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With Class B preseason top 10 rankings just being posted, we will also post Class B preseason All state teams with it. Class B has tons of tough teams and with there being lots of good teams, that means that there are lots of really good players out there who are going to produce. We based our all state selections on a variety of factors. Some of those factors are: production, potential and predicted Win/loss records. Below are our Preseason Class B All State Teams:
Clas B MVP: Romeo Weems: 2019 6’6 SF New Haven
Last year as just a freshman, Weems averaged a double double a game. He was the star of a team that was top 5 in Class B. This year, there is no debate as to who the main man is, and he should put up over 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. The 5 star wing will again lead a top 10 team in Class B and is going to be one of the toughest players to stop in the state.
Mark “Rocket” Watts: 2019 6’2 PG Old Redford Academy:
Watts is already one of the best shooters in the state and has experience leading top teams. He starred last year as a true freshman for the now closed Detroit Allen Academy. His shot has range and he can do it both off the dribble and spotted up. His handles are also smooth as he has tons of moves and combo moves to get by his defenders. Watts is one of the top scorers in Michigan and is going to put that on full display this year.
Zack Nieuwkoop: 2017 6’8 PF Wayland Union (Davenport commit):
One of the best low post bruisers in the state, Nieuwkoop should put up double doubles with regularity. He is freakishly strong and uses that strength along with his size to dominate the glass and consistently finish through contact down low. He is also a pretty mobile, athletic big who can finish above the rim and run in transition. A great communicator and leader as well, Nieuwkoop has all the necessary skills and teammates to complement him to make him a strong favorite for all state. He is committed to GLIAC school Davenport university.
Lamar Norman: 2018 6’2 CG Godwin Heights:
One of the purest scorers in the state, Norman has plenty of big game experience. He had a monster game as a freshman in the state championship and made a name for himself then. Now he is considered by many to be one of the state’s top guards in 2018. He scores at all three levels very well and in transition, is almost an automatic bucket because of his quickness and bounce. He is considered a 4 star prospect in some national scouting services and recently picked up a D1 offer from CMU.
Trevion Williams: 2018 6’8 PF Detroit Henry Ford Academy:
Williams is going to dominate the stat sheet this year. He has a very unique skill set. He is great down on the block due to his height and his massive frame, but he also has lots of athleticism and quickness in that large body and his footwork and post moves are excellent. He also has handles that are better than the vast majority of point guards in the state and is a very capable three point shooter as well. He has 7 D1 offers already. Most notably from schools like MSU, Xavier and UNLV. Williams could easily put up 25 points and 15 rebounds a game this year.
Demetri Martin: 2017 6’4 SG Big Rapids:
Martin led Big Rapids to their first ever State semifinals appearance last year and was Class B all state as a junior. He averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists a game last year. Due to the graduation of multiple players important to last year’s team success, his numbers should increase even more this season. If their draw is similar to last year, then they have a pretty favorable chance to get back to the Breslin. Martin is excellent at breaking down his man in a 1 on 1 situation. He has pretty crisp handles and uses hesitations, head fakes, and changes of pace along with those handles to consistently create space or get by his opponents. His pull up jump shot is also very smooth both at mid range and from 3 and it really makes him difficult to defend with his size and athleticism. He shoots the ball well from three and also is pretty athletic attacking the rim.
Darian Owens-White: 2017 6’0 PG River Rouge:
He had a great season last year as River Rouge made it to Class B quarterfinals. This year though they are expecting nothing less than a state title. White is one of the top players still available in Michigan in 2017 and his numbers have backed that. He scored nearly 25 points a game last year and he is known to be a fairly efficient, pass first point guard. White will have a very strong team backing him this year again, and the incoming transfer of Drequan Bell will help him even more. White should become even more efficient both scoring and playmaking and will be the leader for one of Class B’s favorites.
2nd Team:
Jalen Miller: 2017 6’3 CG Lake Fenton:
A very underrated guard who will lead one of the most underrated teams in Class B, Miller should have a massive year this season and will be a stat stuffer. He can step out and hit with regularity from three, or he can put the ball on the floor and use his very strong frame to finish inside. A real mismatch problem who can even take his game down to the block and post up smaller players. Miller also can be a tough defender. His physcial gifts can allow him to bully guards on the perimeter and he is quick enough to check most defenders. With his solid size also, he can alter lots of shots on the perimeter.
Quinn Blair: 2018 6’6 SF Divine Child:
He had a breakout summer where he picked up 4 D1 offers and now he is ready to lead Divine Child to the Breslin. His size allows him to guard multiple positions and his skills and physical gifts allow him to play multiple positions on offense as well. He shoots the ball very well when spotted up and has a underrated ability to put the ball on the floor. He is also a standout football player and physcially he is stronger than most he plays. When he puts the ball on the floor he can muscle through them to the hoop and when he rebounds, he can muscle opponents out of position. Blair could be a 20 and 10 a game player this year for a top 10 team in Class B.
Mario Whitley: 2018 6’4 SF Frankenmuth:
One of the more athletically dominate players in the state, Whitely already has multiple D1 offers entering his junior season. He is very springy off 1 or 2 feet and finishes off tons of plays with powerful dunks. His motor also allows him to be Frankenmuth’s workhorse who defends the 1-5 spots and plays multiple positions on offense as well. He is a fierce rebounder who is very strong and never gives up on plays. His shooting has improved and he is also able to step out and knock down threes with improved consistency as well. Frankenmuth lost quite a bit from last season’s team but with Whitley making steady improvements, we think it is possible for him to carry Frankenmuth to heights that have not been reached since Brad Redford was there.
Eric Williams: 2017 6’5 SF New Haven:
Williams alongside Weems will be the stars for New Haven. Although Weems is the more household name, Williams should have an equally massive season. He can score at all three levels well and has good size which allows him to cause problems for teams. He has a good touch from mid range and in and is efficient when he has the ball. Williams, like Weems, could be a 20 point per game player this season.
Carlos Johnson: 2020 6’5 SF Benton Harbor:
The fab frosh is poised to have a breakout opening season at the high school level and there is a pretty strong chance he will do just that. He looked real tough at scrimmages in Grand Rapids the last two weeks. He is undersized playing in the post but held his own against top level competition. He appears to already be a double double threat this season and will be one of the leaders for a Benton Harbor team that could be top ten in the state in Class B.
Avery Hudson: 2017 5’8 PG Wayland Union (Davenport commit):
Hudson forms one of the best guard/post combos in the state alongside teammate Zack Nieuwkoop. He has endless amounts of energy that helps Hudson get a lot of rebounds and a ton of steals. He is also one of the more impressive scoring point guards in the class of 2017. Hudson scores at the rim and from three equally well and also has an impressive pull up that he uses. His athleticism is also really good for his size as he can finish around the rim. He should be able to improve upon his numbers from last year, which were already all state worthy.
Christian Rodriguez: 2017 5’9 PG Godwin Heights:
He will lead one of the state’s top teams in any class. He was a key piece to that state championship team 2 years ago alongside Lamar Norman, and both should be top performers at the guard spots. Rodriguez is considered one of the best passers in the state, and with the quality and depth that Godwin Heights has, he should put up massive assist numbers this season. He also shoots it very well from 3 and is an efficient scorer who can score 20 a game if he had to. Rodriguez should have NAIA and D2 offers aplenty come the end of the season.
3rd Team
Marcus Bingham: 2018 6’9 SF Grand Rapids Catholic Central:
A transfer from Ottawa Hills, last year Bingham was a promising but very raw prospect. One year later and he finds himself as one of the most intriguing prospects in Michigan. His combination of size and inside out skillset makes him one of the toughest players to defend in the state. He comfortably steps out to the three point line and shoots the three and also can go down to the block and utilize his mobility and length to control the paint. With Bingham and teammate Jacob Polakovich, Grand Rapids Catholic Central has one of the top frontcourts in the state.
Alex Ismail: 2017 6’10 C Dearborn Heights Annapolis:
He is one of the best throwback post players still available in Michigan and he should be a frequent double double for his team. Ismail also has the ability to step out to mid range and even three and hit shots if people leave him open. His size and skillset allow him to dominate on the block and he should post impressive numbers this season.
Carl Bow: 2018 6’0 PG Hazel Park:
A bouncy above the rim Combo guard more than a pure point guard, Bow is ½ of one of the state’s top backcourts. He is at his best in transition where he can finish plays or create for others. In the half court, Bow has solid moves to break his man down and he can finish plays at the hoop like few others can.
David Hearns: 2018 PG Hazel Park:
The other half of the dynamic duo at Hazel Park, Hearns is a little bit more of a natural pg than Carl Bow, but is still able to play at the 2 guard spot. Hearns has a pretty high motor that allows him to make hustle plays. Along with the hustle, he has a great skillset for a PG. He is very battle tested, having played in the UAA circuit this past spring and summer and should be ready to dominate the MHSAA.
Ben Davidson: 2018 6’3 CG St. Clair (Ferris State commit)
A good sized combo guard who can really fill it up, Davidson is ready for a big season this year. He finishes very well around the rim with either hand. And with his good size along with his ability to be ambidextrious, he is one of the toughest players to stop in 2018. He played more with the ball in his hands last year but this year he should be more of a 2 guard for St. Clair. He also is a pretty good shooter so him playing off the ball more should allow him to score more from three.
Drequan Bell: 2017 6’3 SG River Rouge:
Bell is one of the top scorers still available in 2017. He has 2 GLIAC offers and 1 D1 offer that he has picked up recently and he should pickup more at either level or both this season. Bell will have one of the most balanced teams in Class B playing with him, so it will be tough for teams to focus solely on him. This balance should allow Bell to flourish. He can score at all 3 levels really well and this versatility should cause him to be one of Class B’s top bucket getters.
Reece Castor: 2019 6’4 CG Gladstone:
Last year as a freshman, Castor scored 15 points a game and was the team’s go to guy. With a year of varsity under his belt and this young Gladstone team also having gained a year experience, I expect Castor and the Braves to make their claim as one of the UP’s top teams with one of the top players. Castor has an extremely well rounded skill set offensively, so you cannot just simply take away his ability to shoot and hope to stop him. He also defends very well as his length and fundamental defense allows him to almost always stay in front of his man. If they are going to score on him they are going to either have to muscle through him, or shoot it over him. Castor has lots of D1 and D2 interest already and we expect Castor to post really solid numbers this year for a much improved Gladstone team.
4th Team:
Kyle Peterson: 2017 6’3 SF Charlotte
Troy Summers: 2017 6’8 PF Grayling (NMU commit)
Liam Soraghen: 2017 6’7 PF Divine Child (NIU football commit)
Cole Kleiver: 2018 5’11 PG Williamston
Delbert Redfield: 5’11 PG Olivet
Deanta Ulmer: 6’0 PG Detroit Henry Ford
Khylan Shipp: 5’11 PG Detroit Northwestern
Jacob Polakovich: 6’8 PF Grand Rapids Catholic Central
5th Team
Levi Lehman: 2017 6’7 C Ithaca
Sy Barnett: 2017 6’2 SG Williamson
Lamontae Ellis: 2017 5’9 PG Flushing
Shayne Scruggs: 2018 6’7 PF Sexton
Konner Vedrode: 5’10 CG Alma
DaVantaye Webb: 2017 6’0 PG Detroit Henry Ford
Jawan Snoddy: 2017 6’4 SG Old Redford Academy
Zach Goodline: 2019 5’11 PG Coloma
Honorable Mention:
Payton Harley: 2018 6’1 PG Godwin Heights
Carter Nyp: 2018 6’7 PF Wayland Union
Malachi Walker: 2017 6’1 PG Flint Southwestern
Merritt Harmann: 2017 6’7 PF Montague
Isaiah Hoag: 2017 6’5 PF Ithaca
Steve Pearson: 2020 6’2 SG Detroit Northwestern
Jabril Abdur Rahim: 2017 6’6 SF Sexton
Sean Cobb: 2019 6’6 Fwd Williamston
Kristian Lafayette: 2017 6’9 PF Hazel Park
Wendell Green Jr.: 2020 5’9 PG Detroit Country Day
Delontae Peterson: 2017 6’5 Fwd River Rouge
Karl Brooks: 2018 6’5 PF Sexton
Austin Braun: 2019 5’10 PG Grand Rapids CC
Marcus McKenney: 2017 5’11 PG Menominee