2024-25 SEASON PREVIEW: OAA WHITE

High school tryouts are on the horizon, just under a month away. Growing up, I remember the excitement of reading preview magazines for my favorite sports teams and learning about key players before the season started. The enthusiasm and excitement I have for the Michigan Varsity Girls Basketball season has been building since the end of AAU, which leads to my endeavor to write these conference preview articles. Every coach and team in the state has the desire to perform better than they did the previous season in their conference and in the playoffs. Each year there are coaching changes, graduations, transfers, and varsity additions that shift the dynamics of teams in the conference. The Oakland Activities Association consists of 23 teams separated into four divisions. The Red Division includes West Bloomfield, Lake Orion, Clarkston, Oxford, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, and Ferndale. The White Division includes Rochester, Birmingham Groves, Birmingham Seaholm, Bloomfield Hills, Royal Oak, and Troy. The Blue Division includes Southfield A & T, Harper Woods, North Farmington, Rochester Adams, Troy Athens, Berkley, and Avondale. The Gold Division includes Farmington, Pontiac, Oak Park, and Ferndale University. Each division has its own champion with divisional opponents playing twice: divisions change from year to year. The OAA is structured so that the most skilled teams compete in the Red Division, followed by the White, Blue, and Gold, respectively. 2023 results, 2024 predictions for the OAA White, and previews for each team in the division are included below.   2023-24 Season Results   Red Division champion: West Bloomfield (10-0), White Division Champions: Bloomfield Hills (7-3) and Birmingham Seaholm (7-3), Blue Division Champion: Troy (9-1), Gold Division Champion: Ferndale (8-0). Darkhorse Teams: Birmingham Seaholm, Ferndale, Troy.   2024-25 OAA WHITE PRE-SEASON POWER RANKING   1. Birmingham Seaholm   2. Royal Oak   3. Troy   4. Bloomfield Hills   5. Rochester   6. Birmingham Groves   Now, let's take a much closer look at how each OAA White team looks heading into the 2024 season.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Birmingham Groves</h2>   Birmingham Groves has had a tough time pulling wins together against divisional opponents with 10 combined wins in the past three seasons. The Falcons hope to see a change in results as they bring in college assistant coach and former professional women's basketball player Jessica Duleba to lead a turnaround. Groves tied for last in the OAA White with a 3-7 record in 2023, and will need underclassmen to step up with the loss of Cira Rocco (2024) who has been a steady producer on the offensive end. [player_tooltip player_id='751145' first='Harlem' last='Simpson'] (2027) is one of the most athletic downhill scorers in her class and [player_tooltip player_id='908323' first='Sophie' last='Schwanik'] (2027) has shown noticeable progress in her game during the travel season. Determined coaching and performance from the underclassmen should result in a more competitive season for Groves in divisional matchups this winter.    Harlem is an electric point guard prospect who exploded onto the high school scene for Groves in 2023. She shoots with balance from the perimeter, hitting five triples against Royal Oak last season. Harlem uses her athleticism and quickness to block shots, create steals, and blow by defenders to score off the dribble. Harlem is an explosive guard who will be an All-Conference caliber player for the Falcons again in 2024.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/05/the-main-event-2027-guards-performing/">Read More About Harlem</a>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Birmingham Seaholm</h2>   Birmingham Seaholm struggled against OAA divisional opponents in 2022, finishing 3-11. The Maples became a Darkhorse team in 2023, bouncing back to win a shared division title with a 7-3 record. They bring back key seniors and should be in an excellent position to contend for the OAA White crown this winter. Addy Flynn (2025) is a lanky guard who can light up the stat sheet with her perimeter shooting and burst off the dribble. She shot an elite 89.8% from the free throw line making 88 of 98 attempts during the 2023 season. [player_tooltip player_id='1002318' first='Mary' last='Gumbis'] (2025) is a powerful forward who provides rebounding, interior defense, and tough scoring around the basket. Contributions from senior Honorable Mention nominees Clara Guffey, Sophie Sullivan, Ella Koosis, Emma Weber, and All-League honoree Taylor Hartwig, make the Maples a veteran unit with winning experience. In what should be a nail-biting divisional race, Seaholm is my choice to repeat as White champs again in 2024.    Mary had a breakout season in 2022 and has been nothing short of impressive during the off-season. Her strong finishes off two feet through contact, tempo pushing the ball in transition, fierce rebounding, and defensive prowess in the paint, grabbed my attention at Northwood Team Camp. Mary has height, athleticism, and fundamental skills that give her versatility as a forward prospect. I anticipate Mary will have another huge year for the Maples in 2024; she is one of the best forward prospects in the OAA.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/06/northwood-team-camp-cinderella-chemics/">Read More About Mary</a>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bloomfield Hills</h2>   Bloomfield Hills delivered two stellar seasons after a winless performance against divisional opponents in 2021. The Blackhawks won the OAA Blue Division with a perfect 12-0 record in 2022 and earned a shared OAA White title in 2023 with a 7-3 divisional record. Repeating that success in 2024 will be a tall order. Bloomfield Hills will have to overcome key losses including Head Coach Kristen Massey. They graduate poised point guard [player_tooltip player_id='796695' first='Michele' last='Barnett'] (2024), formidable center Ruby Smith (2024, Davis & Elkins), and dynamic wing Ashley Forner (2024, Cal-Santa Barber). The Blackhawks do return their versatile guard/forward and explosive two-way prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1037434' first='Briana' last='Young'] (2025). [player_tooltip player_id='1050925' first='Kaynna' last='Jordan'] (2025) missed time due to injury, but has been impressive during the fall; I expect her to step into a lead role for Bloomfield Hills in 2024. New Head Coach Renardo Brown has a team that should be very competitive this winter.    Briana has been one of the most explosive prospects to watch in the OAA and her senior season at Bloomfield Hills should be no exception. Injuries forced Bri to take on more of a primary ball-handling role in 2023 and she stepped up to the challenge. Her breakaway speed in transition, strong finishing at the rim, and relentless pursuit of rebounds consistently produce double-doubles. Bri battles to force turnovers and secure 50/50 balls on the floor. She has the offensive firepower to put up big numbers and I expect her to be an All-Conference player in 2024.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/03/districts-finals-preview-high-school/">Read More About Briana</a>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rochester</h2>   Rochester had a very successful 2022 season in the OAA Red, finishing third in the division with a 9-5 record. 2023 was a different experience for the Falcons as they ended the year last with a 2-8 record. The Falcons have plenty of promise for a bounce-back season in 2024. Senior superstar power forward [player_tooltip player_id='335981' first='Alice' last='Max'] (2025, GVSU) is back and has shown noticeable progress as a perimeter shooter on the travel circuit. I expect a few lesser-known names to emerge as heavy contributors this season. [player_tooltip player_id='908305' first='Arisara' last='MacDonald'] (2026) is a versatile wing/forward prospect with solid fundamentals and determination that leads to production on both sides of the court. [player_tooltip player_id='908325' first='Angela' last='Cichowski'] (2027) demonstrated offensive abilities and effective guard play during the spring and [player_tooltip player_id='908324' first='Kelly' last='Cook'] (2027) is a sharpshooting guard with length who makes plays defensively.    Arisara made a great impression with her leadership qualities, work ethic, and fundamental skills at multiple events during the off-season. Arisara is an accurate shooter from two or three-point range, an effective ball-handler, and an unselfish offensive player. She verbally encourages her teammates, battles for rebounds, and finishes well off two feet around the basket. Her presence on the court and in the locker room will be an advantage for Rochester in 2024. I expect her to be an integral part of a resurgent Falcons team this winter.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/09/upside-2024-event-2026-prospects/">Read More About Arisara </a>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Royal Oak</h2>   Royal Oak was one of the top teams in the OAA White, finishing with second in the standings at 6-4. The Ravens have high expectations heading into the 2024 season and should be in contention for a division title. There are, however, a couple of hurdles for them to overcome if they wish to achieve those aspirations. First, the Ravens lose an important ball-handler, scorer, and leader as Anna Waterstredt (2024, Alma) graduates. They also graduated lanky perimeter presence Emilee Austin (2024) but do have plenty of depth coming back. [player_tooltip player_id='1002352' first='Jordan' last='Hills'] (2025) has been a reliable ball-handler and scrappy defensive during the summer, [player_tooltip player_id='424149' first='Lucy' last='Freytag'] (2025) and [player_tooltip player_id='628148' first='Hannah' last='Saunders'] (2025) are very productive offensive players, [player_tooltip player_id='615163' first='Lydia' last='Dickens'] (2026) looks ready for a breakout year, and [player_tooltip player_id='751156' first='Kolbie' last='Roelofs'] (2027) is a promising post prospect. Royal Oak will be a team to watch in the OAA White this winter.    Lucy put her offensive firepower on full display in 2023 and she looks ready for an even better senior season. Lucy puts games out of reach in a hurry with her sharpshooting. She knocks down multiple 3s on most nights, hitting four or more in several games. Lucy drives by defenders to score floaters off the dribble and has good balance when finishing layups around the basket. She has length, determination, and offensive skills that make her an excellent next-level recruit. I expect Lucy to be an All-Conference caliber player for the Ravens in 2024.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/lucy-freytag/">Read More About Lucy</a>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Troy</h2>   Troy rebounded from their winless OAA Red divisional performance in 2022 with a dominant year in the OAA Blue. The Colts became a Darkhorse success story by winning the Blue with a 9-1 record in 2023. Troy brings back four all-league players: explosive multi-level scorer [player_tooltip player_id='615151' first='Diamond' last='Prince'] (2026), [player_tooltip player_id='860201' first='Olivia' last='Spangler'] (2026), Sophia Kaltsounis (2025), and [player_tooltip player_id='372545' first='Reagan' last='Zeiter'] (2025). [player_tooltip player_id='933036' first='Maci' last='Zeiter'] (2028) looks like a versatile forward who will contribute right away as a freshman. The Colts move up into the White division this winter and should be a division title contender.    Maci competed up a couple of grades on the travel circuit and looks ready to make an immediate impact for the Colts as a freshman. She pushes the ball in transition and uses combination dribbles to create separation from defenders. Maci has the range to hit shots outside and effective footwork to score in the paint. Her length creates deflections on defense and I expect her to be a colt who sprints out of the gate in her first varsity season at Troy.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/06/northwood-team-camp-milford/">Read More About Maci</a>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">At the Buzzer</h2>   Evan Bell is currently a scout for Prep Girls Hoops and Director of <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/program/prepare-2-win-basketball/"> </a><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/program/prepare-2-win-basketball/">          [program_tooltip program_id='923712' first='Prepare' last='2 Win Basketball']</a>            . Our <a href="https://www.prepnetwork.com/frequently-asked-questions/">mission</a> at PGH is to cover as many athletes with D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO potential in the state as possible. If you know a prospect off our radar, please DM Evan through Twitter @CoachEvanBell or email him at coachevanbell@gmail.com

High school tryouts are on the horizon, just under a month away. Growing up, I remember the excitement of reading preview magazines for my favorite sports teams and learning about key players before the season started. The enthusiasm and excitement I have for the Michigan Varsity Girls Basketball season has been building since the end of AAU, which leads to my endeavor to write these conference preview articles. Every coach and team in the state has the desire to perform better than they did the previous season in their conference and in the playoffs. Each year there are coaching changes, graduations, transfers, and varsity additions that shift the dynamics of teams in the conference. The Oakland Activities Association consists of 23 teams separated into four divisions. The Red Division includes West Bloomfield, Lake Orion, Clarkston, Oxford, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, and Ferndale. The White Division includes Rochester, Birmingham Groves, Birmingham Seaholm, Bloomfield Hills, Royal Oak, and Troy. The Blue Division includes Southfield A & T, Harper Woods, North Farmington, Rochester Adams, Troy Athens, Berkley, and Avondale. The Gold Division includes Farmington, Pontiac, Oak Park, and Ferndale University. Each division has its own champion with divisional opponents playing twice: divisions change from year to year. The OAA is structured so that the most skilled teams compete in the Red Division, followed by the White, Blue, and Gold, respectively. 2023 results, 2024 predictions for the OAA White, and previews for each team in the division are included below.