East Lansing boys basketball sophomore Brandon Johns (left) and girls basketball senior Taryn McCutcheon (right) are leading both Trojan programs to great seasons.
East Lansing boys basketball sophomore Brandon Johns (left) and girls basketball senior Taryn McCutcheon are leading the Trojan programs to solid seasons.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, James Edwards of the Lansing State Journal lists his top 10 boy-girl basketball combos in mid-Michigan.
The list takes into consideration statistics, team success and the eye test.
1. Brandon Johns/Taryn McCutcheon (East Lansing): Johns, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2018 according to Rivals.com, is averaging 19.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for undefeated Class A No. 5-ranked East Lansing.
McCutcheon, a senior, has led the Trojans in scoring (20.1 ppg) and assists (5.0 apg) since transferring from West Virginia midway through the season. The Michigan State signee is also averaging 3.5 steals per game, and she’s helped East Lansing rattle off eight wins in its last nine games.
Both the boys and girls teams are sitting atop the CAAC Blue.
2. Riley Lewis/Renee Sturm (Williamston): Lewis, who recently committed to Hope College, is leading the Lansing area in scoring (27.9 ppg) and is tied in assists (6.2 apg). The senior has the Hornets (11-3), who received votes in the latest Associated Press Class B basketball rankings, tied for first in the CAAC White.
Sturm has helped the Williamston girls basketball team remain in the state’s top-10 rankings for most of the season. As a senior, the Ferris State signee is averaging 16.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 6.7 apg and 3.2 spg for the Hornets, who are sitting atop the CAAC White.
3. Brandon Allen/Megan Mowid (Haslett): Allen is second in the Lansing area in 3-point shots made (51) and is averaging a team-high 25.2 ppg. The senior is currently ranked in the top 30 in 3-point shots made in state history. By the time the season ends, there’s a good chance he will be the Vikings’ all-time leading scorer.
Haslett girls basketball coach Bob Currier has called Mowid the “heart and soul” of the Class A No. 5-ranked Vikings. The senior leads her team in scoring (15.2 ppg) and assists (3.6). Haslett is currently tied for second in the CAAC Red.
4. Evan Conn/Lilly George (DeWitt): Conn, a Wayne State football signee, has been a key contributor for the Panthers, who are tied for first in the CAAC Red with Waverly. The senior forward is averaging 12.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg.
George, also a Ferris State signee, leads the No. 4-ranked DeWitt girls basketball team in both scoring (13.8 ppg) and rebounds (7.9 rpg). She has helped the Panthers remain in first place in the CAAC Red.
5.Quinton Armstrong/ Kamrin Reed (Holt): Armstrong leads the Rams in scoring and is second behind frontcourt mate Jaron Faulds in rebounding. The forward is averaging almost 15 ppg for Holt, which is in fourth place in the CAAC Blue.
Reed recently scored a school-record 38 points in a victory over Eastern. The future Western Michigan Bronco is second in the area in scoring (20.3 ppg) and is one of the top 3-point shooters.
6. Jamyrin Jackson/Victoria Guardiola (Everett): Jackson is averaging double-digit figures for the Vikings, who are currently in second place in the CAAC Blue.
Guardiola is the second leading scorer for Everett (12.9 ppg), but is near the top in assists.
7. Emmanuel Gildo/Alisia Smith (Waverly): Gildo is averaging nearly 16 points and nine rebounds per game for the Warriors, which is a team high in both categories. The senior big man has helped Waverly challenge for the CAAC Red title.
The 6-foot-2 Smith, who is receiving Division I interest, is leading the Warriors in both scoring and rebounding.
8. Nik Salas/Olivia Roe (Portland): Salas is averaging 19 ppg for the Raiders, which puts him in the area’s top-5 scoring list.
Roe is averaging a team-high 19.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 3.0 apg for Portland. The senior has been a consistent threat for the Raiders, who are just one game behind Williamston in the CAAC White standings.
9. Tony Poljan/Ellie Dionise (Lansing Catholic): Poljan, a Central Michigan football commit, is averaging a double-double (17.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg) for the Class B No. 6-ranked Cougars. Lansing Catholic has lost just one game this season and is tied for first in the CAAC White.
Dionise is the only double-digit scorer (10.8 ppg) for the Cougars, who are fourth in the CAAC White. The senior guard also leads the team in assists (2.8 apg) and is second in rebounding (5.1 rpg). She leads Lansing Catholic in 3-point shots made.
10. Isaiah Hoag/Kayla Belles (Ithaca): Hoag is averaging a team-high 14.2 ppg for the Class C No. 9-ranked Yellowjackets, who are in first place in the TVC West conference.
Belles, a sophomore, is averaging a double-double (16.2 ppg and 13.9 rpg) for Class C No. 9-ranked Ithaca. The 6-foot-3 forward is attracting Division I interest.
Contact James L. Edwards III at jledwards@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @JLEdwardsIII.