Cody and Kody prove star power is alive and well in WMich Class-C basketball

Photo from: Kalamazoo Gazette

Continuing our examination of the preseason basketball scene in West Michigan, which began with Class-D earlier last week, we now take a look at the roundball landscape in Class-C, as we count our way up to the tipoff of the 2010 season.  Once again we turn to Stephen Bell, of Bankhoops.com and the High School Basketball Bulletin, for the opening arguments:

2. Montague — Cody Kater’s future is as a CMU quarterback, but the Montague senior shot Montague to last season’s semifinals. 6-8 junior Paul Lombard is ready to step up in the post for graduated big man Michael Mack.

5. Schoolcraft — Return three starters from the 2009 runner-up team, including leading scorer Kody Chandler, a junior guard. Won’t have anywhere near last year’s size, so a lot will depend on the knee injury recovery of 6-6 senior Derek Lennen, a true banger who is cleared to go on December 1.

6. Kalamazoo Christian — K-Christian has survived one-and-done riseup teams,but Schoolcraft’s run could have some more longevity. Regardless, the Christian machine will keep humming to a pristine regular season and then, with Schoolcraft, make the Parchment district one of the state’s most dangerous along with those at Traverse City St. Francis, River Rouge, Detroit Loyola,  Kent City, Montrose and Danville.

Only three teams representing West Michigan grace Bell’s list, but that is more due to a relative dearth of clear preseason talent on the West side of the state than any sort of bias.  During this time of the season the teams that show up on various rankings are the teams who have a clear surplus of on-paper talent, which leaves little room for teams who synergistically gel during the season and/or teams with a superstar or two that have yet to break out of their shell (both of which happen on a yearly basis).  So the teams on these lists may not necessarily prove to be any better than the upstarts not on the list; the teams listed here simply have a higher baseline.  Still, the three West Michigan teams Bell mentioned would have to be the front-runners in Class-C.  At least on paper.

Montague’s Cody Kater is a super-athlete, teetering at the precipice of legendary status in the Muskegon area.  If he wins the state football title, which at this point seems likely, he would earn that status before even stepping on the court for his senior basketball season.  Bell mentions big man Lombard, who will surely play a key role as well, but Montague will go only as far as Kater takes them, on the field and on the court.

Kody Chandler is one of those guards that has the uncanny ability to bring A-games out of C-teammates, and superstar games out of A-teammates.  Easily one of the top guards in the 2011 class, Chandler was often the best player on the court as a freshman.  Now a junior, Chandler has Drew Neitzel potential, and his presence means that the Eagles will contend at an elite level for another two years at least.  The Shaq to Chandler’s Kobe, Derek Lennen is an essential cog in Schoolcraft getting over the hump to contend for a title.

Along with Kater and Chandler, Bell lists the following pre-season All Staters:

Class C all-state first team

Dwaun Anderson  6-4  Jr  Suttons Bay

Justin Edmonds  6-4  Sr  Albion

Gerrit Mortensen  5-11  Sr  St. Ignace

Travis Schuba  6-0  Sr  Kalkaska

Michael Talley III  5-10  Sr  Melvindale ABT

All-state second team

Kyle Aho  6-2  Sr  Gwinn

Kody Chandler  6-0  Jr  Schoolcraft

Jevon Harden  6-8  Sr  Detroit Loyola

Cody Kater  6-3  Sr  Montague

Cameron Metz  6-7  Sr  Grand Rapids Northpointe Christian

All-state third team

Travon Baker  5-9  So  Detroit Consortium

Roy Jackson  6-2  Sr  Flint Hamady

Tyler Kruis  6-8  Sr  Grandville Calvin Christian

Yakini Noble  6-6  Sr  Melvindale Business & Technology

Ian Sheldon  6-5  Sr  Traverse City St. Francis

All-state fourth team

CJ Adams  6-3  Sr  Napoleon

Brandon Krause  5-11  Sr  Sanford-Meridian

Derek Lennen  6-6  Sr  Schoolcraft

Josh Pickell  5-10  Sr  Reese

Brendalle Smith  6-4  Jr  Detroit Consortium

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