Class B Breakdown

Class B Final Four
New Haven
While No. 8 New Haven has two D1 senior big men, 6-10 Innocent Nwoko to CMU and 6-9 Jerry Ben to Cornell, it’s a guards’ game at this level and the backcourt will have to grow over the next three months. One option could be one of the state’s elite freshman prospects, 6-4 Romeo Weems. On the other side of the fence is defending runner-up No. 11 Detroit Henry Ford, which has an all-state guard in senior James Towns but saw their best frontcourt player, Antwan Johnson, move to Ohio. There are any number of Detroit teams who could also ride guard play through the bracket, like No. 9 Hazel Park with senior Cameron Boatmon and sophs Carl Bow and David Hearns; No. 13 Detroit Osborn and junior Armonee Felder;  No. 17 Detroit Consortium and senior Luster Johnson; and No. 23 Detroit Northwestern and senior Terrance Sewell.

Junior point guard Christian Rodriguez will face a stiff test leading Godwin Heights to a second state crown.

Godwin Heights
Last we saw Godwin Heights, the Wolverines were wiping the Breslin floor with Detroit Henry Ford. Even after losing all-state guard Delaney Blaylock and their best forward Mike Williams, Godwin comes in again at No. 1. But it won’t be easy replacing either of those guys. Junior point guard Christian Rodriguez is a gifted playmaker who will have to look for his own shot, while sophomore guard Lamar Norman will have to produce while being targeted by defenses as a top option, as will senior guard Leon Redd who looked every bit as good as Henry Ford all-stater James Towns in the state final. 6-4 junior Calvin Valdez has the potential to replace some of Williams’ up front production. Norman is just part of what is one of the state’s strongest 2018 groups, so this program isn’t going anywhere. Godwin could be tested in districts by No. 10 Wayland, which has a strong junior class with 6-7 Zack Nieuwkoop, wing Michael Kelly and guard Avery Hudson, but must replace two of the best players in school history. It doesn’t get any easier at the regional level where No. 7 Williamston likely awaits. Williamston has an all-state senior guard in Riley Lewis, bruising big man in 6-7 junior Derek Nicholson, who in his best moments may remind coach Jason Bauer a bit of himself, and a future high major recruit in 6-6 freshman Sean Cobb. No. 5 Charlotte should await in the regional final. They have an athletic dunker/shooter in 6-2 junior Sy Barnett and another talented junior in Kyle Peterson, who is 6-4 and can shoot it. U-M is a fitting quarterfinal venue for a big-time matchup between Godwin Heights and No. 3 River Rouge. The Panthers graduated one D1 point guard, coach’s son Lamonta Stone to EMU, but bring in another, junior Darian Owens-White. Guys like 6-6 senior Javon Lawrence and 6-4 junior Delonta Peterson should thrive playing beside DOW. Between now and March the Panthers will have to figure out how to matchup in the regional with the most dominant player in Class B, 6-10 Michigan signee Austin Davis from No. 4 Onsted.

Before he heads off to play at U-M, Onsted’s Austin Davis could play at Crisler Arena in the state quarterfinals.

Big Rapids
Could Big Rapids finally break No. 20 Cadillac’s hold on this Breslin berth? The Vikings did it for a third straight season last March, even with a new coach and having lost all-stater Jalen Brooks. Cadillac again won’t be the most aesthetically pleasing group, but remain a tough out. They’d meet No. 12 Big Rapids in the regional. Big Rapids has a sweet shooting senior guard in Ken Davis, a 6-4 athlete who looks like he should be at Ferris State and not the high school in junior Demitri Martin, plus the arrival of a talented 6-4 sophomore Braeden Childress. Grayling likely would await on the other side of the regional, though what looks like a down Lake Michigan Conference won’t have done them many favors. Two of Class B’s most talented players could meet in the other regional, No. 20 Alma’s 6-10 senior Dylan Carl and Frankenmuth’s 6-4 sophomore Mario Whitley.

Junior Demetri Martin is the top college prospect for Big Rapids.

Stevensville Lakeshore
The No. 3 Lancers will be challenged in district play by Benton Harbor and their senior guards Curtis Dawson and Jaton Gunn. Lakeshore counters with a big, talented frontcourt with 6-10 senior Braden Burke, 6-5 senior Alex Warman and 6-6 junior Max Gaishin. Logan Steffes is a solid senior guard. With a weak senior class in the Grand Rapids area, there are no obvious challengers to Lakeshore or Benton Harbor at the quarterfinal level.

Top 25 Class B Teams
1. Wyoming Godwin Heights
2. Stevensville Lakeshore
3. River Rouge
4. Onsted
5. Charlotte
6. Benton Harbor
7. Williamston
8. New Haven
9. Hazel Park
10. Wayland
11. Detroit Henry Ford
12. Big Rapids
13. Detroit Osborn
14. Yale
15. Dearborn Divine Child
16. Chandler Park Academy
17. Detroit Consortium
18. Detroit Country Day
19. Lansing Catholic
20. Alma
21. Spring Lake
22. Cadillac
23. Detroit Northwestern
24. Detroit Douglass
25. Leslie

Class B All-State
Braden Burke  6-10  Sr  Stevensville Lakeshore
Dylan Carl  6-10  Sr  Alma
Austin Davis  6-10  Sr  Onsted
Riley Lewis  6-0  Sr  Williamston
Tony Poljan  6-7  Sr  Lansing Catholic

Second team
Sy Barnett  6-2  Jr  Charlotte
Jerry Ben  6-8  Sr  New Haven
Jalen Martin  6-3  Sr  Chandler Park Academy
Innocent Nwoko  6-10  Sr  New Haven
James Towns  5-10  Sr  Detroit Henry Ford

Third team
Jaton Gunn  6-2  Sr  Benton Harbor
Luster Johnson  6-0  Sr  Detroit Consortium
Cody Kegley  6-0  Sr  Yale
Darian Owens-White  6-0  Jr  River Rouge
Terrance Sewell  6-2  Sr  Detroit Northwestern

Fourth team
Demitri Martin  6-4  Jr  Big Rapids
Dylan Patton  6-7  Sr  Leslie
Leon Redd  5-11  Sr  Wyoming Godwin Heights
Christian Rodriguez  5-9  Jr  Wyoming Godwin Heights
Zach Niewkoop  6-7  Jr  Wayland

Fifth team
Carl Bow  6-0  So  Hazel Park
David Hearns  6-0  So  Hazel Park
Nick Klingel  6-4  Sr  Paw Paw
Lamar Norman  6-1  So  Wyoming Godwin Heights
Mario Whitley  6-4  So  Frankenmuth

Class B Underclassman All-State
Quinn Blair  6-6  So  Dearborn Divine Child
Sean Cobb  6-6  Fr  Williamston
Braeden Childress  6-4  So  Big Rapids
Markese Hastings  6-4  So  Wyoming Godwin Heights
Romeo Weems  6-4  Fr  New Haven