The season is off to a hot start on Michigan Sports Radio and this weekend will bring the best action yet as the 2024 season tips off and we will get to see some of the area – and state’s – best go head to head on Friday and Saturday!
BONUS – THURSDAY
GR CATHOLIC CENTRAL vs COOPERSVILLE (Boys)
It’s a extended weekend of coverage that tips off a night early with two of the area’s best year-over-year programs. Catholic Central, the annual state title contenders and the hard-nosed and building program Broncos of Coopersville will show down in a fun one from CC.
The matchup to watch here ill be the elite offensive performers for Catholic Central and how they are ability to handle the unique test of the matchup zone style defense out of the Broncos that can take even the best scorers out of their rhythm.
Coopersville can fill it up to, with the likes of Cornerstone commit Judah Bartels leading the way as one of the area’s more dangerous shooters and scorers for the Broncos. Video coverage begins at 6:40pm with tip-off at 7!
FRIDAY
SOUTH CHRISTIAN vs UNITY CHRISTIAN (Girls + Boys DH)
South Christian and Unity Christian’s boys will each be in action on Saturday at the Invite, but get a tough warm-up the night before at Unity Christian – The ‘Saders will look to stay unbeaten and the Sailors will look to build a winning streak after taking down Holland Christian last Thursday.
On the girls side, they’ll tip off the evening, as the South girls will look to buid off a big win over D1 East Kentwood on Tuesday. Unity rolls in off their first loss of the year against FHN and will look for a statement over their rivals in this one. It’s sure to be a packed gym with a great atmosphere all night.
LAKEVIEW vs CENTRAL MONTCALM (Girls + Boys DH)
The night at C.M. will start with a pair of 1-2 girls teams facing off, before a matchup of boys teams each looking to get something going in the early stretch of the season. Lakeview comes in at 0-3 and Central Montcalm 1-4, we’ll see who can jump start their season here.
GRANT vs NEWAGO (Girls + Boys DH)
Grant and Newaygo also have an interesting doubleheader at Newaygo. First, both girls teams are off to a good start with Newaygo at 3-1 and Grant at 2-1.
Then the boys will close the night as Grant looks to stay unbeaten, as they roll in at 3-0 and Newaygo looks to jump one better than .500, they currently sit at 2-2.
GR CATHOLIC CENTRAL vs CEDAR SPRINGS (Girls)
After the CC boys took to the court on Thursday, the girls will command the headlines with a really good matchup between a couple of teams that were heated division rivals at the top of the OK-Gold a year ago.
And, now both teams are 3-0 coming into this game – it might be the best girls matchup of the weekend and should be right down to the wire!
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SATURDAY
MSR is proud to present day-long live video coverage of every game from the big Showcase at Hudsonville featuring some of the state’s best – and the best collection of local matchups of the year head to head at the Invite at Calvin!
HUDSONVILLE SHOWCASE
GRANDVILLE vs GRAND BLANC – 1:30pm
Last year the Grandville Bulldogs went in to Grand Blanc for the final matchup of the night in a big January showcase – and the Dawgs made a statement, coming out on top over the highly touted Bobcats.
This year they meet a bit earlier at the beautiful facilities at Hudsonville, The Bulldogs are coming off a loss to FHC on Tuesday and are 1-2 – having played three of the area’s bets teams to open the year as they are trying to find their groove with a new-look team without now-GVSU Lakers center Cam Regnerus.
There will be a ton of skilled athletes on the wing going head-to-head in this one, Grandville seniors Caden Neves and Colin Heyboer scored 20 points in Tuesday’s loss and Grand Blanc brings the likes of Donnie Huddleston and Caseton Sendry as guards/wings that love to play fast and aggressively and can fill it up.
GRAND LEDGE vs FERNDALE – 3:30pm
Both of these next teams have a ton of talent, but are trying to get thing rolling after slow starts. The Comets of Grand Ledge for coach Luke Charter are 1-3 to start the year – but, are set to go on a real roll as one of the middle of the state’s bets teams. They in particular have great size with 6’6 senior Iziah O’Dell and 6’9 junior Braden James.
Ferndale is 0-4 for coach Juan Rickman, but the 2022 champs have reloaded this yea with one of the bets young cores in the entire state and could be set to break out. Sophomore wings Eden Vinyard and Kari Ouwinga are each D1 prospects that already have gathered offers from the likes of Toledo and Detroit Mercy and lead a roster of young talent that could feature up to six underclassmen being a big part of the rotation.
MUSKEGON vs WEST BLOOMFIELD – 5:30pm
Here’s a great battle between two programs that always seem to rise to the top in any sport every season, especially on the hard wood. The Big Reds have only played once this year, they beat Holt big – But, this is a highly talented team that could be very well poised to make another Breslin run this year. Jame Martin their hyper athletic junior wing has played all three seasons on the varsity team and may just prove to be west Michigan’s best player by season’s end.
West Bloomfield is 1-3, but have a great chance to try to get into a groove vs. a team that matches their style as a running and full court defensive team playing at hyper speed often with a great backcourt led by next-level prospects Curtis Britton and Corey Pittman. Defense has been the main point to work on for the Lakers, while Muskegon looked as good as ever on their own end of the floor last game – watch that matchup.
HUDSONVILLE vs DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL – 7:30pm
The nightcap and maybe best matchup of the day will feature the showcase host and two teams that each have Breslin Center dreams. After a one-point OT loss to Grand Rapids Christian on Tuesday, the Eagles are now 2-1 but have scored upwards of 74 points in every game they have played this season. Leaders Jovaan Daniels and Joey Miller – plus a ton of football standouts from their state runner-up team are back – but early in the year, it’s been junior center Isaiah Hamlet that has impressed, the 6’9 senior has broken out this year – scoring 19.3 points per game.
D.C.C. and coach Tory Jackson are unbeaten on the season going into being the lone team to play Friday night (vs Toledo C.C.) before lacing them up at the showcase event Saturday. Great guard play is critical here for the Shamrocks, who have a ton of excellent shooters and defenders, chief of which, is senior Asher Suardini – a mid-major or better level combo G. They also have athletic size and skill with the likes of Jack Janda and Onimisi Saddiq to match Miller/Hamlet/etc.
THE INVITE – AT CALVIN
Calvin University hosts the best collection of West Michigan vs West Michigan we may see all year long – pretty much every other elite team from the area that wasn’t taking on the east side at ‘Hudsy’ will be in action here… With every game featuring live video coverage on MSR!
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN vs GRAND HAVEN – 2:40pm
The Eagles came up just short of a state championship a year ago and coach Eric Taylor’s team had to replace a lot of key pieces from that team – so far they have not missed a single beat. Junior wing Carl Thompson has been right in the middle of that, after showing flashes throughout his sophomore season coming off the bench behind Nate Johnson and Carter Goodyke – he’s now scoring at a huge clip every night, including 26 in an overtime win last time out over previously-unbeaten Hudsonville.
Grand Haven will be a player in a loaded top-to-bottom OK-Red this season, want a great one-on-one matchup to watch – future GVSU WR Will Korenstra is a 4-year impact player on this team and as good of an athlete in the area – he’ll likely draw that wing matchup with Thompson.
UNITY CHRISTIAN vs GR CATHOLIC CENTRAL – 4:20pm
Another great one, between two of the area’s premier private schools, that have each won state titles since 2019 and have some loaded lineups that will likely be seeing each other again during the March magic tournament run.
Unity Christian’s defense has been stifling so far for coach Scott Soodsma – they will get a ‘warm-up’ vs South Christian on Friday before jumping into things vs the great scoring talent at Catholic Central. This UC team is a great TEAM, with a depth of players all contributing on both ends – talented guards like Brogan Sherd and Kyler Berghuis will help head man the offense for attacking wings and forwards VanKoevering, Kamminga, Vander Wal, and Chapman.
CC will be the ultimate test for the Unity high intensity man-to-man and matchup zone defense. Zay Larthridge, in particular, has proven to be a problem as he’s grown in stature and play into his junior season. The 6’6 wing is a true multi-level scorer that is near unstoppable when paired with the other great talent on this team – expect a frantic, intensely-paced game.
SOUTH CHRISTIAN vs BYRON CENTER – 6:00pm
Neighboring rivals will travel a bit up the road from Byron Center for this one – There are a lot of big names to talk about here, but the big matchup will be two of the area’s top seniors – each committed to play at the MAC level at the next level.
Carson Vis for SC can do it all, a dominant 6’4 wing that attacks the basket at speed and defends with a reckless abandon, along with an ability o handle the ball and score from deep – all at ‘mach speed’ which he somehow reaches with a silky smoothness.
Camden Karel for BC is 6’9 and the definition of a modern big man, along with an ability to rebound and score at the basket as an every-game double double threat he can also handle the ball and knock down shots with consistency from deep.
It’s not fair to miss the other elite talent also littering these rosters, but there’s a ton to get to and tuning in Saturday is the bets way to take in this terrific battle.
ROCKFORD vs NORTHVIEW – 7:35pm
West Michigan’s best two teams? The early returns certainly have shown that, and these teams that will likely see each other again in March will show down in a true prime-time matchup.
Rockford and coach Kyle Clough have added incredible underclassmen skill to a team that won the OK-Red a year ago – a pair of freshman – Josh Bascom and Eli Wolfe come from basketball rich families within the school and supplement returners Jake Bascom, Isaac Poot, Dylan Gross, Michael DeKuiper, and more. They’ll defend, they’ll shoot, and they won’t beat themselves – and they do it with a ton of talent this year.
Northview and coach David Chana may have all the right mix this year of complimentary pieces to win it all. Cam Ryans has attracted offers from the likes of Iowa State and the 6’5 junior is a dynamic ballhandler, creator and attacker of the rim. Brady Swartz is a WMU commit and maybe the area’s top shooter, that also can score with 6’6 size at all three levels. Defense with size and athleticism is key throughout this lineup as well, sophomore Izzy Hatibu is a stand out in that regard as a forward with the size and quickness to defend and spot on the floor.
What a game – what a weekend – on MSR! Can’t wait to get it all underway with three nights of big-time hoops battles on MSR. Be sure to tune in all weekend long!