PGH Michigan JAM: Wayne Memorial and West Bloomfield

I am excited to announce the release of the “MICHIGAN JAM” series. During my 2024 summer vacation, I visited an old-school arcade that happened to include an edition of “NBA JAM,” the ultimate retro basketball video game. This game became famous during the 90s at the arcade and on numerous gaming consoles. The original game was released by Midway in 1993 and featured players from NBA rosters. Each NBA team featured two players who competed in 2 on 2 with no subs. Later additions to the game included 3-5 players, which gave gamers the ability to sub new players into the games. The game's exaggerated graphics, high-flying dunks, and lack of fouls made it wildly unique and popular amongst gamers.   <a href="https://videogamehistory.fandom.com/wiki/NBA_Jam">Read more about the history of NBA JAM</a>   MICHIGAN JAM! HS Article Series   This article series, modeled after the original “NBA JAM”, will include 2 players per team. There is an Eastern Conference and a Western Conference. Two high school players from the same team are included as a “Dynamic Duo”. Each player will be assigned a fictitious rating for physical and skill attributes based on the criteria of the original “NBA JAM”. Rating Breakdown: Overall speed/6, Shooting skill from 3 pt/6, Skill at dunking/6, Overall defensive skill/6. The overall rating is out of 24 (rating criteria are modeled using the original “NBA JAM”). Some of the original ratings of players from “NBA JAM”: Tim Hardaway-speed 5/6, 3 pts 4/6, dunks 1/6, defense 4/6, Final 14/24, Charles Barkley-speed 4/6, 3 pts 3/6, dunks 6/6, def 1/6, Final 14/24, Scottie Pippen-speed 5/6, 3 pts 4/6, dunks 6/6, def 5/6, Final 20/24. Best Rated Teams: New York Knicks (33 pts), Charlotte Hornets (32 pts), Chicago Bulls (32 pts no MJ), Sacramento Kings (30)   MICHIGAN JAM! Ratings Explained: 0=Not Observed, 1-2=Rare, 3=Average, 4=Above Average, 5=Advanced, 6=Elite   Speed is ball handling, acceleration, and quickness. 3 pts is shooting 3s efficiently more often than not. Dunks is leaping ability, elevation, and/or height. Defense is steals, deflections, shutting down your position. Final Rating is the sum of all those categories out of 24 points. As you can see, legends of the NBA game, including Hall of Famers, don't rate over 20! This is meant to be a lighthearted and fun way of learning about some of the great duos in the state and not to be taken too seriously. There were 27 teams in the original “NBA JAM”, but I have expanded the total to 19 teams per conference.   Each team will have its video game graphic released in articles and on X! With that in mind, let's meet the dynamic duos from Wayne Memorial and West Bloomfield!   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wayne Memorial Zebras</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/11/PGHJam-WayneMemorial.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1360400" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='613942' first='Mariah' last='Cross'] and [player_tooltip player_id='801857' first='Kaylee' last='King']   Wayne Memorial was the only team to defeat Belleville last season. The Zebras made it back to the State Semifinals, and they'll look to do it again this season. Cross and King are both top ten prospects who will create constant matchup problems for opponents. Mariah has explosive quickness that makes her a lockdown defender, dynamic driver, and effective creator. She distributes the ball to open teammates, pushes the tempo, changes directions on a dime, and can light it up from three-point distance. Mariah is a great addition to Temple's recruiting class. Kaylee transferred in from East Lansing last year and will immediately fill a huge role for the Zebras in the paint. She's been one of the biggest front-court stock risers in the state after an impressive travel season for 1 Nation Elite. Kaylee is a physically dominant interior prospect who can finish and muscle her way into position for rebounds. She's picked up D1 offers and will be an exciting addition to a college roster. This dynamic duo will be one of the top tandems to watch.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">West Bloomfield Lakers</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/11/PGHJam-WestBloomfield.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1360401" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='613425' first='Sheridan' last='Beal'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1155641' first='Kaela' last='Hall']   After graduating four of five starters following their 2024 state title, West Bloomfield embraced the underdog role, making a memorable run to the State Semifinals in 2025; they competed well against Belleville in a 55-60 defeat. Sheridan is a top ten prospect in her class. Her comprehensive impact on the court, athleticism, and prolific scoring abilities give West Bloomfield an advantage against any team in the conference. She demands attention from multiple defenders, which creates open looks for teammates. Sheridan should be a serious Miss Basketball Finalist candidate and is a great addition to North Alabama's 2026 recruiting class. Kaela is a high motor rebounder, defender, and tough. She's a hard downhill driver with an effective face-up game. Kaela finishes well off two feet and will be a key contributor again this season. This duo will be essential for the Lakers to continue their playoff success.

I am excited to announce the release of the “MICHIGAN JAM” series. During my 2024 summer vacation, I visited an old-school arcade that happened to include an edition of “NBA JAM,” the ultimate retro basketball video game. This game became famous during the 90s at the arcade and on numerous gaming consoles. The original game was released by Midway in 1993 and featured players from NBA rosters. Each NBA team featured two players who competed in 2 on 2 with no subs. Later additions to the game included 3-5 players, which gave gamers the ability to sub new players into the games. The game's exaggerated graphics, high-flying dunks, and lack of fouls made it wildly unique and popular amongst gamers.