Division 1 Opening Round District Games to Watch
District play is right around the corner, and there are a lot of matchups being played in the opening round of the tournament. Some of the top teams in the state will be on display, as they begin their journey…
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Continue ReadingDistrict play is right around the corner, and there are a lot of matchups being played in the opening round of the tournament. Some of the top teams in the state will be on display, as they begin their journey to the state title. Here are five opening round games to check out.
Detroit Cass Tech vs. Detroit Martin Luther King
Cass Tech and King split during the regular season, with each winning at home. This time, we get to see both teams on a neutral floor, as the district will be played at Detroit Western International. If a big time rivalry game doesn’t get you excited for playoff basketball, nothing will. This should be an incredible game, and the winner will likely win the district.
Prediction: Cass Tech
Clarkston vs. Rochester Adams
Everyone knows Clarkston is a state contender, but not many people are talking about Rochester Adams. The Highlanders are 16-3 and loaded with talent. Clarkston will be the favorite, and they should be, but Adams has enough talent to pull off what would be considered a major upset.
Prediction: Clarkston
Grand Blanc vs. Flint Carman-Ainsworth
Like Cass Tech and King, these teams split during the regular season and will get to matchup on a neutral floor. This matchup will take place at Davison High School. Grand Blanc and Carman-Ainsworth shared the Saginaw Valley League Blue title, and one more game will allow them to determine who is No. 1. Look for this game to be close throughout, as both matchups were decided by 10 points or less.
Prediction: Grand Blanc
U-D Jesuit vs. Oak Park
Jesuit is a powerhouse and legit D-1 state title contender, but like Adams, Oak Park is a tough team. They can shoot, they can rebound and they apply a ton of pressure. Oak Park’s pressure can lead to points adding up in a hurry, so if Jesuit isn’t ready to play, Oak Park has enough to win this game. Jesuit has the team to win a title, and losing in the first round would be devastating. I expect a fairly close game.
Prediction: Jesuit
White Lake Lakeland vs. Walled Lake Northern
Back on Jan. 15, Walled Lake Northern took care of business on its home floor, defeating Lakeland by 11. They are set to matchup again in the LVC Tournament Championship game Feb. 21. The district matchup will be the third meeting between these teams. However, this time, Lakeland will have home court advantage, and that place will be rocking. I expect this game to be tight throughout, with free throws being the deciding factor.
Prediction: Walled Lake Northern