King. He has the ability to over power  his defenders as he bulls his way to the rim add that with  a pretty good jump shot and you have a dangerous combination. Although I don't believe he has enough buzz to actually win MR. Basketball next year I am sure he will get some votes.Travel Team: Team Detroit

2. James Young 6'6 SF/PF Troy Athens: As a sophomore this kid had alot of coaches and players up at night wondering how thy could stop him. He exploded for several 20 point games this year, and that is hard to do when you are the opponents main priority. Rest a shore there will be plenty of college coaches in the stands of his games next season. This kid is just polished beyond his age on the offensive end of the court.\ Travel Team: The Family

3. Taron Ramsey 6'7 PF Melvindale ABT: BEAST is often the word used to describe this player. If I had to compare this guy to another player I would say he has the attitude and agression of Chris Webber with proper development this guy can really go far. Most " BIGS" that are his age don't go after the ball the way he does.Once he matuers and learns how to keep his self out of foul trouble all I can say is " WATCH OUT BELOW" Travel Team : Team Detroit

4.Johnathan Campbell 5'11 PG Livonia Stevenson Instant offense this kid is the best scorer in the state ( Just ask Detroit Southeastern) period. If and when he decides to become a defensive force he is a Division 1 player without a doubt. Travel Team: Detroit Spartans

5. Ignas Bernatos 6'7 SF Novi: Tremendous upside has the length and skill of TayShawn Prince. But just like Tayshawn he has to bulk up and get his ball handling better. He is a fairly good on ball defender but he is still learning thee game, sitting out a year because of transferring schools may have held his progression back some. Very hard worker in the gym but has to put in just as much work in the weight room to reach his full potential. Travel Team : Detroit Spartans