Boys 1996

Detroit Country Day reloaded and ready to compete for a title

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12. Detroit Country Day (Class B, 21-3): Asia Doss & Co. will be looking to end this season much better than last year’s 20-point loss to Flint Powers in the quarterfinals.

Doss, a point guard, averaged 18 points, 4 steals and 3 assists and will play next year at Ohio State. Guard Brittany Washington (16 points), junior guard Jordan Wright and junior post player Christiana Grace also return. Coach Frank Orlando also has freshmen who could contribute right away.

 

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7. Detroit Country Day: Always a feared team in Class B, this season will be no different with first-team all-state guard Asia Doss returning for her senior season. Losing two girls from last year's starting rotation, there is no reason to believe that Country Day will not be able to win a 17th-straight region title.

Detroit Cass Tech ready to contend again for titles

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10. Detroit Cass Tech (Class A, 18-2): King proved to be the roadblock for Cass Tech in the PSL championship and again in a district tournament.

Three starting guards return — Lauren Elliott (12 points) and juniors Taylor Parker (10 points) and K’Lynn Willis (8 points). Forward Tyra Jones (Duquesne) transferred to Cody, but coach Marissa Thrower expects big things from freshman forward Octavia Hearns and junior guard Candace Tate, a transfer from Pershing.

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17. Detroit Cass Tech

2012-13 record: 18-2.

Outlook: The PSL runner-up will contend for the title again with a smaller, quicker version of the Technicians. Lauren Elliott (averaged 12 points last season) will start for the fourth season, and her experience should prove invaluable. Like Elliott, junior K'lynn Willis is capable of playing both guard spots, and she is dangerous attacking the basket. Junior Taylor Parker is an exceptional three-point shooter. Candace Tate, a transfer from Pershing, will be eligible in January, and she is best attacking the basket.

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6. Detroit Cass Tech: Being overshadowed by Detroit MLK last season, Cass Tech returns one of the best trios of guards in the area with senior Lauren Elliott and juniors Taylor Parker and K’Lynn Willis. Expect Cass Tech to give King a run for its money this year with its scoring efficiency.

Birmingham Marian back among state's best

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 Bloomfield Hills — Mary Cicerone guided Marian to a 12-game improvement and a Class A state quarterfinal appearance last year.

Now, can Marian earn its first trip to the state finals since 1998?

Marian will certainly have a chance, returning three starters from a team that pushed two-time state finalist Grosse Pointe South to the limit before falling in the quarterfinals, 63-58.

 “We’re good athletically and we really have basketball players, players who understand the game and love working at getting better,” said Cicerone who led Marian to four state titles in a 10-year stretch with the last one coming in 1998. “We played well defensively and Bailey Thomas gave us someone who could put pressure on the ball. She was also a clutch shooter for us.”

Thomas, a 5-foot-8 sophomore point guard, will be joined by junior guard Kara Holinski in the backcourt once again with 6-1 Laura Bruton playing up front. Thomas averaged 11 points, three rebounds and three steals; Holinski, 10 points; and Bruton, 10 points and eight rebounds.  Marian, The News’ preseason No. 1 team, will be stronger than a year ago with the addition of 6-1 freshman Samantha Thomas, Bailey’s younger sister. The sisters are granddaughters of NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Thomas and daughters of former Western Illinois head coach Derek Thomas.

Junior forward Brittany Gray and junior guard Jaeda Robinson are also key contributors.

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 3. Birmingham Marian

2012-13 record: 21-4.

Outlook: The Mustangs have one senior -- Laura Burton (Lawrence Tech), 6-1, who is athletic and can score inside -- but the Catholic League title certainly is a possibility as well as a long run in the state tournament. Sophomore Bailey Thomas is a heady point guard who simply makes plays. Her freshman sister, Samantha, 5-11, will play the off guard and small forward spots and can be a difference maker. Juniors Kara Holinski and Jaeda Robinson are excellent spot-up shooters. Junior Brittany Gray, 5-11, can grab a defensive rebound and fill the lane on the fast break.

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 2. Bloomfield Hills Marian: There is great athleticism and size on this year's Marian team. Sophomore Bailey Thomas returns in the back court with junior Kara Holinski to provide a great scoring tandem. Marian also adds more size with 6-foot-1 freshman Samantha Thomas joining fellow 6-1 Laura Bruton in the frontcourt scheme.

Detroit PSL title contender mainstay, Detroit King, back again to excite Roundball Fans

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5. Detroit King (Class A, 24-1): Public School League champion King has tremendous size and experience back from its state quarterfinal team.

Marte Grays (14 points, 7 rebounds), a 6-2 forward who will play at DePaul next year, Lashai Geeter (9 points, 5 rebounds), a 6-0 forward, and junior guard Janae Williams (8 points, 7 assists) are returning starters.

Leah Mathis, a 6-3 junior, comes off the bench. Freshman Alisa Norman will run the offense.

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2. Detroit King

2012-13 record: 22-1.

Outlook: The defending Public School League champs will have plenty of size, led by 6-2 Marte' Grays (DePaul), who should improve on her 14 points and eight rebounds of last season because she will have the freedom to play outside at times. Lashai Geeter, 6-0, could be a dominating rebounder and inside scorer, and 6-2 junior Leah Mathis can be an intimidating shot blocker and scorer in the paint. Junior Janae Williams was playing well before suffering a concussion midway through last season. She can play either guard spot. Freshman Alisha Norman, 5-2, is tiny, but is a dynamite ball handler. Sophomore Makala Kelley is the team's best outside shooter.

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3. Detroit Martin Luther King: Despite losing Antania Hayes - last season's Metro Detroit Player of the Year - to graduation, MLK is still loaded with plenty of scorers. Senior Marte Grays, a 6-foot-2 forward, will take the reigns as the top talent on MLK's squad this season. She will be joined by 6-foot-2 senior forward Lashai Geeter and scrappy junior guard Janae Williams.