Boys 2005

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.

 Grosse Point South again one of the State's Top Teams

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2. Grosse Pointe South (Class A, 25-2): Claire DeBoer is gone, but South returns one of the premier backcourts in juniors Cierra Rice, Aliezza Brown and Bre’nae Andrews from a team which reached the state championship game the last two years.

Rice averaged 15 points, three assists and three steals and scored 71 points during the final three games, 26 in a quarterfinal win, 21 in a semifinal victory and 24 in the championship-game loss. Coach Kevin Richards has been suspended for the first six games by the MHSAA for violating its undue influence rule.

 

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5. Grosse Pointe South

2012-13 record: 25-2.

Outlook: The Class A runner-up the past two seasons will play without coach Kevin Richards for the first six games after violating the MHSAA's undue influence rule. Junior Cierra Rice, who has been a prime-time player since stepping onto a high school court, is an exceptional point guard who can finish at the basket. Bre'nae Andrews, 5-11, will play up front and take taller opponents off the dribble. Junior Katie Kish is an excellent on-the-ball defender, and sophomore Margaret Brennan, 5-11, will rebound, set screens and score on slashing moves to the basket.

 

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1. Grosse Pointe South: With plenty of talent returning to its roster, South will once again be one of the top teams in the state after two-straight Class A runner up finishes. Returning guard Cierra Rice is the top junior in the Metro Detroit area and likely the state as well. Rice averaged over 20 points in the state tournament last year and she will be joined by returning starters and juniors Bre'nae Andrews and Aliezza Brown. Although head coach Kevin Richards is serving a six-game suspension to start the season for a violation of the MHSAA undue influence rule, it won't hurt the Blue Devils in the long run.