It looks pretty obvious who the fans think the top four teams will be. Let's give everyone something to talk about.
My Huron League Picks:
1. Milan
2. SMCC
3. Huron
4. Riverview
5. Grosse Ile
6. Flat Rock
7. Jefferson
8. Airport
Player of the Year: Andre Duffin
Riverview 4th, cmon Chris. They have their whole team back from finishing second last year. They have the best big man in the league, and one of the best guards, a winning combination if you ask me. SMCC should be SMCC, solid at times but mostly underachieving. Although I have to give them credit for being district champs in Windham's 1st year. Huron lost their best 3 or 4 players. They should be ok, but ahead of Riverview no way. Milan has a lot of transfers to deal with, but they are talented. I see it this way: 1A-Riverview, 1B-Milan, 3-SMCC, 4-Huron, 5-Flat Rock, 6-GI, 7-Jeff, 8-Airport.
ReplyDeleteWell, let me throw some logic in here.
ReplyDeleteI picked Milan based on talent and athleticism. They have virtually everyone back from what was a young team. They have added some sold pieces and are very well coached.
I have SMCC picked next based on their size, experience and ability to shoot the ball. Windham is an underated coach and was only a smidge away from a Quarter Final birth last season.
I have Huron next because they return a solid nucleus of experienced players from their undefeated team. I would argue that they graduated their two best players but return their next five best. Throw in a 6-3 sophomore who is a Richardson clone along with an 18-2 JV squad and the two time defending champs are good enough for 3rd place.
Riverview has 2 solid players in Stewart and Kowalski but graduated some solid role players. I would argue that Stewart won't match last year's season stats. He went to the line nearly 200 times last season. With that said, I think the other three teams could be better than last season and Riverview may be too.
It should be a four horse race with any of the those teams potentially winning the title.
I have to bunch them in groups this year.
ReplyDelete1. & 2. Going to be a great matchup with Riverview and Milan. We know the Pirates are returning a boat load of talent. Milan seems to get a new team every year with transfers, but they're returning some studs.
3. & 4. SMCC - Good guard play, good size, always play good defense = a lot of wins in a weak league. Huron - Lost a lot, but return a good crop, not to mention a very nice JV team and a coach who gets them to play hard......all the time.
5. 6. 7. & 8. - Really, they're all the same, will beat each other on their home floor but will not beat a top 4 team all year. Grosse Ile - as undiscipllined team on the floor as I've seen in a long time. What happened to the talent they used to have? Flat Rock - still young, lack of shooting will hurt them. Airport - lost the most of anybody from last year, guard play is a big question mark? Jefferson - well, it's back to the old Jefferson teams of the past, a lot of banging and very little finesse.
Seriously you're a joke, you obviously don't have a life and you need to get rid of this blog because it causes nothing but drama.. Quit talking about all the talented and non-talented players in the league. It's high-school basketball man, grow up!
ReplyDeleteBrad Stewart and Mike Kowalski practically carry Riverview's Basketball team. If one of them we're to get hurt that's the only way I'd see Riverview being #4 or worse in the league. Otherwise I see them winning the League.
ReplyDeleteNot sure where the "you're a joke" or "don't have life" thing comes from but obviously your reading this blog.
ReplyDeleteI see you hiding behind an anonymous handle but that's okay. I can see why your afraid to attach a name.:)
I dont think I've done this much in both the football blog and this blog. But I actually agree with chris for the most part. The only thing I would do different is flip Huron and CC.I just feel Huron has alot of momentum goin from last season and even with there grad losses have several good players.
ReplyDeleteJefferson and Airport will battle each other to avoid the cellar. I still cant get over the lack of depth for Airport, it boggles my mind!. Heck, even Stateline Christian has more depth than Airport and how many kids go to stateline....25?...IF THAT!. Airport on the other hand has about a 1,000. WHY DONT AIRPORT KIDS WANT TO PLAY!!! IS IT THE COACHING? ADMINISTRATION PROBLEMS?,WOULD THE PLAYERS RATHER PLAY FOR ROECKER?. I SIMPLY DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON IN CARLETON.......
ReplyDeletePoor Dave McCormick is going to have to pick up ALOT of slack.
Davuan Posey is a beast. Cant wait to see what he can do this year.
obviously richardson and stockert are viewed as the top to depate due to the numbers and touches they recieved last year, but huron isnt returning the next 5 best at all!! Im pretty sure the next five is no comparsion to other 2 graduates Tavtigian and weclowski a physical monster who went 45-3 in there 2 years and played critical roles not just their senior season but there junior as well, especially Tavtigian who could score when given the opportunity. I didnt see any juniors on huron score in the high teens or 20's like Tavtigian his junior season, unfortunately he didnt have the senior year expected, but him and other fellow seniors are a step above the current huron seniors!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteto the post at 4:58 you make good points. But Huron had a good JAY-VEE. and they have a hardnosed old school coach in Jim Kalbfleisch, who isnt afraid to give players earfuls if they deserve it. Huron has some good players coming up, expect for them to contend for the league this year. Yes, ZRich and Stockert and Tavtigian were very talented players. But Huron will reload.
ReplyDeleteChris, you make some great points. My 1st post this morning at 7:09 didn't take into effect the fact that CC has so much size. They may be able to handle Kowalski this year. But with that said, the only player they lost with significant minutes is Andrew White. Some how some way Stewart gets it done and JJ is a good coach. I still feel that Huron will have a drop off. They will battle b/c Kalbfleisch teams always do, I just don't see the senior leaders like they had in past years. I think any of the top 4 can beat each other, but I feel that Riverview will play the most consistent out of the group. Remember Milan is talented but seems to be a little up and down at times. Should be a great battle for the top 4 teams.
ReplyDeleteYea, that's pretty much my thoughts. Any of the four teams can win.
ReplyDeleteI remember in 2001 when I was assistant at FR.
We finished at 10-4 in the league and finished 4th overall. SMCC, Milan, and Airport all went 11-3. It certainly didn't feel like a 4th place finish and you can probably argue that we actually finished 2nd but where we finished didn't make us a bad team. We were a game out of first place, won 19 games including a district and lost a close game in the regionals.
There are most likely four pretty good teams in the league. Good coaching and players stepping up will be the difference.
the thing with airport is that the cupboard is bare as hell. there is only two kids that played bball last year that arnt playing this year and that is kyle johnson who was on varsity last year and brandon lewis who was on jv. jodeci hasnt playd bball for two years. but yes i beileve it is the coaching. players were used to playing for the laid back spencer roecker. and when ryan marino came in and started actually coaching the kids got tired of it and relized they werent gonna be good. so desided not to play. the onyly player that will have significant impact on not playing is the center thats not playing kyle johnson he was big and tall and could finish with good moves i am really curioud to the actual reason for him not playin. without him they dont really have a presence inside other than a senior that played jv his junior year (i dont even know his name). but i believe that it will devaun and freshmen scottie mccormick carring the load for the most part of the year. also they lack leadership with the graduating of tyler baker.
ReplyDeleteif roecker was a laid back coach at all, ernie sellers would make up for it and then some. watching him coach games from the sidelines you could tell he was 100% toughness and hustle and zero % laid back. he even intimidated me from the stands.... also airport had potential to be a way better team last year. they lost heartbreaking losses to milan and huron and even an ot loss to adrian in districts. they had players hurt (pigeon and smith) that really cost them a few games. i havnt seen any, really, of marino, but it looks like graduation and a lack of intrest in bball is killing the airport program.
ReplyDeletei deffinately think that riverview has the talent to beat all the teams in the huron league. With stewart and kowalski playing like they always do will be a big factor, this year they have a very good point guard in todd fasca he slows the game down and breaks down defenders to find the open man. Corey turner is a very good junior on both ends of the floor. Riverview has three other bigs that contribute different things to the team nick beamish is a strong who will grab alot of boards and zac haube will block alot of shots this year and there new addition tony johnson is a verystrong player will be good on offense and will grab a lot of rebounds. Riverview also has five new guards from the jv team 4 of the 5 started last year. Chriis krach is a very lengthly kid whose aggresiveness will take him a long way. luke tobler along ith corey turner have a really nice shot from the 3 point line will borieo and mike hamernick are both decent guards that can handle the ball and create space on offense they are just young. will borieo is a good defender and isathletic enough to get steals and rebounds. Ronald graham is a guard who is a good defender and had a nice shot with all of these players Riverview will defenetly come in the top spots in the league
ReplyDeleteWatched Riverview destroy Gabriel Richard last night. Chris you do make some good points, but Riverview is returning 4 of their starting 5. They have Kowalski and Stewart yes, but many are over looking their other big man Zach Haube. Teams now cannot just double up on Kowalski, because if they do, they will pay for it. Corey Turner is a beast shooting from outside, Todd Fasca handles the ball well and their bench is not that bad.
ReplyDeleteAlso, why does everyone make a big deal about a JV team? JV is JV and should not be brought into the discussion period. So what the Huron JV team went 18-2, many of the other teams have their best players up at the Varsity level and if your lucky maybe 2 to 3 players from a JV team ever make it to the Varsity team for their Junior and Senior seasons. You just cannot compare apples to oranges.
While your at it why dont you mention what their 7th & 8th grade teams records were too. LOL!
1.Riverview
2.Milan
3.SMCC
4.Huron
5.GI
6.Flat Rock
7.Jefferson
8.Airport
Riverview or Milan could flip flop, but I am putting my money on the Pirates this year.
Riverview has no bench and has to rely on it's starting 5 more then any other team should have to.
ReplyDeleteIt's Milan or Riverview, end of discussion.
ReplyDeleteRiverviews bench for the guards are horrible, I'll give you that Grahm and Hamernick are decent, but that person above is wrong about Borieo. There are JV players more deserving to be up there over them. Plus rumor has it that next year there will be two former point guards coming back to Riverview next year.
ReplyDelete