From start to finish, this decade has been loaded with incredible mid-Michigan players -- although this group just scratches the surface of the stars who have come through.
Remember, we're introducing a potential All-Decade team each Thursday until December, when, based on your comments and my original groupings, we'll come up with our All-Decade teams for each sport. Check out the links at the bottom of this post to contribute to all of the conversations so far.
Marcus Taylor, Waverly (2000, MSU) -- The 6-3 guard graduated as Mr. Basketball, with a Class A state title, as one of the nation’s top players, and one of this area’s best of all-time. As a senior he averaged 26 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. After leading the Big Ten in scoring and assists he left early for the NBA and has had some brief looks in the league.
Johnathon Jones, Okemos (2006, Oakland) -- The 6-0 guard, the “next Marcus,” graduated as the Chieftains’ all-time leader in scoring, assists and steals. He was LSJ Player of the Year as a senior after leading his team to within minutes of a state title. Led the nation in assists last season.
Justin Ingram, Waverly (2003, Toledo) -- The 6-3 guard/wing averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 assists and five rebounds per game to be named the LSJ Player of the Year as a senior. He was a four-year star for the Rockets running the point.
Cortney Scott, Waverly (2000, Iowa/Oakland) -- Overshadowed by Taylor, Scott averaged 15 points and nine rebounds per game as a senior Dream Team pick and showed up most in the biggest games. He led the way against future Missouri standout Arthur Johnson in the 2000 Class A state final.
Al Horford, Grand Ledge (2004, Florida) -- Named Class A all-state Player of the Year and graduated with seven school records before winning two national titles with Florida. He’s now the starting center for the Atlanta Hawks.
Also in the conversation:
Goran Suton, Everett (2004, Michigan State): His career included titanic battles with Horford, and ended with a Class A state title as he averaged 15.2 points, 12.8 rebounds and 4.4 blocks per game while finishing eighth in the Mr. Basketball voting. The Utah Jazz drafted him this spring.
Erik Kangas, DeWitt (2005, Oakland): Kangas made 148 3-pointers over his final two seasons, making the LSJ Dream Team after both. He led the Panthers to a surprise state runner-up finish as a junior and was seventh in Mr. Basketball voting as a senior.
Paul Crosby, Holt (2007, Navarro Junior College): Averaged a double-double in each of his final two seasons after centering the Class A state champs as a sophomore. He also averaged more than three blocks per game in making the all-state teams in each of those final two years.
Derick Nelson, Everett (2004, Oakland): He was the lone all-state first-teamer and some argue the best player on the Class A state champion team. Playing power forward, Nelson averaged 17.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as a senior. Zane Gay, Olivet (2005, Eastern Michigan): The 2005 LSJ Player of the Year is one of three players in area history to score more than 2,000 points. He led the Eagles to the Class C state title as a senior playing center despite being only 6-4.
Charlie Woods, East Lansing (2008, Cleveland State): Woods scored 17.5 points per game in leading the Trojans to their first state semifinal in 50 years as a senior, when he was the LSJ Player of the Year. He was 6-6 but could play the post and shoot the 3-pointer.
Travis Bader, Okemos (2009, Oakland): Averaged 20.5 points as a senior and joined Kangas among the area’s most prolific 3-point shooters this decade. He was named the LSJ Player of the Year in his final season.
Alonzo Mans, Everett (2002, Grand Valley State): The LSJ Player of the Year in 2002 was a four-year starter at point guard. Smaller in size, he ran the area's top team his senior season and could also get to the basket.
Levi Rost, St. Johns (2002, Western Michigan): Rost could do it all as a 6-6 forward. He averaged 16.5 points and 10 rebounds per game, and made 53 3-pointers before going on to star first at Lansing Community College and then for the Broncos.
Nathan Turner, Haslett (2006, WMU football): Turner led the Vikings to a 48-4 record over his final two seasons as point guard, with 7.2 assists per game as a Dream Team pick as a senior. He turned down Division II basketball offers to play football, and was the LSJ overall Male Athlete of the Year as a senior.
Eli Redman, Bath (2008, Saginaw Valley State): The 6-7 forward made two LSJ Dream Teams and graduated with a Bath-record 1,546 career points. He helped the Bees to the Class C state title as a junior before upping his average four points per game to 21 ppg his final season.
LaDontae Henton, Eastern (2011): A two-time all-stater already, the 6-6 Henton should graduate with some incredible numbers after averaging at least 14.5 rebounds each of his first two seasons, and 16.7 and 20.4 ppg as well during that time.
Cole Darling, Holt (2010, Wright State): Darling took the scene by storm as a junior averaging 20.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He shot 56 percent from the floor despite firing a number of 3-pointers, and just missed being LSJ Player of the Year.
Matt McClure, Holt (2000): It’s hard not to mention McClure, who averaged 21.2 points and 10.9 rebounds per game as a senior and could shoot the 3-pointer too but was overshadowed by Waverly’s stars that Dream Team season.
Clyde McKinney, Jr., Everett (2005, Ferris State): McKinney point-guarded the Class A state champ team as a junior and was all-state as a senior averaging 17.9 points, five rebounds and four assists per game.
John Lierman, Holt (2005, Aquinas): A three-year starter, the 6-4 guard made the Dream Team as a senior averaging 20 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He also made 45 3-pointers as the top inside-out threat with Crosby.
And the coaches:
Okemos’ Dan Stolz may not have won a state title like some others -- although many would say he was robbed by a bad 5-second call in a one-point overtime state final loss in 2006 -- but he’s had the most consistently successful program this decade, even as Okemos moved from the Capital Circuit to the CAAC-1/Blue. Also in the conversation: Lansing Catholic’s Darren Zwick, Olivet’s Brian Dartt, Everett’s Johnny Jones, Holt’s Bruce Larner, Bath’s Jeff Wonch and Waverly’s Phil Odlum won state titles this decade. Haslett’s Rob Porritt, DeWitt’s Ron Marlan, Fowler’s Scott Pischea, Laingsburg’s Greg Mitchell,. P-W's Luke Pohl, Carson City-Crystal's Larry Farmer and East Lansing’s Doug Fleming have not, but done more than enough to be mentioned. I’m positive I’m leaving out some others, so please post them with your thoughts.
Here's what I've got for boys hoops:
