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It’s a Power Grab – The “Juice” Index

By: Scott Burnstein, April 6, 2016, 4:14 pm

What is the current power balance in the MHSAA boys hoops scene? Let’s take a look, Burney Style!!

Burney’s Elite 8 – The Top 8 Power Brokers on the state’s boys basketball landscape

1. William Wesley – Some say “World Wide Wes” is the most powerful man in pro basketball “behind the scenes,” well WWW lives in West Bloomfield and is front row center at every major Metro Detroit prep cage showdown….this guy makes careers with a phone call, whether 16 and in high school, 19 or 20 in college or 25-to-30 in the pros….can you say Midas Touch?

2. The MHSAA contingent: Jack Roberts, Tom Rashid, Nate Hampton – The proverbial ‘Man’…..’Nuff Said!!

3. Pat Donnelly – The U-D Jesuit coach is in the midst of turning his Cubs program into a NATIONAL power, not just a state power (see 2016 Class A state title, three straight final fours, four consecutive Catholic League crowns…..any questions?

4. Mike Williams – The Flint Beecher coach has led his Bucs to four Class C state championships in the past five years….in hoop-rich FlintstoneVILLE, Williams is top dog on the sideline these days and for good reason (past Flint bench barons like Grover Kirkland and Bill Frieder would be proud)

5. Dan Young – The President of BCAM, former coach at Canton and Westland John Glenn, character guy, has great vision and leadership skills

6. Ken Flowers – The coach of the repeat Class B state champion Detroit Henry Ford Trojans, the quintessential motivator and tactician with a whistle around his neck and a clipboard in his hands

7. Derrick McDowell – The coach at Detroit Western, formerly at Detroit Redford (like his protégé Flowers), maybe the most respected coach in the PSL

8 Keith Guy – The “Wizard of the Westside”, “The Maven of the Muskegon hardwood”, the Big Reds coach mentored back-to-back Mr. Basketball winners (Deyonta Davis and Deshaun Thrower) and has Class A state title ring