Dr. Ryan L. Cunningham

Michigan Predictions: [Click "show more" to see more about my favorite, leading contenders, sleepers, and young guns teams for Division 3.] Division 3: Favorite: Arbor Prep (@apgirlsbball ) Arbor Prep (18-7, #2) suffered through injuries late last season & dropped a sectional final contest to eventual state runner-up Blissfield (27-7, #3). They return 4 starters from last season in sr @Mercer_WBB commits @TwinsUtomi Stephanie (5'11"--11.8ppg, 7.1rpg, 3.1apg, 3.2spg) & Stacy (5'10"--11.7ppg, 6.2rpg), sr @2024Wallace (5'6"), & jr @elizareneebush (5'6"). Some of the top teams in their regional include Blissfield & district opponent Grass Lake (16-8). [Stephanie Utomi & Stacy Utomi earned BCAM's D3 "BEST".] Leading Contenders: Lake City (@LC_GirlsBBall )/Hemlock (@HemlockAthletic )/Sanford Meridian (@meridian_high ) winner Hemlock (26-3, #7) beat Sanford Meridian (20-2) in a district final & Lake City (24-2, #4) in OT in a regional final before going on to win the Division 3 title. Lake City returns 2 of the top players in D3 in sr cousins @BadgerWBB commit @AlieBisballe (6'3"--11ppg, 7.5rpg) & @gvsuwbb commit @Kenzie_Bisballe (6'0"). Hemlock returns 3 starters from their championship team in srs @concordiawbb commit @LBorsenik (6'1"--10.8ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.0bpg), @hannahborsenik (6'0"--6.6, 5.6rpg), & @Kylee_Miller1 (5'5"--4.1ppg) as well as key reserve soph @VictoriaHauffe (5'7"--4.8ppg). Unlike Lake City & Hemlock, who lost key guards but return their front-courts, Meridian will be led by their returning back-court players in jr @HalenMcL (5'6"--23.0ppg, 5.8rpg, 3.5spg), & srs @gchinavare8 (5'0") & @mckennarpratt . Hemlock & Meridian will once again be in the same district, while Lake City will be in the opposite half of the regional; other teams in the regional that should be strong again this year include Evart (19-4), Mason County Central (19-5), & McBain (16-6). [Alie Bisballe, Mackenzie Bisballe, & McLaughlin earned BCAM's D3 "BEST", while Lauren Borsenik earned HM.] Ovid-Elsie (@OvidElsieSports ) Ovid-Elsie (22-5) dropped a 4-pt decision to eventual state runner-up Blissfield (27-7, #3) in a state quarterfinal last year. They return 4 starters, all seniors, including their top 3 scorers in @NMU_WBBall commit @AvaBates33 (5'11"--12.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.3bpg), @EvalynCole4 (5'7"--11.2ppg, 3.5apg, 4.1spg), & @BraedenTokar (5'9"--8.8ppg). They will be in a district w/ St. Charles (24-3, #5 in D4), while Dansville (21-3, #6), Springport (20-4) Stockbridge (17-7), Leslie (15-9), & East Jackson (15-8) are other strong teams in the regional. [Bates & Cole earned BCAM's D3 "BEST" HM.] Kalamazoo Christian (@KCHSwomansHoops )/Hackett Catholic (@HCPGirlsHoops ) winner Kalamazoo Christian (22-4) lost to Buchanan (23-2, #1) in a regional final; Hackett Catholic (18-9) made a run to a Division 4 state quarterfinal before falling to Lenawee Christian (18-11), but will move up to Division 3 this season. KC won both of their meetings in conference play. KC returns jr @JordynBonnema (5'7"--16.6ppg, 6.9rpg, 3.0apg, 4.7spg) while HC returns sr @alyse02355961 (5'11"--13.3ppg, 6.9rpg) to spearhead potential deep playoff runs. Unfortunately, both teams are in the same district. Buchanan or traditionally strong Niles Brandywine (21-3, T#9) potentially awaits from the other half of the regional. [Bonnema earned BCAM's D3 "BEST", while Baughman earned D4 HM.] Sleepers: [Teams that were unranked at the end of last year that could reach regional play and have a shot at reaching state.] Elk Rapids (@elkrapidselks )/Harbor Springs (@HSRAMHOOPS ) winner Elk Rapids (21-4) beat Harbor Springs (18-5) in a district final before falling to eventual state champion Hemlock (26-3, #7) in a state quarterfinal game. ER also won both of their meetings in conference play. ER returns 3 starters, including their top 2 scorers in srs @mtuwbb commit @kj_stand3 (5'11") & @Bergquistmorg06 (5'9"). HS also returns 3 starters, including their top scorer in jr @_olivia_flynn (5'7"). This year, ER & HS will be on opposite halves of the bracket w/ HS heading north w/ all UP schools in their half. Bark River-Harris (17-6), Calumet (16-5), & Gladstone (8-17) could be strong contenders for HS from the UP, while St. Francis (21-3, #8), Johannesburg-Lewiston (19-7), & Oscoda (15-10) could challenge ER. [Standfest & Flynn earned BCAM's D3 "BEST".] Stockbridge (@SCSPanthers ) Stockbridge (17-7) lost to Springport (20-4) in a regional final last season. They only had 8 players on their varsity roster last year (w/ 2 of those also playing JV), but return all 5 starters, including srs @RU_WBBall commit @alainak06 (6'1"--13.6ppg, 9.5rpg), @gracee_robidou (5'6"--12.8ppg, 3.5spg), & Taylor Lockhart (5'10"--8.8ppg, 8.9rpg). They share a district w/ Dansville (21-3, #6) & Leslie (15-9), while Ovid-Elsie (22-5), see above, among others could await in regional play. Young Guns Team: Evart Evart (19-4) lost to Lake City (24-2, #4) in a district final last year after splitting w/ them in conference play. They will certainly miss current Mid-Michigan CC player Addysen Gray, but return 2 of their big 3 that had outstanding seasons last year as a soph & a fr in current jr Emma Dyer (5'8") & soph @KyrahGray (5'9"). They will once again be in the same district as conference rivals Lake City & McBain (16-6); see above for other top teams in the regional. YGT HM: Gladstone Gladstone (8-17) lost in a district final to West Iron County (12-11) last year. Their record may not be the most impressive, but they compete against mostly larger schools in the Great Northern UP against Marquette (D1), Escanaba (D2), Kingsford (D2), and Menominee (D3). Gladstone returns 1 of the top players in the UP and Division 3 in soph @Lillie_J0hnson (6'0"--15.6ppg, 12.0rpg, 3.5spg). They are in the same district as Harbor Springs (18-5), Bark River-Harris (17-6), & conference rival Menominee (8-14); see above for other top teams in the regional. [Johnson earned BCAM's D3 "BEST" HM.] Stats Sources: mlive.com, maxpreps.com, 9and10news.com, & dailypress.net