OK Conference Top 10 Team Rankings

At last, the MHSAA high school basketball season is set to tipoff. What a wait it’s been. The OK Conference features several teams with legit state championship aspirations and a group of prospects who will one day be playing college basketball in the not-so-distant future. Below are my top 10 teams in the area. Be sure to check out my conference previews for each of the six divisions. 1. Grand Rapids Christian Grand Rapids Christian enters the 2021 season led by the number one ranked player in the state and top 100 player in the nation, Kobe BufkinKobeBufkin6'4" | SGGrand Rapids Christian | 2021State#71NationMI (University of Michigan commit). Bufkin is undoubtedly one of the premier guards in the country and will be one of the favorites to win Mr. Basketball this season. Alongside Bufkin are fellow seniors Donovan Brown-BoydDonovanBrown-Boyd6'3" | SFGrand Rapids Christian | 2021StateMI and Sam Ver Steeg (Hope College commit). Brown-Boyd is one of the best athletes in the OK Conference and has the ability to score in bunches. Ver Steeg is one of the best pure point guards in the area and arguably one of the top-10 shooters as well.  2. Forest Hills Northern The Huskies bring back the best backcourt in the area in Trinidad ChamblissTrinidadChambliss6'2" | PGForest Hills Northern | 2021StateMI (Ferris State football commit) and Ethan EricksonEthanErickson6'1" | SGForest Hills Northern | 2021StateMI (Ferris State basketball commit) in hopes of building off of a 18-4 record from a season ago. Joining Forest Hills Northern this season is Fruitport transfer, Gavin FisherGavinFisher6'6" | SFForest Hills Northern | 2021StateMI. Fisher, who is ranked in my pre-season top 50 players in the area, brings a scoring threat that can elevate the Huskies to one of the top teams in the state.  3. Grand Rapids Catholic Central Grand Rapids Catholic Central comes into the 2021 season with the deepest roster in the area. The Cougars will be led by one of the top players in the 2022 class, Jack KarasinskiJackKarasinski6'5" | SFGrand Rapids Catholic Central | 2022StateMI as well as forwards Gabe QuillianGabeQuillian6'8" | PFGrand Rapids Catholic Central | 2021StateMI and Ryan GranthamRyanGrantham6'4" | SGGrand Rapids Catholic | 2021StateMI. The Cougars’ backcourt features a pair of underclassmen guards who have garnered a ton of hype in sophomore Kaden BrownKadenBrown5'10" | PGGrand Rapids Catholic Central | 2023StateMI and junior Jorden BrooksJordenBrooks6'3" | SFGrand Rapids Catholic Central | 2022StateMI. After dominating the OK Blue for several years, the Cougars will set their sights on the OK Gold title as the presumptive league favorites. 4. Northview Northview enters the season coming off a 13-9 record from a year ago that could have easily been a March to remember if not for the cancellation. Kyler Vanderjaagt, the area’s second-ranked overall prospect is set to lead the Wildcats through a grueling conference schedule. Fellow 2022" prospect Jalen CharityJalenCharity6'5" | CGNorthview | 2022StateMI should open some eyes this year as well as 2023" guard Tyran ThomasTyranThomas6'2" | SGNorthview | 2023StateMI. 5. Zeeland East Zeeland East is arguably the most experienced group in the area, led by seniors Trip Reimersma (Saginaw Valley State commit), Brandon ClaerbautBrandonClaerbaut6'5" | SFZeeland East | 2021StateMI (Ferris State commit), and Nate ClaerbautNateClaerbaut6'10" | CZeeland East | 2021StateMI (Ferris State commit). Expect the Chics to be the slight favorites to win a stacked OK Green conference. 6. Muskegon Muskegon looks to reload after graduating standouts Jarvis WalkerJarvisWalker6'2" | PGMuskegon | 2020State#416NationMI and Vern NashVernNash5'10" | PGMuskegon | 2020StateMI III from a Big Reds team that went 20-2 a season ago. Forward Michael ReedMichaelReed6'8" | PFMuskegon | 2021StateMI (Northern Michigan commit) will be one of the area’s premier bigs to watch. With Muskegon’s 2020 backcourt off to the next level, Maurice Sain Jr.MauriceSain Jr.6'3" | CGMuskegon | 2022StateMI, Anthony Syndor, and Jordan BriggsJordanBriggs5'10" | PGMuskegon | 2023StateMI will be three prospects worth watching. 7. Reeths-Puffer Reeths-Puffer might be my sleeper pick for a team to make a deep postseason run come tourney time. Senior forward Kendall SmithKendallSmith6'8" | SFMuskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021StateMI is one of the most skilled bigs in the area who can score it from all three levels. Kaleb MitchelsonKalebMitchelson6'2" | CGMuskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021StateMI is one of the craftiest guards in the area, and his backcourt mate Kalil StimageKalilStimage6'1" | CGMuskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021StateMI can get a bucket when needed. Also, keep an eye on junior forward Logan BrooksLoganBrooks6'7" | PFMuskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2022StateMI. 8. Grand Haven Despite having a solid 15-7 record in 2020, not much buzz came from one of the Lakeshore’s best teams in Grand Haven. That won’t be the case this year as the Bucs feature several pieces that should lead Grand Haven to another strong finish in the OK Red. Senior Owen WorthingtonOwenWorthington6'4" | SFGrand Haven | 2022StateMI and juniors Nic StumpNicStump6'5" | PFGrand Haven | 2022StateMI and Bashir NeelyBashirNeely5'10" | PGGrand Haven | 2022StateMI will be a fun trio to watch on what should be one of the area’s best teams. 9. Rockford Senior forward Sam KristSamKrist6'5" | PFRockford | 2021StateMI (US Naval Academy commit) is one of the area’s top prospects and looks to help Rockford improve from a rocky 8-14 mark from a season ago. Fellow senior Brendan SchuellerBrendanSchueller5'10" | PGRockford | 2021StateMI is back to run the point, while junior Nick HeinenNickHeinen6'2" | SGRockford | 2022StateMI rounds out the Rams lineup and should be one of the more intriguing players to watch in the 2022 class. 10. West Ottawa West Ottawa rounds out my top 10 list, featuring one of the most complete point guards in the area in Kobe HaglundKobeHaglund6'3" | PGWest Ottawa | 2022StateMI. The Panthers also feature guards Brady BosmaBradyBosma6'3" | SGWest Ottawa | 2021StateMI and Reid Reimink and forward Colin Shriver. Coming off a solid 15-7 campaign from a season ago, don’t be surprised if the Panthers come out on top of a loaded OK Red.