The Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday of the Metro

Prep Girls Hoops Staff

January 21, 2023 @ 03:54 PM

So, I have to admit that I am binging podcasts on the Wild West. This time period is unique in history compared to other countries and is one of the most romanticized part of our history. It is a time when a person was both outlaw and lawman, hero and villain, and a mixture of myth and fact. While there were some famous individuals of the West- think John Wesley Hardin or Wild Bill Hickock, many of the legends that stay with us today are famous duos. Below are some of the toughest duos in the Flint Metro Conference this year.   Lake Fenton Kendyll Smith and SJ Fellenbaum   Lake Fenton is on an absolute roll right now. They have huge wins against Frankenmuth and a Goodrich team that is sure to make serious noise in Division II this year. This team is loaded with high end talent, so picking two kids was really difficult. The guard part was easy in that Kendyll Smith is the start of the attack. She is a high IQ freshman that can drive by you or bust you with the deep ball. Her running mate was more difficult in that her backcourt mate ([player_tooltip player_id='364996' first='Amaya' last='Smith'], her sister) might be one of the most underrated kids in the state, and [player_tooltip player_id='189289' first='Makenna' last='Clement'] is a nightmare matchup with her hi-lo abilities out of the post. I decided to go with Savannah Fellenbaum due to her ability to post and stroke the three, which she does at a better clip than most bigs.   Fenton Adri Staib and Allie Michewicz   The inside out combination of Adrienne Staib and Allie Michewicz puts unbelievable pressure on opponents. Staib is easily six feet tall and is strong; her footwork and touch in the post make her a mandatory double team. Despite the fact that Staib is a surprisingly dangerous outside shooter, the assassin from three is Michewicz. She only needs an inch or two to get a shot off and can hit from all five spots. She can hit off the bounce or off jab steps.   Linden Kelsey McLennan and [player_tooltip player_id='417931' first='Olivia' last='Mawhinney']   The Eagles of Linden have been riding a few years of success, and the twin towers of Kelsey McLennan and [player_tooltip player_id='417931' first='Olivia' last='Mawhinney'] are doing their part to propel Linden to another winning season. Both are six foot tall, multi-skilled players. McLennan has an unstoppable, Kareem skyhook from both hands and can step out and hit shots past the arc. Alongside the double-double machine is Mawhinney who flirts with triple doubles. She can drive by people, has good vision off the bounce, and fills all of the stat categories every night. Six foot ball handlers are hard to cover, especially with a McLennan on the court.   Goodrich [player_tooltip player_id='190183' first='Riley' last='Place'] and Kayla Hairston   The Martians have quite the basketball history, including two state titles in recent years. This group is looking like it can deliver more deep playoff runs. There were a couple of options for a dynamic duo, but I decided to go with sharp shooting [player_tooltip player_id='190183' first='Riley' last='Place'] and the young gun Kayla Hairston. In a league that has several legit three point shooters, Place might be the most dangerous pure shooter. I've watched her go off and hit 4+ three pointers multiple times. Despite not starting, Hairston is impacting the game more than most freshman. One of my buddies follows Goodrich basketball, and he describes her as "the straw that stirs the drink". She is a dynamo off the bounce and plays passing lanes with finesse. She does a great job of digging down on drives and disrupting the dribble. Her quickness is going to be problematic for years to come.

So, I have to admit that I am binging podcasts on the Wild West. This time period is unique in history compared to other countries and is one of the most romanticized part of our history. It is a time when a person was both outlaw and lawman, hero and villain, and a mixture of myth and fact. While there were some famous individuals of the West- think John Wesley Hardin or Wild Bill Hickock, many of the legends that stay with us today are famous duos. Below are some of the toughest duos in the Flint Metro Conference this year.