Burney goes grade-by-grade across the MHSAA for some shout-outs:
Class of 2023
“Little Chuck” Bailey (Birmingham Groves G) — Has the ruggedness of his dad’s game, but plays on the perimeter, can make it rain from downtown and has a primetime mentality. See Friday’s game-winner 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Southfield A&T.
Malik Olafioye (Ecorse G) — The best freshman you don’t know about but should, a lightning-in-a-bottle-type about to take the entire state by storm.
Class of 2022
Joe Francis (Adrian G) — Flamethrower of a bucket-getter, averaged 36 points per game last week over a three-night span with a school-record of 42 as a high-mark. A tireless competitor, a deadeye shooter and a crafty scorer all rolled into one.
Isaiah Bailey (Grand Ledge G) — Maybe the No. 1 defensive stopper out of the backcourt in the sophomore class.
Class of 2021
Omar Zeigler (Detroit King G/F) — Probably the toughest player in the PSL baseline-to-baseline, a bulldog going to the bucket and an elite defender.
Keyshawn Devlin (River Rouge G) — Impact transfer from Wyandotte Roosevelt, who can pop it from deep and cause serious damage penetrating the lane.
Class of 2020
Trevon Gunter (Kalamazoo Central G) — The state’s top 3-point bomber (52 percent the past two years), he can heat up in a hurry. See last Friday, when he scored 30 points and buried 8 of 9 from beyond the arc in a single quarter in a game against Richland Gull Lake.
Justin DeGraaf (Hudsonville F) — Came home to Michigan for his senior season after five years in Indiana and has been simply marvelous, delivering the goods with ferocity in the frontcourt.
— SCOTT M. BURNSTEIN
