A Common Theme
Ann Arbor-based basketball club quickly becoming one of the elites in Michigan
By Jared Field
21 May 2007
greatlakeshoops.com
(Cover shot, Reggie Stallings)
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Three
Rivers, MI-- If you participated as a player or a coach in the 2007 Camp
Darryl/Bankhoops Classic you, undoubtedly, know all about Common Bond. The Ann
Arbor-based basketball club is on a fast track toward becoming one of the elite
clubs in Michigan--and, in truth, they are probably already there.
At some point, you probably lost to a team clad in black and yellow; it was a common theme this weekend in all divisions.
In the end, Common Bond won two out of the three age divisions in Three Rivers this weekend with an impressive mix of talent, discipline and hard work.
It pays to pluck players from mid-Michigan.
The U-17 Common Bond (Lee) squad ran roughshod over the competition before a hard-fought victory in the finale over the West Michigan Lakers--one of the top programs in the state of Michigan--78-70. This win was for more than just the trophy. Common Bond avenged an early season loss to West Michigan in what should be called the pre-Darryl Stinson (pictured left) era.
General Lee, Flint Carman-Ainsworth's Jon Lee, scored 25 points in the championship game to lead his team to the title.
Lee has the uncanny ability to play above the competition, no matter who the competition may be. He's never intimidated and always in control. He has the mental and physical toughness to play the point guard at the next level.
The 6-1 point guard, along with two more of mid-Michigan's finest (Carman-Ainsworth's Kieon Arkwright and Jackson's Darryl Stinson) were named to the all-tournament team.
Stinson is the perfect big man for CB-Lee. He can get up and down the floor, play defense, and dominate the post on offense.
Another Carman-Ainsworth
Cavalier, 6-3 junior Reggie Stallings, had a solid tournament for Common Bond..JPG)
It was an all Common Bond final in the U-15 division as CB-black defeated CB-gold in a runaway. CB-black, coming off a final four finish at the Buckeye Report Invitational in Ohio, is a team to be reckoned with from here on out.
Devin Brackens, a slick little guard from Grand Blanc, is a tough cover and a nice ballhandler. Flint Powers' Patrick O'Brien, a 6-3 combo forward, is a bruiser with polish. Both players made the U-15 all tournament team.
6-10 Brandon Crane of Midland High is also a solid contributor to Common Bond-Black.
Three cheers for Three Rivers
Darryl Matthews does a great job of putting this tournament together. The officials were better than I've come to expect on the summer circuit, the games always ran on time (or even early) and the facility was top-notch.
U-17 All-Tournament Team
Kieon Arkwright 5-10 Jr
Common Bond (Flint Carman-Ainsworth)
Robert Brooks 6-0 Jr Camp Darryl (Kalamazoo Central)
Nate Bruinsma 6-3 Jr West Michigan Lakers (Western Michigan Christian)
Max Gover 6-4 Jr Mid-Michigan Lakers (Lansing Catholic Central)
Donte Hudson 6-0 Jr Courthouse Elite (Kalamazoo Central)
Jonathan Lee 6-1 Jr Common Bond (Flint Carman-Ainsworth)
Jared Mysliwiec 6-0 So West Michigan Warriors (Tri-Unity Christian)
Logan Neil 6-3 Jr West Michigan Lakers (West Ottawa)
Ryne Smith 6-3 Jr Ohio Gators (Toledo Whitmer)
Darryl Stinson 6-6 Jr Common Bond (Jackson)
U-16 All-Tournament Team
Omari Humes 6-5 So Central
All-Stars (Saginaw Arthur Hill)
Matt Mulder 6-0 So West Michigan Alliance (Holland Christian)
Tony Nelson 6-6 So Grand Rapids Storm (Jenison)
Nate Snuggerud 6-5 So West Michigan Alliance (Zeeland East)
Booker Stoudmire 6-0 So Common Bond (Belleville)
Quinn Woodhouse 6-3 So Central All-Stars (Gaylord)
U-15 All-Tournament Team
Devin Brackens 5-7 Fr
Common Bond-Black (Grand Blanc)
Mohamed Conde 6-6 Fr Common Bond-Black (Belleville)
Jacob Greene 6-4 Fr Grand Rapdis Storm (Rockford)
John Haarer 6-4 Fr Common Bond-Gold (Ann Arbor Huron)
Jorddan Myrick 5-8 Fr Camp Darryl (West Ottawa)
Patrick O’Brien 6-3 Fr Common Bond-Black (Flint Powers)