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Tom Markowski's Picks (Det News)

DETROIT ˜ Forget the hype. Detroit Renaissance is much more than just the Joe and Malik Show.
Renaissance might not be as talented as the Detroit Southwestern teams that featured Jalen Rose and Voshon Lenard in the early 1990s, but comparisons can be made.
Renaissance is led by the dynamic duo of Joe Crawford and Malik Hairston. It also has an unheralded point guard in Marcus Stout (anyone remember Howard Eisley at Southwestern?), a defensive standout in Adam Sabree (6-foot-3) and a quick point guard in Tajuan Porter (5-8), who started more than half the games as a freshman last season.
Add transfer Carson Butler, a 6-6, 230-pound junior who started last season at Lansing Waverly, and forward Korey Johnson (6-3), and Renaissance is a notch above the rest.
Renaissance finished 21-4 last season and won its second Public School League title. But it lost to Detroit Crockett in a Class B quarterfinal for the third time. As much as Renaissance accomplished last season, anything less than another PSL title and a state championship would be a disappointment for the team.

2. Detroit Denby (19-3), Class A: Denby returns four starters, but James Bailey (6-3) won‚t be ready to play until January because of a knee injury he suffered playing football. Senior guards Rico Harris (5-11) and Darryl Garrett (6-3), each of whom signed with Eastern Michigan, again will be the leaders.
Wallace Hall, a 6-2 wing player who signed with Buffalo, averaged 13 points. Junior Cliff Peterson (6-6), who started often in the second half of last season, is expected to start every game this season.

3. Lansing Everett (18-3), Class A: Three starters return, led by Goran Suton, a 6-10, 235-pound center who signed with Michigan State. Derrick Nelson is a 6-4 senior who averaged 8.9 points. He‚s a football player who takes up space inside. Junior Clyde McKinney (5-10) is quick, and junior Mike Stevenson (5-11), a receiver on the football team, will play shooting guard. Freshman Donte Dearing (5-9) is one of eight underclassmen on the varsity.

4. Detroit Redford (17-3), Class A: Redford returns four starters from a team that lost to Renaissance in the PSL championship game. Dion Harris departed for Michigan, but Redford should be a more balanced team. Vernon Carr (6-2) and Ronnie Cranford (6-0) are three-year starters.
Coach Derrick McDowell said the attitude of senior Jamaal Lock (6-8), suspended by McDowell for the state tournament last season, has improved greatly. Junior Brandon Wolfe (6-8) will start and make an immediate impact.

5. Saginaw Arthur Hill (17-4), Class A: Arthur Hill returns five starters, and its junior varsity went 19-1 last season. Brian Moten is the team‚s best player and could average more than 20 points this season. Junior Edward Tucker (6-0) and senior Adam Emmernecker (6-3) are in the backcourt, and senior Jason Holder (6-4) will be another starter. Twins Brandon and Bradford Phillips, who are 6-7, will share time at the other starting spot. Senior Allen Crawford (6-2) got into the rotation last season, and freshman Darquavis Tucker, Edward Tucker‚s brother, will get a lot of minutes.

6. Detroit Murray-Wright (23-3), Class A: Murray-Wright returns two starters, including junior Anthony Sparks (6-8, 295). Senior Antonio Payton (5-10) averaged 12.5 points, and the other starters are likely to be underclassmen. Terrence Watson is a 6-6 junior, Carlos Medlock a 6-foot junior and Jeremy Henderson a 6-9 sophomore. All played last season. Junior Norman Johnson (6-0) and senior Jason Dobson (5-10) are reserves.

7. Pontiac Northern (18-5), Class A: The Huskies return two senior starters from a team that reached a regional semifinal. Craig Ash (6-6) is a Division I recruit, yet John Cantrell (6-1), a three-year starter, will lead this team. Look for Cantrell to score more this season. Senior Bruce Smothers (5-10), a transfer from Orchard Lake St. Mary‚s, will add experience at the point when he becomes eligible the second semester. Dameon Abram (6-3), Lester Abram‚s brother, is one of the state‚s top freshmen.

8. Grand Ledge (20-2), Class A: Grand Ledge won the Capital Area Conference with a 13-1 record and return two starters, including Al Horford (6-8), who signed with Florida. Luke Charter returns at shooting guard, and Adam Lancto (6-2), a three-year varsity player, is at small forward. Senior Milan Susnjar (6-8) will take some pressure off Horford inside. Look for senior Eric Toomey (6-0) to play a lot at the point.

9. Grandville Calvin Christian (21-4), Class B: Expectations are high after the team reached a the regional final the last two years. Four starters return. Senior Todd Koetsier is a three-year starter who averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds last season. Marcus VanderHeid, a two-year starter who signed with Canisius, can play any position. He averaged 11 points and seven rebounds. Senior Kevin Scholten (5-11) is the shooting guard, and senior Cody Canan (6-3) returns at the point.

10. Pontiac Central (13-10), Class A: Central returns four starters and gets a transfer from Orchard Lake St. Mary‚s. Javon White (5-11) averaged 13 points last season and is one of Central‚s top defenders. Peonte Manley (6-6) came on in the second half of last season, averaging 12 points. Jason Roberts (6-7) is a defensive specialist inside. Josh Martin (5-9), a transfer from St. Mary‚s, will start at the point as soon as he becomes eligible during the second semester.

11. Marshall (20-4), Class B: Four starters return from a team that lost in overtime in a regional semifinal. Patrick McCloskey, a 6-7 forward, is the best of the bunch. Seniors Lance Crull, a 6-3 point guard, and Ryan Thomas (6-3), who averaged 11 points as a forward, also will be key contributors. Junior Evan Sharpley (6-2), the school‚s starting quarterback, is at shooting guard. K.C. Bailey, a 6-8 senior who played some a season ago, is the fifth starter.

12. Detroit Rogers (24-4), Class D: Two starters return from a team that won the Class D title. Senior Lorenzo Shine (6-2) is one of the top scorers in the area, and point guard Marques Ewell (5-10) is steady. Jalon Perryman (6-4) is one of the state‚s top juniors and could have a breakthrough season. Rogers has a strong junior class, including Brandon Bryant (6-7), Rodney Legion (6-3) and Robert Jenkins (6-3).

13. Clarkston (17-9), Class A: Four starters return from a team that lost in overtime in a state quarterfinal. Chris Johnston is a 6-6, 170-pound senior and is highly skilled, even though he is not a physical presence inside. Mark Thornberry (6-2) will play forward. Two 6-foot juniors, Robbie Clark and Brad Goodman, are in the backcourt. Clark is the better shooter. Coach Dan Fife has just five seniors, and he said four or five other players will be in the rotation.

14. Belleville (22-3), Class A: Belleville reached a state quarterfinal last season and returns one starter, common for a school where seniors dominate the starting lineup. Tyler Jones (6-2) will move from the point to shooting guard. Senior Will Jones (5-9), no relation, will play the point. Senior Rob Igbawua (6-6), a top reserve last season, has improved greatly. Senior Andre Olden (6-2), junior Karon Gaines (6-3) and sophomore Leon Freeman (6-3), a transfer from Ypsilanti Willow Run who will be eligible the second semester, fill out the top six.

15. Flint Central (14-7), Class A: Six lettermen return, including two senior starters from a team that won the Saginaw Valley Conference with an 8-1 record. Point guard Desman Stephen (6-2) averaged 13 points and five assists and is the team‚s leader. Jamarko Simmons (6-4) averaged 12.4 points and seven rebounds and is a Division I football recruit. Seniors Chris Porn (6-9) and Takais Brown (6-8) will play inside. Juniors JaCorey Prince (6-3) and Thaddeus McFadden (6-2) will compete for the other starting spot.

16. Okemos (20-4), Class A: Two full-time and two part-time starters return from a team that reached a regional final. Four of Coach Dan Stolz‚s top seven players are seniors, led by Joe Harrington (6-6), who averaged 13.5 points last season. Matt Wagner (6-2) plays on the wing and is the team‚s top shooter. Okemos‚ best player could be sophomore Jonathon Jones, a 6-foot point guard. He was on the junior varsity the first half of last season before being promoted. Junior Drew Yancey (6-7) and freshman Denny Means (6-6) add size to the interior.

17. Flint Beecher (22-6), Class C: Marquise Gray (6-7), who signed with Michigan State, is a big reason why Beecher is favored for the Class C title. He can dominate with his athleticism and shot-blocking capabilities. Alvin Golden (6-2), Quincy Robinson (6-2) and D‚Paul Nokes (6-1) give Beecher depth at the perimeter.

18. Romulus (16-6), Class A: Romulus‚ two returning starters are Ron Coleman (6-6), who signed with Michigan, and Anre‚ Partee (5-9). Junior Jerret Smith (6-2), a transfer from Westland John Glenn who committed to Michigan, usually plays the point but can play on the wing. Seniors DeMarvelous Carter (6-3) and A.J. Hill (6-2) started a few games last season. Junior Dante‚ Williams (5-11) is a good perimeter shooter.

19. Detroit Crockett (20-4), Class B: Three starters return from a team that reached a state semifinal. Forward Isaac Knight (6-7) is one of the best in the PSL. Crockett has gone 66-11 since senior Maurice Head (6-1) was a freshman on varsity. Arthur Mason (6-1) has been in and out of the starting lineup the past two seasons. Junior Romar Trusty started 27 games over the last two seasons. Junior Darius Williams (6-4) also plays football.

20. Detroit Catholic Central (13-8), A: Three senior starters return, as well as five of C.C.‚s top seven players. Dan Waterstradt (6-10) signed with Rutgers. Coach Rick Coratti said Waterstradt is the best player he has coached in 10 years. Dave Herberholtz (5-10) is back at the point, and Jimmy Cash (6-4), who plays on the wing, is being recruited by a number of Division II schools. Kyle Smith (6-3) will start at forward, and look for sophomore Chris Harding (6-7) to gain playing time as the season progresses.

21. Detroit King (16-4), Class A: Two starters return, and King has just three seniors. Ramar Smith (6-3) is the state‚s best sophomore. He averaged 14 points as a starter last season. Senior Bernard Daniels (5-9) is the other returning starter, and he averaged 10 points. Sophomores Mike Collins (6-4), who led the junior varsity to the league title last season, and Deante Burgess (6-7), who played varsity last season, also could start. King has size with juniors Derrick Taylor (6-6) and Shelton Lewis (6-8) adding to the mix.

22. Detroit Country Day (21-4), Class B: Country Day will have a lot of new faces. Brandon Bradford (6-0) is the only returning starter, and Drake and Penn are at the top of the list of schools he is considering. Harry Hairston (6-3) could be the only senior starter. Mark Curry is a 6-8 junior who played limited minutes, and sophomore Omar Thomas (6-5) played a lot. Michael Gibson, a 6-6, 260-pound sophomore, or 6-3 freshman Alex Legion is likely to compete for the other starting spot.

23. Flint Carman-Ainsworth (25-3), Class A: Zach McGee (6-3), Carman-Ainsworth‚s top reserve from last season; Brandon Carr (6-0); and Chad Dixon (6-2), a transfer from Swartz Creek, will start. The post players will be Mike Caldwell (6-3) and James Klobuchar (6-3). All five are seniors. Coach Rory Mattar won‚t have a tall team, but he will have nine or 10 players in the rotation.

24. East Kentwood (12-11), A: The Falcons will start all underclassmen, including three returning starters. Juniors Corey Crutcher (6-2) and Paul Griffith (6-6) are two returners, and sophomore Anthony Quinn (6-6) is the third. Quinn averaged 12 points and nine rebounds. Griffith‚s brother, Siaquan, a 5-8 sophomore, will replace his brother at the point moving Paul Griffith to small forward. Dominic Shannon (6-2), a top reserve, is one of the few seniors who will play.

25. Madison Heights Madison (20-4), Class B: Four starters return, including three-year starter Marcus Jenkins (5-6). Senior Jamal Jackson (5-11) can jump. Junior Josh Beckett (6-0) is a three-year varsity player. Senior D‚Mario Curry (6-6) averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds and is the go-to offensive player. Senior Steve Pitts (6-6), who weighs 280 pounds, is agile.

Other teams to watch: Benton Harbor (16-5), Class A; Charlevoix (20-5), Class C; Detroit Cass Tech (6-12), Class A; Detroit Central (14-6), Class A; Detroit Community (16-6), Class C; Detroit De Porres (27-1), Class C; Detroit Mackenzie (12-8), Class A; Grand Rapids South Christian (27-0), Class B; Grand Rapids Creston (9-12), Class A; Grandville (7-14), Class A; Holland Christian, Class B; Kalamazoo Central (16-5), Class A; Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (20-1), Class A; Muskegon Heights (21-4), Class B; Rockford (28-0), Class A; Williamston (15-6), Class B; Wyoming Park (16-6), Class B; Ypsilanti Willow Run (11-11), Class B.

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