As you’ve noticed West Michigan All Star is ramping up for the boys basketball season as only we know how, and that is to give you as much in-depth analysis as humanly possible. How are we doing so far? Tonight we focus in on a pair of teams that had great runs last year but came up short of their dream and look to change that this year.

Mike Hudson’s Wayland Union Wildcats posted a 23-0 unbeaten record last winter only to see that dream season come to an end in the regional opener against Holt. The Wildcats were outpaced and beaten inside by the Rams. Wayland made a few runs in that game but wasn’t able to ever take a lead and eventually went home after a 70-62 loss.

This however is a new year and this team will be determined to make a run again. The Wildcats move to Class B this season and that could make their run a bit easier as Class A is a gauntlet come playoff time. Coach Hudson won’t have his team looking forward however, “It will be hard to hit last years mark, but this is a new season and we must be up for the challenge in this tough league.”

Justin Pepper will be back on the low post for Wayland standing at 6’7” for his senior season. We expect Pepper to be in the area of 15 pts and 9 boards a game for the Cats and he will be joined up front by 6’4” senior forward Travis Rader making the rest of the OK Gold coaches crazy. The Wildcats will be guided by the point play of Zak Kasper who also runs on the cross country team so endurance will be no problem for this up-tempo guard who can also but the ball through the net.

We fully expect Wayland to repeat in the OK Gold, maybe not in such incredible fashion as they did a year ago but the post season will be the major hurdle for the Wildcats this year. Coach Hudson will have them focused on the task at hand but when you’re a team like this your building for March basketball and something tells us Wayland will be around come St. Pattys day.

Next on our insight of successful programs that look to take the next step we float down the river to the Spring Lake Lakers. Bill Core has been at the helm for 8 seasons and he and the Lakers expect to make his 9^th a memorable one. The Lakers took home second place in the Lakes 8 conference last year behind Ludington while splitting those match-ups with the Orioles, winning at home and losing by 5 on the road to the champs.

Where the Lakers may lack size outside of potential scholarship player Michael Hankinson (6’6”), they make up for with athletic versatility and depth. Early season inexperience is a concern for Coach Core and will we tested early on as the Lakers travel to Ludington on Friday Dec 17^th for a huge battle that could set the stage for the Lakes 8 in 2010.

Hankinson is being recruited by almost every D2 college in the state and was a 2009 honorable mention for both the conference and area as a junior. The only other returning starter is Trevor Tidswell a 6’1” senior guard who is an exceptionally athletic defensive player. Look for Austin Johnson to arrive as an offensive threat in the Lakes 8 as the season develops as he is just a sophomore. Jaren Miller and Justin Weirsma will also be critical to the Laker attack as the seniors look to provide the leadership Coach Core is looking for.

Core and the Lakers will contend and we suggest that no one misses that match-up with Ludington early on this year while also keeping an eye on Tri-County in the Lakes 8. Core’s Crazies give the Lakers a great home court advantage and supply a great place to watch a game if your out on the lakeshore.

GR Union's Ladon Carnegie

This week’s Good GMC West Michigan All Star is Ladon Carnegie. Ladon is a junior forward on the Grand Rapids Union basketball team.

Carnegie posted remarkable averages of 26.6-points, 5-assists, 4-rebounds and 4-steals per game in his senior season, leading the way for the RedHawks’ during their 19-2 season and their second consecutive O-K Black Conference championship.

Not too shabby, I’d say.  The Associated Press agreed, recently naming Carnegie to the Class-B all-state boys basketball team.

Carnegie’s is the type of consistently dominating performance that doesn’t come easily, or naturally.  Union coach Terrence Williams credits long, hard hours of work in the off-season for Carnegie’s performance during the RedHawks’ season.  Carnegie illustrates perfectly the correlation between “gym-rats” and “allstars.”

Congratulations to Landon Carnegie, this week’s Good GMC West Michigan All Star. If you know someone worthy of the honor, go to woodradio.com, keyword athlete.

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMA fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMA on Twitter.  Heck, even start your own topic over at Allstars Among Us.

These will be the last rankings of 2010, as we now enter the state tournament.  Along with a team’s record, these rankings take into account quality of wins, talent, synergy,  and a handful of more subjective factors, and may be correctly interpreted as an authoritative list of the top basketball teams in West Michigan.

Yeah, ranking teams is a tough business.  But somebody’s got to do it.

West Michigan Allstar’s Top-10 (End of Regular Season)

1. Kalamazoo Central — The Maroon Giants enter the tournament on top, having earned every bit.
2. Wayland — The Wildcats finish their storybook regular season undefeated.
3. Muskegon Heights — Will threaten the duration of the tournament, opponents beware.
4. Grand Rapids Union — Was the Puffer game a fluke?  It makes you think, despite 19-1 record.
5. Rockford — Talk about momentum, Rams ride a seven game winning streak into the tournament.
6. Holland Christian — That being the case, what do you call an 11-game winning streak?
   
7. Gull Lake — Finish their season with two big wins, South Haven and Otsego.
   
8. Otsego – Got spanked by Gull Lake, but 18-2 doesn’t lie.
9. Grand Rapids Christian — Losing two out of last three is not how Christian wanted to end.
10. Grand Haven — End their regular season with a disconcerting loss, but dangerous tourney team.

Close but no cigar (alphabetical): Allendale, Battle Creek Lakeview, Battle Creek St. Philip, Comstock Park, Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, Montague, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, Parchment, Schoolcraft.

Along with a team’s record, these rankings take into account quality of wins, talent, synergy,  and a handful of more subjective factors, and may be correctly interpreted as an authoritative list of the top basketball teams in West Michigan.

Playoffs coming up, these are the teams you gotta keep an eye on.

Yeah, ranking teams is a tough business.  But somebody’s got to do it.

West Michigan Allstar’s Top-10 (Week-13)

1. Kalamazoo Central — Chalk up two more wins, #1 and #2.
2. Wayland — Undefeated still, dubyas over Ottawa Hills and South Christian last week.
3. Otsego – Going strong into the playoffs, wins over Vicksburg and Plainwell.
4. Grand Rapids Union – Talk about your all-time blown leads…
5. Grand Rapids Christian — Barely lost to Union, but rebounded over Greenville.
6. Muskegon Heights — So far so good in the rebound attempt, Ludington can attest.
7. Battle Creek Lakeview – Apparently Loy-Norrix was on fire.
8. Rockford — They don’t win big, but they get it done.  Two more last week.
9. Grand Haven – Almost above Rockford, after wins over West Ottawa and Hudsonville.
10. Ottawa Hills — Still couldn’t hang with Wayland, but Hastings was another story.

Close but no cigar (alphabetical): Allendale, Battle Creek St. Philip, Comstock Park, Holland Christian, Montague, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, Parchment, Richmond Gull Lake, Schoolcraft.

Along with a team’s record, these rankings take into account quality of wins, talent, synergy,  and a handful of more subjective factors, and may be correctly interpreted as an authoritative list of the top basketball teams in West Michigan.

Yeah, ranking teams is a tough business.  But somebody’s got to do it.

West Michigan Allstar’s Top-10 (Week-12)

1. Kalamazoo Central — No doubt left, after this and this, they’re number 1.
2. Wayland — Proving doubters wrong, Wayland is legit. Wins over EGR and GRCC last week.
3. Grand Rapids Union – Like Wayland, still undefeated.  Last week saw Kenowa Hills.
4. Otsego – Wins over Dowagiac and comeback over Comstock last week, hitting their stride now.
   
5. Grand Rapids Christian — Continuing to roll over Kenowa and Northview, but big test this week.
6. Battle Creek Lakeview – Nice win against Coldwater on Friday.
7. Muskegon Heights — Lost 4 of their last 5 after going gangbusters early on.
8. Rockford — Two huge wins last week put the Rams back in the hunt, and they’re rolling.
9. Ottawa Hills — Huge win over Muskegon Heights, and followed it up with win over Caledonia.
10. Grand Haven – Hiccup against Rockford drops them, but still looks like a great tourney team.

Close but no cigar (alphabetical): Battle Creek St. Philip, Comstock Park, Godwin Heights, Grandville Calvin Christian, Holland, Holland Christian, Hudsonville, Montague, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, Parchment, Richmond Gull Lake, Schoolcraft, Spring Lake.

Agree?  Disagree?  Wish we would have remained shaven and not even bothered?  Let us know in the comments!

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMA fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMA on Twitter.  Heck, even start your own topic over at Allstars Among Us.

1. Feb. 15 high school basketball scores (boys) (girls) — Associated Press
2. Class-A boys basketball rankings — HSBB
3. Class-B boys basketball rankings — HSBB
4. Tuesday’s best bet HS basketball games — HSBB
5. Muskegon WM Christian beats Montague — Muskegon Chronicle
6. Catholic Central cheer team wins first conference title — Grand Rapids Press
7. Allendale girls bball eke by Unity Christian — Grand Rapids Press
8. Skee-town area wrestling info — Muskegon Chronicle
9. 2010 rivalry football game list — Searn’s board
10. The purpose driven marathon runner — Kalamazoo Gazette

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMA fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMA on Twitter.  Heck, even start your own topic over at Allstars Among Us.

Along with a team’s record, these rankings take into account quality of wins, talent, synergy,  and a handful of more subjective factors, and may be correctly interpreted as an authoritative list of the top basketball teams in West Michigan.

Lots of shake up at the top of the rankings, so be sure to check out who’s number-1.  We’re also getting down to crunchtime in the season, when teams want to start hitting their stride to prepare for post-season success.

Yeah, ranking teams is a tough business.  But somebody’s got to do it.

West Michigan Allstar’s Top-10 (Week-11)

1. Kalamazoo Central — Smoked Portage Northern, Oliver now at full stride, the Giants are #1.
2. Wayland — Continuing to roll over Middleville, and has a chance to run the table.
3. Muskegon Heights — Kent City couldn’t hang, but Romulus handed them loss #2.
4. Grand Rapids Union – Northview and Mona Shores latest victims, but strength of sked isn’t there.
5. Grand Haven – Held East Kentwood to 18-points and Muskegon to 12-points in second half of games.
6. Richland Gull Lake — Beat Vicksburg soundly and looking strong overall.
7. Otsego — Had way too much trouble with Allegan, but a win’s a win.
8. Grand Rapids Christian — Convincing wins over Forest Hills Central and Lowell.
9. Schoolcraft — Back to their old ways with blowout victory over Delton Kellogg.
10. Battle Creek Lakeview — Continuing winning ways over Sturgis and Mattawan.

Close but no cigar (alphabetical): Battle Creek St. Philip, Comstock Park, Godwin Heights, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, Grandville Calvin Christian, Holland Christian, Hudsonville, Montague, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, Parchment, Rockford, Sparta, Spring Lake, Zeeland West.

Agree?  Disagree?  Wish we would have remained shaven and not even bothered?  Let us know in the comments!

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMA fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMA on Twitter.  Heck, even start your own topic over at Allstars Among Us.

Along with a team’s record, these rankings take into account quality of wins, talent, synergy,  and a handful of more subjective factors, and may be correctly interpreted as an authoritative list of the top basketball teams in West Michigan.

The top four teams have never been closer than they are right now, and a case could be made for any of them.

Yeah, ranking teams is a tough business.  But somebody’s got to do it.

West Michigan Allstar’s Top-10 (Week-10)

1. Muskegon Heights — First loss of the season shakes their spot, but doesn’t dislodge them from #1.
2. Kalamazoo Central — Two more blowout wins (#1) (#2) and now closer spread.
3. Wayland — Still undefeated at 13-0, and looking at their schedule, good chance they stay that way.
4. Grand Rapids Union – Also undefeated at 13-0, but near loss against Holland.
5. Grand Haven – At this point a clear choice for top defensive team in West Michigan.
6. Richland Gull Lake — Squeaked by Three Rivers and then beat Dowagiac.
7. Otsego — Rebounded from loss to Gull Lake with three straight wins.
8. Grand Rapids Christian — Shaky win over Grand Rapids Creston, but a win’s a win.
9. Schoolcraft — Loss to Parchment drops them, but they took out frustration on Kzoo Hackett.
10. Muskegon WM Christian — Lost to Muskegon Heights, but shouldn’t lose again this season.

Close but no cigar (alphabetical): Battle Creek St. Philip, Comstock Park, Covert, Godwin Heights, Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, Grandville Calvin Christian, Greenville, Holland, Holland Christian, Hudsonville, Kalamazoo Loy-Norrix, Montague, Parchment, Rockford, Sparta, Spring Lake, Zeeland West.

Agree?  Disagree?  Wish we would have remained shaven and not even bothered?  Let us know in the comments!

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMA fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMA on Twitter.  Heck, even start your own topic over at Allstars Among Us.

Muskegon Heights has run the table in Class-B, tallying a perfect 11-0 record against elite competition and laying claim to the #1 ranking in Class-B (according to the AP) and the #1 overall ranking (according to us).

Meanwhile, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian has done similar work down in the Class-D ranks, tallying a perfect 11-0 record while demolishing virtually all comers and snagging the #1 ranking in Class-D (AP) and the #8 overall ranking in West Michigan (WMA).

Tonight, these two basketball Goliaths go head-to-head in what has to be considered a candidate for Game of the Year to this point.

So since nobody else could beat either team, it’s perhaps fitting that they should play each other (after all, nobody likes a tie.  It’s like kissing your sister).  Whichever team ends out with more points on the board at the end of 32-minutes, the real winners in this matchup are the fans.  So get your butt down to Muskegon Western Michigan Christian tonight before the tip-off at 7:00 (they’re recommending to get there at like 4:00.  yes, seriously), because those 1,200 seats will fill up fast.