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…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAt 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 Bufkin Kobe Bufkin 6'4" | SG Grand Rapids Christian | 2021 State #71 Nation MI (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-Boyd Donovan Brown-Boyd 6'3" | SF Grand Rapids Christian | 2021 State MI 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 Chambliss Trinidad Chambliss 6'2" | PG Forest Hills Northern | 2021 State MI (Ferris State football commit) and Ethan Erickson Ethan Erickson 6'1" | SG Forest Hills Northern | 2021 State MI (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 Fisher Gavin Fisher 6'6" | SF Forest Hills Northern | 2021 State MI . 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 Karasinski Jack Karasinski 6'5" | SF Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2022 State MI as well as forwards Gabe Quillian Gabe Quillian 6'8" | PF Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2021 State MI and Ryan Grantham Ryan Grantham 6'4" | SG Grand Rapids Catholic | 2021 State MI . The Cougars’ backcourt features a pair of underclassmen guards who have garnered a ton of hype in sophomore Kaden Brown Kaden Brown 5'10" | PG Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2023 State MI and junior Jorden Brooks Jorden Brooks 6'3" | SF Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2022 State MI . 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 Charity Jalen Charity 6'5" | CG Northview | 2022 State MI should open some eyes this year as well as 2023″ guard Tyran Thomas Tyran Thomas 6'4" | SG Northview | 2023 State MI .
5. Zeeland East
Zeeland East is arguably the most experienced group in the area, led by seniors Trip Reimersma (Saginaw Valley State commit), Brandon Claerbaut Brandon Claerbaut 6'5" | SF Zeeland East | 2021 State MI (Ferris State commit), and Nate Claerbaut Nate Claerbaut 6'10" | C Zeeland East | 2021 State MI (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 Walker Jarvis Walker 6'2" | PG Muskegon | 2020 State #416 Nation MI and Vern Nash Vern Nash 5'10" | PG Muskegon | 2020 State MI III from a Big Reds team that went 20-2 a season ago. Forward Michael Reed Michael Reed 6'8" | PF Muskegon | 2021 State MI (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. Maurice Sain Jr. 6'6" | SF Muskegon | 2022 State MI , Anthony Syndor, and Jordan Briggs Jordan Briggs 6'0" | PG Muskegon | 2023 State MI 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 Smith Kendall Smith 6'8" | SF Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021 State MI is one of the most skilled bigs in the area who can score it from all three levels. Kaleb Mitchelson Kaleb Mitchelson 6'2" | CG Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021 State MI is one of the craftiest guards in the area, and his backcourt mate Kalil Stimage Kalil Stimage 6'1" | CG Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021 State MI can get a bucket when needed. Also, keep an eye on junior forward Logan Brooks Logan Brooks 6'7" | SF Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2022 State MI .
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 Worthington Owen Worthington 6'4" | SF Grand Haven | 2022 State MI and juniors Nic Stump Nic Stump 6'5" | PF Grand Haven | 2022 State MI and Bashir Neely Bashir Neely 6'3" | PG Grand Haven | 2022 State MI will be a fun trio to watch on what should be one of the area’s best teams.
9. Rockford
Senior forward Sam Krist Sam Krist 6'5" | PF Rockford | 2021 State MI (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 Schueller Brendan Schueller 5'10" | PG Rockford | 2021 State MI is back to run the point, while junior Nick Heinen Nick Heinen 6'2" | SG Rockford | 2022 State MI 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 Haglund Kobe Haglund 6'3" | PG West Ottawa | 2022 State MI . The Panthers also feature guards Brady Bosma Brady Bosma 6'3" | SG West Ottawa | 2021 State MI 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.