It’s hard to believe, but college basketball season is here. This week, we’ll preview Michigan’s 19 junior college teams.

By Patrick Hayes

At a glance

• Coach: Jim Twigg, third season
• Last year: 18-12, 9-9 MCCAA
• Conference: Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA)
• Key losses: Keith Paris, Ashton Curd
• Key additions: (freshmen) Anjay Stovall, William Bradley, James Nowak, DeMargus Stingley, Anthony Brownlee, Jamaal Rhodes, Joseph Huey, Dejuan Henderson, Gerod Maples, Troy Lee; (sophomores) Charles Baskin
• Team website
• Macomb C.C. news on BallinMichigan

Overview

Getting one of its top two scorers back this season should help Macomb build on a solid 2011-12 performance.

Strengths

Macomb returns a solid building block in Patrick Ferrell. Ferrell, a 6-foot-8 center, averaged 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. He shot 54 percent from the field and, although he doesn’t shoot a lot of perimeter shots, he did make 6-for-18 3-pointers last season, not a bad clip for a big man.

Surrounding him will be returners John Irons, Ryan Bush and Jaymes Rogan. Irons averaged 7.7 points per game last season and Bush averaged 7.6. Rogan saw action in 28 games. The team will also benefit from the addition of sophomore Baskin, a transfer from University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Weaknesses

The team loses two key contributors from last season whose production and impact will be difficult to replace. Paris, a versatile guard who averaged 8.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game, is finishing his college career at Marygrove.

Macomb also loses its leading scorer in Curd. He averaged 16.0 points per game last season along with 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals. That backcourt gave Macomb steady, productive play all season, so guards will have to emerge with the versatility to impact the game in a variety of areas like Paris and Curd did.

Circle these dates …

• Jan. 12 and Feb. 9 — Delta beat Macomb last season and finished just a game behind in the standings. the Pioneers will be trying to move up this season and these two games could be critical.
• Jan. 16 and Feb. 13 — Similarly, Schoolcraft just held off Macomb last season, with the teams splitting two regular season games, then Schoolcraft winning in the district. Macomb will be looking to overtake Schoolcraft in the standings this season.

Outlook

Macomb will remain one of the mid-tier teams in the MCCAA East, likely with a handful of teams that all finish within a game of each other. The team will have to win against the lesser teams. Losses to sub-.500 Kirtland and Delta last season cost Macomb a chance at tying Henry Ford for third place in the conference.

Previously

• Alpena needs to replace talented foursome from last season
• Sophomore Larry Taylor leads an improving Jackson C.C. program into season
• Delta loses All-American Jody Hill in quest for third straight district final four
• Kellogg’s Darius Holman among state’s top returning players
• Wayne County returns two big-time scorers
• New coach hoping to lead Lake Michigan to more success
• Mix of new and old talent should help Kalamazoo Valley improve
• Schoolcraft has to replace four key players, including star Karl Moore
• Large group of transfers should offset Glen Oaks’ loss of Karvel Anderson
• Henry Ford looking to replace Eastern Michigan-bound James Still

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