Taking a look at the pre-season top ranked teams participating in the 20th Annual Motor City Roundball Classic.
Team Page (Team info, Schedule, Results, Stats)
7. Southfield-Lathrup (18-7, Class A): Lathrup returns all five starters from a team which lost to eventual state champion Birmingham Marian in the regional semifinals. The Bello twins return — 6-3 juniors Taiye (16 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks) and Kehinde (six points) — along with junior point guard Antoinette Miller (12 points), sophomore guard Deja Church (12 points) and 4-11 guard Kendall Terrell.
"This is the most athletic team I've had, even more athletic than the state championship team (in 2005) and we have great chemistry," Lathrup coach Michele Marshall said. "We can press and get out and run or score in the halfcourt set. Kehinde Bello is our most improved player. She had a great AAU season." Detroit News
9. Southfield-Lathrup 2013-14 record: 18-6
Outlook: This is still a young team, but look for an improved season from this talented squad. The junior Bello twins — 6-2 Taiye, who averaged 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, and 6-3 Kehinde, who has improved dramatically — give the Chargers quite a tandem in the post. That will open the perimeter for sophomore Deja Church, who averaged 12 points as a freshman. Junior Antoinette Miller does a good job distributing the ball and can score when needed. Cydney Ellis, a transfer from Ferndale, will help in a variety of ways. Detroit Free Press
4. Southfield-Lathrup (18-7)
The Chargers competed for an OAA league title a year ago and will do so again. Twin sisters Taiye Bello and Kehinde Bello will be a force near the basket, each standing 6-foot-3. In fact, the entire starting lineup from last year is back. The Chargers have carried high expectations year after year and will look to get back to a title game 10 years after it won its first and only state title. Mlive
Lathrup was in the division race to the very end last season, but came up just short. With nearly the full roster back intact, the Chargers should take a step forward. Lathrup has twin sisters Taiye Bello and Kehinde Bello, each 6-foot-3, to help in the frontcourt, with junior Antoinette Miller, senior Kendall Terrell (Adrian) and sophomore Deja Church also ready to contribute significantly this year. Lathrup finished 18-7 last season and lost in the regional round to eventual Class A champion Bloomfield Hills Marian. Mlive
4. SOUTHFIELD-LATHRUP (18-7, 2nd in OAA Red): Last year’s Chargers — hampered by injuries to upperclassmen that exposed some of the youngsters to more playing time than maybe they could handle — might not have been ready for prime time, but everyone could see the potential. With all five starters — and eight players in all — returning, led by the highly-recruited Bello twins (Taiye and Kehinde) now the Chargers have to turn that potential into production. MiPrepZone
