By Matt DeVries | @DeVries_Matt
After featuring 10 different local high schools in the first month of the season, area prep hoops and Northwood men’s and women’s basketball kick into high gear on ESPN 100.9-FM as we begin 2020!
On the boy’s side, two teams in the densely populated nine-team “North Division” of the Saginaw Valley League remain undefeated in Mt. Pleasant and Heritage. Those two schools will meet in our game of the week on Jan. 10 and they’ll each have one of their other conference games in January aired on the radio and The Deuce.
Saginaw High has had a tumultuous start to the season after they had to forfeit their season-opening 101-36 win against Bay City Central due to an ineligible player, who has since become eligible, playing in the game. Take that out of the equation and Julian Taylor’s team, who many expect to challenge for an SVL title, is 2-2 with wins over rival Arthur Hill and Troy in the Motor City Roundball Classic. Their two losses: Carman-Ainsworth and Detroit Cass Tech. Not a bad start. They’ll be featured twice over the next couple weeks: at the GottaGetIt Hoops Classic hosted by Grand Blanc on Jan. 4 and their trip to Midland on Jan. 28.
One team that has lived up to their preseason hype this year is the Grand Blanc Bobcats. Four games before the New Year and four victories for Mike Thomas’ group, including impressive wins over Detroit Douglass at the Horatio Williams Showcase and Lincoln Park out of Chicago at the famous Motor City Roundball Classic. Grand Blanc’s focus now shifts to the aforementioned GottaGetIt Hoops Classic that will feature six games in one day beginning at 12 p.m.
It’s not often you have two undefeated teams left after six games, but that’s what we have with the girls in the SVL as both Midland and Carman-Ainsworth are a perfect 6-0 as the calendar rolls over to 2020. The Chemics have already played three league games, while CA has downed Davison and Grand Blanc in the South.
Carman-Ainsworth has a chance to make a statement on Jan. 7 when they host two-time defending state champ Heritage (4-1) in our featured game. Midland will get their first crack at Heritage this month, as well, but they’ll also have their rematch with Dow (4-2) in a featured doubleheader on Jan. 31 as the Chargers will be looking to get their revenge after a close 38-31 loss on Dec. 19.
Saginaw Valley League
Sat. Jan. 4 – GottaGetIt Hoops Classic @ Grand Blanc (Boys)
Saginaw vs. Chicago Thornton – 7 p.m.
Grand Blanc vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – 8:45 p.m.
Tues. Jan. 7 – Heritage @ Carman-Ainsworth (Girls) – 7 p.m.
Fri. Jan. 10 – Heritage @ Mt. Pleasant (Boys) – 7 p.m.
Tues. Jan. 14 – Carman-Ainsworth @ Heritage (Boys) – 7 p.m.
Fri. Jan. 17 – Dow @ Mt. Pleasant (Boys) – 7 p.m. on The Deuce
Fri. Jan. 24 – Bay City Central @ Heritage (Girls) – 7 p.m.
Tues. Jan. 28 – Saginaw @ Midland (Boys) – 7 p.m.
Fri. Jan. 31 – Dow @ Midland (Girls/Boys) – 5:30 p.m.
*All games are to be broadcast on ESPN 100.9-FM and the primary online stream unless otherwise noted.
Northwood Basketball
Thurs. Jan. 2 – UW-Parkside @ Northwood – 6 p.m. w/ Men on The Deuce
Sat. Jan. 4 – Northwood @ Purdue Northwest – 2 p.m.
Thurs. Jan. 9 – Ferris State @ Northwood – 6 p.m. w/ Men on The Deuce
Sat. Jan. 11 – Lake Superior State @ Northwood – 1 p.m.
Thurs. Jan. 16 – Northwood @ Grand Valley St. – 6 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 18 – Davenport @ Northwood – 4 p.m.
Thurs. Jan. 23 – Northwood @ Ashland – 5:30 p.m. w/ Men on The Deuce
Sat. Jan. 25 – Northwood @ Wayne State – 1 p.m.
Thurs. Jan. 30 – Michigan Tech @ Northwood
*All Northwood matchups are doubleheaders with the women playing first, followed by the men unless otherwise noted. They are to be broadcast on ESPN 100.9-FM and the primary online stream unless otherwise noted.
