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Top 25 Michigan boys basketball rankings for March 2, 2020: Beecher still No. 1 headed into final week of regular season, Goodrich joins top 25
Conference and League tournaments have been settled, for the most part, and — while the girls may take center stage with districts getting underway — there are still some great games between top teams on the docket for this week, with matchups between No. 1 Beecher and No. 6 Grand Blanc, No. 2 OLSM and No. 5 Cass Tech, as well as No. 7 Ann Arbor Huron and No. 9 Ypsilanti Lincoln, to name a few.
Here are the regular-season rankings for the week of Monday, March 2:
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1 FLINT BEECHER (18-1, 14-0 GAC) — All ‘W’s since the first week of the season. The Division 3 favorites as of now with wins over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Benton Harbor, and eyeing their sixth state championship since 2012, but one game at a time starting with must-see action at the Dort Federal Event Center on Tuesday, March 3 vs. No. 6 Grand Blanc. (Previous ranking: 1)
2 ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S (18-1, 8-0 CHSL Central) — The Eaglets won their first Catholic League title since the 2007-08 season and will face No. 5 Detroit Cass Tech at Calihan Hall on Thursday, March 5, in Operation Friendship. (Previous ranking: 2)
3 CLARKSTON (17-1, 10-0 OAA Red) — Wins over DEPSA, Eastpointe, as well as league opponents Ferndale, and North Farmington continued the Wolves 16-game win streak and captured their 14th consecutive league title. Clarkston finishes the regular season on the vs. March 3 and at home on March 5 vs. Lake Orion. (Previous ranking: 3)
4 RIVER ROUGE (18-1, 10-0 MMAC Blue) — The Panthers wrapped up the MMAC-Blue Champs and followed up their winning ways vs. East English Village, Romulus, and then No. 5 Benton Harbor. Rouge will travel to Southfield Christian on Thursday, March 5. (Previous ranking: 4)
5 DETROIT CASS TECH (18-1, 10-0 PSL West) — Cass Tech won its third PSL title in four years with a commanding win over Detroit Douglass. The Technicians face No. 2 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at Calihan Hall on March 5 in the Operation Friendship games. (Previous ranking: 6)
6 GRAND BLANC (16-3, 8-0 SVL Blue) — A 74-60 win over previously undefeated and then-No. 12 Mt. Pleasant sealed the Saginaw Valley League championship. The Bobcats have a meeting with No. 1 Flint Beecher on Tuesday, March 5 at the Dort Federal Event Center. (Previous ranking: 7)
7 ANN ARBOR HURON (18-1, 9-1 SEC White) — Wins over Saline, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Old Redford, and Kalamazoo Central set up a showdown on Tuesday, March 3 with No. 9 Ypsilanti Lincoln at EMU’s Convocation Center. (Previous ranking: 8)
8 BENTON HARBOR (16-2) — The Tigers smashed Muskegon Heights, 114-36, and dropped a road game to No. 4 River Rouge, 58-52. Benton Harbor hasn’t lost to a team outside of the top 5 this season. (Previous ranking: 5)
9 YPSILANTI LINCOLN (16-2, 14-0 SEC White) — The Rail Splitters survived overtimes vs. Chelsea and Ypsilanti before a 67-44 win over Jackson. The defending Division 1 champions finish the season at EMU’s Convocation Center on Tuesday, March 3 vs. No. 7 Ann Arbor Huron and on Thursday, March 5 vs. No. 14 Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (Previous ranking: 10)
10 WATERFORD MOTT (16-2, 14-0 Lakes Valley Conference) — A 16-game win streak continued with wins over Walled Lake Central and South Lyon East wrapping up the Lakes Valley Conference championship. Mott finishes its regular season on Tuesday, March 3 vs. White Lake Lakeland and on Thursday, March 5 vs. South Lyon. (Previous ranking: 11)
11 MUSKEGON (17-2, 12-0 OK Black) — The OK-Black champs take a six-game winning streak on the road to Kalamazoo Central for a March 5 game. (Previous ranking: 13)
12 DETROIT EDISON (14-4) — A five-game win streak that included victories over Detroit King, CMA, and Mumford. DEPSA travels to Grosse Pointe South on Wednesday, March 4. (Previous ranking: 19)
13 MT. PLEASANT (17-1. 10-0 SVL Red) — The Oilers’ undefeated season came to an end with a 74-60 loss to No. 6 Grand Blanc in the SVL championship. Mt. Pleasant hosts Grand Ledge on Tuesday, March 3. (Previous ranking: 12)
14 GRAND RAPIDS CATHOLIC CENTRAL (17-2, 12-0 OK-Blue) — The OK Blue champion has a five-game win streak and have a big road game vs. No. 9 Ypsilanti Lincoln at EMU’s Convocation Center on March 5. (Previous ranking: 15)
15 BRIDGEPORT (18-1, 12-1 TVC East) — A four-game win streak and a win at Essexville-Garber on Tuesday, March 3 will seal the TVC East for the Bearcats. (Previous ranking: 16)
16 DETROIT DOUGLASS (15-4, 7-1 PSL East) — Coming off a loss to Cass Tech in the PSL championship game, the Hurricanes will play Detroit U-D Jesuit in the Operation Friendship undercard on Thursday, March 5, at Detroit Mercy’s Calihan Hall. (Previous ranking: 17)
17 HANOVER-HORTON (16-1, 12-0 Cascades Conference) — The Cascades Conference Champions have won 13-games in a row with a 55-52 win over Detroit King. A home game vs. Michigan Center on Monday, March 2 and a road game vs. Manchester on Thursday, March 5 closes out the Comets’ regular season. (Previous ranking: 18)
18 WYOMING (18-1, 11-1 OK Gold) — The Wolves are OK Gold champions and they added big February wins over Grand Rapids Christian and Hudsonville. Wyoming will host Benton Harbor on Thursday, March 5. (Previous ranking: 22)
19 GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN (17-2, 10-2 OK Gold) — Wins over East Grand Rapids, Forest Hills Eastern, and Wayland preluded a loss at Grand Rapids South Christian. Christian hosts Godwin Heights on Tuesday, March 3. (Previous ranking: 14)
20 HUDSONVILLE (17-2, 12-0 OK Red) — Hudsonville will look for an 18-win season vs. East Grand Rapids on Tuesday, March 3. The Hornets move down 10 spots with a Feb. 18 loss to then-No. 22 Wyoming. (Previous ranking: 9)
21 IRON MOUNTAIN (18-0, 11-0 West PAC East) — Iron Mountain beat its last four opponents by an average of 43 points. Home games on Tuesday, March 3 vs. Gladstone and Thursday, March 5 vs. Negaunee. (Previous ranking: 21)
22 WILLIAMSTON (17-2, 8-1 CAAC Red) — The Hornets defeated Haslett and Mason in the last two weeks and can get a share of the CAAC Red league title with a win on Thursday, March 3 at Holt. (Previous ranking: 23)
23 PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA (16-1, 12-1 CMAC) — The Pirates have won 15 in a row and will close out their season with games on Monday, March 2 vs. Potterville, Tuesday, March 3 at Portland St. Patrick, and Thursday, March 5 vs. Fulton. (Previous ranking: 24)
24 HARPER WOODS CHANDLER PARK ACADEMY (15-2, 8-0 Charter School Conference East) — Fourteen straight wins with road games at Detroit Voyageur on Tuesday, March 3 and at Detroit Renaissance on Thursday, March 5. (Previous ranking: 25)
25 (tie) EAST LANSING (16-2, 10-2 CAAC-Blue) — A 63-60 loss to Lansing Everett drops the Trojans four spots in this week’s rankings. East Lansing hosts Lansing Sexton on Tuesday, March 3 and travels to Saginaw Heritage on Thursday, March 5. (Previous ranking: 25)
25 (tie) GOODRICH (18-1, 15-0 Flint Metro League-Stars) — Welcome to the Top 25! A 10-game win streak can grow to 11 for the Martians when they host Pontiac Notre Dame Prep on Tuesday, March 3. (Previous ranking: N/R)
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DROPPED OUT: None.
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The boys basketball district pairings:
Division 1: [CLICK HERE]
Division 2: [CLICK HERE]
Division 3: [CLICK HERE]
Division 4: [CLICK HERE]
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CLICK HERE for the small-school top 10 rankings from Feb. 24
CLICK HERE for the overall top 25 rankings update from Feb. 17
CLICK HERE for the small-school top 10 rankings from Feb. 10
CLICK HERE for the small-school top 10 rankings from Jan. 27
CLICK HERE for the preseason list of top teams.
CLICK HERE for the preseason list of top players.
