OLSM tops list of elite Oakland County teams
The 2021-22 boys basketball season gets started on Monday, with Oakland County looking to have some of the best squads in the state.
Here’s a look at the teams that will contend to be the best in Oakland County this winter.
1. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s — This should be the year Todd Covert’s super-charged Eaglets finally break through and make a run to the Breslin Center and the Division 1 final four. St. Mary’s has been nationally ranked the past two seasons, but had the state tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and got upset in the quarterfinals last year. This winter, the Eaglets are an enticing blend of veterans and highly-touted youngsters. Duquesne-commit Kareem Rozier is the best true point guard in the state and Western Michigan-signee Javaughn Hannah, a scoring-machine two-guard and transfer from Ypsilanti Prep, will be a Mr. Basketball candidate. University of Michigan baseballsignee Jack Crighton is a deadeye shooter on the wing and Central Michigan football-commit DC Temple (6-6) will hold things down in the post. Freshmen Trey McKenney (6-4) and Sherrod Barnes (6-2) both already boast Division I scholarship offers. McKenney is considered one of the top ninth grade hoop prospects in America and will start from Day 1.
2. Birmingham Brother Rice — The Warriors’ “Fab 4” of juniors Curtis Williams (forward), Xavier Thomas (forward), John Blackwell (guard) and Henry Garrity (guard) are looking to take the next step for themselves as primetime players and to continue to vault the Brother Rice program forward as a state title contender. Williams is the No. 1 college prospect in the state’s Class of 2023. Thomas is the county’s own version of Draymond Green, Blackwell is being recruited by the Big Ten and Garrity, the most improved of the group, needs to decide if he’ll play basketball or football as a tight end in college. High-motor Keithan Gilmore (forward) and Xavier Bowman (guard) round out the bulk of the rotation.
3. Ferndale — Fresh off a trip to the D2 final four and an OAA Red crown, the Eagles return the majority of their lineup, including the high-octane tandem of seniors Trey Lewis (Loyola signee) and Jason “Deuce” Drake (uncommitted). Juniors Cameron Reid, Caleb Renfroe and Chris Williams and sophomore Trenton Ruth provide Ferndale a more than formidable supporting cast.
4. Clarkston — Perennial suburban power Clarkston is once again strong in the backcourt led by savvy senior floor general Keegan Wasilk, sniper shooting guard Nate Steinman and steady wing guard Zach Austin. Look for sophomore Des Stephens to have a breakout season at a small forward spot.
5. North Farmington — OAA transfers Ryan Hurst (West Bloomfield) and Prince Jackson (Farmington) join forces with standout sophomore Landon Williams to give the Raiders a deadly crop of guards. Navy football commit Aaron Rice patrols the paint and rim runs
with the best in the area. Role player Jared Frazier will enter the starting lineup this winter and North Farmington has a deep bench filled with newcomers sporting size, length and athleticism.
6. Rochester Adams — Adding Gunner Walters back into the lineup after two years playing out of state gives the Highlanders a legit shot to play sleeper in the OAA Red race. Adams voluntarily moved up from the OAA White. Walters averaged 18 points per game in North Carolina in 2021. Sophomore Brady Prieskorn and junior Jonny Ursuy are both skilled and tough as nails in the frontcourt and plucky guard Justice Mims might have been the most improved player in the area last season. Jacob Durand fills out the starting five for head coach Jaret Thomas.
7. Bloomfield Hills — This could be the year that the Blackhawks go from cute and crafty to a bear to deal with it night-in, night-out in the OAA Red. Like Adams, they hope to play sleeper. Junior Noah Adamzyk is one of the most underrated bigplay magicians in Metro Detroit. Forwards Derrick Lee and Ben Canty and big guy Carson Brodsky assure opponents can’t focus too much on stopping Adamzyk or they will get burnt. Bloomfield Hills head coach Phil Kurajian is a rising star in the profession.
8. Novi Detroit Catholic Central — Oakland University-signee Cooper Craggs is the top inside-outside threat in Oakland County and Chaz Lewless and T.J. Nadeau form one of the best sophomore backcourts in the state. Expect Kam Mayes and Josh Ross to be X-factor types and compliment Craggs in the frontcourt.
9. Oak Park — All-OAA selection Ashton Henderson is a beast of a combo guard and Bo Miller is a terror baseline to baseline for the Knights and head coach Durand Shepherd. Lajuan Holloway, Geon Hutchins, Jason Smith, Derald Blackmon and Robert Smith all bring great energy for Shepherd’s club. Hutchins, Blackmon, Smith and Harris are freshmen.
10 (tie). Lakeland — The frontcourt of Caleb Zurek and Andrew Turnquist is the best the westside of Oakland County has to offer. Guards Caiden Carlson, Andrew Platt and J.T. Wheeler play hard-nosed defense and can score if left open. Kenny Hagle will spell Zurek and Turnquist on the blocks.
10 (tie). South Lyon — Connor Fracassi, Dawson Skupin, Logan Doty and John Hesterman all return from last season’s bunch that surprised out of the LVC. Fracassi just took his Lions football squad to the D2 final four and when he is finally healthy from offseason surgery, he might end up being the league’s leading scorer. Skupin was the quarterback on the football team and finally healthy. Doty is a gym rat and Hesterman is one of the league’s best big fellas.