Season Preview: Detroit PSL

If you have been following girls’ basketball in Detroit over the last decade, you’ve witnessed the roller coaster of girls’ hoops in the city. ESPN has ranked players from the Detroit Public School league in their top 100 more often in the last decade than any other conference in Michigan. Who could forget that 2012 class with Cass Tech’s Branndais Agee (ranked 28) and Pershing’s Caprice Dennis (ranked 47). Nationally ranked players and on some nights, you could walk into the gym and see their teams in a dog fight. The PSL was interesting back then.   The tradition of the PSL being one of the toughest leagues predates the mid 2000’s. Legends of the PSL ranging from the 1980s to early 2000's are names like Latonya Tate (Cass Tech), Chante Bowman (Cass tech), Stephanie Douglass (King), and Deanna Mason (Murray Wright). Most conferences in the state will never be able to claim that they had some of the country’s top talent, let alone saying they had the talent in consecutive years. So, what happened to the PSL? An interesting question that won't be covered in this article. However, we will talk about what is happening in the PSL - a resurgence. This season will prove to be one of the best of the Detroit PSL in recent memory.   <h2 style="text-align: center;"></h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">How we got here </span></p>   February 12th, 2018 - marked the first step of the resurgence of the PSL. The youngest teams in the PSL, Renaissance hosted the perennial powerhouse Martin Luther King high school in the semifinals of the Big D Championship tournament. It wasn’t just winning the game; it was how the Phoenix won. With a final score of 73-48, there wasn’t a time where the game felt close. That is an unusual feeling when watching King play. It felt like the passing of the torch.   Less than seven days later, Vantane Garrett won Ms. PSL. I know that this step seems weird but bear with me. CMA has never had a Ms. PSL winner, and there has not been a division 2 school in the PSL to have a Ms. PSL in the last decade. CMA, was ousted in the quarterfinals of the PSL tournament but this individual awards is significant to the overall growth of the league. Before Garrett winning the Ms. PSL award, the award had only been donned by players from King or Renaissance the last 5 years. Garrett winning wasn’t just historic for CMA and the Pharaohs but it marked a sense of balance returning to the PSL.   The third and final step was the championship game played by Renaissance and Mumford. For years, experts felt like Mumford was on the path for a big win. Renaissance however, was on a completely different path. The Lady Phoenix were a completely new look team with freshmen and players who waited their turn, they were dominant and clicked instantly. As you all know, Mumford won that championship game and that marked their 2nd win of the season against Renaissance.   <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">A look at this season</span></h2>   This season there will be a lot of familiar faces in the mix for the PSL title. Renaissance, Mumford, King, Cass Tech, and my dark horse - East English Village Prep. Eventually, the PSL will have to make a separate tournament for the Division 2 schools, because enrollment does not allow them to be competitive in the tournament but there are some schools with talent that just will not be able to compete for the title due to enrollment.   <h2 style="text-align: center;">Teams To Watch</h2>   <strong>Renaissance</strong> - <strong>Kailee Davis</strong> is arguably the best player in the PSL heading into her Sophomore year. The floor general is coming into this season with a year of experience and another summer on the EYBL circuit. The Lady Phoenix also have size that a lot of other teams just can not match and the X factor of <strong>Mikyah Finley</strong>. Look for them to be back in the PSL Championship game.     <strong>Mumford</strong> - The Lady Mustangs return most of their championship team. The exit of Zamaria Polk could be a big one but with the depth and familiarty of the team, Mumford is poised to have a big season. <strong>Adoreya Williams, Monica Williams, Sequoia and Jequoia Jackson</strong> are all players that have division one college potential. Those players also had huge summers playing with their respective AAU programs.   <strong>King</strong> - This is unfamiliar territory for King. The crusaders are still one of the more talented teams in the city with Ms. PSL hopeful <strong>Del'Janae Williams</strong> leading the way. She will have to step up in a major way for the Crusaders to make the deep run into the playoffs that they are used to.   <strong>Cass Tech</strong> - The guard play from the Technicians took a huge jump last year as Cass was a young and gritty team. Last year they were stopped one game shy of the PSL finals, losing a tightly contested game to eventual champs Mumford. Desiree Jackson is a serious player who is long and see's the floor very well, she looks to pick up where she left last year. Arriyah Powell is an exciting player who see's the floor well and is tough to guard even for the best defenders.   <h2 style="text-align: center;">Players to Watch</h2>   <ul> <li>Kailee Davis, Renaissance - If the Ms. PSL award was open to all grades, Davis would be on the watch list. She scores multiple ways and dishes the ball at a very high rate. She is worth the price of admission and she is one of the best players in her class.</li> <li><strong>Jayla Smith</strong>, East English Village Prep - Smith, is a division 1 prospect who shoots the 3 and penetrates at a high level. On the AAU circuit smith drew the interest of a lot of colleges just off of measurables. The senior kept East English competitive sing handedly last year and she will look to do the same.</li> <li>Shanea Dinwiddie, Mumford - Dinwiddie stands at 6'1 and has a big frame. Shinea was dominant on the boards last year and money from midrange and in. I look for her to be the dominant anchor on the defensive end for Mumford</li> </ul> This year in PSL girls hoop is going to be amazing!      