Downriver League: Week 2 Power Rankings
Downriver League basketball is in full swing and week 2 provided fans with some great games and performances. Allen Park and Woodhaven look like the teams to beat, while Melvindale and Truman have some ground to make up. Check out this weeks edition of the Downriver League power rankings.
No. 1: Allen Park (Last Week: 1)
The Jags improved to 5-0 on the season after defeating Trenton and Melvindale last week. Allen Park will take on Truman and Edsel Ford this week and could be undefeated when it hosts Woodhaven on Jan. 12. Donovan Ebo and the Jaguars are legit contenders to win the league title.
No. 2: Woodhaven (Last Week: 3)
The Warriors were my preseason favorite to win the league and they have yet to lose a league game this season. They will only play one game this week, which is at Melvindale and that should be a win. Josh Warren is leading this team in scoring and could dominate on Tuesday against the Cardinals.
No. 3: Southgate (Last Week: 2)
Southgate drops one spot due to a loss to Wyandotte last week. Southgate did defeat Lincoln Park in overtime, which could end up being a big win down the road. The Titans got great performances from Deven Fields and Jace Matkin last week and should continue to compete for a league title.
No. 4: Lincoln Park (Last Week: 5)
The Railsplitters are a sleeper team to watch this season in the Downriver League as they are 2-1 overall and 1-1 in league play thus far. Khalid Fleming is an underrated player in the metro Detroit area and could lead Lincoln Park to big things this year. The Railsplitters have a big matchup with Wyandotte this week, and I expect that to be tightly contested throughout.
No. 5: Wyandotte (Last Week: 4)
Like Lincoln Park, Wyandotte is another team to keep an eye on. They have one of the best scorers in the league in Bryce Armstrong and a talented young big man in Devon Forner, who is a force in the paint. Wyandotte lost to Woodhaven last week, but they are still a good team that can make some noise in the league.
No. 6: Kennedy (Last Week: 8)
Kennedy made a two spot jump thanks to a big win over Carlson last week. Renaudd Broaden is an underrated player in the league and is a threat to go for a double-double any night. They are undefeated in league play right now and have a realistic shot to win the title. They are a team to keep an eye on.
No. 7: Carlson (Last Week: 6)
Carlson dropped a tough game to Kennedy last Tuesday, but rebounded to beat Melvindale on Friday. Tyler Koons dropped 31 points against the Cardinals and showed why he’s one of the best players in the league. Carlson has the talent to compete and could climb up the rankings in the coming weeks.
No. 8: Trenton ( Last Week: 7)
Trenton’s struggles are a bit of a surprise considering they are usually in the hunt each year. The Trojans are 1-3 overall and 0-2 in league play, after losing to Allen Park and Lincoln Park last week. To be fair, those are two of the better teams in the league, but the Trojans weren’t very close in either game. They should pick up a few wins along the way, but could struggle to compete with top teams.
No. 9: Truman (Last Week: 9)
Truman has only played two games this season, but they have lost both. Woodhaven dominated them last week and the Cougars had a game cancelled due to snow. They are having trouble scoring the ball, and that could be due to the quality of teams they have played thus far, but their scoring woes have to be fixed if they want to move up in the power rankings.
No. 10: Melvindale (Last Week: 10)
Melvindale has really struggled to start the season, as they are 0-4 overall and 0-2 in league play. The Cardinals have been playing without star guard Alex Hernandez, due to illness, but he should be able to return after the holiday break. That will give Melvindale a big boost on offense and could allow them to pick up some wins after the New Year.