Bank Hoops Top 25 Teams

Julian Roper of No. 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (right) and Ty Rodgers of No. 2 Grand Blanc.

1. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 3-0 (No. 1 last week): The Eaglets put on a defensive clinic in a 65-52 win over No. 2 Grand Blanc, with senior guard Julian Roper showing he’s as good as anyone in the state. St. Mary’s will play host to another undefeated ranked team, Hamtramck, on Tuesday.

2. Grand Blanc 5-1 (2): After losing at St. Mary’s, Grand Blanc took out its frustrations with big ones over Davison and Muskegon, with Ty Rodgers posting a 19 & 20 double-double in the latter.

3. Grand Rapids Catholic Central 5-0 (8): Someone call the fight! The Cougars beat Cedar Springs by a girls’ score, 78-16, before last night topping then No. 5 Grand Rapids Christian, albeit sans Kobe Bufkin, 59-44. And with such a young roster, CC could improve as a rapid clip.

4. Ann Arbor Huron 3-0 (4): Covid paranoia er protocol has sidelined the River Rats, who had to cancel intracity rivalry games with Skyline and Pioneer.

5. Detroit U-D Jesuit 3-0 (9): A would’ve been showdown at St. Mary’s on Saturday didn’t come to fruition. Sophomore Sonny Wilson is playing as well as any point guard in the state, regardless of class.

6. Detroit King 4-0 (6): Crusaders are rolling even with senior all-stater Omar Zeigler out with knee surgery. Roseville isn’t a bad team at all, but MLK beat ’em 61-39. The Detroit PSL schedule starts this week for King.

7. Warren De La Salle 5-0 (7): They’re not going to stay undefeated in all likelihood as the rugged Catholic League awaits, but the Pilots continued to impress with wins of 85-43 over Detroit Renaissance and 73-34 against Detroit Country Day. And they’ll only get better as this roster is filthy with class of 2023 talent.

8. Hamtramck 5-0 (16): Accomplished two rare feats in beating then No. 3 River Rouge, 62-56 — giving the Panthers a homecourt loss, and a league defeat for the first time in five years.

9. Grand Rapids Christian 5-1 (5): A 5-0 start came crashing down Saturday against Grand Rapids Catholic Central, when All-American guard Kobe Bufkin left the game early with a wrist injury. But the schedule has no mercy, as the Eagles have Forest Hills Northern on Tuesday.

10. River Rouge 3-1 (3): The Panthers hadn’t allowed more than 35 points to an opponent before losing 62-56 to Hamtramck.

Class of 2021 Minicamp April 3 Mt. Pleasant

11. Grand Rapids Christian 5-1 (5): A 5-0 start came crashing down Saturday against Grand Rapids Catholic Central, when All-American guard Kobe Bufkin left the game early with a wrist injury. But the schedule has no mercy, as the Eagles have Forest Hills Northern on Tuesday.

12. Zeeland East 5-0 (11): SVSU signee Trip Riemersma lived at the line in the Chix’ 59-51 win over always tough Hudonsville Unity Christian. East goes next door to play Zeeland West on Tuesday.

13. Flint Beecher 3-1 (12): Bendle was no problem, but it will get tougher on the horizon with Carman-Ainswroth and Grand Blanc looming.

14. Ferndale 4-1 (21): The Big Ten, Big East etc. needs to be all over elite shooter Trey Lewis, a 6-5 junior who scored 50 in the Eagles’ 94-74 defeat of then No. 10 Detroit Douglass. That followed a 56-49 win over then No. 19 Clarkston.

15. Detroit Edison 4-0 (20): While we lauded the frontcourt last week, DEPSA has talent and experience on the perimeter as well in senior wing Jaylen Flaniken and senior guard Ralph Bland. They’re one of three currently undefeated teams in the Charter School Conference, with Chandler Park Academy and Summit Academy.

16. Troy 2-0 (14): The Colts’ games were cancelled last week.

17. North Farmington  4-0 (18): The Raiders are the only undefeated team in what is always one of the state’s top league, the OAA-Red. The schedule is redundant with four of their first five games against either Farmington or West Bloomfield, with some welcomed change Friday at home against a tough Ferndale squad.

18. Clarkston  4-1 (19): After losing to then No. 21 Ferndale 56-49, the Wolves rebounded with a 70-40 dispatching of Farmington and 48-42 win over a well-coached Groves team.

19. Detroit Douglass 5-1 (10): Douglass took its first loss courtesy a 50-spot from Ferndale star Trey Lewis. Friday the Hurricanes have a PSL showdown in Corktown against league favorite Detroit King.

20. Benton Harbor 4-1 (22): The Tigers beat a talented Williamston team by double digits on Saturday, a good quality opponent as they may not be tested again until March.

21. Williamston 5-1 (13): Benton Harbor isn’t an easy place to play even without a full house, as the Hornets found out Saturday losing to the then No. 22 Tigers 51-40.

22. Forest Hills Northern 5-1 (15): After dropping a close one to Williamston last weekend, the Huskies blew through Byron Center, East Grand Rapids and NorthePointe Christian all by at least 20 points. Ferris State-bound senior Ethan Erickson surpassed 1,000 career points along the way.

23. East Lansing 3-0 (17): The Trojans have been living dangerously but are clean so far, including a 40-35 comeback win over Holt.

24. Saginaw Arthur Hill  6-0 (24): The winningest team in the state to date at 6-0. Teams have their work cut out for them against Arthur Hill’s baseline of 6-5 junior Chris Smith and 6-7 sophomore Timmie Jordan.

25. (tie) Macomb Dakota  3-0 (25): Several quality unsigned senior guards will be on the floor when Dakota goes to Sterling Heights Stevenson on Tuesday — the Cougars’ own Joshuah Hines and Stevenson’s Mak Manciel and Andre Turner.

Grand Haven 4-0 (NR): The Bucs look like the team to beat in the OK-Red. 6-4 junior Nic Stump is a rising 2022 recruit, a blue-collar producer now finishing above the rim.