BEVERLY HILLS, MI - The big time in high school hoops are among us and in Michigan hoops this is the time when the under classmen shine under the Breslin Center’s bright lights as the State tournament totes sixteen teams from four different divisions.
The underclassmen that have gained notoriety in these games include the likes of current college underclassmen such as: Oregon’s Tejuan Porter, Notre Dame’s Tory Jackson, and Western Michigan’s David Kool just to name last years graduating crew that found early success.
This year a blast from the 20th century rejoins the state semi-finalists, Detroit Country Day.
Country Day, the school noted for players such as Chris Webber and Shane Battier, has been absent from the semi-finals since 1996. I want to say that they might have made at least eight semi-finals in the ten years prior to this.
They’ve had talent, current Oak Hill Academy guard Alex Legion, was a force his sophomore and junior years.
This year, the transfer came to them, 6-foot-11 sophomore Deshonte’ Riley started play after sitting out the necessary semester and took a month or so to buy into the Country Day system. The growing pains were tough as the Yellow Jackets went on a five game tail spin losing some games by as bad as 23 points.
Well, the growing pains are over and DCD has a big game at the Breslin Center this Friday against undefeated Stevensville-Lakeshore. Lakeshore provides a more than serviceable big-man in 6-foot-7 senior Joe Welch who will provide much of the defense against Country Day’s big man.
I’m not saying that Riley is the offensive juggernaut of this team, that job will probably focus on 6-foot-2 junior guard Darnell Brown. I’m saying that his ability to effect the oppositions offense, defense, and any in-bound play that he defends will take on a different meaning when he is on the court.