High school basketball starts this month as we roll into November.
Here are five teams who are flying under the radar heading into the season, all with the potential for deep tournament runs:
Reed City – My personal dividing line between “Up North” and “South” in Michigan’s unofficial geological grouping also has a heck of a basketball team. Reed City’s tournament quadrant is very gettable, as Ludington lost three of their best players (brothers) to transfer, and avoided the elite Grand Rapids schools heading into the season. Junior forward Roan Johnston (6-7) is a gifted athlete who looks natural shooting from 15 feet. He also has a high motor. He could definitely end up a D2 college recruit. Fellow junior Tavien Dermeyer (5-9) is a crafty point guard who should be a consistent scorer this season as well. He’s flying up the junior class ranks after an impressive summer. Sophomore wing Grayson Wien (6-1) has cracked our top-100 list for his class as another athletic player who can shoot. Senior Kaiden Langworthy (6-2) also enjoyed impressive moments this summer as a wing with good size who can do a bit of everything, especially defend. This team probably won’t be in many showcases or talked about very often, but don’t be surprised if they reach the Breslin in either or both of the next two seasons.
Ypsilanti Lincoln – The Railsplitters have been on the map since winning a state title led by phenom Emoni Bates. They enter the season with a young, but highly-talented roster. Junior point guard Kobe Drake (6-3) continues to look like a D1 college prospect as a kid who can score at will and distribute. Freshman Chris White (6-1) is a near-unanimous top-20 player in his class. We have him in our top 10. Lightening quick guard with NBA pedigree. Manasse Mayaka (6-4) is an athletic wing coming into his own as a scorer and team leader. If he can consistently produce, he could be a late riser this season. Dilan Green (5-11) adds a fierce mentality as a shooter, floor general and great on-the-ball defender.
West Bloomfield – This program has drifted into the shadows just a bit over the past half decade, but this year’s squad quietly has a well-rounded skillset. Eugene North Jr. (6-3) appears poised for a major breakout as a senior. He had bright moments this summer, and should be the team’s leading scorer. He could be a key JUCO recruit with eventual D1 upside. Jadyn Brown (6-8) is long and lean. He too seems like a prominent JUCO recruit with plenty of untapped upside. Nasir Moore (6-1) completes the senior trio who could lead this team on a surprising run. He’s a strong, athletic guard who can get to the basket. Junior transfer Quinn Davis III (6-2) is the team’s X-factor. Very athletic and intelligent, he was once a highly-rated prospect at Detroit Douglass. His inability to shoot has knocked him down the rankings a bit, but he should be a key piece on this roster.
Hastings – Junior post Jason Jimenez (6-7) continues to grow in height and skill, quickly becoming one of the top players outside the main hubs. Trevin Russell (5-9) is a dynamo who makes plays on both ends of the court. He has jumped into our top 150 2028 rankings as a rising junior. Quincy Brown (6-0) is a promising lead guard and key scorer who has started to pick up college offers. Jack Webb (6-0) is a great shooter and will mix in for rebounds. This team has elite inside-outside potential.
Pinconning – Saw this team play a couple times over the summer, and it was immediately evident that senior Dayne Ivey (6-3) is the type of player other Division 3 teams have no chance at stopping. He has guard skills and a strong frame. He can run the offense like a freight train zooming through a defense, or bully defenders in the post. Max Wieland (6-2) also stood out as an athletic and quick guard with great scoring instincts. He could flirt with 15-20 points per game. Sean Donahue (5-9) pound-for-pound is one of the better defenders in the state. He can also run an offense and hit 3-pointers, making him versatile despite his lack of height.
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