MHSAA Playoffs: Matchups To Watch On Opening Night
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The MHSAA State Tournament is finally here and the first day of the districts offers great games all across the state. Below are my picks for the best matchups for the opening night of the tournament. Be sure to check…
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Continue ReadingThe MHSAA State Tournament is finally here and the first day of the districts offers great games all across the state. Below are my picks for the best matchups for the opening night of the tournament. Be sure to check back in tomorrow to see who the top players were from round one.
Division 1, District 12: Wyoming vs Byron Center
Ramere Draper Ramere Draper 6'4" | CG Wyoming | 2022 State MI , F, Wyoming 22″ vs Clay Lake Clay Lake 6'4" | PF Byron Center | 2021 State MI , G/F, Byron Center 21″
Ramere Draper Ramere Draper 6'4" | CG Wyoming | 2022 State MI has come on as one of the top juniors in the area for a Wyoming team that lost a lot from a season ago. He high a ton of upside due to his athleticism and shots at a high clip inside the paint. Byron Center is also led by an athletic wing in Clay Lake Clay Lake 6'4" | PF Byron Center | 2021 State MI . Clay has some of the best bounce in the OK Conference and has the ability to score in droves.
Division 1, District 11: Zeeland West vs Grandville
Carson Gulker Carson Gulker 6'3" | SF Zeeland West | 2021 State MI , G, Zeeland West 21″ vs Tommy Gregwer Tommy Gregwer 6'3" | CG Grandville | 2021 State MI , G, Grandville 21″
Grandville’s Tommy Gregwer Tommy Gregwer 6'3" | CG Grandville | 2021 State MI is a prolific scorer and has the type of confidence to give the Bulldogs 30 points on any given night. Zeeland West will need to focus first and foremost on slowing down Gregwer if they hope to advance. Zeeland West’s Carson Gulker Carson Gulker 6'3" | SF Zeeland West | 2021 State MI is one of the best two-way players in the OK Green due to his ability to get a bucket and lock up opposing team’s top players. I have a feeling those two will see a lot of each other in tonight’s matchup.
Division 1, District 10: Reeths-Puffer vs Kenowa Hills
Kaleb Mitchelson Kaleb Mitchelson 6'2" | CG Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021 State MI , G, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 21″ vs Zeke Dykstra Zeke Dykstra 5'10" | PG Kenowa Hills | 2022 State MI G, Kenowa Hills 22″
Kaleb Mitchelson Kaleb Mitchelson 6'2" | CG Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021 State MI is as pure of a point guard that you’ll see in the OK Conference, and his two-man game with forward Kendall Smith Kendall Smith 6'8" | SF Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 2021 State MI is equally as impressive. Kenowa’s Zeke Dykstra Zeke Dykstra 5'10" | PG Kenowa Hills | 2022 State MI will be tasked with the one-on-one matchup with Mitchelson, which should be possibly the best guard-on-guard matchup of the evening.
Division 1, District 9: Rockford vs Forest Hills Central
Sam Krist Sam Krist 6'5" | PF Rockford | 2021 State MI , G, Rockford 21″ vs Jacob Bonnet, G, Forest Hills Central 21″
Rockford’s Sam Krist Sam Krist 6'5" | PF Rockford | 2021 State MI has been one of the area’s most dynamic scorers and the key cog in the Rams engine this year, and a huge reason why the Rams captured the OK Red. Jacob Bonnet will have to have a big game for the Rangers tonight if they hope to knock off Rockford on the road.
Division 2, District 42: Sparta vs Comstock Park
Conner West Conner West 5'11" | PG Sparta | 2021 State MI , G, Sparta 21″ vs Shawn Foreman Shawn Foreman 5'11" | PG Comstock Park | 2023 State MI , G, Comstock Park 23″
Comstock Park and Sparta played each other in the first game of the season as the Spartans took home the 58-48 win. A little over a month later and the two rivals will face off in the first round of the district tournament. Sparta’s Conner West Conner West 5'11" | PG Sparta | 2021 State MI and Comstock Park’s Shawn Foreman Shawn Foreman 5'11" | PG Comstock Park | 2023 State MI will provide the majority of the offense for their respective teams and both players have the ability to score in bunches.