To Early 517 District Predictions – Div 1 MHSAA Boys Basketball
Published On: February 14, 2024
- District 10 – Coldwater (6-14)
- Every team but 1 is under .500 in District 10 this season, and it is without a doubt BC Lakeview’s districts to lose. Coldwater has experienced a lot of ups and downs this season with their young roster. The Cardinals should see a win in the first round of their districts pulling BC Central, Sturgis or Harper Creek. In the second round a matchup against Lakeview will more than likely end the postseason run for the Cardinals. If they can avoid Lakeview, a matchup with a struggling Gull Lake team could mean a district final game for the Cardinals. Even with a potential short playoff run this season, Coldwater has a lot to be optimistic about when it comes to the future of their program. With an abundance of talent in the pipeline we expect to see a completely different Coldwater team come next season.
- District 11 – Waverly (14-5), Dewitt (12-6), Grand Ledge (8-11), Eastern (8-10)
- The fan favorite for District 11 is without a doubt Waverly. Both Eastern and Grand Ledge have struggled to find any traction this season with both teams sitting below .500 late in the regular season. Dewitt on the other hand has been able to keep their head well above water while having one of the toughest schedules in the entire 517 region. With March Madness right around the corner, you cannot count any team out in this district. Madness aside, come district finals time we expect to see Waverly and Dewitt battling it out for the title with Waverly coming out on top.
- District 12 – East Lansing (17-2) , Okemos (16-3), Mason (18-2), Holt (7-11), Everett (7-9)
- District 12 is easily our least favorite district in the 517. With so many great teams, it’s a shame only one can move on to the next round. The first matchup will more than likely be between Holt and Everett. With both teams being very comparable, it is tough beating a team 3 times in a row, we will give this coin flip to Everett. Regardless the winner will surely face 517 powerhouse East Lansing, whose battle tested team is primed for a Breslin run. On the other side we should see one of the best 2nd round district matchups in the 517 with Mason taking on Okemos. Mason is one of the most fluid teams we have watched this season in the 517. Their ability to play well in transition has resulted in a lot of fast break points and some big wins vs good opponents this season. On the other side Okemos has the Walton brothers, the toughest duo in the region, but has struggled with a consistent backcourt. This matchup is ultimately going to come down to endurance and that slight edge goes to the Bulldogs in an upset win against Okemos. In reality the winner between Okemos and Mason will more than likely have their post season cut short with the winner having to face off against East Lansing. Regardless of the winner between Okemos/Mason, the Trojans are very talented and have two of everything, making them very tough for any 517 team to match up against and will ultimatley come out with the win.
- District 13 – Jackson (11-8), Northwest (8-11)
- District 13 will be an uphill battle for both 517 teams, Northwest and Jackson. The apparent front runner here is AA Huron, with Pioneer just in front of Jackson. Hoping to avoid a 517 pairing, Jackson and Northwest will have to battle it out with Dexter and Skyline. In this first round, we are going to take both Jackson teams over their Washtenaw opponents. Jackson has had a tough schedule and should not be excluded from district title talks. They are a very fast and athletic team, if they keep their core on the floor, they will be a problem for every one of their district opponents. Northwest on the other hand is a real wildcard. When the Mounties get hot they are a formidable opponent on both ends of the court. They too should win their first round convincingly if paired against Dexter. While it is hard to see a Cinderella story for Northwest, a second round matchup against Pioneer could translate into a district title game appearance. As wild as this district might get, at the end of the day we expect to see AA Huron moving onto the next round.
- District 26 – Howell (10-9)
- Howell is the lone 517 team in this district and one of the few 517 teams we have not been able to watch in person this season. The front runners in this district are Fenton and Milford, with Howell being just a couple games behind Milford. Making things even more interesting, these top 3 teams in District 26 have managed to avoid each other this season. As long as Howell manages to avoid Fenton, they should continue to advance. If and when Howell sees Fenton, they will need to play their best game this season to win. Stranger things have happened in the month of March, but this district should go to Fenton.
