CAAC Blue Preview
Basketball season is right around the corner, so here is a preview of the CAAC Blue.
Who will win the conference?
The overwhelming favorite to win the conference this year is East Lansing, and for good reason. They are stacked to say the least. Brandon Johns and Malik Jones will be the leaders of this team. Johns is the No. 1 player in the state of Michigan for the class of 2018 and Jones is also a top 50 player. Anything less than a conference title would be a failure.
Who are the contenders?
It’ll be hard to contend with East Lansing this year, but there are two teams I think can give them a run for their money. Okemos is the first team. They finished fourth in the conference last year, but I think they are ready to take a huge step forward and compete for a conference title. Jordan Henry is an underrated player in the league and should have a monster year.
Holt is the other team that I think will contend. They lost a few players, but Artavious King is a player to keep an eye on. He is a little underrated, but he can score inside and out and is one of the better finishers at the rim.
Who will lead the league in scoring?
Jordan Henry is my pick to lead the league in scoring. This kid is one of the better scorers in the area. He can get to the basket and finish around the rim, he can shoot the outside jumper and he doesn’t take bad shots. He is a willing passer, but if you leave him open, he will make you pay.
Brandon Johns is everyone’s favorite to be the leading scorer, but there is so much talent on the East Lansing roster that I think he doesn’t have to play hero ball. He can take over a game at any time because of his size and length. He is great at getting his shot off over defenders and loves getting to the rim and finishing with powerful dunks.
Luke Smith from Grand Ledge is a dark horse player who could lead the league in scoring. He has the ability to blow up at any time, which is scary for anyone guarding him. He is one of the best shooters in the area and if you don’t get a hand in his face, the shot is likely going in.
Who will win player of the year?
Brandon Johns is the easy pick for player of the year and that’s who I’m going with. Is there anything this kid can’t do? I mean seriously. He’s a walking double-double and is one of the elite scorers in the state. He is a matchup nightmare and anyone who has to guard Johns is only trying to contain him.
Jordan Henry is my pick to be the runner up for this award. He is a great all around player and is very underrated. He can still improve on defense, but his length is helping him with that. However, his offensive game is one of the best in the conference. He’s a great passer and is always looking for his shot. Look for him to challenge Johns for the player of the year award.
Who made the Preseason All CAAC Blue First Team?
G | Jordan Henry | Okemos
G | Malik Jones | East Lansing
G/F | Brandon Johns | East Lansing
G/F | Artavoius King | Holt
G/F | Luke Smith | Grand Ledge