Andover cruises to 52-26 win over Troy Athens in its OAA White opener

Jake Thielen | MLive.com, November 30, 2012 10:17 p.m.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS – Junior guard Shannon Wilson led the way with 22 points as Bloomfield Hills Andover defeated Troy Athens, 52-26, in an Oakland Activities Association White Division girls basketball game Friday night.

Andover (2-0, 1-0 OAA White) had little trouble in its first game since moving from the OAA Blue to the White after finishing with a 19-3 record last year. The Barons opened the contest with 13 consecutive points and never looked back.

Andover coach Jeff Rubin said it was crucial for his team to get off to such a fast start against a new league foe.

“For us to kind of come out, jump on them and really put a lot of pressure on them to climb back in the game was huge, especially at home,” Rubin said.

Wilson led the charge for the Barons, scoring 12 points in the first half as Andover took a 27-13 lead into halftime. Wilson would finish with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, and she added six steals and four rebounds.

Rubin said having a player like Wilson, ranked as one of the top returning guards in the state, is huge for the team.

“I’ve been saying this now for three years – (Wilson) is unbelievable, and she makes everybody better and she makes everyone accountable,” Rubin said.

Rubin said he liked to see Wilson try to create more opportunities for herself offensively, particularly from three-point range after the Barons began went into a lull offensively in the third quarter.

“Tonight it was nice to see (Wilson) looking for her shot a little bit more,” Rubin said. “She’s one of the best players in the county, one of the best players in the state, but sometimes she doesn’t get the recognition because she’s not a scorer. She can score, but she facilitates and does so many other things well with her defense, her steals and her ability to rebound from the point guard spot.”

In addition to Wilson’s strong play, Andover had several other key contributors in the win. Senior Erika Hill finished with 12 points and four steals, and senior Jamie Lederman added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Junior Ten-Niah Kinney was perfect from the field, scoring six points on 3-of-3 shooting, and added five rebounds. Senior Rachel Rea had four points and six rebounds.

Rubin said another key for the Barons was a second consecutive strong defensive performance.

“We played two games this year and gave up 27 in the first game and 26 tonight,” Rubin said. “If we play the defense that we’re capable of and force teams to really work hard to get clean shots and try to pick up the pace of the game, it’s really going to benefit them.”

Rubin says the team’s strong start has him confident moving forward.

“I don’t think we have expectations that we’re going to go 15-1 (in league play) like we did last year; that would be foolish for us to think that, but we think we can compete for a league title,” Rubin said. “We should be right up there with the top teams, and if we can get everyone to click on the same night we’ll be very difficult to beat.”

Athens (0-2, 0-2 OAA White) is still searching for its first win of the season after dropping its opener Tuesday at home against Rochester Adams.

The RedHawks were led offensively by senior Taylor Hill who finished with seven points and also chipped in six rebounds. Sophomore Shannon Birney came off the bench to score five points, while junior Victoria Aurand and senior Becca Chen each scored four points.

Junior Lauren Atwell led Athens on the glass with seven rebounds, while sophomore Kasey Joslin had six.

Athens will look to earn its first win of the season Tuesday at home against cross-town rival Troy, while Andover will look to stay perfect when it hosts Lake Orion on Thursday.

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-7264224373621531017/andover-cruises-to-52-26-win-over-troy-athens-in-its-oaa-white-opener/

2012 Season Predictions – OAA Blue

Order of finish

1. Bloomfield Hills Lahser (Last year – 6-4) – Is there a team to beat in the OAA Blue? Not really. At least five teams have a legit shot to win the league. Lahser is my pick as it made the playoffs last year and the Knights return a solid group of skill players.

2. Birmingham Seaholm (Last year – 6-4) – The Maples made the playoffs last year, only to have the misfortune to draw perennial juggernaut Farmington Hills Harrison in the first round. Seaholm has a good chance to make it back to the postseason this year under new head coach Jim DeWald who coached Andover last season. The Maples’ defense, led by senior LB Dan Simon, should be solid.

3. Ferndale (Last year – 4-5) – Ferndale missed the playoffs last year, but returns most of the core players from that team. With an experienced roster and play-making QB Eric Ellis running the show, the Eagles are poised to make a run at the OAA Blue championship.

4. Birmingham Groves (Last year – 6-4) – Groves was over-matched and overpowered in a 53-7 playoff loss to Southfield last year, but the Falcons still put together a solid season. Losing RB Keon Collier to graduation hurts, but  Groves should still be able to contend for a return trip to the playoffs.

5. Auburn Hills Avondale (Last year – 5-5) – With star QB Mitch Robinson on the team, Avondale could use its passing game to put up a lot of points in a hurry. With Robinson graduated, expect the Yellow Jackets to focus on the run game, led by RB Michael Robinson led and Bowling Green commit OL Clark Clancy.

6. Hazel Park (Last year – 3-6) – Hazel Park probably won’t contend for the OAA Blue crown, but with senior QB Andrew McClellan returning the Vikings could very well pull a few upsets and shake things up a bit.

7. Berkley (Last year – 4-5) – Berkley will have a lot of new starters this season, but the Bears could make a run behind a solid defense and running game. Player to watch – senior RB/WR Eric Hudson.

8. Royal Oak (Last year – 1-8) – Royal Oak ended a 28-game losing streak in its season opener vs. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore last year, but that was the lone win for the Ravens in the 2011 campaign. Moving to the OAA Blue from the OAA Red should help the Ravens going forward under new head coach Ryan Irish.

9. Bloomfield Hills Andover (Last year – 0-9) – Andover will field its last-ever team this year as the Barons will merge with Lahser following this season. Unfortunately, the team is coming off an 0-9 season and isn’t likely to contend.